Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

healthcare system headquartered in

Renton, Washington Renton is a city in King County, Washington, United States, and an inner-ring suburb of Seattle. Situated southeast of downtown Seattle, Renton straddles the southeast shore of Lake Washington, at the mouth of the Cedar River. As of the 202 ...

. The health system includes 51

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

s, more than 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities in the western half of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

(

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, Washington,

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

, and

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

). Providence Health & Services was founded by the Sisters of Providence in 1859 and merged with St. Joseph Health in 2016.

History

Providence Health System was established by the Sisters of Providence, a community of

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

sisters A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to r ...

founded in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

in the 1850s, who established a mission at

Fort Vancouver Fort Vancouver was a 19th-century fur trading post built in the winter of 1824–1825. It was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department, located in the Pacific Northwest. Named for Captain George Vancouver, the fort was ...

and a hospital in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. In 1859, the Sisters incorporated their work, creating the network of health care services known as Providence Health & Services. In 1891, they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital (now PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center), the Pacific Northwest's first permanent hospital, which opened with 13 beds. The Sisters later established several schools and hospitals in Washington,

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, and

. Dominican Network, a network of hospitals in Washington State, joined Providence Services in 1993. Six Providence Services hospitals incorporated within a single entity, Providence Health Care, in 1998. In 2003, Health Management Associates purchased Providence Health System's Central Washington properties. These purchases included Providence Yakima Medical Center (formerly St. Elizabeth) and Toppenish Hospital. Providence Health & Services formed in 2006 as a result of the merger of Providence Health System and Providence Services. Management shifted from the Sisters of Providence to Providence Ministries, a council of sponsors, in 2009. In 2012, Providence acquired Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Washington, promoting Rod Hochman from C.E.O. of Swedish to President and C.E.O. of Providence in 2013. In 2014, Providence entered a similar partnership with Pacific Medical Centers, which joined Swedish as part of Providence's Western HealthConnect division. In 2016, Providence merged with California-based St. Joseph Health create Providence St. Joseph Health. In 2019, plans were announced to rebrand assets under the Providence brand, and in 2020, Health Management Resources was acquired from Merck & Co., Inc. Providence St. Joseph was the first U.S. health system to treat a patient with COVID-19 in Washington state.

Organization

Providence Medical Group, the "physician division" of Providence Health & Services, operates more than 250 clinics in neighborhoods throughout Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington, and employs over 1,600 physicians with expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, dermatology and other specialties. Providence Health & Services, the parent organization, provides outpatient services, transitional care, home and

hospice care Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...

substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...

programs,

mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

treatment, prevention and wellness programs,

long-term care Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long-term care is focused on individualized and ...

, and

assisted living An assisted living residence or assisted living facility (ALF) is a housing facility for people with disabilities or for adults who cannot or who choose not to live independently. The term is popular in the United States. Still, the setting i ...

and housing. Providence Health Plan provides or administers health coverage to more than 375,000 members nationwide. Providence has 51 hospitals and over 1,100 clinics in seven U.S. states—Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oregon, California, New Mexico, and Texas—. These facilities include the following:

Alaska

* Providence Alaska Medical Center *Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center *Providence Seward Medical and Care Center *Providence Valdez Medical Center

Washington

*Providence Centralia Hospital * Providence Regional Medical Center Everett * Providence St. Peter Hospital * Swedish Health Services
Kadlec Regional Medical Center
The following were originally part of the Dominican Network and came into Providence Health & Services upon its formation in 2006 * Deer Park Health Center & Hospital * Holy Family Hospital of Spokane * Mount Carmel Hospital of Colville *

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital (more commonly known as Sacred Heart Medical Center or simply Sacred Heart) is a 648-bed general hospital in Spokane, Washington. It employs more than 4,000 health care professionals and ...

(Spokane) * St. Joseph's Hospital of Chewelah * St. Mary Medical Center of Walla Walla

Montana

*St. Joseph Medical Center * St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center

Oregon

*Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital *Providence Medford Medical Center * Providence Milwaukie Hospital *

Providence Newberg Medical Center Providence Newberg Medical Center is a non-profit acute care hospital in Newberg, Oregon, United States. Opened at a different location as Newberg Community Hospital, a new 40-licensed-hospital-bed and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Desi ...

* Providence Portland Medical Center * Providence Seaside Hospital *

Providence St. Vincent Medical Center Providence St. Vincent Medical Center is a not for profit, acute care teaching hospital in an Unincorporated area, unincorporated section of Washington County, Oregon, in the West Haven-Sylvan, Oregon, West Haven-Sylvan area north of Beaverton, Or ...

