Hospital Sisters of St. Francis
The Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is an international Catholic religious congregation founded in 1844 in Germany, with the American Province sponsoring Hospital Sisters Health System (15 hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin), global medical-supply outreach, nursing education, and Franciscan spiritual-retreat ministries serving patients, associates, and underserved communities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1844
- HeadquartersSpringfield, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Hospital Sisters of St. Francis does
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is an international Catholic religious congregation founded on July 2, 1844, by Father Christopher Bernsmeyer, OFM, in Telgte, Germany, with the American Province established in 1875 in Alton, Illinois. More than 700 Franciscan Sisters serve across five Provinces (Germany, Poland, USA, Japan, India) and additional mission presences in The Netherlands, South Korea, Kazakhstan, and Tanzania. The American Province, headquartered at St. Francis Convent (Motherhouse) in Springfield, Illinois, sponsors a portfolio of ministries including Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) — a multi-institutional healthcare system operating 15 hospitals in 14 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin with 14,600+ colleagues and nearly 2,300 physician partners — plus Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach (global medical supply recovery and distribution), Chiara Center (a Franciscan retreat and conference center), St. John's College of Nursing, and a Heritage Museum with a virtual-tour experience opened February 2, 2011, and refreshed in 2025 by Crowdson Creative Media Production.
The organization's economic activity is channeled primarily through HSHS, which provides inpatient, outpatient, and specialty healthcare across the Midwest, and through Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, which distributes recovered medical supplies globally to underserved populations. Governance operates under canonical (Vatican) authority: Hospital Sisters Ministries was approved as a Public Juridic Person by the Vatican on July 2, 2015, with the Provincial Council retaining Reserved Powers over HSHS. Leadership rotates through elected terms — Sister M. Margarete Ulager, OSF serves as the 11th General Superior (elected September 14, 2018, based at the international Motherhouse in Münster, Germany), while Sister Maureen O'Connor, OSF serves as Provincial Superior of the American Province under a U.S. Canonical House governance structure announced July 15, 2023. Revenue and pricing are not publicly disclosed, consistent with the organization's nonprofit religious-congregation status.
The go-to-market is mission-driven rather than commercial: outreach occurs through the official website (hospitalsisters.org), Facebook, email-based prayer request and greeting systems, and a quarterly Franciscan Connection newsletter. Distribution is via directly operated ministries rather than third-party channels. A 2026 multi-year partnership names HSHS as Official Medical Care Partner of World Wide Technology Raceway for NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA events, indicating brand-extension activity beyond traditional hospital service areas. In May 2021 the Congregation also entered a property agreement with the Diocese of Springfield transferring ownership of the 4849 LaVerna Road Motherhouse to a new diocesan entity effective January 2022, while retaining a long-term lease for ongoing community residence.
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hospital Sisters of St. Francis
- Legal name
- Hospital Sisters of St. Francis
- Website
- https://hospitalsisters.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1844
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is an international Catholic religious congregation founded in 1844 in Germany, with the American Province sponsoring Hospital Sisters Health System (15 hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin), global medical-supply outreach, nursing education, and Franciscan spiritual-retreat ministries serving patients, associates, and underserved communities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Catholic Healthcare and Religious Ministries
- NAICS
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Religious Organizations (8131)
- SIC
- Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062)
- akta.pro industry
- Faith-Based & Nonprofit Hospital SystemsFaith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions)Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents)Schools of NursingCritical Access & Rural Hospitals
Keywords
Where Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Springfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is a Catholic religious congregation that sponsors and operates healthcare, educational, and spiritual ministries. Through its sponsored ministries, the Congregation operates Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a 15-hospital healthcare system in Illinois and Wisconsin, Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach for global medical supply distribution, Chiara Center for spiritual retreats, and St. John's College of Nursing for nursing education.
Product overview
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis operates a portfolio of healthcare and spiritual ministry organizations. The core offerings include Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a multi-hospital healthcare system serving Illinois and Wisconsin; Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach for medical supplies distribution; Chiara Center for spiritual retreats; St. John's College of Nursing for education; and the Heritage Museum preserving the congregation's Franciscan heritage. The organization is a religious congregation founded in 1844 in Telgte, Germany, with the American Province established in 1875.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS): Multi-institutional health care system sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, operating hospitals and health centers in Illinois and Wisconsin.
- Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
- Chiara Center
Products and services
- Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) A multi-institutional Catholic health care system with 15 hospitals in 14 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin, nearly 2,300 physician partners, and more than 14,600 colleagues, providing inpatient, outpatient, and specialty healthcare services.
- Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach A recovery and worldwide distribution program for medical supplies and equipment, serving international mission communities and underserved healthcare settings. Recipient of the 2026 Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association.
- Chiara Center A Franciscan Place of Spirituality offering retreat and conference center services for individuals and groups seeking spiritual formation, contemplative experiences, and community gatherings.
- St. John's College of Nursing A nursing education institution sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, offering degree programs in nursing.
