In 1875, Father Joseph Schmidt, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Cape Girardeau, invited three Franciscan Sisters to follow the call to serve those in need and start a hospital in Cape Girardeau. From its humble beginnings as a 12-patient hospital, Saint Francis Healthcare System has evolved in the 21st century from a local community Medical Center to the regional tertiary healthcare leader recognized nationally for quality and safety.

Serving more than 715,000 people across a five-state region, the Healthcare System focuses on patient outcomes, experience and value. Anchored by Saint Francis Medical Center, a 306-bed nonprofit tertiary care institution, and supported by nearly 3,000 colleagues and more than 300 providers serving 29 counties, Saint Francis Healthcare System is a driving economic force in the region.

As the largest healthcare system between St. Louis and Memphis, Saint Francis offers more than 50 specialties, including southeast Missouri’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unity (NICU) and the region’s only Level III Emergency and Trauma Center. Saint Francis Medical Partners, the employed physician group, employs 70 percent of primary care providers in the region and includes more than 40 outreach clinics.