Community Commitment
The doctors, advanced clinicians and caregivers at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center live and work in the same community as you. We want to make Whatcom County a great place to live for all of us.
For over 130 years, we’ve been helping the people of northwest Washington stay healthy, not just when they’re sick.
PeaceHealth in Whatcom County
Fiscal Year 2025: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
We Reinvest for Community Health
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center is dedicated to caring for the people of Whatcom County. As a nonprofit, we use any extra money to improve community health and support our Mission.
Our Community Health Priorities
We believe that good health, prevention and community well-being are essential. We work with local partners and make investments to provide our communities with hope, care, home and nourishment. Our four priorities for community health inform our priorities for health improvement and collaboration.
Hope
Care
Home
Nourish
Click on an icon above to learn more about each pillar.
Becoming a healthier community means going beyond the walls of our medical center and clinics. Together with partners, we work to improve personal and community health, consistent with our Mission and Values.
Across these pillars is the awareness of our solemn responsibility to those who have been underserved and historically marginalized.
Whatcom County Community Health Needs Assessment
Every three years, tax-exempt hospitals like PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center conduct community health needs assessments to identify current health trends in the local community and plans to improve the health and well-being of the community.
Our Community Health Needs Assessments guide our investments. Conducted every three years in partnership with local communities, these tools assist us in identifying and addressing community needs and gaps in resources. This allows PeaceHealth to maximize our impact and target our investments where they will make the most lasting change.
We partner with Healthy Whatcom (www.healthywhatcom.org) to survey the community every three years. Healthy Whatcom coordinates the survey in conjunction with local nonprofits and community health agencies. Together, members assess key health indicators, set priorities and plan actions.
Each of our focus areas is affected by economic well-being. Unfortunately, the percentage of Whatcom households (38% overall) facing financial hardship has been steadily increasing since 2010, with only one dip in 2021, which was due to the Child Tax Credit stimulus. As more people than ever require various levels of support and assistance, community health workers, peer supports, and liaisons are needed more than ever. Additionally, trauma-informed and compassionately delivered services are essential. The community’s mental health needs, especially among children, remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Our vision at PeaceHealth is that our communities and everyone within them lives their best lives. This means targeting efforts to aid in health justice, equity, access, care and community impact. We are committed to strong community-built plans that measure progress and evaluate our impact towards those results.
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Community Health Improvement Plan
Meet Our Leadership Team
- Charles Prosper, MSPT, MBA, Chief Hospital Executive
- Elliot Kuida, MPH, Chief Operating Officer
- Lorna Gober, MD, Chief Medical Officer
- Roseanna Bell, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer
- Krista Touros, Chief Financial Officer
- Amber Asbjornsen, Chief Philanthropy Officer
- Rachel Lucy, PhD, MA, Director of Community Health
- Amy Drury, Senior Director of Marketing and Communication