Strategic Plan, Part 1: Organizational Structure

Organizational Structure

Bon Secours Organizational Structure

I n 1824, in Paris, amidst the devastation following the French Revolution, a group of 12 women came together to form the congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours, French for "Good Help" and the Sisters' purpose was to nurse the sick and dying in their homes (Bon Secours, N.d.). The group later arrived in the United States towards the end of the nineteenth century and has been operating there ever since. The organization has grown to include many locations in several states on the East Coast. The organization still operates with their Catholic heritage in mind and much of the cares provided in these organizations are charity cases. The organization consists of a staff of over 21,000 and well over 60 facilities in six states

Figure 1 - Bon Secours Locations (Bon Secours, 2013)

Figure 2 - Community Benefit (Bon Secours, 2013)

Mission and Vision

Bon Secours mission statement reads as follows (Bon Secours, N.d.):

For more than 180 years, the mission of Bon Secours has been "to bring compassion to healthcare and to be good help to those in need, especially those who are poor and dying. As a System of caregivers, we commit ourselves to help bring people and communities to health and wholeness as part of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church."

This mission is further cemented by our Values and Heritage, which provides the foundation for who we are and what we do... providing an environment in the spirit of Christ where healing and hope can flourish. And while the ministry has evolved over the years, the values of Bon Secours remain the same -- providing quality healthcare with an emphasis on respect, quality, justice, compassion, stewardship, integrity, growth and innovation.

A key component of Bon Secours' distinct vision of healthcare is creating healthy communities. Through Mission & Outreach efforts, Bon Secours is able to effect real, lasting progress in community health.

At the center of the mission is providing care to those in need while upholding the values of the Catholic Church.

Strategic Planning

The organization strategic plan consists of addressing clinical quality, growth, becoming a larger part of the community, and providing long-term value. The annual report states the following strategic goals (Bon Secours, 2012):

Increase its commitment to community health to include the global community and the health of the environment;

Form relationships within the community of providers so that people who seek information or services from Bon Secours can be linked with the best community resources;

Create value as perceived by the customer, which includes not only patients and residents, but also physicians, employees, and community members; and,

Achieve financial sustainability so that Bon Secours can ensure long-term relationships with and value for those it serves.

Bon Secours is committed to faithfully respond to God's gift of compassion, healing, and liberation through the following four goals for FY2010-2012:

• Create an Extraordinary Individual Experience of Care

• Liberate the Potential of Our People to Serve

• Partner with Our Communities to Co-create a More Humane World, Improve Health and Model Social Justice

• Become a Trusted Health Partner by Providing Exceptional, Life-Long Value

Change Management

Bon Secours is a large organization which makes any operational changes difficult to implement. The organization states clearly some of the frustrations it has faced when trying to implement changes in their annual report. The report states (Bon Secours, 2012)

Creating sustainable change like this in any health care organization, especially one the size of Bon Secours, can often feel as daunting as turning a battleship. With a staff of over 21,000 and well over 60 facilities in six states, creating change can be slow and hard-fought. However, the continued emphasis on "systemness" and the charge to reduce variation and conform to best practices is finally paying dividends. The best part of these changes is that, as they have gathered momentum, the drive for innovation and improvement has become a way of life around the system. Thus, having achieved one target for better quality care, we don't rest on our accomplishments, but instead we raise the target even higher, and add new targets.

Leadership

Bon Secours leadership is composed of roughly eight highly qualified executives. These individuals are (Bon Secours, N.d.):

Peter J. Bernard

Sister Anne Marie Mack, C.B.S.

Thomas H. Auer, M.D., MHA

Toni R. Ardabell

Michael D. Robinson

Mark M. Gordon

Kevin W. Barr

Value Chain

Bon Secours value chain is dedicated to helping the organization fulfill its mission of providing compassionate care. The target markets are those primarily in the local communities in which it operates in six states. The organizational structure is highly fragmented due to the geographic challenges as well as the nature of the industry. Several locations operate semi-autonomously and specialize in certain procedures or types of care.