ENGLEWOOD, Colo. and HOUSTON, May 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Episcopal Diocese of Texas today transferred St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System to Catholic Health Initiatives, the nation’s third-largest faith-based health system, officials announced.

The transfer of the system, which now will be the St. Luke’s Health System, includes the Texas Medical Center campus, as well as suburban hospital locations in The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Pasadena and The Vintage. In addition, CHI will continue to grow and enhance St. Luke’s significant affiliations with Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Heart Institute, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Texas Children’s Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Last month, the two organizations announced that they had reached a definitive agreement for the transfer. As part of the transfer, CHI will contribute more than $1 billion to create a new Episcopal Health Foundation, which will focus on the unmet health needs of the area’s underserved population. In addition, CHI has committed an additional $1 billion for future investment in the health system.

The St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System Board conducted an 11-month evaluation process, which included 30 prospective local and national partners, before narrowing the list to three in March and selecting CHI, which operates 86 hospitals and other facilities in 18 states.

While it no longer will provide acute-care services, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas has established the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF), which will focus on parish-based, preventive and primary healthcare. Episcopal Health Charities will continue its fifteen year history as part of the new EHF.

About St. Luke’s Health System
St. Luke’s Health System (StLukesTexas.com/media) includes: St. Luke’s hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital; St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital; St. Luke’s Lakeside Hospital; St. Luke’s Patients Medical Center; St. Luke’s Hospital at The Vintage. St. Luke’s is home to the Texas Heart Institute, which was founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD. Affiliated with several nursing schools and three medical schools, St. Luke’s hospital in the Texas Medical Center was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence, receiving the award three times.

About the Episcopal Diocese of Texas
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas, 153 congregations, 67 schools and institutions in the eastern quadrant of Texas, seeks to respond to the needs within our communities, offering the love and care of Christ Jesus.

About Catholic Health Initiatives: Catholic Health Initiatives is a national nonprofit health system with headquarters in Englewood, Colo. The faith-based system operates in 18 states and includes 86 hospitals; 40 long-term care, assisted- and residential-living facilities; two academic medical centers; two community health-services organizations; two accredited nursing colleges; and home health agencies. Currently, CHI ranks as the nation’s third-largest faith-based health system, with annual operating revenues of more than $12 billion and approximately 85,500 employees. In fiscal year 2012, CHI provided more than $715 million in charity care and community benefit, including services for the poor, free clinics, education and research.

SOURCE St. Luke’s Health System