Chicago, Illinois.-(September 30, 2014) St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (SJMO), a member of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, was awarded the 2014 Generative Space Award today, which recognizes national health care organizations whose architectural designs and organizational cultures combine to produce breakthrough, sustainable improvements in health and health care.
"We didn't just construct a new building, we created a living, breathing hospital that plays an integral part in our patient's healing process," said Jack Weiner, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital.  "From the integrated technology, to lights, to art, to the size and shape of patient windows, the design of the new South Patient Tower utilizes proven methods and techniques to further promote positive outcomes for our patients."
Only one other organization received the 2014 Generative Space Award this year, and since the awards began in 2010 only eight organizations have been named as recipients.  SJMO is the only acute-care hospital in the country to have ever earned the award.
The Generative Space Award is presented by the CARITAS Project , a nonprofit global network committed to the creation of transformational environments that enhance human health.
In its physical design, the new patient tower at SJMO incorporates the most current knowledge about healing environments, including the integration of eight leading-edge technological elements to improve caregiving, decrease risk, and reduce stress on patients and caregivers. The organization’s culture has been carefully developed to be responsive to all the requirements of modern medicine: patient-centered, adaptable, collaborative, and professional in all respects.
Physically, the patient tower includes, among many other things, large single-patient rooms, incorporation of natural light throughout the facility, and beautiful settings for prayer, meditation, and restoration throughout the building and grounds.  A lobby fireplace and water features, extensive use of curated art in patient rooms and public areas, and special touches such as swan-shaped towels and large flat-screen televisions, create a five-star hospitality experience in a de-institutionalized setting.
The organization’s culture is centered on its “Six I’s”-intentional, individuality, interaction, interpretation, inspirational, and institute-and on its understanding that all stakeholders are engaged in a journey that is both personal and connected to others.  The Six I’s have been used as the basis for a three-day training program for all associates, called the “Journey Intensive.” More than 2700 SJMO associates have attended this training.
About The CARITAS Project
The CARITAS Project is a global enterprise committed to the creation of transformational environments that enhance human health.  The organization advances the belief that social and physical environments are shaped by cultural values and works to develop the tools - sustainable methods, techniques, and systems - necessary to create intentional, human-centered cultures that have respect for human dignity at their very core.

About St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a 443-bed comprehensive, community, teaching hospital and a long-time leader in health care in Oakland County.  Founded in 1927 by the Sisters of Mercy, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has won numerous local and national awards for patient safety, quality and performance, and consistently ranks in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.  A member of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is a technologically leading hospital that combines advanced medicine and personal care to assist patients on their path to wellness. With dedicated physicians, nurses and hospital staff committed to providing quality care throughout the patient stay, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland has truly personalized the patient care experience.
For more information about health services offered at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, please visit .  

About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving six counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne. It includes 537-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 443-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 164-bed St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron, 136-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 113-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea.  Combined, the six hospitals are licensed for 1,697 beds, have six outpatient health centers, five urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 14,000 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 3,200 physicians.   SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $1.9 billion and returns $127 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.

SJMHS is a member of CHE Trinity Health, the second largest Catholic health care system in the country. Based in Livonia, Mich., CHE Trinity Health operates in 20 states, employs nearly 87,000 people, has annual operating revenues of about $13.3 billion and assets of about $19.3 billion. Additionally, the new organization returns almost $1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs.

For more information on health services offered at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, please visit www.stjoeshealth.org .