St. Joseph’s Health, formerly St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, officially became a member of the Trinity Health system July 1. The organization released the following statement that day:
With all final regulatory approvals in place and the transition of Catholic sponsorship complete, St. Joseph’s Health, located in Syracuse, N.Y., is now a member of national system Trinity Health, effective immediately.
“With the closing today, we have gained an admirable and important partner committed to delivering high-value care,” said Richard J. Gilfillan, M.D., president and CEO, Trinity Health. “We are thrilled to join together today and to become part of the Syracuse community as St. Joseph’s becomes part of the People-Centered Health System we are building in Trinity Health.”
Among the events today was a ritual transition ceremony with members of both the St. Joseph’s Health and Trinity Health teams commemorating the transfer of sponsorship of St. Joseph’s Health from the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities to Trinity Health’s Catholic Health Ministries. The ceremony involved a reflection on the history of St. Joseph’s, with spiritual and reflective readings and music. During the event, Trinity Health and St. Joseph’s Health executives, mission and governance leaders, sponsors and founders shared stories, and brought the two organizations together symbolically, weaving two ribbons together to form a heart.
“Beginning today, the 150-year old mission of Catholic health care in Syracuse has been strengthened with Trinity Health and St. Joseph’s Health together committed to providing better health, better care and lower operating costs in the communities we serve,” said Kathryn H. Ruscitto, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “It is really something to celebrate because both patients and employees will benefit as together we ensure St. Joseph’s has the clinical, operational, strategic and financial resources it needs to continue to deliver the best care possible.”
St. Joseph’s Health will continue to manage and operate its facilities, programs and local patient care. St. Joseph’s physicians will continue to play key roles in clinical leadership, and nurses will continue to provide the highest level of quality care as Magnet-recognized professionals. Patients, physicians and employees will experience no changes to the quality of care provided by St. Joseph’s. And the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities will continue to provide spiritual support to St. Joseph’s and its employees.
Now, St. Joseph’s will be a member of a national system committed to the exchange of best-practices. And St. Joseph’s will have many opportunities to benefit patients and communities across Trinity Health’s 21 states with its own areas of expertise, as well.
“As Trinity Health grows, our national strategy is to continue to partner with organizations that share our commitment to excellence and people-centered care,” said Scott Nordlund, Executive Vice President for Growth, Strategy and Innovation for Trinity Health. “We’re glad to welcome St. Joseph’s to our health system and look forward to all that our work together can accomplish.”
In immediate next steps, a transition team including leaders from both organizations will identify the specific tasks and opportunities to be pursued over the coming months to integrate the two organizations — including ways to keep the community, physicians, employees, donors and volunteers updated on the process.
Trinity Health’s New York State operations also include Catholic Health System in Buffalo and St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany.
