Hailey Tran
Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system with 51 hospitals, over 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities in the western United States. It was established by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters founded in Montreal, Quebec in the 1850s. The Sisters built a network of hospitals, schools, orphanages, and shelters across the Pacific Northwest, and their commitment to healthcare has continued for over 160 years. However, Providence has faced criticism for aggressive debt collection practices and pressuring patients to pay, even those who were supposed to receive free care due to their low incomes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Number of Hospitals | 51 |
| Number of Clinics | 1,014 |
| States Served | 7 (Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington) |
| Year Founded | 1859 |
| Founder | Sisters of Providence |
| Headquarters | Renton, Washington |
| Employees | 125,000 |
| Lawsuits | Sued by the Attorney General of California in 2024 for denying patient emergency abortion care |
| Sued by the Attorney General of Washington in 2024 for sending patients to debt collection | |
| Consumer Practices Rating | Worst in the country according to a 2023 report by MyNorthwest |
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What You'll Learn
- Providence Health & Services is a non-profit Catholic healthcare system
- It was established by the Sisters of Providence in the 1850s
- It includes 51 hospitals and over 800 non-acute facilities
- Providence has been accused of pressuring patients to pay for care
- This includes those eligible for free care due to low incomes
Providence Health & Services is a non-profit Catholic healthcare system
The organization was founded by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters, in the 1850s. The Sisters established a mission at Fort Vancouver and a hospital in Portland, Oregon. In 1859, they incorporated their work, creating the network of healthcare services known as Providence Health & Services. In 1891, they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital (now PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center), the Pacific Northwest's first permanent hospital, which opened with 13 beds.
Providence Health & Services has grown and expanded over the years, merging with other healthcare providers and acquiring additional hospitals and clinics. In 2003, Health Management Associates purchased Providence Health System's Central Washington properties, including Providence Yakima Medical Center and Toppenish Hospital. In 2006, Providence Health & Services was formed through the merger of Providence Health System and Providence Services. In 2012, Providence acquired Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Washington, and in 2014, they partnered with Pacific Medical Centers.
As a comprehensive healthcare organization, Providence Health & Services delivers world-class health care with a human connection. They serve a large number of patients across their hospitals and clinics, offering a range of services such as outpatient care, transitional care, home and hospice care, substance abuse programs, mental health treatment, and assisted living. Providence Health Plan provides health coverage to more than 375,000 members nationwide. The organization also prioritizes environmental stewardship and has been recognized through the Practice Greenhealth Awards.
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It was established by the Sisters of Providence in the 1850s
Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system with headquarters in Renton, Washington. The system includes 51 hospitals, over 800 non-acute facilities, and assisted living facilities across the western United States, including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas.
The Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters, founded Providence Health System in the 1850s. Specifically, the Sisters of Providence (Montreal) were founded in 1840 by Émilie Gamelin. In 1859, the Sisters incorporated their work, creating the network of health care services known today as Providence Health & Services. The Sisters established a mission at Fort Vancouver and a hospital in Portland, Oregon.
The Sisters of Providence are a community of vowed Catholic women religious. They are inspired by their foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, and are passionate about their lives of prayer, education, service, and advocacy. They serve in diverse areas, including education, social and ecological justice ministries, healthcare, church, and spiritual ministry.
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, Congregation was founded in 1840 by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. Today, over 250 Sisters of Providence minister in the United States and Taiwan. The motherhouse is located at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, 10 miles northwest of Terre Haute.
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It includes 51 hospitals and over 800 non-acute facilities
Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system with headquarters in Renton, Washington. The healthcare system was established by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters founded in Montreal, Quebec, in the 1850s. The Sisters set up a mission in Fort Vancouver and a hospital in Portland, Oregon. In 1859, they incorporated their work, creating the Providence Health & Services network. This network has since grown to encompass 51 hospitals and more than 800 non-acute facilities, as well as numerous assisted living facilities across the western United States, including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas.
The Sisters of Providence have built a comprehensive network of hospitals, schools, orphanages, and shelters across the Pacific Northwest. Their community of caregivers, totalling 125,000 employees, serves a wide geographic area. This extensive infrastructure enables Providence Health & Services to provide world-class healthcare with a human connection, serving more people and advancing best practices.
As a not-for-profit healthcare collective, Providence Health & Services has been setting health and well-being standards for its community for over 160 years. This long-standing commitment goes beyond treating sickness to investing in health and championing health as a human right. The organisation strives to remove obstacles of oppression, treat all equitably, and provide access to healing for underserved populations.
However, despite its not-for-profit status, Providence Health & Services has faced criticism for aggressive billing practices. A New York Times investigation in 2018 revealed that the organisation had trained its staff to pressure patients, including those eligible for free care due to low incomes, to pay for their services. This resulted in Providence sending debt collectors to pursue patients who could not pay.
Despite this controversy, Providence Health & Services remains a significant healthcare provider in the western United States, with its extensive network of hospitals and non-acute facilities serving a large and diverse population.
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Providence has been accused of pressuring patients to pay for care
Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system with 51 hospitals, more than 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities across the western United States. It was established by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters founded in Montreal, Quebec in the 1850s.
One of the most notable cases involved a recently bereaved mother, Vanessa Weller, who was approached by a member of the Providence staff about payment while her premature infant lay dying in intensive care. Despite informing the staff that she intended to pay via Medicaid, Weller began receiving phone calls from Providence a month after her baby's death, demanding a bill of $125,000—four times her annual salary as a manager at a Wendy's franchise. Another case involved an elderly patient who was forced to cut back on groceries, medication, and heating in order to pay her bills.
In response to these allegations, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit against Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla and several other Providence hospitals in the state. The lawsuit accuses Providence of failing to develop an "adequate" system for identifying and protecting patients eligible for charity care. It seeks a full write-off of medical debts and refunds for patients who paid for care when they were eligible for financial assistance, as well as civil penalties for alleged Consumer Protection Act violations.
Providence has denied the allegations, stating that they delivered $79 million in free and discounted care in 2020 and that their policies comply with the requirements of the state's charity care law. They have also agreed to cooperate with investigations and make corrective actions.
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This includes those eligible for free care due to low incomes
Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system with 51 hospitals, over 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities across the western United States. The organization was established by the Sisters of Providence, a Roman Catholic community founded in Montreal, Quebec, in the 1850s. The Sisters set up a hospital in Portland, Oregon, and their network of healthcare services eventually became known as Providence Health & Services.
As a not-for-profit organization, Providence Health & Services has a tradition of serving the poor and vulnerable. This includes those eligible for free care due to low incomes. While it is unclear what share of low-income patients are eligible for hospital charity care, hospitals may offer free or discounted care based on eligibility criteria beyond income, such as limited assets or residence in the hospital service area.
State laws also play a role in determining eligibility for free or discounted care. For example, Nevada mandates that a group of hospitals provide free care to uninsured patients with very low incomes, while Maryland requires hospitals to offer free care to insured and uninsured patients below a certain income threshold and discounted care to higher-income patients. Additionally, many states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover individuals below certain income levels, and community health centers offer low-cost healthcare based on income.
The HHS Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program provides care on a sliding fee scale with locations across the United States. Providence Health & Services, as a large nonprofit hospital system, likely has charity care policies in place to streamline the process for eligible low-income patients. However, the specifics of their charity care offerings are not publicly available.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Providence Health & Services is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system.
Providence Health & Services includes 51 hospitals, more than 800 non-acute facilities, and numerous assisted living facilities in the western half of the United States.
Providence Health System was founded by the Sisters of Providence, a community of Roman Catholic sisters, in the 1850s.
