A Letter from the President and Chief Executive Officer
At Crozer-Keystone Health System (CKHS), we are committed to caring for area families not only with the latest health care technology and procedures, but also with the highest level of compassion and individual attention. The families we care for are not just our patients, but our neighbors, relatives and friends.
Here for All Your Healthcare Needs
More people choose to receive their care at our five hospitals—Crozer, Springfield, Taylor, Delaware County Memorial, and Community—and the Crozer-Keystone Health Network of physician practices than any other health system in Delaware County. Families know they can come to us for routine needs, such as annual physicals, immunizations, and cancer screenings, as well as for more specialized care, such as cardiac testing, cancer treatment, emergency care, or fertility services. The range of CKHS specialties and the skills of our physicians, nurses, and clinical staff are truly extraordinary.
CKHS is also proud to serve as an important source of economic stability and growth for the surrounding community. With more than 6,800 employees, CKHS is the largest employer in Delaware County, and more than 80 percent of our payroll stays within county limits. We offer positions that support families, and we encourage our employees to continue their educations—adding another significant benefit to the local community.
CKHS works hard to update existing facilities and build new ones when needed. Within the past several years, we have opened new Emergency Departments, outpatient centers and critical care units. Beyond meeting our community’s health care needs, these construction projects have a major impact on the local economy, as they create new jobs and business opportunities for many firms throughout our region.
We Provide Quality, Compassionate Care
As part of our commitment to provide the best possible care to patients, we are constantly reviewing our quality of care in a quest to do even better. We work to follow the guidelines for Accountable Care Organizations, the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Quality Strategy and the Partnership for Patients sponsored by HHS and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Our clinical teams use evidence-based medicine, which works to ensure that our care reflects best practices as defined in the medical literature, and we participate in voluntary quality-reporting programs. Our quality projects aim to prevent adverse events, to guarantee patient- and family-centered care and to eliminate inefficiency.
We could not meet our quality goals without focusing on clinical integration and incorporating the latest information technologies. We are proud to be a national leader in these areas. For instance, Crozer-Keystone is annually ranked among the nation’s “most integrated” health systems by IMS. Crozer-Keystone hospitals and Crozer-Keystone Health Network physicians were also among the first in the nation to be recognized by the United States and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for “meaningful use” of certified electronic health record systems to meet specific goals for quality, safe and efficient patient care.
Broad-reaching Community Commitment
Even as we care for the patients who come through our doors every day, CKHS is committed to understanding the broader health needs of our community. Since 1992, we have used the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation’s biannual Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey to track our community’s major public health challenges. In direct response to this evidence and to data from other sources, we develop programs designed to address the most pressing concerns. We work in partnership with churches, schools and businesses, taking advantage of their knowledge and insights about our communities. For example, CKHS has partnered with Widener University, the State of Pennsylvania and the CJ Foundation for SIDS to reduce infant deaths related to family bed sharing by educating families and providing them with infant cribs. CKHS has an award-winning Pre-Medical Careers Program that brings talented high school students to Taylor Hospital and Crozer-Chester Medical Center to explore career opportunities in the medical field. Our Chester Youth Collaborative Program has won awards for the progress it has made to promote positive lifestyles among youth in Chester and its surrounding communities. These are just a few examples of the dozens of programs that help expand our reach far beyond the hospital room and doctor’s office.
Our vision is not only to meet the health care needs of our community, but also to participate as an active and involved citizen. We make a point of meeting with local officials and town councils to discuss CKHS goals, and we involve local citizens on our volunteer boards. We advocate for our staff and the public on important health care issues, taking our concerns to local, state, and federal representatives. In partnership with Widener University, CKHS sponsors an Employee-Assisted Home Buying Program to help our employees purchase homes in the areas surrounding Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Community Hospital—an effort that will help revitalize the local community.
At Crozer-Keystone Health System, we aim to participate, to serve and to continue our tradition of excellence. We invite you to get to know us better.
Joan K. Richards
President and Chief Executive Officer
Crozer-Keystone Health System