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center (Willamette Falls) is a not-for-profit acute care hospital operated by Providence Health & Services in Oregon City, Oregon, United States. Established in 1954 as Doctors' Hospital, the hospital moved to ...

California

* Providence Holy Cross Medical Center * Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center (San Pedro) * Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center (Torrance) *Petaluma Valley Hospital *

Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a Catholic hospital in Burbank, California. The hospital has 446 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. Its address is 501 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California 91505. On the opposit ...

*Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center *Providence Medical Institute * Providence Saint John's Health Center *Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital * Queen of the Valley Medical Center * Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital *St. Mary's Medical Center-Apple Valley * Providence Mission Hospital Mission Viejo *Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach *St. Joseph Hospital Orange *St. Jude Medical Center (Fullerton) *St. Joseph Hospital – Eureka

New Mexico

*Hobbs Hospital

Texas

*Covenant Medical Center – Lubbock *Covenant Children's Hospital – Lubbock *Grace Medical Center – Lubbock *Covenant Health Plainview *Covenant Health Levelland

Controversies

In 2020, a Portland, Oregon area physician assistant who had been barred from seeing female patients of child-bearing age because she refused to offer them contraceptive care went on to refuse to provide a "young" patient with emergency contraception. She was terminated after further refusing to agree to refer patients to other providers for those services which she did not wish to offer herself. Her refusals to provide contraceptive care were based on her interpretation of Catholicism. Providence Medical Group did not respond to the Catholic News Agency's request for comment. According to a ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' investigation of multiple health systems published during May 2020, Providence obtained more than half of a billion in government funds which were intended to keep health care providers afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, Providence Health System had nearly $12 billion in cash reserves. By making investments with that fund, it generated approximately $1 billion in revenue per year. A second ''Times'' investigation found that Providence had instituted a program created by

McKinsey & Company McKinsey & Company (informally McKinsey or McK) is an American multinational strategy and management consulting firm that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. Founded in 1926 by James O. McKinse ...

to request payments from patients to cover the cost of care left over following Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Hospital staff were reportedly instructed to negotiate payment plans, informing patients about financial assistance as a final option. Those who did not pay were sent to

debt collection Debt collection or cash collection is the process of pursuing payments of money or other agreed-upon value owed to a creditor. The debtors may be individuals or businesses. An organization that specializes in debt collection is known as a coll ...

, a practice for which the Attorney General of Washington filed suit, alleging that they were in violation of state laws which entitled low-income patients to care with no copay. Providence countered the lawsuit, but stated they would stop using debt collectors and that they would refund 760 patients and work with credit agencies to “reverse any negative impact on credit.” On February 1, 2024, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Providence "must forgive more than $137 million in medical debt and refund more than $20 million to patients the company billed for services despite knowing they likely qualified for free or reduced-cost health care. The $157.8 million resolution will provide full refunds, plus interest, and debt forgiveness for 99,446 individuals. It is the largest resolution of its kind in the country." On April 18, 2024, a King County Superior Court Judge ruled that Providence willfully underpaid over 33,000 hourly employees between September 2018 and May 2023. Providence was ordered to pay a total of approximately $220 million to the impacted employees. In a statement concerning the lawsuit, Providence stated their intention to appeal the ruling. On September 30, 2024, the

Attorney General of California The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the government of California. The officer must ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" ( Constitution of California, Article V, Section 13). ...

Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital for Denying Patient Emergency Abortion Care. The lawsuit alleged that the hospital was in violation of multiple laws including California’s Emergency Services Law (the state level analogue to the federal EMTALA statute). According to Bonta, Providence St. Joseph Hospital refused to provide an emergency abortion to a patient experiencing a miscarriage and diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), which is a serious life-threatening condition. According to Bonta, the patient, Anna Nusslock, was told she should request a $40,000 medical-helicopter flight to

University of California, San Francisco The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It is part of the University of California system and is dedic ...

, a facility 271 miles away, to receive treatment because had she undertaken the five-hour drive, she would "hemorrhage and die before you get to a place that could help you." She says she was provided a bucket of towels by Providence St. Joseph's staff, and her husband drove to a local community hospital where she received the procedure.

References

External links

*
Providence Archives
(official archives) {{DEFAULTSORT:Providence Health and Services 1859 establishments in Washington Territory Catholic health care Catholic hospital networks in the United States Companies based in Renton, Washington Companies established in 1859 Healthcare in Washington (state) Medical and health organizations based in Washington (state) Providence Health & Services

History

Organization

Alaska

Washington

Montana

Oregon

California

New Mexico

Texas

Controversies

See also

References

External links