DENVER (June 15, 2010) — Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, FACHE, president and CEO, Ascension Health, St. Louis, has been installed as chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) for fiscal year 2010-11.
Tersigni succeeded Colleen Scanlon, RN, JD, senior vice president, Advocacy, Catholic Health Initiatives, Denver, who became 2010-11 speaker of CHA's Membership Assembly.
In an election held during the 2010 Catholic Health Assembly in Denver, June 13-15, Robert V. Stanek, retired president and CEO, Catholic Health East, Newtown Square, PA, was chosen vice chairperson/ chairperson-elect for fiscal year 2010-11. He will lead the CHA board in fiscal year 2011-12.
Elected to three-year terms on the board were:
CHA's board consists of 23 trustees, including Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, CHA president and chief executive officer. In addition, Rhonda E. Mueller, CHA's senior vice president, finance and operations, serves as Corporate Treasurer, and Lisa J. Gilden, JD, CHA's vice president and general counsel, serves as Corporate Secretary.
The board's role includes developing CHA's strategic directions, ensuring CHA's fidelity to its mission, stewarding CHA's resources and performing other governance activities to support and strengthen the Catholic health ministry in the United States.
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The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), founded in 1915, supports the Catholic health ministry's commitment to improve the health status of communities and create quality and compassionate health care that works for everyone. The Catholic health ministry is the nation's largest group of not-for-profit health systems and facilities that, along with their sponsoring organizations, employ more than 750,000 women and men who deliver services combining advanced technology with the Catholic caring tradition.
Contracts Support Community-Based Cancer Care
(St. Louis) April 27, 2010 – Three Ascension Health hospitals have been awarded approximately $2.4 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to expand innovative research programs that address disparities in cancer care, particularly for minority patients and those living in rural communities. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, will fund 17 projects at St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital, Columbia St. Mary’s (Milwaukee), and Seton Family of Hospitals (Austin), which are members of the NCI’s Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP).
The NCCCP is a network of community hospital cancer centers that is working to provide research-based cancer care spanning the full cancer continuum – from prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship through end-of-life care. The program is designed as a community-based platform to support basic clinical and population-based research initiatives. The projects receiving funding at Ascension Health hospitals are designed to create new research opportunities across the cancer continuum from screening and treatment to follow-up care, with an emphasis on minority and underserved populations.
“This funding will help the three NCCCP sites at Ascension Health Ministries to continue and expand their critical cancer initiatives and outreach efforts,” said Richard K. Freeman, MD, medical director of Oncology Services for St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital and principal investigator for the Ascension Health NCCCP program. “As one of the initial NCCCP sites of care, we understand firsthand the significance of this research for cancer patients and their families.”
One of the goals of the NCCCP program is to study ways for patients to have access to the latest, evidence-based care close to where they live. Many cancer patients cannot
commute to major academic medical centers for treatment. In fact, 85 percent of patients
are diagnosed, and receive at least their first course of treatment, at a community hospital.
The NCCCP is expanding its network of 16 centers in 14 states to include 14 new community cancer centers in eight new states. It is using $80 million from the ARRA to fund these initiatives.
Examples of specific funding projects at the Ascension Health hospitals include the following:
“We are proud Ascension Health hospitals have received this funding to expand the important work of the NCCCP,” said J. Russell Dilts, MS, FACHE, Ascension Health’s senior program director, oncology care and NCCCP. “This reflects Ascension Health’s Mission of serving all with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable.”
For more information about the projects at Ascension Health Ministries, please contact the following:
St.Vincent Indianapolis Hospital (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Jen Rice
317.583.4031 Office
317.407.8436 Cell
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Columbia St. Mary’s (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Kathleen Schmitz
414.326.1755 Office
414.305.3023 Cell
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Seton Family of Hospitals (Austin, Texas)
Matilda Sanchez
512.324.5826 Office
512.289.5908 Cell
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
About Ascension Health
Ascension Health is transforming healthcare by providing the highest quality care to all, with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Ascension Health, which provided $868 million in care of persons who are poor and community benefit last year, is the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system. Our Mission-focused Health Ministries consist of 113,000 associates serving in more than 500 locations in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Ascension Health was created on November 1, 1999, with a stated Vision to “lead to the transformation of healthcare…and ensure service that is committed to health and well-being for our communities and that responds to the needs of individuals throughout the life cycle.” Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed comprehensive healthcare reform legislation that was first passed by the Senate in December.
On behalf of Ascension Health, I wish to congratulate all of our leaders who have been the “Voice for the Voiceless” during these past 10 years. As we continue to celebrate our 10 years of service as Ascension Health, let us celebrate the fact that 32 million more Americans will now have health insurance. While this historic legislation moves us down the path of achieving our Vision, we must continue to be a constructive voice in ensuring ALL Americans have access to quality healthcare so that we have a society that provides “Healthcare That Leaves No One Behind.” In addition, Ascension Health must continue our diligence to protect the sanctity of life throughout the life cycle.
Although there is much more work to be done, let us take a moment to celebrate the important role you have played in moving our country to ensure a more dignified journey to improved health for all Americans.
Congratulations on a job well done!
