Newswise — PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania Health System, Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Mercy) and St. Mary Medical Center (St. Mary) have announced an alliance to focus on the development of joint clinical care programs and population health initiatives to improve health care throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.
Mercy, St. Mary and Penn Medicine will partner to improve the care of the population served in Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia counties while facilitating access to Penn Medicine for Mercy and St. Mary patients’ tertiary and quaternary health care needs. The alliance will also focus on developing joint clinical care programs, such as cancer care, cardiology and surgical services in Bucks County and the surrounding areas. In West Philadelphia, the partnership will also explore similar clinical programs and improve upon regional population health initiatives exploring gaps in preventive care, and provide improved access to care for patients with high-risk, high-cost health conditions.
“Both Mercy and St. Mary share Penn Medicine’s dedication to high-quality, compassionate care and community service. With this new alliance, we will be able to combine those values with Penn Medicine’s nationally-recognized expertise in complex and specialty care,” said Ralph W. Muller, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “We are excited to work with these new partners to develop innovative public health programs and initiatives that will offer patients continued access to high-quality care close to home, as well as advanced care at Penn Medicine hospitals when needed.”
Mercy and St. Mary remain members of Trinity Health, the second-largest Catholic health care system in the United States.
“We are confident this new strategic alliance – bringing together Mercy Health System’s deep ties to our communities and Penn Medicine’s academic medicine expertise – will allow us to further our mission of serving as a compassionate and transforming healing presence,” said Susan Croushore, President and CEO of Mercy Health System. “We look forward to collaborating on the joint development of innovative clinical care programs and ultimately helping to strengthen the overall health of our communities.”
“The strategic alliance between St. Mary Medical Center and the University of Pennsylvania Health System will bring the best of community-based and academic medicine together for the residents of Bucks County,” said James Woodward, President and CEO of St. Mary Medical Center. “Through the addition of new surgical sub-specialties in services such as cancer care, joint expansion of ambulatory services in Bucks County, and the addition of new programs such as Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse treatment, both St. Mary and Penn will be able to expand access to high-quality care provided at lower cost to the region. We look forward to a very strong and mutually beneficial long-term relationship.”
Mercy Health System is the largest Catholic health care system serving the Greater Philadelphia region, with more than 6,500 employees. It is comprised of three acute-care hospitals: Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital, and Nazareth Hospital as well as Mercy Home Health, a home health care agency serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties; and Mercy LIFE, an all-inclusive in-home elderly care program.
First opened in Philadelphia in 1860 by the Sisters of St. Francis, St. Mary Medical Center is located in Langhorne, PA. St. Mary Medical Center offers advanced non-invasive treatments, adult and pediatric emergency services, inpatient medical and rehabilitation facilities, along with supportive health and wellness classes. St. Mary Medical Center provides advanced care across four primary Centers of Excellence – cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, and emergency and trauma services. LIFE St. Mary brings medical, health, social services and home care to area seniors. St. Mary’s outreach to underserved communities includes the Community Ministries in Bensalem – the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center, Children’s Health Center and Family Resource Center – as well as ongoing support for the Adult Health Clinic operated by the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership.
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Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $7.8 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $405 million awarded in the 2017 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation’s top “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare.
Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2017, Penn Medicine provided more than $500 million to benefit our community.
About St. Mary Medical Center
St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, PA, is the most comprehensive medical center in the region. Its compassionate staff of more than 700 physicians, 3,200 colleagues, and 1,100 volunteers is committed to providing excellence in patient safety and quality care. St. Mary, licensed for 366 beds, offers state-of-the-art technology and highly skilled physicians and clinical professionals in providing advanced care for complex cases. Services include a comprehensive cardiovascular program; a Level 2 state-accredited Trauma Center; Emergency Services, dedicated CHOP newborn and pediatric emergency care; Joint Commission-certified programs in Primary Stroke, Heart Failure, Breast Cancer and Joint Replacement for Knee and Hip; exceptional orthopedic surgical capabilities and rehabilitation; neurosciences; specialized diagnostic imaging; obstetrics and NICU; sleep disorders, pain management; Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center; the St. Mary Regional Cancer Center and freestanding inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital. St. Mary’s LIFE program brings medical, health, social services and home care to area seniors. Outreach to the poor and underserved includes the Community Ministries in Bensalem – the Mother Bachmann Maternity Center, Children’s Health Center and Family Resource Center – as well as ongoing support for the Adult Health Clinic operated by the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership. The St. Mary Physicians Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Mary Medical Center, encompassing an employed staff of more than 100 board-certified physicians with various specialties throughout Bucks County.
About Mercy Health System
A diverse, integrated system providing comprehensive healthcare services, Mercy Health System comprises three acute care hospitals, a home healthcare organization, several wellness centers, physician practices, a federal PACE program, and is co-owner of managed care plan, Gateway Health Plan. With 250 primary care and specialty physicians, Mercy Health System is a teaching community health system affiliated with Drexel University School of Medicine and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Mercy Health System is the largest Catholic healthcare system serving the Delaware Valley. The vision of Mercy Health System is to be a leading provider of compassionate care and community access to quality health services that improve the health of individuals and communities. To learn more about Mercy Health System, visit www.mercyhealth.org.
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