Catholic Health East: Latest News

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – Catholic Health East (CHE), one of the nation's leading Catholic health care systems, announced two awards at its recent governance leadership conference.

M. Eileen Schmitt, MD, the medical director for the St. Clare Medical Van at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, was the recipient of the Richard A. Stebbins Award. Created in the memory of a great leader and former CHE board member, the award honors an individual who most represents the core values of CHE; this year's awardee best exemplified the core value of stewardship. Dr. Schmitt's van is a mobile medical unit that provides health care to the homeless and poor of Wilmington; she works on the van four days a week vaccinating children, treating adults, and dispensing needed medications. Dr. Schmitt also established the Pharmaceutical Fund which helps collects donations for the purchase of needed medications.

St. Mary Family Resource Center, St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, Pa was the recipient of the Daniel F. Russell Innovative Service to Those Who are Poor Award. The award recognizes a program within CHE that demonstrates innovative and creative service to those who are poor, is collaborative in nature, can serve as a model for other organizations, and has been in existence for a minimum of two years with demonstrable outcomes. The award is named in honor of CHE's first president and CEO, Daniel F. Russell, who was instrumental in setting forth the mission, core values, and vision for CHE and grounding it in services to those who are poor.

The St. Mary Family Resource Center is an innovative service that fosters partnerships, increases access to health and human services, and enables the poor to lead healthier and more self-sufficient lives. It houses wide-ranging and complementary services from outside agencies to meet the multiple needs of clients, overcome transportation barriers and provide the community with a variety of services that include medical care, shelter, GED tutoring, and employment services.

(From L to R) Dan Russell, CHE president emeritus, Sr. Mary Persico, CHE Sponsors council coordinator, Sharon Reeder, manager, St. Mary Family Resource Center, and CHE Board Chair Earle Bradford, Jr., after Sharon accepted the award for the Daniel F. Russell Innovative Care of the Poor Award for the St. Mary Family Resource Center, St. Mary Medical, Langhorne, PA.

"This year's award winners have an unparalleled commitment to the communities they serve. Through the efforts of people like Dr. Schmitt and programs like the St. Mary Family Resource Center, our ministry reaches out every day to make a difference in the lives of society's most vulnerable residents—those who are poor and the underserved," said Bob Stanek, CHE's president and CEO.

Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional Catholic health system, which is co-sponsored by 12 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, a Public Juridic Person within Catholic Health East. Based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, the system provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the Sponsors' health ministries, which are located within 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

The System includes acute care hospitals, free-standing and hospital-based skilled nursing facilities, residential facilities, free-standing behavioral health and rehabilitation facilities, and numerous ambulatory and community based health services. Catholic Health East facilities employ approximately 43,000 full time employees as partners in ministry.