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NEW YORK CATHOLIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND ISRAELI MEDICAL CENTER FORM HISTORIC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP Our Lady Of Mercy Medical Center/Saint Agnes Hospital And Assaf Harofeh Medical Center Form Alliance A major principle close to the heart of John Cardinal O'Connor was to foster interfaith cooperation and relationships between Catholics and Jews. A fulfillment of the Cardinal's vision is now realized as a leading Catholic Health Care System in the United States, that includes Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center in the Bronx and Saint Agnes Hospital in White Plains, New York has formed a historic strategic alliance with a renowned Jewish medical center in Israel, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Zerifin, the third largest government hospital in Israel. The agreement is understood to be the first affiliation between an Israeli medical center and a Catholic medical provider anywhere in the world. This alliance was initiated in the spirit of reconciliation, mutual cooperation and healing that came from Pope John Paul II's recent visit to the Holy Land. "This precedent setting affiliation is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate through physician exchange programs, sharing medical information and research applicable to our mutual centers of excellence, and by enlarging the scope of our clinical research trials," says Benjamin Z. Davidson, M.D., Acting Medical Director of Assaf Harofeh Medical Center (AHMC). "This alliance will unite the two medical centers in our missions to treat the whole person with a humanitarian approach that respect's each person's dignity." Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of Our Lady Of Mercy Healthcare System says, "As a member of the Catholic Health Care System, Our Lady Of Mercy has a proud history of being committed to compassionate patient care and medical excellence that is the core of its health care mission. We have always had a deep interest in interfaith cooperation, and this is a key affiliation for us." Father James Loughran, Director, Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, The Archdiocese of New York, states, "This is certainly a natural alliance; both providers have a mutual mission, a dedication and commitment to serving the poor, and providing the highest quality medical care with compassion, justice and respect for life." The agreement focuses on the similarities between the two providers, located half a world away from each other, and the benefits gained from working together. Both providers share the following characteristics:
The alliance will provide the following benefits to each provider:
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Commitments
to providing high-quality, compassionate patient care to all;