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Mayo Clinic’s Saint Marys and Methodist Hospitals to Become Single Licensed Hospital
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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic today announced Saint Marys and Methodist Hospitals will transition to a single licensed hospital operating under the name Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester. The transition marks the next step in hospital integration that began in 1986. The change, which will be effective Jan. 1, 2014, is being made to better reflect Mayo Clinic's integrated hospital practice, ensure accurate reporting of data, and reinforce our ability to prove the value of Mayo Clinic care, while still honoring the commitment to the organization's founders' values.
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"From their respective beginnings, Saint Marys Hospital, the Sisters of Saint Francis, Methodist Hospital and Mayo Clinic have enjoyed a partnership founded on trust, mutual respect and commitment to meeting the needs of each patient," says John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO, Mayo Clinic. "Mayo Clinic cherishes and will remain steadfast to that commitment."
Changes in the health care regulatory environment, including reports to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission, and changing consumer expectations prompted the transition.
"We know patients seek information from government and nongovernment entities to obtain important quality and financial data," adds Dr. Noseworthy. "By continuing the integration we began in 1986, patients can have a more complete, accurate picture of the care we provide at Mayo Clinic."
The change, approved by the Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes (Sisters of Saint Francis), means that Saint Marys Hospital will no longer be designated as a Catholic health care institution in the Catholic Health Care Directory.
Mayo Clinic currently has a "single integrated hospital practice" divided between two hospital licenses and two legal entities. Regulations require separate reporting of quality, financial and operating data for the two hospitals to organizations such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Joint Commission and The Leapfrog Group. While Mayo Clinic is recognized for outstanding patient care by many national assessment organizations, separate hospital reporting has increasingly resulted in an incomplete and incorrect picture of Mayo Clinic's care. Reporting as one hospital will ensure that regulatory agencies, payers and patients have accurate information about Mayo Clinic.
"Although the Catholic identity and the name of Saint Marys Hospital will change, much will remain the same. The chapel will continue to be used as a Catholic chapel, a public place of worship available to patients, their families, employees, and local residents," says Sister Marilyn Geiger, Sisters of Saint Francis. "The Sisters of Saint Francis and Mayo Clinic will continue to work together to perpetuate the Franciscan Mission and the values of Mother Alfred Moes and Dr. W.W. Mayo."
Patients, families, staff and the public will continue to see widespread presence of the founders' values throughout the hospital:
- Saint Marys' chapels will maintain the current worship schedule, worship broadcast and reservation of the Eucharist.
- Chaplaincy services at both hospital campuses will continue to provide spiritual care for our patients and their families.
- The convent on Saint Marys' campus will remain.
- The Sisters of Saint Francis presence will remain unchanged.
From their beginnings, Saint Marys Hospital and Methodist Hospital have enjoyed a partnership with Mayo Clinic founded upon trust, mutual respect and commitment to meeting the needs of each patient. In September 1889, Mother Alfred Moes, O.S.F., founder of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, opened the 27-bed Saint Marys Hospital. Attending staff were Dr. William Worrall Mayo and sons, Drs. William and Charles Mayo.
Methodist Hospital's history began in 1915 when the Colonial Hotel-Hospital opened in Rochester. The present Methodist Hospital was built in 1966. In the early 1980s, changes in health care at a national level prompted discussion of a formal integration of the institutions.
In 1986, the long-standing relationship among the three organizations was formalized under a common governance and management structure. A vital component of the integration for Saint Marys Hospital was a sponsorship agreement between the Sisters of Saint Francis, Saint Marys Hospital and Mayo Clinic. This agreement created the Sponsorship Board — a group comprised of Franciscan Sisters and lay colleagues, dedicated to perpetuating the hospital's spiritual roots and strengthening Mayo/Franciscan values in the institution.
