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One of the largest Catholic hospital systems in the Midwest is saying farewell to saints’ names at 12 of its hospital campuses in Indiana and Illinois.
In a move to create a stronger identity, Franciscan Alliance will become Franciscan Health, and will stop using the names of St. Francis, St. James, St. Anthony and other familiar saints at its hospitals, the company announced Tuesday.
That means that Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis will be known simply as Franciscan Health Indianapolis, and Franciscan St. Francis Health in Carmel will be known simply as Franciscan Health Carmel.
Likewise, the system is dropping the names of St. Anthony (at hospitals in Crown Point and Michigan City), St. Elizabeth (Crawfordsville and two Lafayette locations), St. Francis (Mooresville, in addition to Indianapolis and Carmel), St. James (Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields), and St. Margaret (Dyer and Hammond). Those hospitals will be known Franciscan Health, along with the city.
All but two of the renamed hospitals are in Indiana. Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields are in Illinois.
Two other hospitals, Franciscan Health Munster and Franciscan Health Rensselaer will retain their names, which are consistent with the protocol, the system said.
Officials said new names will help create a stronger identity at its hospitals, which share many resources.
“Unified names for each hospital will create broader awareness of our standing as a large, multistate Catholic health care system with nationally recognized centers of excellence, numerous joint ventures, partnerships and physician relationships,” said Kevin Leahy, president and CEO of Franciscan Alliance, in a written statement.
He said the changes to hospital signs, literature and business systems will be accomplished over time to minimize expenses.
Franciscan Health, founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, serves more than 1.3 million patients throughout Indiana, Illinois and Michigan each year.
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