Catholic Healthcare West, which operates one hospital in Santa Maria, has changed its name and some of its facilities’ affiliations with the Catholic Church as part of a governance restructure.
One of the largest healthcare systems in the country, the not-for-profit organization will now operate under the name Dignity Health. According to a press release, the organization continues to be “rooted in the Catholic tradition,” but will no longer be an official ministry of the Church.
The restructuring will allow the organization to better position itself for growth into a national system as it attempts to increase quality of care while reducing costs, according to a press release.
It will also allow the organization to welcome both Catholic and non-Catholic care centers into that system, a Dignity Health spokesperson told the Sun.
Many of Dignity Health’s hospitals will no longer be officially affiliated with the Catholic Church—including Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and French Hospital, both in San Luis Obispo County—and will adhere to the organization’s secular Statement of Common Values.
This is opposed to Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, also a Dignity Health facility, which will remain Catholic and sponsored by its founding congregation.
Marian Medical Center Spokesperson Jessa Brooks told the Sun that the new governance will have no effect on the hospital, which was originally founded in 1940 by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Penance and Christian Charity. The Sisters of Saint Francis will continue to manage and staff the facility.
Lloyd H. Dean, the organization’s CEO, said in a press release that the restructuring would enhance the organization’s ability to work across the spectrum of health care and expand partnerships to deliver high-quality care more efficiently.
“Changing our name to Dignity Health reflects our commitment to excellent care for all in need and to being a national leader in quality care,” Dean said. “The new structure supports our long-term plan to grow and coordinate care, while reinforcing our mission of service to the communities we are so privileged to serve.”
The organization said the changes are the culmination of several years of discussion among its sponsoring congregations, board of directors, and management team about the future of health care and how to best extend its mission.
Dignity Health currently operates 25 Catholic and 15 non-Catholic hospitals.
This article appears in Feb 2-9, 2012.
