Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital - Ozaukee Campus
Answering God's call to bring health, healing and hope to all.
10/31/2025
Our very own Speech-Language Pathologist, Gretchen Behrens, recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Cindy Lund’s graduate students at Concordia University during their dysphagia class!
Gretchen shared her expertise on dysphagia considerations for patients with dementia, focusing on how cognitive, sensory and behavioral changes that come with dementia can affect feeding and swallowing behaviors.
We’re so proud to see Gretchen sharing her passion and knowledge with the next generation of clinicians! 👏💙
10/30/2025
Even in challenging times, our Mission lifts us. During Mission Week, we come together to reconnect and refocus on what moves us. This year's Mission Week theme is "Rising With Hope." Our Chief Mission Integration Officer, Andy Santos, reflects on the importance of this sentiment. Comment below where you find hope in your everyday life. 💙
10/29/2025
October 29 is World Stroke Day! This year's theme: Every M1nute Counts. ⌛
Stroke can strike without warning, like a light switch being flipped. Every single minute can mean the difference between recovery and lifelong disability… or even loss of life.
This , we’re asking:
👉 Are you ready to BEFAST when Every M1nute Counts?
Know the signs. BEFAST:
B = Balance: sudden loss of balance or coordination
E = Eyes: vision changes or loss
F = Face: drooping on one side
A = Arms: weakness or numbness
S = Speech: slurred or difficulty speaking
T = Terrible headache & Time to call 911
🚨 Stroke is an emergency. Call 911 immediately.
Let’s raise awareness, recognize the signs and respond fast!
10/28/2025
Last week we celebrated Spiritual Care Week: a time to honor the compassionate work of our chaplains and spiritual care providers who support the emotional and spiritual well-being of our patients and families. 💙
📸 Pictured here are Rabbi Leonard (Len) Lewy and Reverend Bob Turner, our dedicated chaplains at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee.
Thank you, Len and Bob, for the comfort, guidance and hope you bring to our community every day.
10/27/2025
Meet the team at CSMO! 👋
Over the next few months, we will be introducing you to some of the many friendly faces at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's - Ozaukee!
First up is our beloved ICU nurse, Bonnie Weyker! ❤️ Bonnie enjoys helping patients recover every day, and staying active by hiking and biking. "I enjoy the ability to be a resource to my fellow nurses," she says.
Learn more about Bonnie in her Q&A!
10/27/2025
🎉 Congratulations, Karen! 🎉
Please join us in celebrating Karen Quinette (in red) on her 35th anniversary at Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital!
For more than three decades, Karen has shown exceptional dedication and compassion as a speech language pathologist. Her work continues to inspire all of us at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's - Ozaukee and Sacred Heart.
Help us thank Karen for her years of outstanding service in the comments! 💙
10/26/2025
Halloween should be about treats, not trips to the ER. From twisted ankles to broken bones, Ascension Wisconsin will have you feeling spook-tacular in no time. 👻
10/25/2025
This past week, we celebrated Healthcare Quality Week alongside several other recognition weeks! 🏥 ✨
Pictured are Sharon and Erica, our amazing Quality and Patient Safety Coordinators who support the Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee campus. Their hard work and passion for continuous improvement play a vital role in keeping our patients safe and our care standards high.
Join us in thanking Sharon and Erica - and all healthcare quality professionals - for their incredible commitment to excellence! 💙
Meet Alysandra Lal, MD, a board-certified general surgeon with Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s in both Milwaukee and Ozaukee. Dr. Lal provides expert surgical care with a patient-first approach - ensuring every person feels supported, informed, and empowered throughout their care journey. 💗
With special expertise in breast surgery and cancer care, Dr. Lal is passionate about early detection and helping patients navigate treatment with confidence and compassion.
This month and every month, we recognize the strength of those impacted by breast cancer and the dedicated providers like Dr. Lal who stand beside them every step of the way.
Alysandra Lal, MD, is a board-certified, experienced general surgeon specializing in cancer care at Ascension Columbia St. Mary's in Milwaukee and Mequon, Wisconsin. Dr. Lal provides surgical care to children and adults. She delivers advanced surgical treatments using minimally invasive and robotic-...
10/24/2025
When moments matter, trust the ER Ozaukee families depend on.
Backed by multiple accreditations and awards, the Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Ozaukee ER is fully equipped to provide exceptional care when emergencies strike.
This week, we’re celebrating our amazing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for their dedication to safe, high-quality patient care!
The staff enjoyed a cookie decorating activity and soup contest to mark the occasion.
Join us in thanking this amazing team for all they do every day. 💙
10/14/2025
“I couldn’t feel anything, but my mammogram caught it.”
Angie, a nurse at Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital, never thought she was at high risk for breast cancer. But routine screenings revealed early signs of a precancerous condition, giving her the chance to act before it became cancer.
Now, she's sharing her story to remind others: early detection saves lives. Read all about it here: http://ascn.io/6189AiV8U 💗
10/14/2025
Ascension Wisconsin has reached a new agreement with UnitedHealthcare (UHC). This ensures patients with UHC Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid coverage will continue to have uninterrupted, in-network access to care at our hospitals, clinics and outpatient facilities.
Ascension Wisconsin extends its gratitude to patients, caregivers and partners for their continued trust, support and patience throughout this process.
This agreement is more than a contract — it is a reaffirmation of our Mission to serve all with dignity and compassion. By securing fair and sustainable reimbursement, we can continue supporting our caregivers, strengthening our ministry, and providing high-quality care to the individuals and families who rely on us.
