For 75 years, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Health System has extended the healing ministry of Jesus Christ throughout Central Louisiana. As we celebrate our 75th year, it’s important to reflect on our beginnings. The vision for the hospital dates back to 1916 when Bishop Cornelius Van De Ven and The Rev. Daniel F. Desmond asked Mother M. Teresa to build a hospital in Alexandria. However, it wasn’t until 1946 that Bishop Charles B. Greco and Mother M. Elizabeth O’Neill made it a reality, with local parishioners pledging $200,000 toward the effort.
The hospital was named after Mother Cabrini, the first canonized U.S. citizen, inspired by Bishop Greco’s childhood encounter with her. Construction began in 1946, and the hospital was dedicated on March 19, 1950. The open house drew over 7,000 people, with the hospital officially opening on April 1, 1950.
In 1965, a six-story addition increased capacity to 254 beds. In 1975, Cabrini performed Cenla’s first open-heart surgery, thanks to a donation from the Coughlin-Saunders Foundation. The foundation also helped establish the cardiac rehab program, leading to the creation of the Cabrini Foundation in 1983 to support medical advancements. Cabrini has been a pioneer in the region, opening the first intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, and employing intensivist coverage 24 hours a day. It was also the first to implement robotic technology.
In 1999, the hospital was renamed CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital after the Sisters of Charity Health Care System of Houston and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Health System of San Antonio merged to strengthen their faith-based health care ministry.
Today, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital continues its mission, with the Sisters proud of its progress. As a nonprofit, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini relies on the Cabrini Foundation and the generosity of our community to provide the most advanced equipment and programs to patients throughout the area. This year has been an exciting year of growth at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini.
HEART CARE
CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini expanded access to cardiology services in Cenla with the creation of the CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute. Freedman Memorial Cardiology and Alexandria Cardiology Clinic joined CHRISTUS St. Frances in a move that will allow for more advanced comprehensive heart care services.
“CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular Institute enhances our clinical cardiovascular services and heart disease management in Central Louisiana,” said Monte Wilson, president and CEO of CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini. “We remain committed to providing essential health care services to our community, aligning with our mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.”
ADVANCING HEALTH EDUCATION
This year, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini proudly unveiled the Dr. Perla Castor Clinical Simulation Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing health education. This milestone was made possible by generous contributions through the Foundation.
The new simulation center has tripled the hospital’s training space, paving the way for a cutting-edge program for local nursing students. It also fosters partnerships with local schools, aiming to spark interest in health care careers through field trips and hands-on demonstrations.
Equipped with three distinct simulation labs and a multipurpose classroom, the center offers a versatile training environment. Each lab can be tailored to different specialties, including intensive care, emergency care, neonatal care, and labor and delivery. This setup allows students to engage in various simulated patient scenarios, enhancing their practical skills and preparedness. The facility’s expansion will enable in-house clinical educators to double their current student capacity, accommodating over 2,400 students annually.
“This sizable increase will ensure that more healthcare workers than ever before will not only be able to stay and train locally but will be able to do so in the most high-tech facility available,” said Stanley Guillot, CHRISTUS Cabrini Simulation Education program director.
In addition, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini announced the launch of a Cohort Program in collaboration with Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA). The program aims to empower and assist students pursuing a career in nursing by providing exclusive access, comprehensive training, and financial support throughout their academic journey.
Designed explicitly for LSUA students admitted to the School of Nursing who are eligible for the federal Pell Grant, the Cohort Program represents an inclusive and accessible pathway for aspiring nurses from diverse backgrounds. The initial funding package, totaling $1,000,000, underscores Cabrini’s commitment to supporting LSUA’s efforts to bolster the local healthcare workforce.
INTENSIVE CARE
The Foundation generously funded the acquisition of six state-of-the-art HemoSphere monitors for the intensive care unit at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini. These cutting-edge devices are designed to predict and observe hemodynamic instability, significantly enhancing patient care and outcomes.
