MISHAWAKA, Ind. – After many months of intensive research with consumers in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, and after thorough deliberations at all levels of the organization, members of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc. approved the Board of Trustees’ new name recommendation to Franciscan Alliance.
Sister M. Jane Marie Klein, O.S.F., chairperson for the Board of Trustees, said, “Franciscan Alliance is the perfect pairing of two words to create a meaningful, memorable name that affirms our promise to continue Christ’s ministry in our Franciscan tradition. Our 13 hospitals are very well known at the community level for their exceptional high-quality medical treatment and compassionate care. With this new name, we expect to broaden awareness of the system’s comprehensive, high-quality health care services and highly regarded compassionate care.”
Kevin Leahy, president and CEO for the newly renamed Franciscan Alliance, said, “With the many dramatic changes taking place across the nation’s health care landscape, a simple, but meaningful, unified name better affirms our standing as a large, multi-state Catholic health care system with nationally recognized centers of excellence and numerous joint ventures and physician relationships. Ultimately, the name change will help us tell our story of mission-centered, quality health care to our growing patient populations in communities in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.”
The process to broaden awareness of the system’s significant health care services began a few years ago with the introduction of the Tau (a sacred symbol to Saint Francis of Assisi and a constant reminder of the Cross of Christ) added to each of the system’s hospital logos. The Tau was complemented by the words, “Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc.” Leahy said, “Our final step, and one that we will implement in a cost-conscious manner over many months, is to replace the words, ‘Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc.’ with the word, ‘Franciscan’ at all of our hospitals and health care facilities. The work is expected to begin in early 2011.”
Throughout its 135-year existence, Franciscan Alliance has stayed true to its founding mission of caring for everyone who comes through its doors. The system provides care for more than 2.9 million outpatient visits and more than 100,000 inpatient discharges every year with the most effective medical treatments, state-of-the-art medical equipment and an abundance of compassionate care. The system employs 18,200 co-workers including 556 physicians – both primary care and specialists – and expects to grow its physician team to more than 630 physicians next year, serving the system’s service-area population of 3.7 million people.
Leahy said, “We are proud of all the fine, high-quality services that our hospitals offer patients and their families both independently and as a 13-hospital system. Now, we must let more people know of our great work and leverage our reach geographically.”
Franciscan Alliance hospital names and logos, including adding the word “Franciscan” and the Tau, will be:
Franciscan/St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Elizabeth East in Lafayette, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Beech Grove, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Indianapolis, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Mooresville, Ind.
Franciscan/St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights, Ill.
Franciscan/St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Olympia Fields, Ill.
Franciscan/St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond, Ind.
Franciscan/St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Dyer, Ind.
Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC in Munster, Ind.
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About Franciscan Alliance
Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 13 growing hospitals and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health care Excellence. Franciscan Alliance includes: St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point, Ind.; St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, Ind.; St. Clare Medical Center in Crawfordsville, Ind.; St. Elizabeth East and St. Elizabeth Central in Lafayette, Ind.; St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers in Beech Grove, Indianapolis and Mooresville, Ind.; St. James Hospital & Health Centers in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields, Ill.; St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond and Dyer, Ind.; and Franciscan Physicians Hospital, LLC in Munster, Ind.
About the Tau
The sign of the Tau held a special place in the heart of Saint Francis of Assisi. Since the shape of the Tau indicated a Cross, Francis chose it as the symbol of his penitential life and as a resume’ of all his preaching. For Saint Francis, the Tau became a very sacred symbol, a constant reminder of the Cross of Christ and of his need to be continually transformed through a penitential life into the image of the suffering and crucified Christ.
The Tau became his personal signature. As he sought to live out its deepest meaning in his life, Saint Francis was slowly but surely drawn to its full realization on Mount LaVerna where he was divinely sealed with the signs of Christ’s passion – the Stigmata. Consequently, the sign of the Tau is a very special sign to all who seek to follow Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis.
The logo embodies Saint Francis’ ideal. The upper hand is bent in giving. It is the generous giving that exemplified continuing Christ’s ministry. The lower hand is ready to receive the compassionate and loving care and concern our employees are all called to give to our patients and to each other.
