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{{Short description|Healthcare system operating multiple hospitals across seven states, headquarters in Renton}} {{Short description|Healthcare system headquartered in Renton, Washington}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox company {{Infobox company
| name = Providence Health & Services | name = Providence Health & Services
Line 15: Line 15:
| services = Acute care, surgical, medical clinics, hospice, home care, nursing homes, assisted living | services = Acute care, surgical, medical clinics, hospice, home care, nursing homes, assisted living
| num_employees = 120,000 | num_employees = 120,000
| website = {{URL|providence.org}} | website = {{URL|https://providence.org}}
}} }}


'''Providence Health & Services''' is a not-for-profit ] healthcare system headquartered in ].
'''Providence Health & Services''' is a not-for-profit, ] ] system operating multiple hospitals and medical clinics across seven states, with headquarters in ]. The health system includes 51 ]s, more than 800 non-acute facilities and numerous assisted living facilities on in the ] (], ], ], and ]) as well as ], ], and ]. Providence Health & Services was founded by the ] in 1859 and merged with St. Joseph Health in 2016.


The health system includes 51 ]s, more than 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities in the western half of the ] (], ], ], ], ], ], and ]). Providence Health & Services was founded by the ] in 1859 and merged with St. Joseph Health in 2016.
In recent years the company has been the subject of several controversies. A ''New York Times'' investigation revealed a Providence program pressured low-income patients to make payments to the company, even though the hospital was supposed to give them free care in exchange for tax benefits. The newspaper also found that the company received more than $500 million in government funds intended for hospitals at risk of going under while the hospital chain had nearly $12 billion in cash reserves.


== History == == History ==
Providence Health System was established by the ], a community of ] ] founded in ], ] in the 1850s, who established a ] at ] and a hospital in ].<ref name="Crompton 2015">{{Cite magazine |last=Crompton |first=Kim |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Providence Health eyes large merger |url=https://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/providence-health-eyes-large-merger/ |magazine=] |access-date=August 23, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Meyers 2020" /> In 1859, the Sisters ] their work, creating the network of health care services known as Providence Health & Services. In 1891, they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital (now ]), the Pacific Northwest's first permanent hospital opened with 13 beds.<ref name="Meyers 2020">{{Cite news |last=Meyers |first=Donald W. |date=January 20, 2020 |title=It Happened Here: Sisters of Providence establish St. Elizabeth Hospital |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/happened/it-happened-here-sisters-of-providence-establish-st-elizabeth-hospital/article_457f675c-2e47-57d3-a863-1e2e1822d7ba.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120165709/https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/happened/it-happened-here-sisters-of-providence-establish-st-elizabeth-hospital/article_457f675c-2e47-57d3-a863-1e2e1822d7ba.html |archive-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Garagas 2013">{{Cite news |last=Garagas |first=Jane |date=September 29, 2003 |title=Sisters of Providence health-care legacy ending |work=] |agency=], ] |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2003/09-29/270403_sisters_of_providence_health-ca.html |access-date=May 18, 2023}}</ref> The sisters later established several schools and hospitals in ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2VHSAAAAMAAJ |title=The Bell and the River – Mary of the Blessed Sacrament McCrosson – Google Boeken |date=January 1957 |access-date=March 17, 2014}}</ref> Providence Health System was established by the ], a community of ] ] founded in ], ] in the 1850s, who established a ] at ] and a hospital in ].<ref name="Crompton 2015">{{Cite magazine |last=Crompton |first=Kim |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Providence Health eyes large merger |url=https://www.spokanejournal.com/local-news/providence-health-eyes-large-merger/ |magazine=] |access-date=August 23, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Meyers 2020" /> In 1859, the Sisters ] their work, creating the network of health care services known as Providence Health & Services. In 1891, they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital (now ]), the Pacific Northwest's first permanent hospital, which opened with 13 beds.<ref name="Meyers 2020">{{Cite news |last=Meyers |first=Donald W. |date=January 20, 2020 |title=It Happened Here: Sisters of Providence establish St. Elizabeth Hospital |language=en |work=] |url=https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/happened/it-happened-here-sisters-of-providence-establish-st-elizabeth-hospital/article_457f675c-2e47-57d3-a863-1e2e1822d7ba.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120165709/https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/happened/it-happened-here-sisters-of-providence-establish-st-elizabeth-hospital/article_457f675c-2e47-57d3-a863-1e2e1822d7ba.html |archive-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Garagas 2013">{{Cite news |last=Garagas |first=Jane |date=September 29, 2003 |title=Sisters of Providence health-care legacy ending |work=] |agency=], ] |url=https://products.kitsapsun.com/archive/2003/09-29/270403_sisters_of_providence_health-ca.html |access-date=May 18, 2023}}</ref> The Sisters later established several schools and hospitals in ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2VHSAAAAMAAJ |title=The Bell and the River – Mary of the Blessed Sacrament McCrosson – Google Boeken |date=January 1957 |access-date=March 17, 2014}}</ref>


