Thursday, July 30, 2009

Welcome


Welcome to my first entry of St. Joseph Medical Center’s brand new blog. I am utilizing our blog as another way to communicate with those we serve. I welcome your comments and feedback on ways in which we could continue to serve the community and improve our communication efforts with you.

Some of my comments may include updates on the hospital, healthcare in general and response to the comments or questions which come up through the blog. I certainly want to keep you updated on our efforts at St. Joseph Medical Center and look forward to hearing from you.

My family and I moved to Kansas City in May 2008 and really enjoy being part of the Kansas City community. People asked if we are putting down roots. As my wife likes to share, we just installed a new basketball hoop so we are here to stay.

First, let me share with you a little background on when we started and the direction in which we are heading. We were founded in 1874 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and are the oldest private hospital in Kansas City. We are part of Carondelet Health and a member of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system. Our mission provides purpose and meaning to our work. The values guide our behavior, ensuring that we act with integrity, compassion and unity. These items provide the foundation and direction for our organization, but it is also important that we are always moving forward, never becoming stagnant.

Our vision gives us something to strive for: St. Joseph Medical Center will be the best place to be a patient.

To get there, we all play an important role and have the opportunity to personally support the strategy that will move us toward making our vision a reality.

- Create an environment where physicians prefer to practice medicine;
- Become the most desired employer for nurses, employees and volunteers;
- Strengthen our culture of quality, safety and continuous improvement;
- Commit to grow our core services and service lines;
- Develop a primary care and specialty physician network; and
- Provide a patient experience that uniquely positions us in the market.

I want you to consider St. Joseph your community hospital. I look forward to your thoughts.