title: A legacy endures. A Maine system emphasizes its sponsor's mission in all aspects of its work.
abstract: The Sisters of Charity Health System, Lewiston, ME, a member of Covenant Health Systems, Lexington, MA, remains deeply committed to the mission of service begun by its foundress, St. Marguerite d'Youville. Although St. Marguerite experienced a hard life, her resilience and her commitment to the poor and disadvantaged serve as an inspiration to those who continue her legacy of compassionate care. The founding work of St. Marguerite and the sisters has helped to foster a culture in which the mission of service thrives among the system's 2,000 employees. This culture can be attributed to two things: the system's organizational values of compassion, stewardship, respect, and excellence; and the recognition of those employees whose work embodies these values. From the boardroom to the patient room, mission is integrated into each decision and action. Every two years, each of Covenant Health System's member facilities engages in a mission assessment process that examines various aspects of mission, including Catholic identity, holistic care, care for the poor, mission values integration, ethics and employee relations. In addition, the Sisters of Charity Health System's board has its own standing Mission and Community Committee, which looks strategically at how creatively and faithfully the system is continuing to live its mission.
authors.affiliation: Sisters of Charity Health System, Lewiston, ME, USA. mstapleton@sochs.com
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stapleton
mesh_terms: D002410:Catholicism; D002608:Charities; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D016519:Hospitals, Religious / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008281:Maine; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011203:Poverty; D012945:Social Values; D029181:Spirituality; D035862:Vulnerable Populations