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To put it mildly…2008 was indeed a challenging year for all of us. The worldwide economic crisis continues to impact all industries, including health care. Yet, in spite of these circumstances, Catholic Health East has many accomplishments to celebrate and many very positive stories to share. One of these is financial in nature; while our investment income has been negatively impacted by the reality of the markets, we believe we have fared competitively when compared to national benchmarks. Our conservative, proactive investment philosophy has served us well during these difficult times, and we believe we are situated well to handle the challenges of 2009 and beyond. Catholic Health East experienced quite a bit of growth in 2008. We welcomed a new RHC - Saint Michael’s Medical Center, located in Newark, New Jersey. Saint Michael’s has several regionally renown services, and is an essential source of medical care for the poor and uninsured of one of the nation’s most challenged cities. Under the stewardship of Judy Persichilli, Alex Hatala and Sr. Kathleen Popko, and the hard work and support of so many, this hospital is emerging from some very difficult circumstances and will prove to be an important part of the CHE family. Other RHCs that have experienced growth are Mercy Health System of Maine, with the September 2008 opening of its beautiful, state-of-the-art Fore River Campus…and Saint Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta, which expanded with the March 2008 purchase of Minnie G. Boswell Hospital, a 25-bed acute care critical access hospital in rural Georgia. 2008 also witnessed the continued evolution of Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, which transferred ownership of Mercy Jeannette Hospital to another local health system in April 2008 and is now focusing its ministry exclusively on non-acute care medical and social services – particularly earmarked to meet unmet community needs. CHE is a recognized national leader in continuing care services; our Continuing Care Management Services Network is focused on organizing and building operating synergies in continuing care services throughout CHE, and is expanding its role in managing non-CHE continuing care facilities. Our ministry formation and leadership development initiatives include the Institute for Excellence in Ministry, which through its many offerings is helping to build enhanced competencies in hundreds of CHE leaders…and our new Change Leadership Clinics, initiated in 2008 to enhance skills for leading effective change throughout our organization. A great deal of planning, development and design for our system-wide comprehensive care management (CCM) initiative took place throughout 2008. Phase I of CCM focuses on the transformation of all the processes around Hospital Case Management. The future state model has been designed and will be implemented beginning in June of 2009. This phase is supported by MIDAS+, a clinical software tool that enables and automates the case management functions. In addition, three CCM pilot projects were launched (Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Keystone Mercy Health Plan; St. Peter’s Health Care Services and CHOICES Geriatric Care Management Program, and Sisters of Providence Health System’s Physician Integration Model) to test various aspects of care management. Our overriding goal is to optimize each individual’s health potential through informed decision-making, effective communication and process facilitation, resulting in the right care delivered in the right setting at the right time. Patient/resident satisfaction, as well as quality and safety improvements, continue to be focal points for our ministry. In many core quality measures, CHE now ranks at or near the top 10% of hospitals nationwide, an achievement of which we should all be proud. And, as a health system, we estimate that we provided nearly $280 million in community benefit in 2008. During such a difficult period in our nation’s history…and in the health care industry…it is uplifting to see and hear of the success stories that occur throughout our ministry, and the thousands upon thousands of lives touched each day by your healing hands and hearts. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many; I look forward to your continued commitment and determination to be a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.
Sincerely yours,
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