Dominican Network, a network of hospitals in Washington State, joined Providence Services in 1993.<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> Six Providence Services hospitals incorporated within a single entity, Providence Health Care, in 1998.<ref name="Crompton 2015" />
Providence Health System was managed by the Sisters of Providence until December 31, 2009, when a Council of Sponsors known as Providence Ministries was created to serve as the canonical owners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph Province |date=December 31, 2009 |title=Hopes and Aspirations for Providence Ministries |url=http://insideprov.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Hopes-and-Aspirations-Final-Document-Executed-Copy-December-2009.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>


In 2003, ] purchased Providence Health System's Central Washington properties. These purchases included Providence Yakima Medical Center (formerly St. Elizabeth) and Toppenish Hospital.<ref name="Garagas 2013" />
{{Anchor|Providence Healthcare|Providence Services}}Providence Health & Services formally came into being January 1, 2006, with the merger of Providence Health System, the progenitor firm, and Providence Services, based in Spokane and the parent company of Providence Health Care.<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> Providence Health Care itself was formed in 1998 when six hospitals operating under Providence Services incorporated into a single entity.<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> The hospitals making up Providence Health Care constituted the Dominican Network, which "became part of" Providence Services in 1993.<ref name="Crompton 2015" />


Providence Health & Services formed in 2006 as a result of the merger of Providence Health System and Providence Services.<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> Management shifted from the Sisters of Providence to Providence Ministries, a council of sponsors, in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph Province |date=December 31, 2009 |title=Hopes and Aspirations for Providence Ministries |url=http://insideprov.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Hopes-and-Aspirations-Final-Document-Executed-Copy-December-2009.pdf |access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref>
In 2003, ] purchased the Providence Health System properties in Central Washington including Providence Yakima Medical Center (formerly St. Elizabeth) and Toppenish Hospital.<ref name="Garagas 2013" />


In 2012, Providence acquired Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Washington,<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 2012 |title=Swedish alliance with Providence is now complete |language=en-US |work=The Seattle Times |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/swedish-alliance-with-providence-is-now-complete/ |access-date=October 26, 2018}}</ref> promoting Rod Hochman from C.E.O. of Swedish to President and C.E.O. of Providence in 2013.<ref name="Bauman">{{Cite news |last=Bauman |first=Valerie |title=Leadership change at Providence Health & Services comes earlier than planned |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/03/26/leadership-change-at-providence-health.html |access-date=August 24, 2019}}</ref> In 2014, Providence entered a similar partnership with Pacific Medical Centers, which joined Swedish as part of Providence's Western HealthConnect division.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2014 |title=PacMed agrees to 'secular affiliation' with Providence |language=en-US |work=The Seattle Times |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/pacmed-agrees-to-lsquosecular-affiliationrsquo-with-providence/ |access-date=October 26, 2018}}</ref> In 2016, Providence merged with California-based St. Joseph Health create Providence St. Joseph Health. In 2019, plans were announced to rebrand assets under the Providence brand,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Patti |date=September 11, 2019 |title=Providence St. Joseph Health rebrands to reduce confusion |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2019/09/11/providence-st-joseph-health-rebrands-to-reduce.html }}</ref> and in 2020, ] was acquired from ], Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 22, 2020 |title=Providence St. Joseph Health acquires Health Management Resource from Merck, CVS publishes 2020 health predictions and other digital health news briefs |url=https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/providence-st-joseph-health-acquires-health-management-resource-merck-cvs-publishes-2020-health |access-date=March 10, 2020 |website=MobiHealthNews |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Providence Announces Addition of HMR Weight Management Services Corp. |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/providence-announces-addition-hmr-weight-170000135.html |access-date=March 10, 2020 |website=finance.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2012, Providence acquired Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Washington, to expand services to patients in Snohomish and King counties.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-02-01 |title=Swedish alliance with Providence is now complete |language=en-US |work=The Seattle Times |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/swedish-alliance-with-providence-is-now-complete/ |access-date=2018-10-26}}</ref>


