Running head: PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 1

Public and Catholic Franciscan Health Systems

Katelyn Lutz

Alvernia University

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 2

In this paper I will be speaking of two different hospitals, one being a public

hospital in Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and a Catholic hospital in Mercy

Health System. I will talk of how these hospitals are similar and how they differ in

regards to procedures, and who they can provide care to. I found that the public hospitals

tend to accept a wider variety of insurance and will perform every approved treatment

since they are government funded, whereas the private institutions will accept many

different insurances they tend to be more limited than the public government funded

ones. The private hospitals will also only do treatments that go along with their beliefs so

the patient must be aware of that. Catholic hospitals are not as profitable as public

hospitals because they do not receive as much, if any, funding from the government.

Most private hospitals over the last few years are being bought out by public health

systems because they just cannot afford to stay open with all the new government

regulations and requirements for hospitals.

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 3

In today’s society, the health care in our country has changed drastically in ways of how

it is carried out and executed. There are two different kinds of hospital systems defined as the

Catholic health system versus the public, nonprofit health system. Therefore, there are two

hospitals, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and The Mercy Health System in the

Philadelphia/ Delaware Valley region that differentiate from each other based on their care to the

patients, beliefs and values they practice.

Public health care is a type of health care where everyone, regardless of age, race, gender,

wealth or pre-existing conditions, are covered. Meaning, you are eligible if you are a legal

resident of the United States, for example. The purpose of this type of health care is to provide

any US citizen with the opportunity to get health care that is needed without the hassle of the

financial problems. Sadly, the costs for the private type of health care is expensive and private

companies have the ability to set their own costs for insurance premiums, medical tests and other

expenses they can make profit which makes public health care more accessible and convenient.

A public health care system is run by government so that means that they aren’t necessarily look

to make profit, but to promote the best interest to the people which would make a public health

care system that has lower costs for care while improving and monitoring the health care costs

making health care more affordable.

The Thomas Jefferson University Hospital was separated from the University to become

a founding member of the Jefferson Health System in 1995. (Jefferson University Hospitals,

2015). The Thomas Jefferson University Health system is a public system in which they are

working on a way to work with the Affordable Care Act. “Can you create a situation ultimately

where you're treating fewer people in the hospital and doing fewer higher-reimbursement

treatments? That's a real risk," said Dan Steingart, a healthcare analyst for Moody's, in the report.

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 4

"If your contracts only pay you on a pure fee-for-service basis, you're basically shooting yourself

in the foot." The hospital wants to boost quality of care while also minimizing patient volumes.

"The best way to save the system lots of money is to keep [patients] out of the hospital," said

Steve Klasko, CEO of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, in the report. (Thomas Jefferson

University Hospital using telehealth to embody the ACA).Therefore, the hospital came up with

telehealth, where they will be investing $20 million and opening two urgent care centers as well

as developing a video consultation video program where patients may receive care straight from

their homes. By use of this program, “Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is going for the

push for quality of care when ER’s start to close down,” states Judd Hollander, an emergency

room physician. The hospital plans to use the technology to coordinate care with primary care

physicians and even develop a "virtual emergency department" to remotely triage ER patients,

according to the report. (Thomas Jefferson University Hospital using telehealth to embody the

ACA). With public health care, there will be a decrease in bankruptcy and/or poverty because of

medical costs. People with pre-existing conditions will be allowed to seek coverage instead of

being pushed away. Health care professionals and doctors can mainly focus on treating patients

instead of worrying about paperwork, malpractice liability and insurance procedures. The

hospital has a goal to improve health of individuals through their ARCHES program which

focuses on six main themes: Access and Advocacy; Research, Evaluation and Outcomes

Measurement; Community Partnerships and Outreach; Health Education, Screening and

Prevention Programs; Education Health Professions Students and Providers; and Service

Delivery Systems innovation. The hospital serves to its patients more than two hundred

departments and services that range anywhere from an Acute Stroke Center to Bariatric and

Metabolic Surgery Program to a cardiac rehabilitation program. In 2012, TJUH

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 5

provided $128,221,449 services to more than 80,000 people that sought care in their

facility. (Jefferson University Hospitals, 2015).

