Catholic hospital services for vulnerable populations

Abstract

Hospitals select services that may represent symbolic system values, but community need and financial means are stronger determinants. To bolster community benefit to justify tax exempt status, Catholic hospitals and systems may benefit from further defining, analyzing, and reporting the impact of access to relatively unprofitable services for previously underserved vulnerable populations.

Distinct enough? A national examination of Catholic hospital affiliation and patient perceptions of care

“…Our descriptive analysis also uncovered some intriguing results about the characteristics of Catholic hospitals that provide support for the idea that Catholic institutions are becoming more similar to non-Catholic providers (White et al, 2010). In this nationwide study of about 3,400 hospitals, we observed that Catholic hospitals had identical levels of nurse staffing in terms of RN hours per patient day compared with non-Catholic hospitals.…”

“…Only a few studies have compared non-Catholic facilities with those that are Catholic, mainly in provision of services. These included stewardship of resources, access to vulnerable populations, compassionate care, and outpatient services (Prince, 1994; White, Begun, & Tian, 2006; White et al, 2010; White, Roggenkamp, & LeBlanc, 2002). In addition, the CHA has published many reports describing its member hospitals and their impact on local communities (CHA, 1991a, 1991b, 1992).…”

“…Despite these historical changes, the Catholic Church and its health care leaders continue to call for Catholic hospitals to be distinct in the areas of social justice and compassionate care, including care for the poor and vulnerable and respect for the dignity and rights of all—key tenets of the Catholic faith (John Paul II, 1985; White, Chou, & Dandi, 2010). Yet, “care for the poor” and “respect for dignity and rights” are vague terms and are not readily quantifiable or distinguishable from non-Catholic institutions with similar mission statements (O’Rourke, 2001).…”

When Institutions Collide: The Competing Forces of Hospitals Sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church

“…However, in characterizing Catholic identity as the provision of certain mission-driven services that enhance fidelity to social justice and compassionate care, White and Begun [28,29] have shown that there were certain differences between Catholic and non-Catholic hospitals. Catholic hospitals have differentiated themselves on the provision of certain services [31,32], although community need and financial determinants may be stronger predictors of services [33]. For example, hospitals located in poorer communities are meeting the basic health care needs first and they may not have the excess capital to invest in additional services to improve access to care.…”

“…In sum, the canonical responsibility of stewardship, or the oversight of a ministry's effectiveness in light of its purpose and mission, must maintain and ensure an authentic identity of the Catholic health care ministry. The point of stewardship is to keep the essence of the mission at the forefront of deliberations, planning decisions, strategic considerations, and staff training within the organization [64], and to provide services that are reflective of organizational values [33].…”