New name reflects scope of expanded healthcare services

After more than 50 years as the healthcare leader in Jefferson County, the board and administration announced a reorganization and new identity for Jefferson Memorial Hospital effective Jan. 1, 2009. The hospital will be known as Jefferson Regional Medical Center operated by a new Missouri nonprofit corporation named Jefferson Health System.

“The name change to Jefferson Regional Medical Center is indicative of the growth and success of the facility,” said president and CEO Lloyd Ford Jr., PhD, FACHE. “We acknowledge with great pride the accomplishments and contributions of the community in creating a tremendous institution, and this change is about moving forward and building on their foundation.”

The Jefferson Memorial Hospital Association was established as a pro forma decree benevolent corporation in 1953. On Tuesday, Judge M. Edward Williams granted a petition to dissolve that organization and create the new nonprofit entity. At its meeting Wednesday, the hospital’s board of directors signed its new articles of incorporation.

“Jefferson Health System will have more latitude to continue to grow healthcare opportunities for our community,” Ford said. “The new nonprofit will serve as the parent entity and will oversee all operations governed by the same board of directors who have managed Jefferson Memorial.”

Jefferson Regional Medical Center will be the primary business operation for Jefferson Health System, along with two new nonprofit corporations, Jefferson Health System Foundation and Jefferson Physician Network. A fourth entity, Jefferson Health Ventures will be a for profit corporation, which will engage in those support activities that are not appropriate for nonprofit businesses, including operation of The Apothecary retail pharmacy and potential joint ventures with physicians to bring healthcare services to the community.

“Existing individual members of the association who inherited or purchased certificates in the 1950s and 1960s will become members of the Jefferson Health System Foundation and will be encouraged to remain involved in activities that support the hospital,” Ford said. “Original fund-raising activities in the 1950s and 60s were remarkable and in recent years, we have seen a resurgence of those efforts to provide financial assistance for the healthcare needs of our community.”

In addition to assisting with construction of the new Emergency Department and renovation of the hospital chapel, the Foundation purchased or contributed to new VeinViewer devices for each floor to improve the ease and safety of needlestick procedures, a new $60,000 bone density machine for the outpatient-imaging center, and new infant abduction security system for the labor and delivery area. In 2009, the Foundation will purchase a Stratus CS Acute Care Diagnostic System to reduce by half the amount of time it takes to determine myocardial infarction (heart attack) for patients who arrive in the Emergency Department with chest pains.

“The name Jefferson Regional Medical Center more adequately describes what our community hospital has become,” said Dennis Gannon, chairman of the board of directors. “The latest cancer treatments, the best pulmonary care in the metropolitan area, and world-class cardiac care are all here at Jefferson Regional. Those services are being accessed by local patients as well as many from far beyond Jefferson County’s borders.”

In addition to the name change, Jefferson Regional unveiled its new logo and introduced new Mission, Vision and Values statements. 

“The new logo features a simple cross as its main component reflecting the dominance of exceptional healthcare in our strategies,” Ford said. “Its dark blue color refers to the blue that has been used as the hospital’s main color scheme since it was founded more than 50 years ago. The addition of green to the logo as an accent color symbolizes growth for the future. The intersecting white waves that dissect the cross are a reference our community’s history as a river town as well as the facility’s location at the crossroads of the communities we serve.”

The new Mission Statement says, “Jefferson Health System will positively impact the health and well-being of every life we touch.” The Vision Statement says, “Jefferson Health System will be the healthcare provider of choice by providing exceptional patient care.”

The statement of values includes “Compassion” for all patients, family and the communities we serve; “Accountability” in our financial and healthcare practices; “Service” as a theme for how we conduct our business in all aspects; and “Quality,” which must be paramount to everything that we do.

“This is an exciting time for our organization as we move toward the future,” Ford said. “The hospital’s history and those who have led the organization in the past have provided many reasons to be thankful. We can be proud of their accomplishments, and set our goals to continue their success.”

Members of the Jefferson Health System Board of Directors include: Dr. Ben Albano Sr., Dr. Ben Albano Jr., Tonda Breeze, Roy Burnside, Lindell Carter, William F. Clark, Fred Dietrich, Dr. Jeffrey Draves, Lloyd Ford Jr., Dr. Kenneth Kilian, Jack King, Bill McKenna, Tim Patterson, Ronald Ravenscraft, Dr. Martha Reed, and Stokely Wischmeier. $$