St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse released the following statement April 28:
With a goal of strengthening health care in Central New York, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center will join Trinity Health, a leading national Catholic health system, as part of an agreement signed today by the two organizations.
“As part of our People-Centered 2020 strategic plan, Trinity Health is committed to being a leader in strengthening Catholic health care locally and nationally,” said Richard J. Gilfillan, M.D., president and CEO, Trinity Health. “Our two organizations are aligned in our faith-based mission, vision and values. St. Joseph’s membership in our system will enable Trinity Health to further extend people-centered care to more patients in New York.”
The decision to join together builds on a strategic affiliation agreement the organizations entered into in early 2014 that helped St. Joseph’s work successfully with Trinity Health on key operational and strategic matters, and identified Trinity Health resources that benefit St. Joseph’s and those it serves.
“St. Joseph’s already has outstanding programs and services, that will now become part of a leading national system,” Kathryn Ruscitto, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s said. “This will enhance St. Joseph’s ability to compete in an increasingly dynamic health-care environment. It will help strengthen the 150-year mission of Catholic health care in the community, and benefit patients and employees by providing the clinical, operational, strategic and financial resources necessary to continue providing a ‘Higher Level of Care’ throughout the region.”
As part of Trinity Health’s national health care organization, St. Joseph’s will have access to system-wide programs that create operating efficiencies and enhance clinical excellence, and will additionally benefit from access to Trinity Health’s capital resources. Locally, St. Joseph’s 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 high-quality, high-value care provided by St. Joseph’s during the transition. And the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities will continue to provide spiritual support to St. Joseph’s and its employees.
“An important part of our national strategy is to partner with organizations that share our commitment to people-centered care in our regional healthcare ministries, so we are pleased St. Joseph’s is joining our system,” said Scott Nordlund, Executive Vice President for Growth, Strategy and Innovation for Trinity Health.
Trinity Health already operates very successfully in other areas of New York State — through Catholic Health System in Buffalo, and St. Peter’s Health Partners in Albany. In the past several months, Trinity Health has announced many strategic partnerships intended to help it achieve its goal of becoming a People-Centered Health System that provides better health, better care and lower costs to the communities it serves.
In next steps, St. Joseph’s and Trinity Health will establish a transition team, which will include functional leaders from both organizations. Together, they will manage regulatory approvals and identify other specific tasks to ensure a smooth transition, including identifying ways to keep the community, physicians, employees, donors, and volunteers updated on the process.
