What it means to be a nonprofit

By Scott Peek, Front Range Market President

We all know the story of how the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth came west with one goal in mind, which was to build a hospital to care for the poor and vulnerable. The first Saint Joseph Hospital the Sisters established was a six-room house down in a questionable neighborhood around where Coors Field is today.

Their ‘business model’ was to use the money given to them by miners, cowboys and community members to grow and enhance their facilities and offerings to best serve the people of Denver regardless of their ability to pay.

Those who gave donations and gifts to the Sisters to provide healthcare for patients in need had no expectation that they would be paid back. They just believed it was the right thing to do. You might say that this was the beginning of Saint Joe’s nonprofit roots, and today, we still believe it is the right thing to do.

There has been misinformation suggesting that Intermountain Health is primarily focused on profit and has lost its nonprofit mission. However, the mission of Saint Joseph Hospital — to care for the most vulnerable, regardless of their ability to pay — remains central.

This mission is not just words; it’s a promise that guides every decision we make. By maintaining a modest margin of 2-3 percent, we ensure the sustainability of our organization, allowing for future growth, advancements in care, and provisions for charity. Every dollar we earn is reinvested directly into our hospital and our community, amplifying the impact of our nonprofit model.

I invite you to watch the below video in which Rob Allen, president & CEO of Intermountain Health, speaks to the differences between nonprofit and for-profit health systems and what that means for Intermountain.

I am grateful for your partnership and your belief in always doing the right thing for our patients.

Scott