Providence St. Joseph was the first U.S. health system to treat a patient with COVID-19 in Washington state.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2020 |title=First US hospital chain to treat coronavirus considers treating patients in 'tents outside' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/providence-st-joseph-health-considers-treating-patients-in-tents.html |access-date=April 13, 2020 |website=CNBC Health and Science |language=en}}</ref>
Rod Hochman, CEO of Swedish Medical Center was hired by Providence Health & Services when Providence affiliated with Swedish in 2012. In April 2013, Hochman became the president and CEO of Providence.<ref name="Bauman">{{cite news |last1=Bauman |first1=Valerie |title=Leadership change at Providence Health & Services comes earlier than planned |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/03/26/leadership-change-at-providence-health.html |accessdate=24 August 2019}}</ref>


== Organization ==
Providence entered a similar partnership with Pacific Medical Centers in 2014, which joined Swedish as part of Providence's Western HealthConnect division.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-02-03 |title=PacMed agrees to 'secular affiliation' with Providence |language=en-US |work=The Seattle Times |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/pacmed-agrees-to-lsquosecular-affiliationrsquo-with-providence/ |access-date=2018-10-26}}</ref>In 2016, Providence Health & Services, based in ], and St. Joseph Health, based in Irvine, California, merged to created Providence St. Joseph Health.
Providence Medical Group, the "physician division" of Providence Health & Services,<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> operates more than 250 clinics in neighborhoods throughout Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington, and employs over 1,600 physicians with expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, dermatology and other specialties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Providence Health & Services: Continuum of Care: Find Clinics |url=http://www2.providence.org/pages/continuum_clinics.aspx |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=.providence.org}}</ref>


Providence Health & Services, the parent organization, provides outpatient services, transitional care, home and ], ] programs, ] treatment, prevention and wellness programs, ], and ] and housing. Providence Health Plan provides or administers health coverage to more than 375,000 members nationwide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://healthplans.providence.org/about-us/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Healthplans.providence.org}}</ref>
In September 2019, the company announced plans to rebrand its assets under the Providence brand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2019/09/11/providence-st-joseph-health-rebrands-to-reduce.html|title=Providence St. Joseph Health rebrands to reduce confusion|last=Payne|first=Patti|date=11 September 2019|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

In January 2020, the company acquired ] from ], Inc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/providence-st-joseph-health-acquires-health-management-resource-merck-cvs-publishes-2020-health|title=Providence St. Joseph Health acquires Health Management Resource from Merck, CVS publishes 2020 health predictions and other digital health news briefs|date=2020-01-22|website=MobiHealthNews|language=en|access-date=2020-03-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/providence-announces-addition-hmr-weight-170000135.html|title=Providence Announces Addition of HMR Weight Management Services Corp.|website=finance.yahoo.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-10}}</ref>

Also in January 2020, Providence St. Joseph was the first US hospital chain to treat a patient with COVID-19 in Washington state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/11/providence-st-joseph-health-considers-treating-patients-in-tents.html|title=First US hospital chain to treat coronavirus considers treating patients in 'tents outside'|date=2020-03-11|website=CNBC Health and Science|language=en|access-date=2020-04-13}}</ref>

== Organization ==
Providence Medical Group is the "physician division" of Providence.<ref name="Crompton 2015" /> It operates more than 250 clinics in neighborhoods throughout Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Providence Medical Group is part of Providence Health & Services. Providence Medical Group employs more than 1,600 physicians offering expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, dermatology and other specialties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Providence Health & Services: Continuum of Care: Find Clinics |url=http://www2.providence.org/pages/continuum_clinics.aspx |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=.providence.org}}</ref>


