The Saint Francis mission to serve is still going strong
A lot has changed in nearly a century of healthcare. But some things remain as they’ve always been. Take, for instance, the continuing commitment to the community that’s on display at Saint Francis Hospital every day.
“A commitment to service and the care of our community have been focal points of the mission of our organization for almost 100 years now,” says Ralph Gonzalez Jr., MD, chief medical officer at Saint Francis. “Meeting the needs of our community is core to why we were founded.”
Saint Francis is a magnet for providers who not only want a healthcare career but also an opportunity to give back, Dr. Gonzalez notes. People like that fit right in at this community hospital, where caregivers and staff often go the extra mile to keep the community healthy.
Here are just a few examples:
- Physicians recently held a series of community health screenings for local communities. They provided screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure, and other health checks, as well as referrals to primary care providers. “The pandemic has cast a spotlight on healthcare disparities and shown us more of what the Saint Clare Van is capable of,” says Dr. Gonzalez.
- Saint Francis colleagues hold a monthly food drive to support a local food bank.
- This past Thanksgiving, Emergency Medical Services providers responded to a call at an area home. In the process, they discovered that the family didn’t have food for Thanksgiving dinner. After they resolved the medical issue, they brought the family a dinner.
“It’s small things like this that our clinical providers and colleagues do on a regular basis,” Dr. Gonzalez says.
A deep dedication to caring Beth Leahey, RN, is the chief nursing officer at Saint Francis. Asked what inspires her to come to work every day, Beth mentions the special connection community hospitals have with patients—and a staff at Saint Francis that’s committed to everybody who sets foot in the door.
“We really care about each other and care about the patients,” she says. “I think that’s the reason why I work here.”