A History of Healing at Oakwood Healthcare

Now known as Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn, the 632-bed full-service teaching hospital offers the full range of state-of-the-art services, including heart and vascular, orthopedics, women's health, emergency medicine, Level II trauma and surgery.

In 1989, three additional hospitals joined Oakwood Healthcare that were formerly part of the Peoples Community Hospital Authority:

• Oakwood Hospital – Southshore (formerly Seaway Hospital) in Trenton is a 193-bed community hospital that recently received the Truven Health Advantage Award in the category of Health and Clinical Outcomes. Oakwood Southshore provides comprehensive health care with a personal touch, including Level II trauma care.

• Oakwood Hospital – Taylor (formerly Oakwood Heritage Hospital) is a 197-bed hospital providing specialty services – including emergency care, pain management, orthopedic surgery, mental health, physical medicine and trauma rehabilitation – in a recently renovated, patient-friendly setting.

• Oakwood Hospital – Wayne (formerly Oakwood Annapolis Hospital), has 221 beds and offers emergency and Level III trauma care, surgical services, laboratory and radiology, rehabilitation medicine and a comprehensive birthing center.

Oakwood also includes 65 outpatient sites and a retirement community and rehabilitation skilled nursing center, known as Oakwood Common, to serve the people and diverse communities of western Wayne County.

Oakwood has been committed to serving the underserved from its beginning. The Dearborn hospital received Hill-Burton federal funds for construction with the proviso that the facility would "provide a reasonable volume of services to persons unable to pay and to make their services available to all persons residing in the facility's area." In 2012, our community programs and services amounted to $209.4 million in community benefit. We are a values-driven organization and take pride in being a great place for our 9,600 employees, 900 volunteers and 1,300 physicians to provide and receive care.

Historical information about Oakwood

2013

• Oakwood Hospital - Southshore is honored as a recipient of the Truven Health Advantage Award in the category of Health and Clinical Outcomes in recognition of its achievement of extraordinary quality improvement in business line performance.
• OakCare, Oakwood’s electronic medical record software, launched at all four acute care Oakwood hospitals.
• Oakwood’s Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center opened a new location in Dearborn.
• Oakwood President & Chief Executive Officer Brian Connolly received the 2013 Meritorious Service Award from the Michigan Health & Hospital Association for his contributions to the advancement of health care in Michigan.
• U.S. News & World Report ranks Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn 6th in the Detroit area and 7th in the state. In addition, Oakwood Hospital - Southshore and Oakwood Hospital - Wayne were ranked 12th and 21st, respectively, in the metro area.
• The ABC television show Extreme Weight Loss features the weight loss journey of Oakwood nurse Trina Miller and 6 other Oakwood nurses.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn celebrates 60 years of providing care, healing and health in the community.
• Oakwood Hospital - Wayne renovates and expands the Emergency Room by 17,848 square feet, with 28 treatment bays.
• The non-invasive cardiology department of Oakwood Hospital - Wayne received a 3-year accreditation in the areas of adult stress and adult transthoracic echocardiography by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission.
• The newly expanded 5th floor at Oakwood Hospital - Southshore builds on the Southshore Promise with a 14-bed orthopedic unit, state-of-the-art services and private rooms for all patients.
• Governor Rick Snyder bestowed a great honor on Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn by choosing OH-D as the site for his Medicaid expansion bill-signing ceremony.
• For the 10th consecutive year, Oakwood has been named as one of Metropolitan Detroit’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.

