MISSION
The mission of St. Bernards Healthcare is to provide Christ-like healing to the community through education, treatment and health services.
VISION
St. Bernards Healthcare has remained committed to the same Catholic health mission for the last 120 years – to provide Christ-like healing to the community.
Since the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters first founded St. Bernards, we have strived to live out the values found in Holy Scripture: “[When I was] ill, you cared for me. Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:36, 40) “Go into the whole world… these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name… they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover,” (Mark 16:15, 17, 18).
The Sisters, as Benedictines, follow a set of principles set down by Saint Benedict of Nursia, Italy in the late 6th century. Chapter 36 states: “Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may be truly served as Christ.” This is a fitting statement for St. Bernards Healthcare and our commitment to your healthcare needs.
The hospital was named after Saint Bernard Tolomei, the monk who founded the Olivetan Benedictine congregation. He was also a nurse who, along with his fellow monks, cared for the sick during an outbreak of the plague in Europe in 1348. Saint Bernard died as a result of this plague while giving care to those who needed it most.
Today, that same mission of Christ-like healing that Saint Bernard offered to his patients as a healing ministry continues. We follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services, and endeavor to provide the highest level of care for our patients in every way possible, such as keeping up with the latest in healthcare technology and providing you with treatment options.
VALUES
The defining values that have guided St. Bernards during its 120 years of service in Northeast Arkansas are:
- A commitment to promote and defend the dignity of every person.
- An approach to care that is holistic and includes the spiritual needs of each person.
- A commitment to offer healthcare to all persons in need.
St. Bernards embodies these values in the care of each and every patient. The sisters, physicians and community leaders have demonstrated their commitment to the health and well-being of the people of Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri throughout St. Bernards’ history. While the medical center campus and St. Bernards as a whole have expanded greatly over the past 120 years, the mission has remained the same: To provide Christ-like healing to the community through education, treatment and health services.