Ready to Build a National Model for Effective, High-Quality, and Compassionate Care
(February 28, 2013, Orange County, Calif.) — St. Joseph Health and Hoag announced formal completion of an unprecedented
affiliation, laying the foundation for sweeping changes in the delivery
and accessibility of high-quality health care. Known as Covenant Health
Network (CHN), the affiliation will be a regional leader and national
model, reaching from Orange County to the High Desert.
The California Office of the Attorney General consented to the affiliation
on February 8, 2013, capping comprehensive evaluation and planning that
began after both organizations announced their intention to affiliate
in August 2012.
Hoag and St. Joseph Health have agreed that Richard Afable, M.D., will
serve as president and chief executive officer for CHN. Additionally,
Deborah Proctor, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph Health
has announced that Dr. Afable will also serve as executive vice president
of the Southern California region of St. Joseph Health. Dr. Afable has
served as Hoag’s president and CEO since 2005. Hoag’s board
of directors appointed Robert Braithwaite, Hoag’s chief operating
officer, to succeed Dr. Afable as Hoag’s new president and CEO.
Says Dr. Afable, “Drawing upon the strengths of this unprecedented
affiliation, we will improve coordination of the delivery of health care
to all members of the communities we serve. The nation’s current
model of health care delivery is broken, leaving far too many families
and individuals – including tens of thousands right here in Orange
County – without regular and reliable access to affordable, quality
care. Our number one focus will be solving the systemic health care access
and affordability issues currently facing patients, employers and health
care providers – and that effort begins today.”
“This affiliation is a catalyst to extend our mission and make a
real difference in health care delivery by assuring a system of highly-connected,
quality services,” Proctor says. “New access points will be
developed to enhance community wellness and allow more people to benefit
from the research and advanced care of seven exceptional hospitals, a
vast network of doctors, clinics, and other partners who share our vision.
We believe St. Joseph Health and Hoag have the foresight and expertise
to address some of the greatest needs and accomplish the greatest good
for Orange County and the High Desert. This is a critical step for the
future of our communities that can only be accomplished by the brightest
minds and the biggest hearts in health care.”
The new network will include the flagship hospitals of St. Joseph Health
(5) and Hoag (2), in addition to an expansive physician network and numerous
outpatient and urgent care facilities in Orange County and the High Desert.
Physicians and staff members will develop solutions and innovative services
that neither Hoag nor St. Joseph Health could achieve alone, including:
- Focusing on preventative health and wellness programs and services.
- Increasing access to health care services for the poor and vulnerable populations
of Orange County.
- Achieving better clinical outcomes and improving the overall patient experience.
- Extending care beyond the acute hospital setting, including long-term care,
and palliation of suffering.
- Advancing population health and fee-for-value systems while developing
additional health care services that eliminate the need for people to
leave Orange County to receive quality care.
- Addressing the cost challenge of providing and receiving quality services;
specifically, new insurance products will be designed and brought to market
in collaboration with health plans.
Hoag and St. Joseph Health are retaining their individual identities and
faith affiliations – Presbyterian and Catholic, respectively.
In discussions leading up to the affiliation, the two organizations recognized
many important similarities. They are both non-profit, faith-based health
care organizations, committed to providing the highest quality, affordable,
and accessible health care services in the community. Both have also achieved
widespread recognition through thoughtful planning of their networks of
services, fostering an environment of “best practice” health
care, and reaching out to vulnerable populations with extensive community
benefit programs.
About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag is an approximately $1 billion nonprofit, regional health care delivery
network in Orange County, California, that treats nearly 30,000 inpatients
and 350,000 outpatients annually. Hoag consists of two acute-care hospitals,
seven health centers, and five urgent care centers. Hoag Hospital Newport
Beach, which has served Orange County since 1952, and Hoag Hospital Irvine,
which opened in 2010, are designated Magnet hospitals by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Hoag offers a comprehensive blend
of health care services that includes five institutes providing specialized
services in the following areas: cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences,
women's health, and orthopedics through Hoag’s affiliate, Hoag
Orthopedic Institute. Hoag has been named one of the Best Regional Hospitals
in the U.S. News & World Report Metro Edition. National Research Corporation
has endorsed Hoag as Orange County’s most preferred hospital for
the past 16 consecutive years and, for an unprecedented 16 years, residents
of Orange County have chosen Hoag as the county’s best hospital
in a local newspaper survey. Visit
www.hoag.org for more information.
About St. Joseph Health
St. Joseph Health (SJH) is a $4.4 billion not-for-profit integrated Catholic
health care delivery system sponsored by the St. Joseph Health Ministry.
SJH’s comprehensive range of services includes 14 acute-care hospitals,
home health agencies, hospice care, outpatient services, skilled nursing
facilities, community clinics and physician organizations throughout California,
Texas, and New Mexico. Collectively, the 24,000 dedicated employees and
6,000 outstanding physicians deliver care to more than 137,000 inpatients
and 3.6 million outpatients each year. Throughout its comprehensive regions
of care, SJH strives to provide perfect care while building the healthiest
communities and ensuring every encounter is sacred. These extraordinary
efforts have been recognized locally and nationally, including distinctions
in US News & World Report and Magnet recognition. Guided by the traditions
of its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, SJH is committed
to maintaining a continuum of care that matches the diverse needs of its
communities. SJH’s Southern California hospitals include Mission
Hospital (Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach); St. Mary Medical Center (Apple
Valley); St. Joseph Hospital (Orange) and St. Jude Medical Center (Fullerton).
For more information, visit
www.stjoe.org .