Catholic Health East: Latest News

Two New Members Join Catholic Health East's Hope Ministries

March 3, 2008

Regina M. Benjamin

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – - Catholic Health East (CHE), one of the nation's leading Catholic health care systems, announced the appointment of Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA and Theresa O'Rourke, IHM to the board of Hope Ministries, one of eleven CHE Sponsors.

Hope Ministries is a public juridic person, an entity recognized by the Roman Catholic Church that allows for and facilities the sponsorship of ministries in the name of the Church. Hope Ministries members are part of CHE's Sponsors Council. Hope Ministries sponsors Global Health Ministry (a supportive health corporation of CHE), four CHE hospitals ( St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, PA; Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia, PA; St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington, DE; and St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton, NJ), and St. Agnes Continuing Care Center, Philadelphia, PA.

"We are pleased to have Dr. Benjamin and Sr. Therese as members of Hope Ministries. They both bring a great deal of expertise, compassion and leadership to our ministry," said Sponsors Council Coordinator Sr. Mary Persico, IHM.

A graduate of Xavier University, Tulane University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA serves as founder and CEO of Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic, a practice she initiated to help take care of the poor and underserved of her community.

Dr. Benjamin previously served on the board of Mercy Medical in Daphne, AL, and Eastern Mercy Health System Board of Directors. She was also previously a member of the CHE board of directors. She was the first African-American woman, and the first person under 40, to be elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees. Dr. Benjamin is a recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, a Kellogg National Fellow, has been featured as ABC Television's Person of the Week, and was chosen by CBS This Morning as Woman of the Year. She also received the National Caring Award, which was inspired by Mother Teresa.

Therese O'Rourke

Therese O'Rourke, IHM, is the president and CEO of the St. Joseph Center in Scranton, PA. She was previously a social worker and counselor for Catholic Social Services in Scranton, PA. She was also assistant congregation administrator and director of apostolic planning for the Sisters of IHM, in Scranton, PA. She has over 23 years of education experience in the school system as teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent. She earned a MSW from Marywood University, Scranton, PA, a MEd in elementary administration from Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, and a BS in art education from Marywood College.

O'Rourke is a member of numerous boards and national committees. She is the recipient of the Social Worker of the Year Award, Scranton Division, Pennsylvania chapter, and received the bronze medallion, chapel of the four chaplains.

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.

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