In August 1890, nuns of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace moved to Fairhaven, Washington, from the convent in Newark, New Jersey, to establish a hospital for loggers; St. Joseph Hospital opened in January of 1981.[4][5] After continued growth, the Sisters consolidated their healthcare ministries in the west and formed a not-for--profit health care system in 1976,[4] and in 1994 the name was changed to PeaceHealth.[4] In 1997, PeaceHealth merged its SelectCare health insurance plan with a service from Providence Health & Services.[6][7] Their partnership has continued until at least 2015,[needs update] when in October of that year, they jointly signed a letter of intent to collaborate on a health center in Vancouver, Washington.[8][9] In 2016, both parties denied that they were eyeing merging.[10]
PeaceHealth merged with Southwest Washington Health System in December 2010, and moved its headquarters from Bellevue to Vancouver, Washington.[11] At the time, PeaceHealth had annual revenues of approximately $1.3 billion and operated seven hospitals.[12] The organization announced an alliance with University of Washington Medical Center in May 2013,[13] which the American Civil Liberties Union criticized due to PeaceHealth following Catholic medical care directives.[14]
The hospitals, as well as the 139 clinics operated by PeaceHealth, constitute the PeaceHealth Medical Group. Its chief executive is Mike Metcalf.[19]
Networks
PeaceHealth operates three "networks"—Northwest (containing their locations in Bellingham, Friday Harbor, and Sedro-Woolley, as well as Alaska), Columbia (containing their locations in Longview and Vancouver), and Oregon.[20]
PeaceHealth Laboratories
PeaceHealth Laboratories is the laboratory branch of PeaceHealth. Its CEO is Ran Whitehead.[21]