- This is such a great day,
we're building on the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy
who over 100 years ago,
built Misericordia in West Philadelphia.
Couple that with a 265-year history
of Penn Medicine,
and you have two unbelievably powerful
healthcare organizations coming together
to take care of the citizens of West Philadelphia.
- I got a call from Kevin Mahoney about a new idea,
a public health partnership
to take what was Mercy Hospital
to a public health campus.
PHMC has a long history
of delivering public health services
to communities in need
and we've done that well over 50 years.
- Like any great idea, it took a village, it took a family.
It required everyone to come together,
and the inspiration was how do we take care
of our neighbors, of our family members,
of our community, in the very best setting?
And that is always closest to home.
- This campus is more than just the hospital.
It's really an opportunity for us to address
every packet of the whole person,
their environment, their community
and when we begin to build our communities,
we have brighter futures.
(piano music)
- The existing partnership that HUP had
with Mercy really helped to facilitate the transition,
and now we're coming together as a resource
to really serve the community in new ways.
- Our hospital and the existing Penn Medicine hospitals
have the same vision for great patient care,
really being able to serve them both
when they're at the hospital
but also making sure that when they leave the hospital,
they have proper outpatient care
and some services that help address some
of the other needs
that they may have,
whether it's social determinants of health
or even behavioral health services.
- Social determinants of health play
an absolutely critical role
in terms of individual and community health.
And, you know, we don't need to look any further
than the COVID-19 pandemic.
So over the past several weeks,
we have been working
with the community to develop vaccine clinics.
We have nurses and physicians
and other staff who are really participating
in these events on a volunteer basis
because people feel that they want to be involved.
- The staff who've worked here for years
have chosen to care for this community
and are very vested in the community.
It's a family here and Penn Medicine
is welcoming our family.
- West Philadelphia Hospital has
become my second home.
And we have core values that have been maintained
over the last hundred years,
such as justice and commitment to the poor.
- We serve the community.
We have cookouts.
We served in November, over 200 people
and there was just a great, tremendous turnout
for those who were going through a hard time.
- My heart is into this building.
So whatever needs to be done, I'm always on it.
Of course, for the safety of the folks that come in here.
- The passion that I have
for the patient is to just listen to them
and make sure they're in an environment for healing.
That's what it's all about.
- What we're really creating
in West Philly is a healthy community.
We want to make sure
that we're addressing health inequities,
making sure that we have patient-centered care
right in the neighborhood.
- This campus is for everybody.
And I want PHMC's Public Health campus
to reflect that village,
that you can come anytime of day
and really get what you need
and that you feel loved and cared for.
- The PHMC Public Health campus on Cedar
continues the legacy that Trinity Mercy Misericordia
has long held in providing health care
to underserved neighborhoods.
- This is really just the beginning
of a very, very exciting new chapter for the community,
with a lot more on the horizon.
- [Kevin Mahoney] When we come together,
we can do great things.
And without unity, there is no community.
- We're ushering in a whole new way
of providing public health.
- And it's happening right here in West Philadelphia.
(crowd applauds)
(upbeat music)