(Irvine, Calif. – November 1, 2016) - St. Joseph Health ranked #1 in the nation among faith-based health systems
for its charitable contributions, according to a report by Modern Healthcare magazine.
The report states that among faith-based health systems, the Irvine-based
not-for-profit Catholic health care system contributes 17% of its total
revenue to charity and community programs, the highest share reported.
This contribution is also far greater than the average 5% contribution
reported for both faith-based and secular health systems.
“St. Joseph Health has a long tradition of reaching out to those
in need,” says Annette M. Walker, MHA, chief executive of St. Joseph
Health. “Our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, have
instilled in us the necessity of caring for our neighbors in every community
we serve, especially those who are most in need.”
In addition to reporting on the percent of revenue contributed by faith-based
health systems, Modern Healthcare also reveals that Catholic hospitals
score higher on nationwide HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems) surveys, which assess patients' perspectives
of hospital care.
“Faith-based hospitals, most of them associated with the Roman Catholic
Church, play a critical role in the American health care system,”
according to the magazine. “Many began in immigrant communities
and some still serve a disproportionate share of America’s poorest
patients.”
St. Joseph Health invested $441.7 million in community benefit, including
$298 million in uncompensated care through MediCal (Medicaid) and other
government means-tested programs, as well as $70 million in free (charity
care) and discounted services, and $32 million in community health improvement
services. These services included vital primary medical and dental care
to those in need and cash and in-kind donations to organizations committed
to serving the economically poor.
During the last year, St. Joseph Health provided $41 million in community
health improvement services, health profession education, and community
health research to address the needs of the vulnerable and broader communities
in the future.
For more information on St. Joseph Health’s community benefits programs, visit
http://www.stjhs.org/Our-Programs/Community-Partnerships/Community-Benefit.
About St. Joseph Health
A part of Providence St. Joseph Health, St. Joseph Health (SJH) is a not-for-profit,
integrated health care delivery system that includes 16 hospitals, physician
organizations, home health agencies, hospice care, outpatient services
and community outreach services. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph
of Orange, SJH remains rooted to the sisters' traditions of assessing
a community's needs and adapting strategies to meet those needs. Today,
SJH continues its work in the tradition of the sisters through its wide
networks of outstanding services.