Merger preserves Catholic health care

When three major healthcare systems complete their upcoming merger to form Catholic Health East, another step will have been taken toward preserving Catholic health care in the Albany Diocese and beyond.

Catholic Health East will be comprised of East Coast health organizations from Florida to Maine, including:

* Eastern Mercy Health System, the parent system of Mercycare Corporation in Albany (under the sponsorship of the Religious Sisters of Mercy), which includes St. Peter's Hospital, Hospital Foundation, Addiction Recovery Center and Auxiliary in addition to Our Lady of Mercy Life Center, Mercy Cares for Kids and Warde Services Corporation;

* (Franciscan Sisters of) Alleghany Health System, the parent system of St. Joseph's Villa, a Catskill adult care facility, and Villa Mary Immaculate, an Albany nursing home; and

* (Sisters of) Providence Health System, based in Massachusetts.

In order to continue their sponsorship by their respective religious orders, said Mercycare CEO Steven Boyle, Catholic health organizations must remain financially viable. In an era when healthcare costs are skyrocketing, it's no longer possible for a hospital or nursing home to stand alone -- or be supported solely by a local religious community -- and expect to stay in business.

"Health care is becoming extremely economically driven," Mr. Boyle told The Evangelist. "Catholic health care has to be competitive not only in quality, but also in terms of cost."

James Reynolds directs Villa Mary Immaculate, a 160-bed nursing home certified under Medicaid and Medicare. Long-term care facilities, he stated, have borne the brunt of government budget cutbacks. By joining Catholic Health East, more capital, more clinical services and more expertise will be available to run the home.

"We'll have access to financing vehicles, insurance, purchasing, managed care expertise and aspects of planning," said Mr. Boyle.

Large merger

After the merger is complete, Catholic Health East will represent 23 hospitals and 26 long-term care facilities, plus a host of other services along the entire East Coast. That translates into government bargaining power, said Mr. Reynolds.

"On the political scene, we represent a lot of beds, a lot of employees," he explained. "We can use our strength to continue our mission to serve the poor and the elderly."

On the local level, the merger is not expected to directly affect patient care. Since Catholic Health East will be purchasing supplies and other materials on a larger scale, Mr. Reynolds hopes to pass on that savings to Villa Mary Immaculate clients.

Indirectly, the merger could help healthcare clients by giving professional staffs more availability to focus on patient needs and less on "concerns that can best be taken care of system-wide," such as financing. Physicians can also have the chance to share their expertise, and employees of healthcare organizations may see greater job stability.

'Life-giving'

Sister Roberta Brunner, who directs St. Joseph's Villa adult care facility in Catskill, called the merger "life-giving for health care."

Mr. Boyle added that it will strengthen "our collective mission to provide spirit-driven, high-quality, patient-focussed medical care. We're excited that we have this opportunity to be part of a stronger system."

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