Southwestern Michigan Emergency Services Makes $55,000 Donation to Celebrate 55 Years
In celebration of its 55th anniversary providing emergency care to patients at Bronson, Southwestern Michigan Emergency Services (SWMES) has made a $55,000 gift to Bronson Health Foundation through a donor advised fund.
SWMES was incorporated in 1969, and since that time has provided full-time physician staffing for Bronson Methodist Hospital’s Trauma and Emergency Department. SWMES providers also staff Bronson’s three other emergency departments in Battle Creek, Paw Paw and South Haven.
“There are very few independent emergency medicine groups left in the state,” says Dr. James DeMoss, president of SWMES. “Having a partnership like we have with Bronson for this extended amount of time is really unprecedented in Michigan.” DeMoss says this longstanding commitment to caring for people in emergency departments across the Bronson system is what prompted them to make the gift. “We feel it is important to invest in our communities. Our physicians and staff live and work in this area, and we raise our families here. It’s a true partnership, not just professionally, but personally.”
A Bronson Health Foundation Donor Advised Fund allows SWMES to provide input to Bronson Health Foundation on what projects and services they would like the money to support.
“SWMES providers have had an impact on the lives of countless families in our region over the years by providing expert medical care during some of the most stressful times in people’s lives,” says Terry Morrow, president of Bronson Health Foundation. “By making this donation, SWMES will extend their reach even further by funding enhancements to programs and services or upgrades to technology, all which will ultimately benefit patients. We look forward to seeing which projects will be raised up by this generous gift.”
Pictured left to right: Bill Manns, president and CEO, Bronson Healthcare; Heather Oestrike Schripsma, director of donor relations, Bronson Health Foundation; Dr. James DeMoss, president, Southwestern Michigan Emergency Services and Gregory Lendzion, vice president and treasurer, Southwestern Michigan Emergency Services; and Terry Morrow, president, Bronson Health Foundation
