Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center

History of Saint Francis: More Than A Century Of Caring

Saint Francis Hospital was founded in 1897 by Mother Ann Valencia Ailloude,
C.S.J., and a small group of Sisters of Saint Joseph who came to Hartford from
Chambery, France at the invitation of Bishop Michael Tierney.

The original hospital was established in the former home of Bishop Tierney,
located at the intersection of Collins and Woodland Streets, in Hartford's
Asylum Hill neighborhood. When it opened, the hospital could accommodate 30
patients in its wards and it had two private rooms.

A year after its founding, the hospital started its own school of nursing. In
all, 5,818 registered nurses graduated from the school during its 98-year
history.

In 1899, Saint Francis began an ambitious construction program, adding
additional buildings and facilities, which permitted the introduction of new,
specialized services.

Today, Saint Francis is licensed for 617 acute inpatient beds and 65
bassinets. The hospital’s newest building, the 10-story Patient Care Tower,
was completed in 1996. This modern structure contains three floors of outpatient
services, critical care and surgical units and a women's pavilion.

Throughout its 104-year history, Saint Francis has responded to the medical
needs of the region. In 1903, during a scarlet fever outbreak, Sisters from the
hospital set up a temporary isolation unit on Sisson Avenue. In 1919, Saint
Francis was named an Army Reserve Hospital.When World War II started, Saint
Francis was the first hospital in Hartford to initiate a Volunteer Red Cross
Nurse Aide course. During the polio outbreak of the 1950s, Saint Francis was the
first area hospital to establish a post-polio program.

Continuing its growth with the addition of ambulatory care services not
previously provided by acute care hospitals, the institution, in 1976, changed
its name to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, reflecting its expanded
role in providing health services to the growing Greater Hartford Community.

In 1990, Saint Francis made history when it affiliated with Mount Sinai
Hospital, the first recorded collaboration between a Catholic and a
Jewish-sponsored hospital in the United States. Five years later, a formal
corporate merger was completed. Today, the Mount Sinai Campus is a vital
component of Saint Francis Care, a dynamic integrated health care
delivery system.

Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center offers its employees a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

Medical Insurance
Any employee regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week is eligible for coverage under a comprehensive package of medical care benefits. Coverage is provided through a Point of Service Plan, which has both "in-network" and "out-of-network" coverage. Coverage for employees is effective the first day of the month after 30 days of employment. Employees electing coverage are required to pay a share of the premium cost, which can be made of a pre-tax basis.

Dental Insurance
Any employee regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week is eligible for coverage under one of two dental plan options. One plan is a traditional indemnity program, which pays a percentage of the cost for covered procedures. There is an annual deductible of $50 per person for services other than those that are considered preventive, for which there is no deductible.

The other plan is a PPO in which there are no deductibles for most services. Diagnostic and preventive services, along with some restorative procedures are covered in full. Other services require a patient fee. Coverage for employees is effective the first day of the month after 90 days of employment. Employees electing coverage are required to pay a share of the premium cost, which can be made of a pre-tax basis.

Disability Insurance
Short-term disability insurance is provided to full-time employees at the expense of the hospital. Coverage is effective the first day of the month following six months of employment. After 90 days of continuous and total disability, the plan pays 50% of base salary to a maximum of $350 per week for a period of time not to exceed 13 weeks.

Long-term disability insurance is provided to full-time employees at the expense of the hospital. Coverage is effective the first day of the month following one year of employment. After 180 days of total or partial disability, the plan pays 60% of base salary to a maximum of $5,000 per month.

Retirement Plan
The hospital provides eligible employees coverage in a defined benefit pension plan, which it fully funds – i.e., requires no contribution from the employee. To be eligible to receive a benefit, an employee must become vested by having worked at least 1000 hours per calendar year for five years. Once vested in the plan, a participant will be eligible to commence benefits at normal retirement age (age 65) or, after five years of service, at a reduced amount as early retirement (as early as age 55). The amount of one’s pension benefit depends upon the number of credited years of service under the Plan and the individual’s base salary for each year.

