Healthcare Systems run by Religion

In March I attended the American College of Healthcare Executives meeting in Chicago. I had a wonderful time and learned so many things from the classes offered there. One of the things that amazed me was the origins of so many hospital systems in the United States. Here is a short list of healthcare systems and the religion that started it:

Adventist Health System - Seventh Day Adventists
Catholic Healthcare West - Catholic
Baptist Health South Florida - Baptist
Episcopal Health Services Inc. - Episcopal
The Methodist Health System - Methodist
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System - Jewish

The Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also started a healthcare system. But in 1975-76 they gifted the system to the community. Today that system is known as Intermountain Healthcare and is ranked among the best integrated healthcare systems in the United States.

I was surprised how many religious organizations had worked to take care of the poor and needy. What a neat thing shared across religions. For those that care for the poor and needy, there exists the shared spiritual language of love.