Hospital thanks community for support through COVID-19 with White Dove Release
(LYNWOOD, CA – August 25, 2021) – St. Francis Medical Center
is hosting a special celebration to commemorate its one-year anniversary
as a member of Prime Healthcare, which will be highlighted by a thank
you to the community for its support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event will take place on August 26, 2021, at 11 a.m. outside the main
Patient Tower of the medical center. It will celebrate a year of collaboration
and commitment to serving the South Los Angeles region and culminate with
a white dove release of 75 birds, symbolizing the hospital’s 75-year
legacy in the community. Participants will include St. Francis Medical
Center and Prime Healthcare leaders, elected officials, first responders
and community partners, as well as local business owners, organization
operators and individuals who generously donated personal protective equipment
(PPE), meals, and other essentials to the hospital to support healthcare
workers in the fight against COVID-19.
St. Francis Medical Center CEO Dan Jones, FACHE, said, “Just a year
ago the hospital was facing bankruptcy and possible closure. At the same
time, it was struggling with a lack of resources amidst the coronavirus
pandemic. This all changed when Prime Healthcare acquired the medical
center. With new Prime leadership, capital investment and collaborative
partnerships we are now moving in a positive direction. We truly have
reason to celebrate.”
After years of financial instability, St. Francis Medical Center received
a much-needed lifeline when the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central
District of California and the California Attorney General approved Prime
Healthcare’s purchase of the hospital on August 14, 2020. Committed
to saving hospitals, saving jobs and saving lives, Prime invested more
than $12.8 million into the hospital, including $1 million in capital
improvements and nearly $5.5 million in equipment upgrades and supply
purchases. As a result, St. Francis has kept its doors open, ensuring
ongoing access to vital care and services and providing benefits to both
staff and patients.
Jones stated, “Among St. Francis Medical Center’s first year
achievements as a member of Prime Healthcare are best-in-class technology,
including an Epic electronic medical records system that standardizes
documentation and processes, enhanced cardiology and radiation oncology
services through new clinical capabilities, expansion of its behavioral
health capacity to meet the growing need for mental health services in
L.A. County, stabilized jobs for nearly 2,000 employees and new partnerships
with Children’s Hospital of Orange County and UC Irvine Health to
ensure the highest level of care for every newborn in the St. Francis
NICU, with access to the latest treatments in maternal fetal medicine.”
Keeping St. Francis’ doors open and its operations strong could not
have been more timely. In a region disproportionately affected by the
pandemic, the hospital has to date treated more than 3,400 COVID-19 patients,
many of them in the ICU. As one of the busiest trauma centers in the county,
St. Francis receives some of the sickest and critically ill patients in
South Los Angeles while effectively caring for the urgent and non-emergency
needs of the community.
While Prime Healthcare has been a tremendous buoy for St. Francis over
the past 12 months with its ability to be flexible in responding to changing
conditions, the community has been a noteworthy bolster for the healthcare
team’s spirits. More than 100 small and large businesses, charitable
organizations and individuals have come forward to donate PPE, meals,
shoes, and other supplies and comfort items in support of the hospital’s
healthcare workers, including Starbucks, Home Depot, Skechers Shoes, KROQ
Radio, Beauty Bus, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Everytable, City Dental Care
and Concerned Citizens of Compton.
St. Francis Medical Center Chief of Staff Hanh Nguyen-Clark, MD, stated,
“Our doctors, nurses, and staff have been touched by the overwhelming
support from our community. Donations have ranged from N95 face masks,
goggles, face shields, and isolation gowns to work shoes, bottled water,
boxed meals, coffee, and transportation services -- even handwritten thank
you cards from students and office workers. Every contribution is meaningful
and sends the message that our commitment to caring for patients during
this unprecedented time is appreciated. Now we want to thank the community
for caring for us.”
In addition to newfound community relationships, St. Francis Medical Center’s
first year with Prime Healthcare forged significant partnerships with
city and state government and advocacy groups. The hospital’s series
of COVID-19 vaccine clinics for the community, which kicked off in March,
is part of a unique collaboration with California Assembly Speaker Anthony
Rendon’s office, the City of Lynwood, L.A. County Supervisor Holly
Mitchell’s office, Lynwood Unified School District and SELA Collaborative
to promote health equity and serve the Lynwood and Southeast Los Angeles
community, which is one of the most impacted communities in California.
Members of the partnership will be on hand for the hospital’s anniversary
salute. They will join St. Francis and Prime Healthcare leaders and representatives
from several of the business and community donors in a commemorative program
that will conclude with a 75-bird white dove release. The ceremony will
symbolize a year of new beginnings and celebrate a future of hope, healing,
and shared commitment to serving the healthcare needs of the community.
“Prime Healthcare is honored to continue the legacy of St. Francis
Medical Center, an indispensable community partner comprised of committed
doctors, nurses, and staff dedicated to saving lives and serving all those
in need,” said Sunny Bhatia, MD, CEO of Region I of Prime Healthcare.
“Prime is prepared to lead St. Francis into a bright future, and
we are grateful for the opportunity along with the support we have received
from the community. Happy first year anniversary, St. Francis.”