Providence has 51 hospitals and over 1,100 clinics in seven U.S. states—Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oregon, California, New Mexico, and Texas—{{as of|2022|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2022 |title=Continuing Disclosure Quarterly Report, Q3 2022 |url=https://www.providence.org/-/media/project/psjh/providence/socal/files/about/financial-statements/continuing_disclosure_quarterly_report_providence_q3_2022.pdf?la=en&rev=61b4af7ba9894bf7a088d6a8436b1663&hash=5F39D344C832E53BE3A2D2A6577E9D48 |access-date=January 18, 2023 |publisher=Providence Health & Services |page=1}}</ref> These facilities include the following:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hospitals |url=https://www.providence.org/services/hospitals}}</ref>
Providence Health & Services provides outpatient services, transitional care, home and ], ] programs, ] treatment, prevention and wellness programs, ], and ] and housing. Providence Health Plan provides or administers health coverage to more than 375,000 members nationwide.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://healthplans.providence.org/about-us/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Healthplans.providence.org}}</ref>


Providence has 51 hospitals and over 1,100 clinics in seven U.S. states {{as of|2022|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2022 |title=Continuing Disclosure Quarterly Report, Q3 2022 |url=https://www.providence.org/-/media/project/psjh/providence/socal/files/about/financial-statements/continuing_disclosure_quarterly_report_providence_q3_2022.pdf?la=en&rev=61b4af7ba9894bf7a088d6a8436b1663&hash=5F39D344C832E53BE3A2D2A6577E9D48 |access-date=January 18, 2023 |publisher=Providence Health & Services |page=1}}</ref> These facilities include the following:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hospitals |url=https://www.providence.org/services/hospitals}}</ref>
=== Alaska === === Alaska ===
*] *]
Line 54: Line 47:
*Providence Seward Medical and Care Center *Providence Seward Medical and Care Center
*Providence Valdez Medical Center *Providence Valdez Medical Center

=== Washington ===
]
*Providence Centralia Hospital
*]
*]
*]
*
The following were originally part of the Dominican Network and came into Providence Health & Services upon its formation in 2006<ref name="Crompton 2015" />

* Deer Park Health Center & Hospital
* Holy Family Hospital of Spokane
* Mount Carmel Hospital of Colville
* ] (Spokane)
* St. Joseph's Hospital of Chewelah<ref>{{Cite web |title=Providence St. Joseph's Hospital |url=http://www.sjhospital.org/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420110253/http://www.sjhospital.org/ |archive-date=April 20, 2010 |access-date=October 15, 2009}}</ref>
* St. Mary Medical Center of Walla Walla

=== Montana ===
*St. Joseph Medical Center
*]

=== Oregon ===
]
*Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital
*Providence Medford Medical Center
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]


=== California === === California ===
Line 73: Line 97:
*St. Joseph Hospital Orange *St. Joseph Hospital Orange
*St. Jude Medical Center (Fullerton) *St. Jude Medical Center (Fullerton)
*St.Joseph Hospital – Eureka *St. Joseph Hospital – Eureka


=== Montana === === New Mexico ===
*Hobbs Hospital
*St. Joseph Medical Center
*]

=== Oregon ===
]
*Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital
*Providence Medford Medical Center
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]

=== Washington ===
]
*Providence Centralia Hospital
*]
*]
*]
*]
The following were originally part of the Dominican Network and came into Providence Health & Services upon its formation in 2006<ref name="Crompton 2015" />

* Deer Park Health Center & Hospital
* Holy Family Hospital of Spokane
* Mount Carmel Hospital of Colville
* ] (Spokane)
* St. Joseph's Hospital of Chewelah<ref>{{Cite web |title=Providence St. Joseph's Hospital |url=http://www.sjhospital.org/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420110253/http://www.sjhospital.org/ |archive-date=April 20, 2010 |access-date=October 15, 2009}}</ref>
* St. Mary Medical Center of Walla Walla


