network agreement

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

— BOARD OF TRUSTEES —

Dear Citizens of Sierra Vista and Cochise County,

The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center (SVRHC) Board of Trustees has the responsibility to insure that quality healthcare is available and maintained for the citizens of Sierra Vista and Cochise County. The Board, comprised of local community leaders and members of the hospital’s medical staff, takes this responsibility quite seriously and devotes much time and energy to the discharge of its civic duty.

For several years the Board has been concerned that as a sole community provider, the hospital is becoming more and more vulnerable to the uncertainties of healthcare finance and funding. As a community hospital, SVRHC relies solely on the revenues it derives from providing healthcare services as well as contributions from its Auxiliary and Foundation. An example of the uncertainty we face can easily be found in the “healthcare reform” process currently taking place before Congress.

Because of this concern the Board felt that SVRHC needed to join with a major hospital system for more in-depth resources, and for the past five years it has been seeking the appropriate system with which to partner.

The Board of Trustees determined that the correct choice for a partner was Carondelet Health Network (CHN) because of our shared complementary visions, missions, values, and goals as well as its proximity to Sierra Vista. CHN is part of the Ascension Health System which is the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in the United States and whose financial excellence and quality measures parallel SVRHC. Its focus, like SVRHC’s, is on quality healthcare for its patients.

Hence, a very intense and comprehensive process was initiated by the Board assisted by nationally recognized consultants along with medical staff leadership to determine the viability of developing such an agreement. Let us assure you that the decision to partner was not made lightly or rapidly and there was much thought and consideration that went into reaching our conclusion that this partnership would be for the betterment of our community.

Prior to reaching our decision, the Board obtained and considered input from several medical sources regarding an important issue which was of concern to the Board: the prohibition on sterilization procedures in the hospital. The Board identified the balance of the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) for Catholic Health Systems as being in line with our philosophy and operations. However, the non-sterilization was one requirement we felt necessary to review and discuss at length.

Since sterilization procedures are elective and most can be done in a physician’s office…and actually are currently being performed locally in this manner … the Board felt that this medical service could be adequately met. The other aspect of this issue … sterilization during a Caesarean Section (C-Section) …was the more difficult one to address. The decision on concluding sterilization procedures in the hospital was one of the major issues the Board had to consider, and the need had to be balanced against the overall improvements in healthcare we anticipate with this arrangement.

While the Board wanted to minimize the impact on individual patients and their doctors, it had to consider the overriding benefits to the community as a whole. After much consideration of this issue, the Board concluded that there would be a greater community benefit to moving forward with this partner rather than having SVRHC remain status quo. The Board also indicated a commitment to assisting our Obstetric physicians during this transition.

Therefore, with the counsel of members of the medical staff serving on the Board and medical staff leadership, the Board made the decision that such a partnership would be in our community’s best interests and executed a two year agreement effective April 17, 2010.

The Board feels there are many benefits to this agreement with Carondelet Health Network and the Ascension Health System; some of them include:

Enhanced physician recruiting
Collaboration for quality improvement
Access to Ascension’s system services including the Ascension Health System’s supply chain for bulk purchasing
Ease of patient transfer and admissions to Carondelet hospitals
Enhanced opportunities for our residency program
Opportunities to enhance existing as well as to develop new clinical services for our community
A unified political advocacy effort at both the federal and state level to deter legislative proposals to reduce hospital funding
An ability to tap into a wide knowledge base to enhance our processes and procedures without having to reinvent the wheel
Access to operational and clinical best practices

The Board also wanted to share with you some of the salient features of the agreement:

There will be no change in governance or ownership at SVRHC. The Board of Trustees is still the governing body of SVRHC
A member of the SVRHC Board will be a voting member of the Carondelet Board
The reporting relationship of the hospital CEO is a dual relationship to both SVRHC and CHN
This agreement is complementary to and supportive of CHN’s goal to enhance quality healthcare in Southeastern Arizona
The length of the agreement is two years unless terminated earlier by either party

Thanks to the talents, skills, and personal dedication of our Physicians, Staff, and CEO, Margaret Hepburn, SVRHC will continue to be a financially stable and well managed healthcare facility which is proud to serve the citizens of Sierra Vista and Cochise County now and in the future.

Board of Trustees
Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

Quality People — Quality Care

300 El Camino Real · 520-458-4641 · www.svrhc.org

INTEGRITY · QUALITY · COMPASSION · COLLABORATION · STEWARDSHIP · INNOVATION

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Links to news stories regarding SVRHC and Carondelet Agreement

Health Networks Join Forces

Hospital Won't Delay Agreement

Carondelet and Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Join Forces

Hospital Deal Stirs Emotions

Doctors Want Hospital Deal Put on Hold

Hospital's Fear Fallout From Budget Crisis

Hospital's Board Loses 1 Member

Carondelet Brings Changes to Hospital

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center and Carondelet Health Network Sign Integrative Network Agreement

Hospitals Will Collaborate to Enhance Health Care for Region

Sierra Vista – February 18, 2010 - Sierra Vista Regional Health Center and Carondelet Health Network announced today their execution of a formal Integrative Network Agreement effective April 17, 2010. This agreement will enable the two health care providers to combine their strengths to deliver quality health care to tens of thousands of residents in southeastern Arizona.