2012

• Oakwood launched new advertising campaign with a personalized care tagline, “We specialize in you.”
• Oakwood Healthcare Center-Westland was recognized as the best clinical campus to learn and experience family medicine by third-year Wayne State School of Medicine students.
• Honored for advertising excellence in the 2012 Aster Awards, Oakwood received bronze recognition in this year's competition for its 2011 Report to our Community calendar.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn is  among the first in the region to offer I–125 radioactive seed localization, a cutting-edge technology that helps to significantly reduce the level of discomfort associated with procedures like breast tissue biopsy and lumpectomy.
• The 650 employees of Oakwood Corporate Services are connected in more ways than one with the completion of the site’s new 8,000-square-foot atrium. Construction started in November 2011 on the $2 million addition.
• Oakwood Hospital - Wayne received verification from the American College of Surgeons as a Level III Trauma Center. It is the only community hospital in the Wayne/Westland/Garden City/Inkster/Romulus areas to hold this distinction and is the designated facility for first response for Metro Airport.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn, Oakwood Hospital - Wayne and Oakwood Hospital - Southshore  were recognized for top specialties, according to the U.S. News & World Report metro area rankings.
• Oakwood formed Oakwood Physicians (OPi), an integrated multi-specialty physician group practice within the Oakwood Healthcare System, designed to achieve several key strategic objectives.
• A high-risk maternal fetal medicine clinic opened in the Oakwood Hospital - Wayne second-floor birthing center.
• To help those suffering with back pain Oakwood developed Back Pain 101, a free seminar hosted by a panel of Oakwood orthopedic spine specialists.
• For the second straight year, Oakwood Hospital - Taylor was named as a national top performer on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of healthcare organizations in America.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn announced the addition of certified nurse-midwives to its obstetrics program.
• The Karen Colina Wilson Smithbauer Breast Care Center at Oakwood Hospital - Southshore was awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography after a review by the American College of Radiology.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn won the prestigious Medal of Honor granted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services–for the fifth year in a row.
• Oakwood Healthcare Center – Canton acquired special low-dose radiation technology from Toshiba for its 64-slice CT scanner. This state-of-the-art software enhances patient safety by significantly reducing exposure to radiation while still providing high-quality CT images.
• The Neuro-interventional Program at Oakwood provides a complete spectrum of minimally invasive services for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with advanced neurovascular disease.
• Oakwood Hospital - Wayne unveiled its first phase of an extensive renovation and expansion of the Emergency Department. The year-long project cost about $4 million, and was constructed in four phases and completed in June 2013.
• Oakwood Hospital - Taylor won the 2012 Success Story Award for patient satisfaction by Press Ganey Associates. Heritage was one of only 13 hospitals in the nation to receive a Success Story honor in 2012, and one of only nine to receive it for satisfaction performance.
• The Oakwood Wellness Center in Dearborn opened in December and offers an array of fitness and wellness services for employees, patients and their families.

2011

• Oakwood officials cut the ribbon on the new Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine. The unit features four individualized chambers that provide increased patient comfort and access.
• Continuing its goal of providing enhanced services to residents of Wayne County, Oakwood Healthcare added urgent care services to the Oakwood Healthcare Center—Garden City.
• The Oakwood Healthcare System Diversity Council was named one of the top 25 Diversity Councils in the nation by the Association of Diversity Councils, a national organization. It is the first healthcare system in Michigan to receive the award.
• The Oakwood Hospital - Southshore (OH-S) in Trenton was designated a Level II Trauma Center, becoming the only Michigan hospital south of I-94 to have that distinction.
• Operating room improvements at Oakwood Hospital - Wayne (OH-W) in Wayne reduced surgery prep times, increased patient and doctor satisfaction and earned a ”Best Practices” distinction from the VHA, Inc. a cooperative that serves more than 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals and 24,000 non-acute care facilities in 47 states.
• Champions of Care, a half-hour television show modeled after the Champions of Care radio program, launched on Comcast cable channels throughout southeastern Michigan. The weekly half-hour program is designed to be an educational resource that provides tips and information for managing one’s health.
• All Oakwood Hospitals were ranked within the Top 25 hospitals in metro Detroit by U.S. News & World Report, topped by the Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn (OH-D) in Dearborn, which was ranked fifth.
• Oakwood launched Joint Class 101, a series of free educational seminars designed to provide those struggling with chronic hip, knee or shoulder pain with information on the best treatment options available.

2010

• Oakwood expanded its imaging services with the opening of the Oakwood Imaging Center—West on Ford Road in Dearborn. The facility featured the latest in CT technology, including the first 160-slice CT scanner in the state of Michigan.
• The Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn (OH-D) in Dearborn was verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma (COT), making it a state-approved facility to handle seriously injured or ill patients.
• The Ford Motor Company donated an additional $225,000 to help Oakwood complete the Oakwood Healthy Hearts for Women study, launched in 2005. The philanthropic arm of the auto company has donated $1.25 million to help fund the study, designed to help women adapt a healthy lifestyle and lower their risk of heart attack.
• Oakwood furthered its commitment to education with the opening of a Medical Education Headquarters at Oakwood Hospital - Taylor (OH-T) in Taylor. The center supports the Wayne State University School of Medicine Orthopedic Surgery and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency training programs.
• The Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons granted approval to Oakwood Healthcare’s Center for Cancer Care, a distinction granted to only one-fifth of the hospital cancer programs in the country.
• In May, Oakwood broke ground on the specialized Bone & Joint Institute at OH-T. The project features 12 private patient suites, eight state-of-the-art operating rooms and 40 pre- and post-operative rooms. A new entrance is also planned.
• Oakwood earned the grand prize in the video category of the 2010 Ragan Recognition Awards, which showcases the best practices in internal communications. The video celebrated 11 employees who have dedicated 40 and 45 years to caring for patients throughout the Oakwood community.
• In September, Oakwood opened the Bone & Joint Institute at OH-T, part of a three-year $31 million investment planned at the Taylor hospital.
• Oakwood unveiled the first Cyberknife robotic system in the Detroit metro area, a $6 million investment that expands treatment options for patients suffering from previously inoperable tumors.
• The Ultrasound Services Department at OH-D received a perfect score—and re-accreditation—from the American College of Radiology (ACR).
• Oakwood received the 2010 Start! Fit Friendly Platinum Award from the American Heart Association for championing the health and wellness of employees by creating and encouraging a culture of physical activity in the workplace.
• Oakwood, Midwest Health and the City of Dearborn celebrate the opening of the Oakwood Midwest Medical Center, an $80 million investment at Michigan Avenue and Schaefer in the heart of downtown Dearborn. The facility houses medical offices, an urgent care center and restaurants.