We're kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with 'Gram for the 'Gram: giving Instagram shout-outs to everyone who comes in to get their mammograms! 📸 Schedule yours here: http://ascn.io/6187AtcM1
Meet Stacy and Leana, who got their yearly mammograms because: "I have a family history of breast cancer & lymphoma, and a personal history of head and neck cancer" and "for a routine screening."
👏 Thanks for getting ‘grammed, Stacy and Leana, and for prioritizing your health! 💪
Mammograms save lives. Early detection is everything.💗
Follow our campaign on Instagram:
10/10/2025
Ascension Wisconsin has introduced a new Post‑Birth Alert Program to better protect mothers in the critical weeks after delivery.
Every new mom delivering at an Ascension hospital will receive an orange wristband to signal to medical teams this woman has delivered an infant recently and may need additional assessments or interventions when seeking care. This visible alert empowers caregivers to respond faster and prevent complications.
Together we’re putting life-saving support front and center for families across Wisconsin.
Read more here:
Recognizing that the weeks following childbirth can bring serious and sometimes life-threatening health risks, Ascension Wisconsin launched a Post-Birth Alert Program on October 1.
10/08/2025
Our primary care providers do more than care for your health; they bring personality and passion to everything they do. Take Tyler Smith, a physician assistant in Racine: he's not only dedicated to your well-being, he's also a bobblehead collector with a dream of exploring Japan! Looking for a provider who gets you? Find your match here: http://ascn.io/6185f9LAx 🩺💙
10/07/2025
Congratulations to our newest DAISY Award recipient, Karen De la Cruz Ramirez! Her recognition comes at a meaningful time: Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 💞
Karen was nominated for the exceptional compassion she showed while caring for a young patient with advanced breast cancer. The patient was admitted to Ascension All Saints for hospice and comfort care, experiencing intense pain, anxiety and difficulty breathing. Karen patiently explained every comfort measure available and remained at the bedside throughout her shift to ensure the patient felt supported and never alone.
Her unwavering dedication and compassion not only made a lasting impact on the patient and her family, but also powerfully reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting breast cancer patients—this month and every day.
10/06/2025
Help us celebrate the arrival of these darling October babies, the first to be born this month at Ascension Wisconsin Hospitals! 🎃
Sweet little Kristella, William and Kaiza are bringing the joy and cozy fall vibes with them, and we were honored to be part of their first precious moments. 🍁🧡
Thank you to our incredible Labor & Delivery and Mom/Baby teams for welcoming these little ones with such skill, care and compassion.
Expecting? Watch a virtual tour our state-of-the-art maternity hospitals below!
Today, Ascension Wisconsin was proud to serve our Milwaukee community at our Medical Mission at Home event. Attendees were able to take advantage of free medical, dental, and spiritual services - free of charge and without needing insurance.
Our care teams and volunteers were honored to be able to serve over 200 community members, a testament to the dedication and compassion highlighted in our Mission.
Thank you to all who came out today! 💙
10/03/2025
These tiny Brewers fans are ready for the postseason!
Babies in the NICU at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Milwaukee are showing their team spirit as the Brewers head into the NLDS against the Cubs this weekend. ⚾️💪
Families and care teams are celebrating with them, because just like the Brewers, these little ones embody strength, perseverance and heart. 💛💙
10/03/2025
Tomorrow, join us for a day of health, hope and healing.
Ascension WI will offer free services to our Milwaukee community including: Select medical care and screenings, our mobile dental clinic, spiritual services and foot washing, flu shots and community resources.
All are welcome! First come, first serve. No insurance required. 💙
Each year, Ascension clinicians, therapists and community partners come together to host the Falls Prevention Fair: an event designed to help older adults stay safe, independent and confident.
Falls are the leading cause of injury among seniors, and Wisconsin sadly has the highest fall death rate in the nation. Events like this are vital for raising awareness and sharing practical, life-saving strategies.
💙 Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s event a success!
Click the link to watch the full Spectrum News story about how the Falls Prevention Fair supports our community: http://ascn.io/6188AcXsC
10/01/2025
This October, Ascension Wisconsin proudly honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month by standing with survivors, supporting those currently battling and remembering loved ones we've lost. Join us as we raise awareness, promote early detection and inspire hope. 💕
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Compassionate, personalized care has a new name. Columbia St. Mary's is now known as Ascension. The signs in our buildings are changing, but Ascension Wisconsin caregivers have been here all along. To learn more, visit ascension.org/Wisconsin.
Comprised of four hospitals, over 60 primary and specialty care clinics, and the Columbia College of Nursing, Columbia St. Mary’s is part of Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. For more than 165 years, it's been our mission to make a positive difference in the health and wellness of people living in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Sheboygan Counties, with a special concern for those who are vulnerable.
About Ascension Wisconsin In Wisconsin, Ascension operates 23 hospitals, more than 100 related healthcare facilities and employs more than 1,300 primary and specialty care clinicians from Racine to Eagle River. Across the state, Ascension provided more than $295 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in Fiscal Year 2017. Serving Wisconsin for 170 years, Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, operating 2,600 sites of care – including 153 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.ascension.org/wisconsin.
About Ascension Ascension (www.ascension.org) is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2017, Ascension provided more than $1.8 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 165,000 associates and 40,000 aligned providers. Ascension’s Healthcare Division operates 2,600 sites of care – including 153 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 22 states and the District of Columbia, while its Solutions Division provides a variety of services and solutions including physician practice management, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, clinical care management, information services, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.