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center (SVRHC) operates a Joint Commission accredited 88-bed acute care hospital in Sierra Vista with an outpatient surgery center and imaging center located on their east campus. In addition, the hospital has two outpatient rehabilitation offices; an outpatient laboratory/ infusion/hospice center in Sierra Vista, a durable medical equipment company, and operates two outpatient clinics located in Sonoita and Tombstone. An additional clinic will open in Douglas this year. Carondelet Health Network (CHN) operates four hospitals in southern Arizona, as well as the Carondelet Neurological Institute, twenty primary care and specialty medical offices, an ambulatory surgery center and various outpatient services.

This collaboration will allow these two long established health care providers to work more proactively in their efforts to share resources, ideas, knowledge, and experience leading to the very best quality care and outcomes for patients.

“As a not-for-profit Catholic health care system, Carondelet has been blessed to serve the needs of hundreds of thousands of residents in southern Arizona – a Mission to Heal that began with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 130 years ago,” noted Ruth W. Brinkley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carondelet Health Network. “Our agreement with Sierra Vista Regional Health Center will only make us both stronger and help us fulfill our commitment to Carondelet 2020, our promise to transform health care in southern Arizona by the year 2020 through more efficient and effective use of our resources.”

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center has a rich history also serving more than 100,000 residents throughout Cochise County. The hospital is a not-for-profit facility established in 1963 with the foresight of local business leaders, the Osteopathic Association, and the Chamber of Commerce. This unique group of entities led a community wide campaign to raise the money needed to build the hospital.

“For almost half a century, our knowledgeable and committed physicians, our caring and devoted staff, and strong leadership have provided quality care to the residents of Sierra Vista and the surrounding communities,” stated Margaret Hepburn, CEO/President of SVRHC. “We are privileged to take care of our patients during life’s most fragile moments and together, through this agreement, we will strengthen our joint commitment to our patients.”

Media Contact:

Marie Wurth

Public Relations Officer

(520) 417-3121

520-249-8207

marie.wurth@svrhc.org

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Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

Along with

Carondelet Health Network

“Working towards the future through

better healthcare in Southern Arizona”

We know there are questions regarding our agreement with CHN and we want you to have the answers. We have a wonderful and caring team of individuals dedicated to providing you with the very best possible health care. Once our agreement with Carondelet goes into effect, you can be assured of that same high quality health care now and into the future. Common questions include:

1. Will patients’ end-of-life wishes be respected, such as advance directives, choosing to forgo artificial nutrition and hydration? Are feeding tubes ever mandatory?

Patients’ wishes concerning end-of-life care will continue to be honored and respected including advanced directives and DNR orders.

In accordance with best practices, decisions about nutrition and hydration and feeding tubes will be made by the physician and the patient or the patient’s surrogate (in accordance with the patient’s wishes).

The hospital will never perform a procedure against the wishes of the patient.

2. How will this agreement impact the way the staff takes care of patients including end-of-life decisions in the hospital or the Hospice Department (Casa de la Paz)?

This agreement will not change the way in which the staff cares for patients. We will continue to provide for the patient’s comfort including pain and symptom management and end-of-life care in both the hospital and Hospice settings.

3. Will the hospital follow pain control procedures already in use? Will my pain be controlled appropriately

and adequately?

Yes, absolutely. We will continue to use best practices in the control of pain and symptom management for all patients.

This agreement will not result in any changes in the methods utilized to control pain.

4. Which services currently offered at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center will be prohibited upon initiation

of the agreement with Carondelet?

SVRHC will no longer offer direct sterilization procedures or IUD insertion (except for directly therapeutic purposes) as of April 17, 2010. Since sterilization procedures are elective and most can be done in a physician’s office…and actually are currently being performed locally in this manner… the Board felt that this medical service could be adequately met. In addition, the Board has also committed to assist our Obstetric physicians during this transition.

5. Will the hospital be able to promptly and appropriately treat women who present with reproductive health emergencies, such as premature rupture of membranes or ectopic pregnancies?

Yes, absolutely, just as we do now.

6. Will the hospital still use Plan B (emergency contraception) for victims of rape?

Yes, just as the hospital does now. In accordance with the standard of care, a female rape victim will be tested to ensure she is not already pregnant and if not, will be given Plan B if she so chooses.

7. How will this agreement affect the doctor/patient relationship?

The doctor patient relationship will not change based on this agreement. Conversations between a physician and his/her patient are confidential and are not monitored by hospital administration. In accordance with the standards of informed consent, physicians will continue to discuss all available treatment options with their patients.

8. Will physicians be restricted in what they can do outside of the hospital, such as in their own offices or in other medical facilities where they may practice?

No, physicians will not be restricted.

9. Will hospital staff be prohibited from discussing treatment options that violate the Catholic Directives?

Hospital staff will not be prohibited from discussing treatment options. In accordance with patient rights, physicians are expected to provide all relevant medical information including legally available treatment options, whether or not such options are available within the hospital.

We are dedicated to ensuring that our patient care is of the highest quality while our patients and their families and physicians are in control of their care. A procedure will never be done to a patient against his or her wishes. At SVRHC, we are all committed to placing Patients First.

To write Sierra Vista Regional Health Center’s Board of Trustees, please send your letters to:

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

Attn: Board of Trustees/Administration

300 El Camino Real

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635