2009

• Alberta Muirhead, acknowledging the relationship between advanced education and improving healthcare, established the Muirhead Scholars Program in honor of John and Alberta Muirhead.
• Oakwood Health System (OHS) is named one of the top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks (IHNs) in the nation. It’s the sixth time the system has received the distinction.
• OHS was recognized as the only healthcare organization in the state of Michigan with four hospitals awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission for its hip and knee joint replacement programs.
• The cafeteria at The Oakwood Hospital -Dearborn (OH-D) reopened after a $2 million expansion and renovation program. Oakwood partnered with Morrison Management Specialist (MMS) to update the cafeterias at Oakwood Hospital - Wayne (OH-W) and Oakwood Hospital - Taylor (OH-T), too.
• Three Oakwood surgeons and their medical support teams tested the LifeVision 3D technology on a cadaver, marking the first time in history a surgeon could look at a display and visualize human anatomy in true-to-life form without wearing special 3D glasses.
• The new Center for Exceptional Families (CEF) opened in the Oakwood Family Center on Rotunda Drive in Dearborn, a joint venture with the University of Michigan-Dearborn in a facility originally constructed by Ford Motor Company.
• Oakwood, Midwest Health, the City of Dearborn and Redico Development Company broke ground on what was to become the Oakwood Midwest Health Center, an $80 million project on Michigan Avenue and Schaefer in Dearborn.
• Lance Corporal Nicholas Jevahirian, a Marine stationed in Al Asad, Iraq, witnessed the birth of his child at the OH-D. Staff at OH-D, the Oakwood IT Department and the Freedom Calls Foundation organized the event through the use of satellites and other technology.
• Oakwood adopted the LifeWings safety training program from the airline industry. Oakwood named the program Crew Resource Management; it is designed to improve the culture of safety for patients and employees.
• Oakwood offered Open MRI at OH-W and Oakwood Hospital - Southshore (OH-S) to provide a more comfortable atmosphere for patients.
• OHS is named one of the top 50 healthcare systems in the nation by the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals Program.
• The OH-D was named the 2009 Success Story by Press Ganey for its improvement in patient satisfaction scores. The hospital was one of six winners from 134 applicants across the country.
• Oakwood’s internal and external web sites won the highest honors from two of the most reputable award programs in the industry—the eHealthcare Leadership Awards and the Web Marketing Association’s Web Awards.
• Oakwood was named a Diversity-Focused Company by Corp! Magazine for its efforts to define and monitor diversity successes and demonstrate how diversity adds value to the corporation.

2008

• “Champions of Care” weekly radio show premieres on local radio station News/Talk 760 WJR in February, featuring OHS physicians highlighting health and wellness topics of interest to the community.
• Construction finishes on the Oakwood Hospital - Southshore Pavilion and the grand opening ceremony occurs in June.
• In September, Oakwood Breast Care Center – Wayne opens, providing all-digital technology and quality services to women in the area.
• OH-S is named one of the 101 Best and Brightest employers in Southeast Michigan for the fifth year in a row.
• OH-S wins three prestigious Web site awards – the Platinum-level award for the Best Intranet Site by eHealthcare Strategy & Trends for OakNet, the employee intranet portal, as well as silver awards in Best Site design and Best Quality Communication for Oakwood.org, the consumer Web site.
• Oakwood Hospital - Taylor, Oakwood Hospital - Wayne, Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn and Oakwood Hospital - Southshore receive the 2007 Governor’s Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Hospital, Surgical and Emergency Department Settings.
• OHS is named one of the nation’s top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks for the fifth time by Verispan.
• The Joint Commission awards Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn the Gold Seal of Approval for Advanced Primary Stroke Certification, the highest national standard for safety and quality of care.

