St. Vincent underscores its community impact

For longtime Santa Fe residents, the Christus in the name of St. Vincent Regional Medical Center can be somewhat of an afterthought. To them, the hospital is simply St. Vincent’s. It’s the place where they came into the world, their parents or grandparents were born and where they have spent untold hours over the years — a broken arm, surgery, sudden illness and in many cases, the last days of a life.

With the opening of Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center on Oct. 1, the historic hospital in Santa Fe is reminding all of us that it is more local than not. Yes, Christus Health owns half of the hospital and has for a decade. But, as officials reminded us last week, 50 percent of the facility remains locally owned through the nonprofit, SVHsupport.

With a new name for the nonprofit — Anchorum St. Vincent — there is a strong reminder that St. Vincent remains an anchor of the Santa Fe health care scene.

The name change is more than cosmetic, carrying with it the weight of history that St. Vincent has earned over 153 years in Santa Fe and the management of a $140 million endowment. CEO Peter Bastone says Anchorum fits because “we’re basically an anchor organization.”

For the past decade, SVHsupport has invested some $25 million in health ventures to improve community well-being, including the Frost Pavilion that added 36 new private rooms at the hospital and scholarships for Capital High School students interested in medicine.

As Anchorum St. Vincent, that mission only grows broader. Think of the group as a catalyst for important discussions about how best to improve health conditions in Santa Fe, bringing together philanthropic investors and resources to impact the community. This is investment with results — positive results — firmly held in mind.

Just where the money will go and who will be targeted is all part of the discussion. The nonprofit has said it wants to address four key areas, particularly adult behavioral health and senior wellness; health innovation and technology; new and current health care infrastructure; and improving health care and access.

How best to move forward is part of the discussion, with grant cycles for 2019 and funding priorities to be announced in January. Some $1.5 million to $2 million should be available annually. What an exciting moment for the hospital and Santa Fe.