- Heritage Museum A museum at St. Francis Convent in Springfield, IL featuring Franciscan imagery, artifacts, photographs, and videos tracing the Congregation's history from foundation in Telgte, Germany to the present, with a virtual tour experience.
Companies that use Hospital Sisters of St. Francis
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS)coreHSHS is a multi-institutional health care system with 15 hospitals in 14 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin, nearly 2,300 physician partners, and more than 14,600 colleagues. It is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, a Public Juridic Person approved by the Vatican on July 2, 2015, with the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis as the Founding Institute/Legacy Sponsor. The Provincial Council maintains Reserved Powers over HSHS.
- Hospital Sisters Mission OutreachcoreA recovery and worldwide distribution program for medical supplies and equipment. The Provincial Council serves as Members of Hospital Sisters Ministries which sponsors Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach. The organization received the 2026 Achievement Citation from the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
- St. John's College of NursingminorAn educational institution operated by the Province, offering nursing education programs. Part of the Province's sponsored ministries under Hospital Sisters Ministries.
- Chiara Center – Franciscan Place of SpiritualityminorA Franciscan Place of Spirituality for individuals and groups seeking retreats and conference center services. Operated by the American Province of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis in Springfield, IL.
- World Wide Technology RacewayminorHospital Sisters Health System was named Official Medical Care Partner of World Wide Technology Raceway in June 2026. Under this multi-year partnership, HSHS staffs two on-site medical care centers during all national NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA events at the St. Louis-area track.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Trinity Health: Trinity Health is a large Catholic nonprofit system (~88 hospitals) sponsored by multiple religious institutes. It shares the multi-institutional Catholic sponsorship model and operates in several overlapping Midwest markets.
- Bon Secours Mercy Health: Bon Secours Mercy Health is a Catholic nonprofit system (~50 hospitals) formed by the merger of Bon Secours Health System and Mercy Health. Comparable as a multi-state Catholic health system with similar sponsorship structures.
- Providence St. Joseph Health: Providence is a Catholic nonprofit health system operating across the western U.S. Comparable as a faith-sponsored multi-state hospital operator with similar mission-driven governance and ERD-aligned operations.
- Ascension Health: Ascension is the largest Catholic nonprofit health system in the U.S., operating ~140 hospitals across multiple states. It is comparable as a broad Catholic incumbent with multi-state hospital operations under faith-based sponsorship.
- Advocate Health: Advocate Health (formed from Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health) is a large nonprofit system with significant Midwest presence including Illinois and Wisconsin. Comparable as a major regional nonprofit hospital operator, though secular rather than faith-based.
- CommonSpirit Health: CommonSpirit Health was formed from the merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health and operates ~140 hospitals nationwide. Comparable as a large, faith-affiliated, multi-state nonprofit health system.
Others
- Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach: Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach is actually a sponsored ministry of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis itself — included as an internal peer to highlight the medical-supply-recovery sub-entity relative to global humanitarian medical supply distributors such as Direct Relief and MedShare.
Direct peers
- SSM Health: SSM Health is a Catholic nonprofit health system serving the Midwest (including Wisconsin and Illinois). It is similarly sponsored by a Franciscan sister congregation and operates comparable inpatient facilities, sharing both mission identity and regional overlap.
- OSF HealthCare: OSF HealthCare is a Catholic, Illinois-based nonprofit health system operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis — a near-perfect twin to the Hospital Sisters' HSHS, with comparable size (~15 hospitals) and overlapping Illinois footprint.
Regional players
- Mercy Health (Ohio): Mercy Health — Ohio is a Catholic nonprofit system with deep regional concentration in the Midwest. Comparable as a faith-based regional hospital operator serving overlapping demographics, though with a tighter Ohio-based footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis social profiles
Digital presenceHospital Sisters of St. Francis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis
What does Hospital Sisters of St. Francis do?
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is a Catholic religious congregation that sponsors and operates healthcare, educational, and spiritual ministries. Through its sponsored ministries, the Congregation operates Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), a 15-hospital healthcare system in Illinois and Wisconsin, Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach for global medical supply distribution, Chiara Center for spiritual retreats, and St. John's College of Nursing for nursing education.
Is Hospital Sisters of St. Francis a public or private company?
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hospital Sisters of St. Francis founded?
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis was founded in 1844. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Hospital Sisters of St. Francis based?
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is headquartered in Springfield, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Hospital Sisters of St. Francis's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Trinity Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Providence St. Joseph Health, Ascension Health, Advocate Health and CommonSpirit Health. Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach is listed as an others. Direct peers are SSM Health and OSF HealthCare. Mercy Health (Ohio) is listed as a regional player.
Does Hospital Sisters of St. Francis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hospital Sisters of St. Francis.
What industry is Hospital Sisters of St. Francis in?
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis's product category is Catholic Healthcare and Religious Ministries. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFAAAE, Faith-Based & Nonprofit Hospital Systems, with a secondary code of BPAGAJAH, Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions). Its NAICS code is 6221 and its SIC code is 8060.