2007

• The Zero Wait Program implemented in all OH-S emergency room departments at the beginning of the year. The program calls for triage to begin as soon as patients enter the emergency room.
• Brian Connolly takes the role as the new CEO of Oakwood Health Care, Inc.
• Oakwood Hospital - Wayne debuts new Birthing Center, featuring eleven luxury Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum rooms.
• At the end of the year, the Service Excellence Program is launched, replacing the former Service First! Program. The program strives to create outstanding environments within OHS for patients and families, employees, volunteers, and physicians.
• OHS wins the Quality Leadership Award from the Michigan Quality Council.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn's Total Joint Replacement Program earns a "Gold Seal of Approval" from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. OHS is the only health care system in Michigan to have two hospitals awarded the approval; Oakwood Hospital - Taylor received the award in 2005.

2006

• The Oakwood Surgical Pavilion and Heart and Vascular Center open in January on the campus of Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn as part of $200 million dollar renovation project to OH-D started in 2003.
• OHS is the first healthcare system in the state of Michigan to use the da Vinci S Surgical Robotic System. The revolutionary technology has a variety of surgical applications including gynecological, cardiovascular and urological.
• Oakwood Hospital - Southshore engages in a $64 million expansion titled the “Southshore Promise.” The project includes the building of a new pavilion to bring expanded medical services to the downriver area.
• In June, Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. and Wayne State University in Detroit sign an affiliation agreement to create an academic and clinical care partnership of national renown.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn is one of 176 hospitals ranked in U.S. News & World Report's 17th annual America's Best Hospitals 2006. OH-D achieves a ranking of 43 out of 50 top hospitals for its expertise in the specialty area of respiratory disorders.
• For the second year in a row OH-S is recognized as an AARP’s 2006 Best Employers for Workers Over 50, jumping up to 8th place.
• Oakwood Hospital - Taylor's Total Joint Replacement Program earns a "Gold Seal of Approval" from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
• All four OHS hospitals are recipients of the 2006 Governor's Award of Excellence for Improving Care in the Hospital Setting in various clinical areas.

2005

• Oakwood Hospital - Taylor completes a one million dollar seven-month-long renovation project that introduced six new beds, including a four bed triage unit, along with state-of-the art specialty carts. The renovation also includes a seven-bed observation unit down the hall.
• Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) technology is implemented across OHS bringing state-of-the-art image acquisition and distribution capabilities to the system.
• Oakwood Imaging Center opens across from Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn. The 10,000 square foot new, fully digital outpatient imaging center today is the first fully digital, GE-equipped outpatient imaging center in southeast Michigan.
• OHS is one of only 50 companies nationwide to be honored with the AARP’s Best Employers for Workers Over 50 for 2005, placing 22nd.
• OHS is named one of the nation’s top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks for the second year in a row, placing 66th.

2004

• Oakwood Hospital - Wayne opens state-of-the-art surgery center.
• Oakwood Hospital - Southshore opens progressive care unit, new gift shops, renovated cafeteria and front lobby.
• Oakwood launches Women's HeartAdvantage program.

2003

• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn is ranked Top 100 for fourth time in five years.
• Oakwood Hospital - Southshore welcomes first osteopathic residents and opens five more ED beds for a total of 21. Southshore also breaks ground for a new surgery center that is a joint venture with local physicians. Cardiac catheterization lab and outpatient radiology center opens.

2002

• Oakwood Seaway Hospital becomes Oakwood Hospital - Southshore and is governed by its own downriver-based Board of Directors.

2001

• Room Service launched at Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn. This program allows patients to pick up the phone and place a food order from a menu whenever the patient is ready to eat.
• Oakwood ended ownership in SelectCare with the sale of the HMO members to HAP and the sale of PPO members to PPOM.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn won Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital award for third year in a row.
•  Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn launched its Surgical HLO to improve scheduling and boarding, on time starts, room turnover and the discharge process for surgery patients.
• OHS exceeded all Financial Viability Task Force growth targets set for 2002. Negotiations discontinued between Henry Ford Health System and Oakwood Healthcare System to merge Riverside and Seaway Hospitals. OHS committed to investing $25 million to upgrade the facilities and services at the Seaway campus.

