The memorable “Go-Live Day” culminated months of preparations after AdventHealth and Ascension announced last October that they planned to unwind AMITA Health, the seven-year-old joint operating company that included four AdventHealth and 14 Ascension hospitals. Photo provided by AdventHealth.
This memorable “Go-Live Day” culminated months of preparations after AdventHealth and Ascension announced last October that they planned to unwind AMITA Health, the seven-year-old joint operating company that included four AdventHealth and 14 Ascension hospitals.
It was inspiring to see everyone so excited about our health system’s future, and it was heartwarming to hear so many team members talking joyfully about the opportunity to bring the brand promise of AdventHealth to life. Their energy was palpable, and their joy reminded me of how special it is to belong to an organization whose mission is Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ.
Our team members are committed to achieving this mission by providing exceptional, whole-person care for patients and their families, while also caring for each other. Their commitment radiates across our hospitals, creating a warm, welcoming and compassionate environment that makes a lasting impression on the people we serve.
On Go-Live Day, we wanted to celebrate our team members for their tireless commitment to our mission, including their heroic efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are the lifeblood of our organization and, by celebrating them, we wanted to underscore our renewed commitment to caring for them and making sure they have everything they need to take great care of our patients and the communities we serve.
It took a monumental team effort to arrive at this new day, and I’m deeply grateful to all our team members for their hard work, patience and perseverance during our transition from being part of AMITA to returning fully to AdventHealth. Everyone played a vital role in the transition, from those directly involved in the unwinding process to those focused primarily on patient care.
We learned many valuable lessons during our time as AMITA. We confronted the challenges presented by the pandemic and faced the intensely competitive Chicago healthcare market. Although our organizations have gone separate ways, I have no doubt that the many professional relationships and friendships formed during our association will endure.
As we move forward as AdventHealth, we plan to focus squarely on mission- driven strategic priorities. This includes caring for our caregivers wholistically, working to engage physicians by involving them in strategic decision-making, growing our inpatient and outpatient volumes, fostering collaboration among our ministries, and exploring opportunities to work with other health systems and physician groups to achieve our growth objectives.
We also want to reconnect with our local communities, reaching out to local churches and schools to bring our message of wellness and nutrition to these groups. We want everyone to know that, while our name has changed, the outstanding care that we provide remains. Our mission has not changed—we all are committed to extending the healing ministry of christ, now more than ever.
With the talents, energy and commitment of our teams, and with the resources of AdventHealth behind us, I have every confidence that we will realize our strategic objectives, better serve our hospitals’ communities, and realize the bright future we envision for our organization. It’s a new day at AdventHealth for the Great Lakes Region! P
Thor Thordarson is president and CEO for the Great Lakes Region of AdventHealth.