Eligible employees may participate in a 403(b) plan (Tax Sheltered Annuity), which allows for a systematic method of voluntary savings through payroll deductions. Employees may be able to save as much as 25% of their salary, up to $10,500 in pre-tax dollars.

For those employees who elect to have deductions into a 403(b) plan, the hospital provides a match on their 403(b) deduction in the amount of 50% up to 4% of base salary. The matching account balance is available upon termination of employment if one is vested in the Plan. To be vested, a participant must have worked at least 1000 hours per year for at least five years

Life Insurance
Any employee regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week is eligible for coverage under the hospital’s group term life insurance plan. Coverage for employees is effective the first day of the month after 90 days of employment. In the event of an employee’s death while employed, his/her designated beneficiary will receive a benefit equal to the employee’s annual base salary rounded up to the next $1,000 to a maximum benefit of $150,000. The premium cost for this coverage is fully paid by the hospital.

Vacation and Holidays
Vacation time and holidays are provided under a single paid-time off benefit called ETO (Earned Time Off). All employees regularly scheduled to work 8 or more hours per week accrue such time on a weekly basis. The amount of time that accrues is dependent upon the type of position in which the employee works and the employee’s length of service with the hospital. Most full-time employees initially accrue the equivalent of 22 days of ETO during their first year of employment. Employees are eligible to be paid for such time after 90 days of employment.

Sick Time
The hospital provides paid time off to regular part-time and full-time employees who are unable to work for brief periods or illness or as part of a longer period of illness under the Family and Medical Leave Policy. Regular full-time employees accrue sick leave at the rate of 8 hours per month. Part-time employees accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. An employee may accrue up to 1,080 hours of sick time. Sick time is considered insurance and any balance of time is not payable upon termination of employment.

Reimbursement Accounts
Regular full-time and part-time employees may enroll each year in reimbursement accounts for medical expenses and for dependent care expenses. The employee funds their own accounts with pre-tax dollars through payroll deductions subject to limitations.

Educational Assistance
Employees have many different programs available to them in educational benefits. In addition to tuition reimbursement for courses, there are extensive opportunities for in-services, seminars, and conferences, some of which are sponsored through The Saint Francis Academy.

Child Care Center
Saint Francis staffs a child care center for children of employees, ages 6 weeks through pre-kindergarten. The Center is located on the south campus and is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Fitness Center
Employees are eligible for discounted membership at The Fitness Center located at 95 Woodland Street.

Credit Union Membership
A full range of financial services is afforded employees who become members of the Hartford Federal Credit Union with their main office located adjacent to the hospital main campus.

Miscellaneous Work/Life Benefits
Employees may purchase supplemental life and disability insurances through payroll deductions to supplement the plans provided by the hospital. Coverage can also be purchased for eligible family members.

Auto and homeowner’s insurance can also be purchased at reduced rates through payroll deduction, direct billing, or automatic withdrawal from a checking account.

The hospital offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which is a voluntary, confidential counseling service designed to assist employees and/or their families with personal problems.

Many discounted products and services can be obtained through the hospital’s gift shop, operated by the Women’s Auxiliary. Such include gourmet gift baskets, film developing, floral arrangements, phone cards, movie passes, fruit baskets, etc.

The mission of Saint Francis Care is to improve and enrich the lives of
individuals and families in our region. Compassionate care, superior technology
and prevention-oriented education will combine in centers of clinical
excellence. Dedication to our founding core values will create a spiritual and
healing environment.

• Respect for the dignity of every individual
  
• Caring, compassion and support for patients and families at the most
  critical times
  
• A focus on health enhancement as well as patient care, teaching and
  research
  
• A level of service that exceeds expectations
  
• An acknowledgement of spirituality as a dimension of well being