The Mercy Health System is the largest Catholic healthcare system that serves the

Delaware Valley and is also a part of Trinity Health and sponsored by Catholic Health Ministries.

This health system is made up of more than 6,500 considerate, understanding, and highly skilled

employees who are focused on creating an outstanding patient-care experience for all of their

employees. Mercy Health System is a market leader that specialize in quality clinical outcomes

and are a leading force in creating an environment where competence and compassionate care is

met in regards to the care given to all patients who use this health system. The Mercy Health

System is comprised of four different acute-care hospitals to be able to care for all health care

services. (Mercy Health System, 2015).

The Mercy Health System was founded as a healthcare ministry of the Sisters of Mercy

who have been providing health care in Philadelphia for more than 90 years. The Sisters of

Mercy were founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland by Catherine McAuley, an heiress who used her

inheritance to serve the poor, especially women and children. In Catherine's House of Mercy,

Sisters of Mercy cared for the poor, sick and uneducated. Before dying in 1841, Catherine

established 12 Mercy foundations throughout Ireland and even two in England which were the

first convents to be built in that country following the Protestant Reformation. The Sisters of

Mercy arrived in Philadelphia in 1861 and instantly began visiting the sick in their homes and

setting up schools for instruction and care of children and adults. (Mercy Health System, 2015).

Today, there are approximately 10,000 Sisters of Mercy throughout the world. Mercy

Health System is a part of Trinity Health, a multi-institutional Catholic health system which is

sponsored by Catholic Health Ministries. “We, Mercy Health System and Trinity Health, serve

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 6

together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and healing presence within our

communities. In fulfilling our mission, we have a special concern for persons who are poor

and disadvantaged,” this is the Mission Statement given by the hospital. The core values consist

of Reverence, Commitment to Those Who Are Poor, Justice, Stewardship, and Integrity. The

services that Mercy Health System provide for is a wide variety and consists of respiratory care,

to gastroenterology to diabetes management. For their patient’s convenience, the hospital has

their own payment strategy called ePay which allows patients to view and pay their medical bills

online from the comfort of one’s home. (Mercy Health System, 2015).

PUBLIC AND CATHOLIC FRANSISCAN HEALTH SYSTEMS 7

Personally, I grew up always going to a public hospital when it came to my health and

I’ve had a lot of experience being in the hospital due to my Crohn’s Disease and treatments,

having my gall bladder removed, a hospital stay for an abscess in my neck and iron infusions.

Each of the reasons that I was in the hospital for a prolonged amount of time I have noticed the

quality of care I have received and it has differed from time to time. I realized some nurses and

doctors have a great bedside manner and others want to get you in and out and don’t seem to

truly care about the status of your health in the long run. I don’t believe there is anything wrong

going to a Catholic hospital or a faith-based hospital of you are not that religion, however I do

believe one should be knowledgeable to know that some treatments, procedures and medicines

are not believed in or practiced in certain types of settings, particularly in the Catholic hospital.

While doing the research for this paper I have noticed many more similarities rather than

differences. For example, the mission statements and values for the most part are very similar in

that they both ultimately care the health of the patient. One thing I do believe is a big game

changer though is the education the health care workers receive since it can be different from

university to university and even different from hospital to hospital on the way things are done.

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References

Mercy Health System - Southeastern PA. (2015). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from

http://www.mercyhealth.org/

Jefferson University Hospitals. (2015). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from

http://hospitals.jefferson.edu/

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital using telehealth to embody the ACA. (n.d.). Retrieved

September 22, 2015, from http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-

information-technology/thomas-jefferson-university-hospital-using-telehealth-to-

embody-the-aca.html