These are indeed unusual times. The stresses of a wartime footing in the U.S., coupled with an economic recession, tend to exacerbate seemingly endless turmoil in health care.

The inflationary push has returned and the national scandal of a fractured healthcare system is again taking its toll. In Illinois, for example, the Medicaid budget was cut by $500 million, while malpractice and property insurance premiums soared. Add multimillion-dollar hospital costs associated with bioterrorism preparedness, and the stark outlines of a threatening picture begin to emerge.

As most of you know, the Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics is an affiliate of Advocate Health Care. Advocate, like so many other healthcare organizations, now finds it necessary to address significant financial challenges. Consequently, the Advocate Board of Directors has decided to refocus the role and scope of the Park Ridge Center. Our mission will remain the same: "To explore and enhance the interaction of health, faith, and ethics in the lives of individuals and communities." We will continue to address the full gamut of healthcare ethics—clinical, organizational, and social—but we will do so on a more limited scale. Our international programs, for example, will be discontinued some time later this year, and our publications will be scaled back significantly. The unfortunate consequence of these moves is the reduction of our first-rate staff. Although the staff will still be larger than the day I arrived, many will be moved to positions elsewhere within Advocate, and others will begin looking for opportunities outside the Park Ridge Center/Advocate family. To a person, they are dedicated workers and wonderful colleagues. I appreciate all they have done to enhance our mission and prepare the Center for its next stage of evolution.

These are indeed unusual times. The stresses of a wartime footing in the U.S., coupled with an economic recession, tend to exacerbate seemingly endless turmoil in health care.

The inflationary push has returned and the national scandal of a fractured healthcare system is again taking its toll. In Illinois, for example, the Medicaid budget was cut by $500 million, while malpractice and property insurance premiums soared. Add multimillion-dollar hospital costs associated with bioterrorism preparedness, and the stark outlines of a threatening picture begin to emerge.

As most of you know, the Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics is an affiliate of Advocate Health Care. Advocate, like so many other healthcare organizations, now finds it necessary to address significant financial challenges. Consequently, the Advocate Board of Directors has decided to refocus the role and scope of the Park Ridge Center. Our mission will remain the same: "To explore and enhance the interaction of health, faith, and ethics in the lives of individuals and communities." We will continue to address the full gamut of healthcare ethics—clinical, organizational, and social—but we will do so on a more limited scale. Our international programs, for example, will be discontinued some time later this year, and our publications will be scaled back significantly. The unfortunate consequence of these moves is the reduction of our first-rate staff. Although the staff will still be larger than the day I arrived, many will be moved to positions elsewhere within Advocate, and others will begin looking for opportunities outside the Park Ridge Center/Advocate family. To a person, they are dedicated workers and wonderful colleagues. I appreciate all they have done to enhance our mission and prepare the Center for its next stage of evolution.

Finally, I would like to thank the senior management and Board of Directors of Advocate Health Care and its predecessor organizations. They have contributed more than $20 million to the Center since 1989. Advocate's continuing support will allow us to perpetuate our mission as we develop new structures and accommodate the shifting healthcare environment. The sentiments of everyone affected by these changes are, of course, conflicted; yet we intend to move ahead in a spirit of optimism and renewal. As the poet Robinson Jeffers said, "Lend me the stone strength of the past and I will lend you the wings of the future." The Park Ridge Center rests upon a stone foundation, and without doubt it will wing its way into a bright future.

Thank you for your interest and continuing support as the future unfolds. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me personally.