• Oakwood Beyer Hospital closed April 2000. The facility was sold to Forest Health Services who performs bariatric surgery.
• OHS signed letter of intent with Henry Ford Health System to consolidate Henry Ford’s Riverside Hospital and Oakwood’s Seaway Hospital.
• OHS, in a joint venture with the Arab American Center for Economic and Social Services, opened Oakwood Healthcare Center – Schaefer. The clinic provides partial hospitalization services to help the Arab American population’s mental health needs.
• OHS partnered with First Step, a local women’s shelter, to respond to domestic violence. OHS won the Circle of Distinction Award for this program from the American Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development.
• OHS ranked among the Top 100 Healthcare Networks in the Nation by SMG for the second year in a row. SMG Marketing Group is a Chicago based healthcare information and marketing company.
• OHS kicked off its ER 30 Minute Guarantee. The guarantee ensures that emergency room patients are seen by a physician within 30 minutes of arrival or they receive a letter of apology and a pair of movie tickets.
• Oakwood Seaway Hospital closed OB services in October.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn awarded Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital by HCIA for second year in a row.
• Oakwood’s Cancer Center entered into an affiliation with the University of Michigan’s Comprehensive Cancer Center to collaborate on programs Oakwood offers to cancer patients.
• NICHE (Networking to Improve Care to Hospitalized Elderly) was launched at Oakwood Hospital - Wayne, Oakwood Hospital - Taylor and Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn. NICHE is a customized, multidisciplinary approach that strives to prevent common geriatric syndromes.
• OHS initiated a 3 year Financial Viability plan identifying and implementing a series of growth opportunities, cost reductions and revenue enhancements. First year targets were met.

1999

• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn began process to replace CT Scanner and Linear Accelerator.
• Process began to initiate CT services at Oakwood Healthcare Center – Canton.
• OHS launched OakNet, an intranet for Oakwood Healthcare System employees.
• Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn awarded Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital from HCIA.
• OHS ranked in Top 100 Healthcare Networks in the Nation by SMG. SMG Marketing Group is a Chicago based healthcare information and marketing company.

1998
Opened new comprehensive healthcare centers in Allen Park and in Lincoln Park.

1997
The new Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn state-of-the-art emergency department opened. The Oakwood Hospital Beyer Center - Ypsilanti medical office building was completed along with several healthcare centers, which include: Schaefer, Waterworks and North Westland. Also in 1997, Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., formed a partnership with Michigan Affiliated Providers Company (MAPCo) to provide managed care administration services. MAPCo is a full service operation providing physician directed medical and premium management services for physician group and health organization clients. The company's customers are providers engaged in delivering health services to health maintenance organization enrollees while maintaining high quality care and patient satisfaction without increasing cost.

1995
Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn - Dearborn renovated the Department of Obstetrics and added labor and delivery rooms to the facility.

1994
Oakwood Hospital - Taylor - Taylor renovated the intensive care unit and installed state-of-the art equipment.

1993
Oakwood Hospital - Taylor - Taylor renovated and installed the radiology department.

Oakwood Hospital - Wayne - Wayne renovated its emergency room services department in 1993. This two million dollar renovations made it possible for Oakwood Hospital - Wayne to add state-of-the-art equipment and increase their bed emergency room bed count to 22.

1991
Beyer Hospital of Ypsilanti, built in 1918, became part of the Oakwood Healthcare System.

1989
The five-floor northeast addition became home to the expanded state-of-the-art Intensive Care and Cardiac Care units, as well as new dining and laboratory facilities, the Adray Conference Center, and a power plant. Also in 1989, Oakwood Health Services completed a management agreement with United Care (formally PCHA). Under the terms of the agreement, Oakwood United Hospitals, Inc., acquired Annapolis Hospital in Wayne, built in 1957; Merriman Hospital in Westland, built in 1984; Oakwood Hospital - Taylor in Taylor, built in 1977 and Seaway Hospital in Trenton, built in 1961 and their assets.

1985
Oakwood reorganized its corporate structure to establish a parent corporation, Oakwood Health Services. Also in 1985, Oakwood Health Services acquired Lynn Hospital, in Lincoln Park, which was built in 1955.

1979
Oakwood Hospital completed a third major building project, an $8 million expansion. This expansion included a new surgery center, outpatient center, central sterile supply department, a ten-story elevator tower, and an enlarged emergency department. A fourth expansion project began, which was the $8.5 million east addition that today includes maternal and child healthcare center, a consolidated physical medicine and rehabilitative services department, a new main entrance and gift shop and the relocation of several departments within the hospital.

1976
The second major building expansion was completed. The new Skillman wing housed an oncology unit, radiotherapy and diagnostic radiology departments and expanded out-patient facilities.

1974
The Oakwood Foundation board was created to reach out for a broader base of private support.

1963
Four more floors were added to the Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn facility. This expansion more than doubled the hospital's bed capacity.

1953
Oakwood Hospital - Dearborn, a six floor community-based healthcare facility, opened its doors on January 5, 1953.