Catholic Health East: Latest News

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – Catholic Health East (CHE), one of the largest health systems in the United States, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a festive Heritage Day celebration.

Sr. Julie Casey (far left), CHE's executive vice president, Mission Integration, moderated the entertaining and informative "Story Teller" segment of the celebration. Panelists included (from 2nd to left) Sr. Ruth McGoldrick, Sr. Kathleen Popko, Sr. Margaret Mary Kimmins, Regina Benjamin, M.D., Sr. Pat Wolf, Dan Russell, and Howard Watts.

CHE, which employs approximately 50,000 people in health care facilities located in eleven states stretching from Maine to Florida, was founded in January 1998 by the coming together of three regional health systems: Eastern Mercy Health System, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany Health System and the Sisters of Providence Health System.

Bob Stanek, CHE president and CEO, acknowledged the significance of this anniversary and thanked all colleagues and guests for gathering to share this special day. "Ten years ago, our Sponsors came together with the goal of preserving and enhancing Catholic health care in the eastern United States," said Stanek. "Thanks to their vision and commitment, and the dedicated work of our colleagues, our local health care ministries have grown and flourished, and the residents of our communities—including the poor and the underserved—have access to quality health care."

Sr. Pat Wolf, R.S.M., president, Mercy Secondary Education, and former CHE Sponsors Council Coordinator, lights a candle at the January 8 ceremony.

During the celebration, a panel comprised of individuals who were responsible for the formation of Catholic Health East recounted some of the massive changes that swept through the nation's health care landscape in the mid-late 1990s. They discussed the forces that came together urging Catholic health system leaders throughout the country to look to each other to consider affiliations and mergers, and shared some personal stories about their CHE experiences.

The winners of CHE's Sharing the Heritage contest were also recognized during the celebration. One colleague from each of CHE's regional health corporations was selected to represent his/her facility through a contest, which required colleagues to share their personal expressions and thoughts about what working in Catholic health care means to them. The winning submissions were placed on display at the ceremony and printed in programs distributed to attendees.

The twenty CHE colleagues who represented their RHC, JOA or System Office as "Sharing the Heritage" contest winners gathered for a group photo at the January 8 event.

The Heritage Day celebration culminated with a candle-lighting ceremony, led by Martha Conroy, CHE's director, Sponsorship Education and Ministry Formation, in recognition of the Sponsors of Catholic Health East.

"The founding Sponsors were women of hope…of vision…of courage," said Conroy. "When they came together on January 8, 1998, the founding ceremony involved the lighting of a single candle. This candle represented the unity of our new ministry, the bright flame of our single Mission. Today, we remember the sacred trust that our founding Sponsors placed in our hands ten years ago, and we honor our current Sponsors with the symbolic lighting of a candle for each one of them."

Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional Catholic health system co-sponsored by 10 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, is based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Catholic Health East provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the sponsors' health ministries, which are located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida. The system includes 33 acute-care hospitals, four long-term acute-care hospitals, 36 freestanding and hospital-based long-term care facilities, 12 assisted-living facilities, five continuing-care retirement communities, seven behavioral-health and rehabilitation facilities, 25 home health/hospice agencies, and numerous ambulatory and community-based health services. More information is available online at www.che.org.