2014 Economic Impact Awards Philanthropic Business of the Year: Mercy Hospital Springfield

Mercy Hospital Springfield has served the Springfield community in obvious and subtle ways since 1891, when the Sisters of Mercy opened their first hospital in town.

Growing alongside the Queen City, today Mercy employs more than 9,000 in Springfield making it the city’s largest employer. But its economic impact extends far beyond its payroll.

Over and above the day-to-day care its health care professionals deliver, the nonprofit hospital provided more than $73 million in community benefit in fiscal 2013 through charity care, community outreach, education, donations and Medicaid subsidies. Another $17 million in grants and assistance was awarded through the Mercy Springfield Health Foundation to area programs, projects, charities and other nonprofits.  

Chief Operating Officer Jay Guffey said Mercy’s philosophy of giving is born from a call to serve, and it traces back to the organization’s roots.

“Catherine McAuley, the foundress of our ministry, really challenged us to address the needs of the economically poor, and specifically, to have a focus on women and children,” Guffey says. “When you look at those numbers and think about the things we are doing, it is really about providing service for those who are unable to meet those challenges in providing for their care because they are economically challenged.”

Ongoing programs such as the Force for Good and new efforts like its Health Sciences Academy demonstrate its continuing commitment to serving the health care needs of the area.

Through the 10-year-old physician-led program Force for Good, Mercy Clinic doctors and co-workers have donated nearly $1.6 million to local charities, awarding seven local organizations grants totaling $105,490 this year alone.

“That is a program that is led by physicians,” Guffey says.

“They are the ones who write the checks, donate the money and then a group of physicians and leadership in the organization make the decisions on what charities they want to fund. It really is an exciting, grass-roots initiative.”

Employees also serve the community through the Mercy Way Campaign, which supports the United Way of the Ozarks and Mercy’s broader philanthropic efforts. In 2013, Mercy Springfield Communities co-workers donated $579,000 to the campaign, with $161,000 of that going to the United Way.

Mercy will launch the Health Sciences Academy, coordinated through a partnership with Springfield Public Schools, in August to train local eighth graders in the business of health care.   

“We are here for the long haul. We have been in the community 123 years so far in service, and this is really about our future. Who’s going to take the places of the folks who sit in my chair or the nurses who provide day-to-day care of the security officers or the people who do billing?” Guffey says of the youth academy.

“It’s a full year of them doing their basic curriculum including math, science, English and all the things they normally do, but putting a health care spin on it.”

For Mercy, Guffey says all of its efforts come back to heart for service.

“A lot of people see the hospital and big buildings, but behind that is really the philosophy of providing for our community,” he says.[[In-content Ad]]