The HemoSphere monitors are equipped with advanced capabilities to provide real-time insights into a patient’s hemodynamic status. By monitoring perfusion, these devices help predict patient outcomes, allowing healthcare providers to stay ahead of critical moments. This is particularly crucial as the hospital’s cardiology program expands.
These monitors are not only compatible with other technological upgrades but also integrate seamlessly with the Epic electronic health record system. This compatibility ensures that bedside nurses have a comprehensive tool at their disposal, enabling them to track trends and vital statistics, such as cardiac output and blood pressure, more effectively and in real-time. This is especially beneficial for patients recovering from cardiac surgeries or hemodynamic compromises like sepsis.
The HemoSphere monitor delivers advanced pressure, flow, and tissue oximetry insights from a single, intuitive platform. It is the only monitor that offers full-range cuff, sensor, and catheter capabilities, allowing for individualized patient care.
“It’s truly remarkable to see our community continually investing in Cabrini, enabling us to acquire the latest and most advanced equipment for heart and vascular care,” said David Rachal, clinical director of critical care at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini. “Given our community’s high mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases, these new monitors are essential in providing the critical care our patients need.”
PEDIATRIC CARE
The CHRISTUS Cabrini Pediatric Therapy Center strives to be a beacon of support, joy, and purpose for the patients and families it serves. As a leading pediatric health care provider in Cenla, the center offers expert speech, occupational, and physical therapy services to children from birth to 18 years old. It treats a wide range of diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, spina bifida, and many other conditions that affect a child’s ability to fully engage in daily activities.
The center’s latest endeavor, the CHRISTUS Cabrini Sensory Initiative, aims to enhance community awareness and education about sensory-based needs. This free service will be offered to local businesses across Cenla, helping to increase understanding and support for customers and children with sensory needs.
The CHRISTUS Cabrini Sensory Initiative exemplifies its commitment to supporting families beyond the clinic walls, creating a more understanding and supportive environment for all. It strives to ensure that the functional needs community of Cenla feels seen, heard, supported, and advocated for.
The Foundation has also made a significant impact on neonatal care at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini by funding the acquisition of Giraffe OmniBed Carestations for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Mary Robertson, the clinical director of the NICU at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini, said, “These advanced OmniBeds are designed to meet the complex and evolving needs of the NICU, providing a supportive, family-centered care environment from delivery to discharge.”
The Giraffe OmniBed Carestation is equipped with cutting-edge technology to maintain a consistently controlled thermal environment, crucial for the health and development of premature and critically ill infants. It can maintain temperatures and humidity levels up to 80%, ensuring the infants remain in a stable and warm environment. The double-walled design helps to keep noise out, creating a serene space that mimics the conditions of a mother’s womb, which is essential for the growth and comfort of the infants.
One of the standout features of the OmniBed is its ability to allow caregivers to perform various tasks without removing the baby from the bed. The integrated scale, for instance, enables weight monitoring without disturbing the infant. Additionally, parents have full access to their babies, allowing them to change, feed, and care for their infants while they remain safely inside the OmniBed.
BUILDING OUR LEGACY
Monte Wilson, chief executive officer of CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini, said: “Every day, this remarkable health ministry demonstrates its commitment to bringing the most advanced and highest quality clinical care to its patients while ensuring that everyone is treated with love and compassion.”
We are committed to continually striving to create the very best in health care, right here in Cenla, from providing new equipment to funding Associate training and innovative community programs. Today, we remain steadfast in our mission to advance medical technology and care throughout Cenla. We are committed to our mission and core values. We are honored to serve our community and deeply grateful to all who have made and continue to make our service possible.
In honor of CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Health System’s 75th anniversary, the CHRISTUS Cabrini Foundation is raising $75,000 in 75 days for 75 years of service to the Cenla community. We are asking those impacted by the Sisters of Charity and CHRISTUS St. Frances to consider giving $1.00 a day for 75 days to support the lifesaving care at our hospital. To contribute to our ministry and make an impact today that will ripple for the next 75 years, click HERE. For more information, visit our website at christuscabrinifoundation.org.
