By MIKE JAQUAYS
Contributing Writer

UTICA -- Honoring the inspiration of Saint Francis of Assisi and staying faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, St. Elizabeth Medical Center pledges their full compassion and respect for their patients’ dignity in their commitment to excellence in both healthcare and medical education.

“We were founded in 1866 and in our long history we are still deeply rooted in the Franciscan values where we started,” said Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Robert Scholefield. “It is still our mission and purpose for being here, and we see that continuing for many years to come.”

St. Elizabeth’s founder was Barbara Cope, who was born in Germany on January 23, 1838. Her family immigrated to Utica two years later and when she was 24, Cope joined the Sisters of St. Francis convent in Syracuse and was renamed “Sister Marianne."

She made many visits to Utica homes caring for the ill, and one day visited a woman desperately in need of more care than she could provide. St. Joseph's church donated a nearby building on Columbia Street in Utica and it was there Sister Marianne took her first patient, founding St. Elizabeth Hospital as the first private hospital in Oneida County.

Although current Chief Executive Officer Richard Ketcham, who took over the position this past September, is the first St. Elizabeth Medical Center CEO who hasn’t been a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, their inspiration lives on at the facility.

Now, St. Elizabeth Medical Center is a 25-acre facility with 201 beds employing more than 2,000 people. Their care extends throughout central new York with 13 other community locations, including the new St. Elizabeth Medical Arts facility in New Hartford where they provide rehabilitation services, laboratory services, advanced wound care, and more -- with major expansion coming at the facility in the near future.

Offering acute care inpatient services plus services allowing patients to remain in the comfort of their homes while recuperating, St. Elizabeth Medical Center was selected by Mayo Medical Laboratories as its primary reference laboratory. This gives the Medical Center total access to the clinic’s exhaustive array of laboratory tests and clinical expertise.

The latest advancements in technology are available at St. Elizabeth’s for treatment and recovery of patients, instrumented by a staff that is extensively trained and committed to excellence in healthcare and education. The partnership between physicians and their common goal of serving patients and their families is one of many advantages to care at St. Elizabeth’s, and all services come with a commitment to a spirit of excellence.

They have both inpatient and outpatient services, with physician offices conveniently located to serve their patients. They also offer home care, health support services, and a Sleep Disorders Center.

The constant public outreach of their Community Benefit Activities helps St. Elizabeth’s reach an even broader population. They regularly contribute their resources and knowledge for the benefit of residents around the area with programs and activities providing treatment and promoting health and healing. The public is welcome to events and forums on topics like cardiac health, orthopedic services and the H1N1 virus held at various locations throughout the year.
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