Staff at Saint Alphonsus Health System are mourning the loss of one of the hospital’s formative leaders, responsible for much of the look of the hospital’s Boise campus.
Sister Patricia Mulvaney, CSC, passed away on August 13 in Ventura, California at the age of 89.
She was committed to a lifelong ministry of healing in her work with the Sisters of the Holy Cross. As Superior and Administrator of Saint Alphonsus Hospital from 1963 to 1972, she was responsible for selecting the current location of the Saint Alphonsus on Curtis Road, and the resulting construction and relocation of the entire hospital from its original 1894-era building in downtown Boise.
After leaving Saint Alphonsus for leadership posts with the Holy Cross Health System, Sister Patricia returned to Boise in 2000, where she served for another 12 years. During this time, she established the palliative care program and served on the Central Tower construction committee.
“We have lost one of the true visionaries, a remarkable woman who built this hospital into the community and regional leader in health care it is today,” said Sally Jeffcoat, President, and CEO of Saint Alphonsus Health System and President of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. “She set the example of compassion, care, and reverence that is at the heart of our core values. Her passing leaves a void, but her legacy will endure.”
Her leadership, vision, and executive abilities were recognized by the Idaho Hospital Association with the Star Garnet Award, the Distinguished Citizen Award from Saint Alphonsus, and the Woman of Today and Tomorrow award from the local Girls Scouts of America Council for her visionary leadership and being an outstanding role model for young women.
The Mulvaney Medical Office Building on the Saint Alphonsus Boise campus is named after Sister Patricia and her younger sister, Sister Beth Mulvaney, who ministers at Saint Alphonsus as the hospital’s Mission Educator.
About Saint Alphonsus Health System
As a faith-based Catholic ministry and not-for-profit health system, Saint Alphonsus Health System reinvests in the communities we serve, through charity care and other benefits. Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of people by emphasizing care that is patient-centered, physician-led, innovative and community-based. Saint Alphonsus Health System serves the people of southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada through these facilities: Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center - Boise, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario, OR; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Baker City, OR; and, Saint Alphonsus Medical Group with primary and specialty care providers at over 60 clinic locations, all of which are members of the Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance, a network of over 1900 employed and independent providers. Saint Alphonsus is a proud affiliate of Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Trinity Health serves people and communities in 22 states from coast to coast with 94 hospitals and 126 continuing care facilities, home health and hospice programs, and PACE center locations that provide more than 2.5 million visits annually. To find out more go to: saintalphonsus.org