The outpouring of God's blessings on Adventist Midwest Health during this year has been amazing. It is evident that many of you continue to pray for our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ.

The year will end on an extremely high note with the opening of Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital. This is the first new hospital in Illinois in 25 years, and Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital will set a new standard for health and caring by placing an emphasis on the patient's experience and whole-person wellness.

The patient experience was also key to the design of the new Emergency Department at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital. Since the department opened in June, patients have responded positively to the no-waiting room concept of immediate access to a private treatment room that's spacious enough for family members to remain at the bedside. The hospital also expanded cardiac services with the opening of a new interventional cardiac cath lab.

Incredible advancements in medicine at our hospitals were made possible by the addition of state-of-the-art technology. Adventist Hinsdale Hospital is now offering digital mammography, and new 64-slice CT scanners at both Adventist Bolingbrook and La Grange Memorial hospitals offer fast, highly-detailed images of the body, including specialized heart studies. At the Total Joint Orthopedic Center at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, orthopedic surgeons utilize the state-of-the-art image guided Brain Lab Navigation System.^TM Just imagine how real time 3D images of a patient's anatomy can provide enhanced precision during orthopedic surgical procedures. This Center is unlike any other in the western suburbs.

Our hospitals also launched a new electronic medical record system called iConnect. The electronic medical record revolutionizes the way we care for our patients, by offering physicians and staff immediate access to patients' charts, even remotely should a physician be off-site. But what does this mean for patients? Improved quality and safety are two key benefits, but our patients will really appreciate the ability of their physician and nurse to spend more time providing direct patient care rather than performing the administrative tasks required of a paper medical record. The iConnect project puts our caregivers back at the bedside transforming lives.

The participation in mission activities by our employees continues to expand in a very positive way. The weeks of Spiritual Emphasis held at each of our hospitals designed to spiritually nurture and uplift our employees are well attended and positively received. Our Spiritual Ambassador program that trains employees to be pastoral care representatives in their departments continues to grow. It is so fulfilling to see groups of employees meeting together and lifting up our patients and hospitals in prayer.

During the year, Adventist Midwest Health touched more than 500,000 lives. Our mission is to touch each individual with love, transforming lives through our extension of Christ's healing ministry. Jesus points the way in Matthew 22 with His directive to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (and) Love your neighbor as yourself." Please continue to keep our transformational mission in your daily prayers.

David L. Crane, president and CEO, Adventist Midwest Health