=== Texas === === Texas ===
Line 114: Line 110:


== Controversies == == Controversies ==
In 2020, a Portland, Oregon area physician assistant who had been barred from seeing female patients of child-bearing age because she refused to offer them contraceptive care went on to refuse to provide a "young" patient with emergency contraception. She was terminated after further refusing to agree to refer patients to other providers for those services which she did not wish to offer herself. Her refusals to provide contraceptive care were based on her interpretation of Catholicism. Providence Medical Group did not respond to the Catholic News Agency's request for comment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Catholic healthcare worker objected to contraception. Her Catholic clinic fired her. |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/45768/a-catholic-healthcare-worker-objected-to-contraception-her-catholic-clinic-fired-her |access-date=March 28, 2022 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2018, Providence paid its chief executive, Rod Hochman, more than $10 million.<ref name="Drucker 2020">{{Cite news |last=Drucker |first=Jesse |last2=Silver-Greenberg |first2=Jessica |last3=Kliff |first3=Sarah |date=May 25, 2020 |title=Wealthiest Hospitals Got Billions in Bailout for Struggling Health Providers |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/business/coronavirus-hospitals-bailout.html |access-date=May 25, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

According to a '']'' investigation of multiple health systems published during May 2020, Providence obtained more than half of a billion in government funds which were intended to keep health care providers afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, Providence Health System had nearly $12 billion in cash reserves. By making investments with that fund, it generated approximately $1 billion in revenue per year.<ref name="Drucker 2020">{{Cite news |last1=Drucker |first1=Jesse |last2=Silver-Greenberg |first2=Jessica |last3=Kliff |first3=Sarah |date=May 25, 2020 |title=Wealthiest Hospitals Got Billions in Bailout for Struggling Health Providers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/business/coronavirus-hospitals-bailout.html |access-date=May 25, 2020 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

A second ''Times'' investigation found that Providence had instituted a program created by ] to request payments from patients to cover the cost of care left over following Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Hospital staff were reportedly instructed to negotiate payment plans, informing patients about financial assistance as a final option. Those who did not pay were sent to ], a practice for which the ] filed suit, alleging that they were in violation of state laws which entitled low-income patients to care with no copay.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Silver-Greenberg |first1=Jessica |last2=Thomas |first2=Katie |date=September 24, 2022 |title=They Were Entitled to Free Care. Hospitals Hounded Them to Pay. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/business/nonprofit-hospitals-poor-patients.html |access-date=September 24, 2022 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Providence countered the lawsuit, but stated they would stop using debt collectors and that they would refund 760 patients and work with credit agencies to “reverse any negative impact on credit.”<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Silver-Greenberg |first1=Jessica |last2=Thomas |first2=Katie |date=2022-10-04 |title=Hospital System to Refund Poor Patients Who Were Entitled to Free Care |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/business/providence-hospital-poor-patients.html |access-date=2023-08-28 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


On February 1, 2024, Washington State Attorney General ] announced that Providence "must forgive more than $137 million in medical debt and refund more than $20 million to patients the company billed for services despite knowing they likely qualified for free or reduced-cost health care. The $157.8 million resolution will provide full refunds, plus interest, and debt forgiveness for 99,446 individuals. It is the largest resolution of its kind in the country."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Aho |first=Brionna |date=2024-02-01 |title=AG Ferguson: Providence must provide $157.8 million in refunds and debt relief for unlawful medical charges to low-income Washingtonians |url=https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-providence-must-provide-1578-million-refunds-and-debt-relief |access-date=2024-02-01 |language=en-US}}</ref>
A ''New York Times'' investigation in May 2020 revealed that Providence Health System obtained more than half of a billion in government funds which were intended to prevent health care providers from going under during the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, Providence Health System had nearly $12 billion in cash reserves. By making investments with that fund, it generated approximately $1 billion in profits per year.<ref name="Drucker 2020" />


