Ssm Policy Institute

SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1872 BY CATHOLIC SISTERS, SSM HEALTH (SSMH) HAS EXISTED TO MEET THE HEALTH NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. SSMH IS A CATHOLIC, NOT-FOR-PROFIT HEAL TH SYSTEM SERVING THE COMPREHENSIVE HEAL TH NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE MIDWEST THROUGH ONE OF THE LARGEST INTEGRATED DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN THE NATION. WITH CARE DELIVERY SITES IN ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA, AND WISCONSIN, SSMH INCLUDES 23 ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS, ONE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, MORE THAN 300 PHYSICIAN OFFICES AND OTHER OUTPATIENT AND VIRTUAL CARE SERVICES, 10 POST-ACUTE FACILITIES, COMPREHENSIVE HOME CARE AND HOSPICE SERVICES, A PHARMACY BENEFIT COMPANY, A HEAL TH INSURANCE COMPANY, AND AN ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATION. THE HEAL TH SYSTEM EMPLOYS NEARLY 40,000 PEOPLE AND IS AFFILIATED WITH 11,000 PHYSICIANS MAKING IT ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN EVERY COMMUNITY IT SERVES. IN THE TRADITION OF ITS FOUNDING SISTERS, SSMH STRIVES TO FULFILL ITS MISSION BY PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL HEAL TH CARE TO EVERYONE WHO COMES TO ITS HOSPITALS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. THE SSM POLICY INSTITUTE (SSMPI) WAS CREATED TO IDENTIFY HEAL TH CARE ISSUES OF SPECIAL CONCERN TO SSM HEAL TH (SSMH) ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF QUALITY AND ACCESS TO HEAL TH CARE AND TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS AND THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY SSMH. THE SSMPI BOARD HAS REVIEWED ISSUES AND RECOMMENDED POLICY POSITIONS TO SSM HEAL TH'S SYSTEM LEADERSHIP IN THE PAST. SSMPI DRAFTED POSITION PAPERS THAT WERE SHARED WITH SYSTEM LEADERS TO BE USED WITH LEGISLATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THEY ALSO WERE SHARED WITH CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND STAFF AS WELL AS LAWMAKERS AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. THE SSMPI ALSO HELD LEGISLATIVE FORUMS IN ST. LOUIS AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WITH CONGRESSIONAL STAFF TO DISCUSS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN GREATER DEPTH. THE SSMPI HAS DRAFTED A NUMBER OF POSITION PAPERS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM COMMUNITY BENEFIT TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTRONIC HEAL TH RECORD IN DELIVERING QUALITY HEAL TH CARE OUTCOMES TO SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE MEDICAID PROGRAM. SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION OF HEAL TH CARE REFORM AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THE SSMPI DRAFTED SSM HEAL TH'S PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE HEAL TH CARE REFORM, BASED ON THE SYSTEM'S MISSION AND VALUES.