St. Mary Medical Center, Penn Medicine and Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania announce alliance
New relationship will enhance advanced care access for patients throughout the Philadelphia region
The Times
St. Mary Medical Center, The University of Pennsylvania Health System and Mercy Health System of Southeastern Pennsylvania 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.
St. Mary, Penn and Mercy 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 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.”
St. Mary and Mercy 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 practice,” 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. St. Mary offers advanced non-invasive treatments, adult and pediatric emergency services, inpatient medical and rehabilitation facilities, along with supportive health and wellness classes. The 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.