On April 18, 2024, a King County Superior Court Judge ruled that Providence willfully underpaid over 33,000 hourly employees between September 2018 and May 2023. Providence was ordered to pay a total of approximately $220 million to the impacted employees. In a statement concerning the lawsuit, Providence stated their intention to appeal the ruling.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-20 |title=Providence to pay $200M for illegal timekeeping and break practices |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/providence-to-pay-200m-for-illegal-timekeeping-and-break-practices/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
A second '']'' investigation found that Providence Hospital system had instituted a program to pressure low-income patients to make payments to the company, even though the hospital was supposed to give them free care in exchange for tax benefits. The program called "Rev-Up" (Rev standing for revenue) was created shortly after the company's expensive merger with St. Joseph Health and was suggested by the consulting firm ]. Hospital staff were instructed to not inform patients that they may qualify for free care, and instead received training on how to approach patients and pressure them to pay. When patients refused, they were often sent to ], a violation of some state laws that entitled low-income patents to free care, leading to a suit from the ]. Providence denies that anything they did was illegal, however the company said they would stop using debt collectors and refund some payments.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Silver-Greenberg |first=Jessica |last2=Thomas |first2=Katie |date=September 24, 2022 |title=They Were Entitled to Free Care. Hospitals Hounded Them to Pay. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/business/nonprofit-hospitals-poor-patients.html |access-date=September 24, 2022}}</ref>


On September 30, 2024, the ] ] announced a lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital for Denying Patient Emergency Abortion Care. The lawsuit alleged that the hospital was in violation of multiple laws including California’s Emergency Services Law (the state level analogue to the federal ] statute).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-30 |title=Attorney General Bonta: Draconian Hospital Policies that Deny Emergency Abortion Care Have No Place in California |url=https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-draconian-hospital-policies-deny-emergency-abortion-care |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=California Office of the Attorney General |language=en-US}}</ref> According to Bonta, Providence St. Joseph Hospital refused to provide an emergency abortion to a patient experiencing a miscarriage and diagnosed with ], which is a serious life-threatening condition. According to Bonta, the patient, Anna Nusslock, was told she should request a $40,000 medical-helicopter flight to ], a facility 271 miles away, to receive treatment because had she undertaken the five-hour drive, she would "hemorrhage and die before you get to a place that could help you." She says she was provided a bucket of towels by Providence St. Joseph's staff, and her husband drove to a local community hospital where she received the procedure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2024 |title=Calif. attorney general files suit against hospital that allegedly denied abortion |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/atty-general-files-suit-against-hospital-that-19805358.php |website=SFGate}}</ref>
In 2020 a Portland, Oregon area medical professional was allegedly fired from Providence St. Joseph Health for objecting to certain medical procedures on the grounds of her Catholic faith, namely for refusing to sign a document agreeing to refer patients for procedures such as such as tubal ligations and abortions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-10 |title=A Catholic healthcare worker objected to contraception. Her Catholic clinic fired her. |url=https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/a-catholic-healthcare-worker-objected-to-contraception-her-catholic-clinic-fired-her/69110 |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=TheCatholicTelegraph.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Catholic healthcare worker objected to contraception. Her Catholic clinic fired her. |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/45768/a-catholic-healthcare-worker-objected-to-contraception-her-catholic-clinic-fired-her |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=catholicnewsagency.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=In Portland, Catholic medical worker Megan Kreft follows conscience and gets fired |url=https://fahrdienste.org/in-portland-catholic-medical-worker-megan-kreft-follows-conscience-and-gets-fired/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=fahrdienste.org |language=en-US}}</ref>


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Latest revision as of 16:14, 6 January 2025

Healthcare system headquartered in Renton, Washington

Providence Health & Services
Providence St. Vincent's Hospital located in Portland, Oregon
IndustryHealthcare
Founded1859
FounderSisters of Providence
HeadquartersRenton, Washington, United States
Area servedWestern United States
Key peopleRod Hochman, M.D. (President and CEO)
ServicesAcute care, surgical, medical clinics, hospice, home care, nursing homes, assisted living
Number of employees120,000
Websiteprovidence.org

Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system headquartered in Renton, Washington.

The health system includes 51 hospitals, more than 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities in the western half of the United States (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas). Providence Health & Services was founded by the Sisters of Providence in 1859 and merged with St. Joseph Health in 2016.

