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A Message from Saint Francis Health System
 Visioning for the Future
For the past half century, the women and men of Saint Francis Health System have ably endeavored to service the healthcare needs of northeastern Oklahoma. And though their duties, actions and contributions have been as numerous as they have been varied, all have been linked by a common spirit of generosity and guided by a unified commitment to carrying forward Christ’s healing ministry. And it is a legacy of excellence that remains unwavering even today amid a backdrop of dramatic environmental change.
It was on March 23, 2010 the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law. Though the legislation is not likely to have a discernible impact on the way in which healthcare is delivered in the near term, over the long run healthcare reform will introduce a new delivery paradigm by way of coverage expansion and insurance market reform. Most importantly reform introduces— indeed demands—greater levels of clinical integration, greater focus on wellness and prevention and a fanatical commitment to quality. Despite the politics surrounding reform, as evidenced most recently by the November 2010 mid-term elections and recent federal court decisions, the prospect of such change compelled Saint Francis to evaluate how present structures and present practices must evolve under a new model of care delivery. These efforts were coordinated under the auspices of the system’s “Vision 2015” initiative.
Over the next several months, Saint Francis will evaluate new delivery models in collaboration with the Warren Clinic and CommunityCare Managed Healthcare Plans of Oklahoma. These new models will likely be structured to assure greater levels of patient engagement, greater use of disease-specific evidence-based medical protocols and greater reliance upon use of electronic medical records to assure patients receive care at the right time, by the right practitioner, in the right setting.
Saint Francis Health System has been blessed by its association with The William K. Warren Foundation over the past 50 years. And it has created a legacy that the system intends to honor and carry forward, despite the many shifts at play in today’s healthcare marketplace. Saint Francis looks to this new world of health delivery with confidence and optimism and remains committed to serving the community with compassion. In doing so, the mission of Saint Francis first articulated by William K. and Natalie Overall Warren will continue to serve as the foundation that has underpinned this organization’s success for the last half century.
Best regards,
Jake Henry Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Saint Francis Health System
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