Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center was recently honored with the prestigious Magnet designation for Nursing awarded by the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC). Illinois Masonic joins two other Advocate hospitals--Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Advocate Christ Medical Center--in receiving this celebrated recognition for nursing Excellence.

Magnet status is the highest level of recognition ANCC awards to nursing services in national and international health care and is often referred to as the "gold standard" by which nursing and patient care is measured. Only 281 hospitals--15 in Illinois--have achieved this recognition.

"Our Magnet designation serves as a tribute to Advocate's dedication to its continuing journey toward clinical excellence," says Donna King, vice president, clinical operations and chief nursing executive.

According to King, the hospital's distinctive nursing residency program is partially behind the outstanding care the nurses provide. The program, which is supported by philanthropy, turns out top-notch medical professionals by providing hands-on clinical experiences and access to a vast array of resources.

To educate high-net-worth individuals about how planned giving can help them achieve both their financial and philanthropic goals, Good Samaritan Hospital is partnering with Thompson & Associates Brentwood, a charitable giving consulting firm based in Brentwood, Tennessee. One day a month, a consultant from Thompson is working one on one with selected donors to educate them about ways they can include charitable giving in their total estate plan. The process, which is completely confidential, includes the creation of a potential plan that a donor can share with his or her professional advisor for review and possible implementation. "Thompson will be augmenting the planned-giving efforts already in place," says Marilyn Schaffer, Advocate's director of gift planning. "They don't sell any products and won't be competing with our donors' own financial advisors. Instead, they help people determine whether planned giving is right for them."