History

Providence Health System was established by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters founded in Montreal, Quebec in the 1850s, who established a mission at Fort Vancouver and a hospital in Portland, Oregon. In 1859, the Sisters incorporated their work, creating the network of health care services known as Providence Health & Services. In 1891, they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital (now PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center), the Pacific Northwest's first permanent hospital, which opened with 13 beds. The Sisters later established several schools and hospitals in Washington, Montana, Oregon, Alaska, British Columbia, and California.

Dominican Network, a network of hospitals in Washington State, joined Providence Services in 1993. Six Providence Services hospitals incorporated within a single entity, Providence Health Care, in 1998.

In 2003, Health Management Associates purchased Providence Health System's Central Washington properties. These purchases included Providence Yakima Medical Center (formerly St. Elizabeth) and Toppenish Hospital.

Providence Health & Services formed in 2006 as a result of the merger of Providence Health System and Providence Services. Management shifted from the Sisters of Providence to Providence Ministries, a council of sponsors, in 2009.

In 2012, Providence acquired Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Washington, promoting Rod Hochman from C.E.O. of Swedish to President and C.E.O. of Providence in 2013. In 2014, Providence entered a similar partnership with Pacific Medical Centers, which joined Swedish as part of Providence's Western HealthConnect division. In 2016, Providence merged with California-based St. Joseph Health create Providence St. Joseph Health. In 2019, plans were announced to rebrand assets under the Providence brand, and in 2020, Health Management Resources was acquired from Merck & Co., Inc.

Providence St. Joseph was the first U.S. health system to treat a patient with COVID-19 in Washington state.

Organization

Providence Medical Group, the "physician division" of Providence Health & Services, operates more than 250 clinics in neighborhoods throughout Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington, and employs over 1,600 physicians with expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, dermatology and other specialties.

Providence Health & Services, the parent organization, provides outpatient services, transitional care, home and hospice care, substance abuse programs, mental health treatment, prevention and wellness programs, long-term care, and assisted living and housing. Providence Health Plan provides or administers health coverage to more than 375,000 members nationwide.

Providence has 51 hospitals and over 1,100 clinics in seven U.S. states—Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oregon, California, New Mexico, and Texas—as of 2022. These facilities include the following:

Alaska

Washington

Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia

The following were originally part of the Dominican Network and came into Providence Health & Services upon its formation in 2006

Montana

Oregon

Providence Newberg Medical Center

California

Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center

New Mexico

  • Hobbs Hospital

Texas

  • Covenant Medical Center – Lubbock
  • Covenant Children's Hospital – Lubbock
  • Grace Medical Center – Lubbock
  • Covenant Health Plainview
  • Covenant Health Levelland

Controversies

In 2020, a Portland, Oregon area physician assistant who had been barred from seeing female patients of child-bearing age because she refused to offer them contraceptive care went on to refuse to provide a "young" patient with emergency contraception. She was terminated after further refusing to agree to refer patients to other providers for those services which she did not wish to offer herself. Her refusals to provide contraceptive care were based on her interpretation of Catholicism. Providence Medical Group did not respond to the Catholic News Agency's request for comment.

According to a New York Times investigation of multiple health systems published during May 2020, Providence obtained more than half of a billion in government funds which were intended to keep health care providers afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, Providence Health System had nearly $12 billion in cash reserves. By making investments with that fund, it generated approximately $1 billion in revenue per year.

A second Times investigation found that Providence had instituted a program created by McKinsey & Company to request payments from patients to cover the cost of care left over following Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Hospital staff were reportedly instructed to negotiate payment plans, informing patients about financial assistance as a final option. Those who did not pay were sent to debt collection, a practice for which the Attorney General of Washington filed suit, alleging that they were in violation of state laws which entitled low-income patients to care with no copay. Providence countered the lawsuit, but stated they would stop using debt collectors and that they would refund 760 patients and work with credit agencies to “reverse any negative impact on credit.”

On February 1, 2024, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Providence "must forgive more than $137 million in medical debt and refund more than $20 million to patients the company billed for services despite knowing they likely qualified for free or reduced-cost health care. The $157.8 million resolution will provide full refunds, plus interest, and debt forgiveness for 99,446 individuals. It is the largest resolution of its kind in the country."

