As Catholic Health World went to press, Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health finalized a long-anticipated merger to create CommonSpirit Health. The system is built on the legacy of 17 congregations of women religious who founded its health ministries.
With annual revenues of approximately $29 billion, CommonSpirit will be one of the nation's largest Catholic health systems. CommonSpirit operates more than 700 care sites and 142 hospitals in 21 states. It will have a national office in Chicago. Common-Spirit said it has about 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advance practice clinicians.
As previously announced, Kevin E. Lofton and Lloyd H. Dean will both serve as chief executive officers in CommonSpirit's "Office of the CEO." Lofton was chief executive of Englewood, Colo.-based CHI. Dean was president and chief executive of San Francisco-based Dignity Health. Marvin O'Quinn, previously senior executive vice president and chief operating officer for Dignity, is president and chief operating officer of the newly combined ministry.
Dean said in the Feb. 1 release announcing the merger's completion, "We created CommonSpirit Health because, in order to solve national health challenges, we need the breadth, scope and resources to make a nationwide impact. We believe no one should ever have to choose between being healthy and putting food on the table."
Lofton said addressing "the social causes of poor health" and improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable will be one of five key priorities for the system.
The other main areas of focus include expanding clinical expertise in primary, acute and specialty care, with an emphasis on caring for patients with chronic and complex conditions; accelerating the shift toward outpatient care; investing in technology that makes care convenient and personal; and retaining a highly skilled and dedicated workforce.
The March 1 edition of Catholic Health World will contain comprehensive coverage of the merger.