Norfolk, Va. (January 2, 2008) Bon Secours Health System is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. But our story really starts before 1983 – in the late 1960s – when the Sisters of Bon Secours knew that they needed to strengthen their sense of mission and identity for their health care facilities to continue to succeed. After several studies on the issue, the evolution of Bon Secours into a health system began.

Sr. Rita Thomas and Sr. Urban Auer took the initial steps in 1973 by calling together for the first time the CEOs of all Bon Secours facilities. From this historic meeting, the Bon Secours Health Commission was formed providing a forum where CEOs share plans, problems, and opportunities and consider the possibility of shared services. Sr. Justine Cyr was appointed health facilities coordinator to serve as a liaison between Bon Secours facilities and the Provincial Council and later served as the first chairperson of the Bon Secours Health Commission.

After five years of cooperation and shared services, a task force was appointed by the Province to suggest more effective mechanisms of governance. This led to the formation of a new corporation, Bon Secours Health Care Corporation, in 1978. The new corporation established priorities and criteria for financial performance, shared resources and personnel, and marketing and evaluation services.

Bon Secours Health System Formed

By July 1, 1983, when Bon Secours Health System was formed, the system operated four acute-care facilities and one nursing home, located in Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, and Massachusetts. Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, the system included approximately 5,000 employees.  Because the sole ministry of the Sisters of Bon Secours had always been a health care ministry, the sisters remained involved in the new health system and played strategic governance roles on the health system level and served as sister presidents of local system boards. “The sisters were committed to doing the right thing for the right reason. BSHSI was never just a health care business, but rather a ministry of Jesus and the Catholic Church,” says Sr. Pat Eck, current chair of the BSHSI board of directors.

In 1984, BSHSI had $171.1 million in total assets; moved its headquarters to Columbia, Maryland; and made its first acquisition for the new health system, Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. In a 1986 article titled “Bon Secours Health System: A Brief History,” Sr. Justine Cyr wrote: “The restructuring of Bon Secours Health System made possible a common understanding of Bon Secours’ corporate thrust. The Sisters of Bon Secours and those who share our mission were called to unite behind a common purpose, delivering health care in the tradition of Bon Secours and responding to a call for quality, compassion, and innovative care.”

 In 1989, the Health System Office moved to its present location in Marriottsville, Maryland and acquired St. Francis Xavier Hospital, BSHSI’s first facility in Charleston, South Carolina.

Growth of BSHSI

BSHSI developed its first formal vision and strategic quality plan in 1993. From 1995 through 1998, the health system doubled in size, with acquisitions of new facilities in Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk, Virginia; Venice, Florida; Altoona, Pennsylvania; and Baltimore, Maryland. In 2000, BSHSI continued to experience significant growth as it expanded into New York, New Jersey, and Kentucky, as well as expanding its presence in South Carolina.

Over the next several years, there was an emphasis on a commitment to quality, liberating the potential of people, and expansion of primary care networks, emergency and other ambulatory care services, and cardiac programs. The system restructured its sponsorship and governance functions with the sponsorship of BSHSI passing from the Sisters of Bon Secours to Bon Secours Ministries and being shared with laity. A strong focus remained to increase our community commitment dollars and grants given through our mission fund. Our local systems developed new community partnerships and health care advocacy efforts intensified as we worked to improve the health of our communities.

BSHSI Today

In 2004, BSHSI rolled out its Ministry Composition Assessment (MCA), conducting comprehensive assessments of some of our local systems and evaluating the best strategic options for their futures. In some cases, we divested some of our facilities in Florida, New Jersey, and Michigan; in other cases, BSHSI entered joint ventures or restructured local systems. The MCA also resulted in a “growth dimension” with major expansion projects in many of our local systems.

Implementation of the Lawson Enterprise Resource Planning system in 2004, an important supply chain initiative, has resulted in millions of dollars in cost savings since its inception. This, combined with performance improvement and knowledge transfer, has resulted in a stronger, more viable organization.

In 2006, under the leadership of President and CEO Rich Statuto, who joined BSHSI as CEO in 2005, a new Strategic Quality Plan (SQP) was completed.

One of the most ambitious initiatives in BSHSI’s history was launched in 2007: Bon Secours ConnectCareTM. ConnectCare will transform the way we deliver patient care, using as its platform a new clinical information system.

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we realize how much we have grown since 1983 when the Sisters of Bon Secours had the vision to create BSHSI. Today, BSHSI is a $2.4 billion, not-for-profit Catholic health system that owns, manages, or joint ventures 18 acute-care facilities, one psychiatric hospital, five nursing-care facilities, five assisted-living facilities, and several home care and hospice programs. Bon Secours’ more than 16,000 caregivers help people in ten communities in seven states.

Through all our growth and the many changes that have been experienced in the health care field in the past 25 years, the one thing that has not changed is our mission to bring compassion to health care and to be “Good Help to Those in Need,” especially the poor and dying.