On April 18, 2024, a King County Superior Court Judge ruled that Providence willfully underpaid over 33,000 hourly employees between September 2018 and May 2023. Providence was ordered to pay a total of approximately $220 million to the impacted employees. In a statement concerning the lawsuit, Providence stated their intention to appeal the ruling.

On September 30, 2024, the Attorney General of California Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital for Denying Patient Emergency Abortion Care. The lawsuit alleged that the hospital was in violation of multiple laws including California’s Emergency Services Law (the state level analogue to the federal EMTALA statute). According to Bonta, Providence St. Joseph Hospital refused to provide an emergency abortion to a patient experiencing a miscarriage and diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), which is a serious life-threatening condition. According to Bonta, the patient, Anna Nusslock, was told she should request a $40,000 medical-helicopter flight to University of California, San Francisco, a facility 271 miles away, to receive treatment because had she undertaken the five-hour drive, she would "hemorrhage and die before you get to a place that could help you." She says she was provided a bucket of towels by Providence St. Joseph's staff, and her husband drove to a local community hospital where she received the procedure.

References

  1. "Providence – Leadership". Providence. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  2. ^ Crompton, Kim (August 13, 2015). "Providence Health eyes large merger". Spokane Journal of Business. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Meyers, Donald W. (January 20, 2020). "It Happened Here: Sisters of Providence establish St. Elizabeth Hospital". Yakima Herald-Republic. Archived from the original on January 20, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Garagas, Jane (September 29, 2003). "Sisters of Providence health-care legacy ending". Kitsap Sun. Yakima Herald-Republic, Associated Press. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  5. The Bell and the River – Mary of the Blessed Sacrament McCrosson – Google Boeken. January 1957. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  6. Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph Province (December 31, 2009). "Hopes and Aspirations for Providence Ministries" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  7. "Swedish alliance with Providence is now complete". The Seattle Times. February 1, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  8. Bauman, Valerie. "Leadership change at Providence Health & Services comes earlier than planned". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  9. "PacMed agrees to 'secular affiliation' with Providence". The Seattle Times. February 3, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  10. Payne, Patti (September 11, 2019). "Providence St. Joseph Health rebrands to reduce confusion".
  11. "Providence St. Joseph Health acquires Health Management Resource from Merck, CVS publishes 2020 health predictions and other digital health news briefs". MobiHealthNews. January 22, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  12. "Providence Announces Addition of HMR Weight Management Services Corp". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  13. "First US hospital chain to treat coronavirus considers treating patients in 'tents outside'". CNBC Health and Science. March 11, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  14. "Providence Health & Services: Continuum of Care: Find Clinics". .providence.org. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  15. "About Us". Healthplans.providence.org. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  16. "Continuing Disclosure Quarterly Report, Q3 2022" (PDF). Providence Health & Services. September 30, 2022. p. 1. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  17. "Hospitals".
  18. "Providence St. Joseph's Hospital". Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
  19. "A Catholic healthcare worker objected to contraception. Her Catholic clinic fired her". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  20. Drucker, Jesse; Silver-Greenberg, Jessica; Kliff, Sarah (May 25, 2020). "Wealthiest Hospitals Got Billions in Bailout for Struggling Health Providers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  21. Silver-Greenberg, Jessica; Thomas, Katie (September 24, 2022). "They Were Entitled to Free Care. Hospitals Hounded Them to Pay". The New York Times. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  22. Silver-Greenberg, Jessica; Thomas, Katie (October 4, 2022). "Hospital System to Refund Poor Patients Who Were Entitled to Free Care". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  23. Aho, Brionna (February 1, 2024). "AG Ferguson: Providence must provide $157.8 million in refunds and debt relief for unlawful medical charges to low-income Washingtonians". Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  24. "Providence to pay $200M for illegal timekeeping and break practices". The Seattle Times. April 20, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  25. "Attorney General Bonta: Draconian Hospital Policies that Deny Emergency Abortion Care Have No Place in California". California Office of the Attorney General. September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  26. "Calif. attorney general files suit against hospital that allegedly denied abortion". SFGate. September 30, 2024.

External links

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