Butler Health System complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. TTY: 711. HEALTH LINK is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of: BUTLER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: 1 Hospital Way, Butler, PA 16001-4670 724-283-6666 butlerhealthsystem.org Ken DeFurio President and CEO Jana Panther Director of Marketing and Public Relations Anne Lehman Editor To opt out of this mailing, contact Public Relations at 724-284-4200. People who are hearing-impaired can access the hospital by calling the AT&T operator at 800-654-5988 (voice) or 800654-5984 (TDD). The caller can then notify the AT&T relay system operator and request relay services to BMH at 724-283-6666. Information in HEALTH LINK comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. BUTLER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on any basis, including a person’s age, sex, color, race, religious beliefs, national origin, disability or lifestyle. BMH also provides services without discrimination regardless of a person’s age, sex, color, race, religious beliefs, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, lifestyle or source of payment. 2022 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Numbers to know Butler Memorial Hospital Main 724-283-6666 BHS Clarion Hospital Main 814-226-9500 BHS Care Center: Find a doctor near you! 833-602-CARE (833-602-2273) 注意：如果您使用繁體中文， 您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。 TTY: 711。 Ken DeFurio, President and CEO BHS NEWS Staying strong I recently had the privilege to attend a Celebration of Life event for Jean B. Purvis, a true pioneer in our community. Jean passed a couple of years ago, and the service was delayed until now due to the pandemic. Jean supported many efforts through her vision, energy, philanthropy and ability to lead. Her contributions were far too many to list here. Notable among them was helping to establish the Visiting Nurses Association of Butler and, importantly, the Community Health Clinic of Butler County, now known as the Jean B. Purvis Community Health Center. Jean also was an author. One of her books has been on my shelf for many years: The History of Medicine in Butler County. Recently I’ve been doing much thinking about this history, as the Butler Health System Board of Trustees took up a significant decision for our community. You may have heard that Butler Health System and Excela Health have made the decision to pursue a merger—in this case, a “merger of equals.” These are two strong, independent, community-based health systems—ours based in Butler County, theirs based in Westmoreland County. Separately and together, we have studied the significant headwinds facing our industry. Both boards concluded that by coming together, we will remain strong and continue to chart our own destiny. And very importantly, we will remain community-based and locally controlled. The new organization, when formed, will have an equal number of trustees selected by each organization. While the new system will comprise five hospitals, hospitals are but one segment of health care in the 21st century. You know how extensive ambulatory care has become. You know that many doctors and advanced practice specialists choose to be employed by health systems. You know that technology is changing everything, including health care. You know that health care in the United States is complex and heavily regulated. You know that any good business, including ours, must continue to innovate to be successful. What you may not know is how important size and scale have become in obtaining reasonable health insurance contracts, in keeping costs under control, and in having the ability to access capital markets and achieve lower rates and more flexible terms. While health systems are very visible because of bricks and mortar, the only thing that really matters is the quality of their people. We must be in a position where we are able to recruit the best physicians and staff at all levels. One of the most important reasons to combine resources with Excela is to attract and retain the very best. The deal is far from complete. We will spend the summer and fall of 2022 completing due diligence and obtaining necessary reviews and approvals. When the BHS Board of Trustees met to act on pursuing a merger with Excela, it took me back to Jean B. Purvis and the history of medicine in Butler County. The original Butler County General Hospital was founded in 1898 by three dedicated women who wanted to make sure our community had the very best health care. They established a vision and values that we have lived and honored throughout our history. That will never change. As always, thank you for choosing Butler Health System. ai1655211573162_BHS_CV_VaccinesBoosterShots_6.8x1.65.pdf 1 6/14/2022 8:59:33 AM ai165238661447_BHS_Telehealth_9.2x2.pdf 1 5/12/2022 4:16:54 PM HEALTH LINK 2 |
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