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Incarnate Word Foundation

"Just do what's right for the patient and we'll take care of the details in the morning"

--Don A. Beeler, FACHE, President/CEO, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care

In the 1860’s, Bishop Claude Dubuis appealed to the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament in Lyons, France, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, suffering in the persons of a multitude of sick and infirm of every kind, seeks relief at your hands.” And, as we all know the Sisters responded, sending three young Sisters in 1866 to provide health care to first those in Galveston, and then in 1869 to San Antonio. It was evident at that point in time that the foundation upon which CHRISTUS Santa Rosa would be built would be a distinct ministry of both the Sisters and the church. From the very beginning, Santa Rosa Hospital was open to all persons without distinction of nationality, creed or ability to pay. One hundred and thirty-six years later, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care has literally served millions of people in San Antonio, South Texas and beyond. Today, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa is dedicated to bringing the latest health care technology and medical advances to all patients and all physician specialties. Whether it be a new computerized radiology x-ray system, electronic medical records, the latest in cardiac care, or other diagnostic and treatment modalities for patients of all ages, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa continues to be committed to providing the highest quality care to those whom we serve.

At the same time, we have not lost sight of our Mission which called us in 1869 and still calls us today. As Sr. Angela Clare Moran, my preceptor, mentor, and the last Sister CEO of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa told me the first time I was asked to be administrator On-Call thirty-four years ago, “Do what’s right for the patient and we’ll take care of the details in the morning.” This is the same philosophy that I follow today, although in the world of health care today there are a lot more details and complexities than there were 34 years ago.

The challenge of balancing care needed by patients with the various criteria for admission, physician availability, payor source and many other requirements, has become more and more complex for administrators, physicians, nurses and Associates. However, we, as CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Associates, realize we were called to serve and follow in the footsteps of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, called by our Lord Jesus Christ in response to Bishop Claude Dubuis’ plea so long ago.

In the new Associate orientation at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, we are all reminded (in a song entitled “Christ Has No Other Hands,” A Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila) that “Christ has no Body now but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours…yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.” It is these words and the words of Sr. Angela Clare that continually inspire me to insure that we continue to serve those who are sick and in need of care. These are among the first words our Associates hear in their orientation as new members of our team,
and the words that help each Associate carry forward our mission “to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.” Like the three Sisters who traveled to San Antonio, our Associates come to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa from different backgrounds, and places, to accept a calling to serve those in need.

Throughout our 136-year history, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa has accepted not only the challenge of providing access to care for all regardless of financial status, but does so with a commitment for providing the highest quality of care. This has been evidenced by CHRISTUS Santa Rosa earning the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence from HealthGrades in 2004, 2005 and 2006, only one of seven hospitals in Texas to be so recognized for three years in a row. The recognition from HealthGrades places CHRISTUS Santa Rosa in the top 5% of our nation’s hospitals for clinical excellence and clearly shows that it is possible to combine outstanding high quality care while continuing our Mission “To extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to all.”

This long standing Mission and the commitment of our sisters, associates, physicians, nurses and administrators has led us to the where we are today. When asked what my vision was for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa upon my return three years ago, I responded that “We don’t have to be the biggest (health care system in the city), but we do have to be the best.” As we continue to provide the highest quality health care possible, however, we like the sisters of long ago are called to extend our services to those who live in new growth areas who are in need of compassionate and quality care. Literally, we are called as an organization, system and congregational ministry to “extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”

As a big business, we constantly struggle with issues and challenges, both external, as well as internal. Today, we operate in a very competitive market where we are the only faith-based, not-for-profit health care system remaining in what is now the eighth largest city in the country. We’re challenged to meet needed profitability goals while at the same time meeting our ever present and important community value goals as well. There are some who question our location and others our long-term viability, even relevance given the competitiveness of our for-profit friends and the ever present corporate nature of our “business.”

I, for one, not only remain committed to the ministry of what we do, but remain confident as well, as long as we maintain the same level of courage and commitment that was so evident in these three Sisters who came to San Antonio 136 years ago to “do the right thing for the patient” and, in doing so, demonstrate both the spirit and strength of our faith, which is after all the foundation upon which our ministry is based.