SSM Health

04/07/2026

Menopause comes with a lot of questions—especially about hormone therapy.
Hot flashes, sleep trouble, mood changes… if you’re navigating menopause, you’re not alone. Hormone therapy can be a helpful option for some people—but it isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all. Understanding the benefits, risks, and whether it’s right for you is an important next step in feeling your best. 💗
Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner and SSM Health Women's Health provider Sarah Block, APNP-CNP, breaks it down in clear, compassionate terms to help you start informed conversations with your health care team:
🔗 https://www.ssmhealth.com/newsroom/blogs/ssm-health-matters/april-2026/navigating-menopause-is-hormone-therapy-right-for-you
✨ Because every menopause journey is unique—and you deserve answers that fit your life.

If you’ve considered treatment for hot flashes or other symptoms of menopause, here’s what you need to know

04/06/2026

It only takes one conversation to spark a future career. 🌟

Recently, Jason Walker, Director of HR at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Midwest, stepped into a very different role - serving as Principal for a Day at Mid-Del Technology Center as part of the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program.

Moments like these reflect how our leaders show up beyond their day-today roles, helping inspire the next generation.

Nice work, Principal Jason! 👏😉

04/05/2026

Today, we reflect on the promise of renewal, healing, and new beginnings. May this season bring peace to your heart and light to your path.🪴
As you celebrate with loved ones, we invite you to pause and join us in this prayer from The Catholic Health Association of the United States, shared in this video.
May it bring comfort, strength, and a reminder of the hope that Easter brings.
From all of us at SSM Health,
Happy Easter🕊️

Video description: Nature and religious scenes accompany text of an Easter Prayer.

04/04/2026

🏀 March Madness isn’t just action on the court—it’s teamwork behind the scenes.
When the pressure is high and every second counts, SSM Health teams are there to help keep student‑athletes safe and moving. From courtside care to on‑site imaging and rapid medical decisions, our sports medicine experts play a key role in supporting the NCAA tournament.
Go behind the buzzer and see how our teams help keep March Madness moving:
👉 https://www.ssmhealth.com/newsroom/blogs/ssm-health-matters/april-2026/behind-the-buzzer-ssm-health-keeps-march-madness-moving
💙

Chosen by the NCAA to lead medical efforts at regional tournament sites, SSM Health sports medicine teams bring elite expertise, on-site diagnostics and compassionate care to one of the biggest stages in college sports.

04/04/2026

"Reward the behaviors you want to see in your organization."

In a recent conversation with Amy Wilson, DNP, RN, CPHQ, Chief Nurse Executive at SSM Health, leadership expert and author Minette Norman Consulting LLC shared a powerful reminder: leaders set the tone every single day for a culture of psychological safety.

The real work is being intentional about rewarding voices, even when someone asks hard questions or challenges our way of thinking. Providing space for feedback and shutting down toxic behaviors that silence others while modeling curiosity and gratitude creates an environment where people feel safe to speak up, and that’s where trust, learning, and better outcomes begin.

How are you working to bring psychological safety to your organization?

Listen to the latest episode of Healthcare Disrupted to learn more and join the conversation: https://tr.ee/ho80IjpIBk

04/03/2026

Thank you to Tom Engels, Administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the HRSA team for spending time with our SSM Health leaders yesterday to learn more about how we’re expanding access to high-quality care.

04/02/2026

Clinician well-being is essential to delivering high-quality care and sustaining it requires more than good intentions. 💙

Recently, Dr. Heather Schmidt, SSM Health System Medical Director for Employee Well-Being, joined healthcare leaders from across the country at an Atalan webinar, “Is Your Clinician Well-being Program at Risk? Sustainable Models to Align with Organizational Strategy.”

The discussion focused on what it truly takes to make clinician well-being efforts durable within complex health systems – what’s working, where programs become vulnerable, and how leadership alignment and organizational structure play a critical role in long-term success.

If you’re working to strengthen or sustain clinician well-being in your organization, this candid conversation offers valuable insights.

👉 Watch the replay: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5255809/CBFB2A1C68E97B9385110F2C96C3848A

04/01/2026

We’re proud to share that Ashley Pollard has been named to Becker's Hospital Review’s 2026 “Hospital and Health System Chief Marketing Officers to Know” list. This recognition highlights leaders who are shaping how patients and communities connect with health systems through strategic, data‑driven marketing.
Congratulations, Ashley, on this well‑deserved honor!
Read the full list:
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/96-hospital-and-health-system-chief-marketing-officers-to-know-2026/

03/31/2026

This month, we honor Sister Mary Fortunata Helmig, SSM—remembered as the “Angel of St. Mary’s.”
At just 32 years old, Sister Fortunata served on the front lines of the 1918 influenza pandemic in Madison, offering steadfast care to everyone who came through the hospital’s doors—soldiers returning from World War I, community members stricken by sudden illness, and families facing unimaginable loss.
Working alongside her fellow Sisters of St. Mary, she provided comfort, compassion, and skilled nursing at a time when the community was overwhelmed and medical resources were stretched thin. Her selfless dedication ultimately cost her life, but her courage became a symbol of hope and healing for generations to come.
Today, Sister Fortunata is honored as a vital figure in the history of SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. Her legacy inspires our continued mission at SSM Health to care for all with exceptional presence and compassion.
📷: Image of Sr. Mary Fortunata Helmig provided by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary

03/30/2026

Today on Doctors Day, we’re celebrating all the amazing physicians who care for our families, friends, and communities.
Thank you for showing up with strength, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to healing. Your courage inspires us, and your heart makes all the difference.
Happy Doctors Day to all who dedicate their lives to helping others. 👏💙

03/29/2026

Rooted in our Values and guided by our Vision, we strive for exceptional care that reveals the healing presence of God.
Discover more: https://www.ssmhealth.com/resources/about/mission-vision-values

03/28/2026

💙 Putting patients first through greater transparency in pharmacy benefits

A recent HFMA article highlights how SSM Health is working to make prescription drug costs clearer and more affordable for the people we serve. Through our partnership with Navitus Health Solutions, we’re advancing a pharmacy benefit model that focuses on transparency and doing what’s best for patients.

In the article, Kevin Smith, SSM Health Chief Financial Officer, explains how this approach helps ensure patients and plan sponsors know exactly what they’re paying for:

“If you think about what the mission is for Navitus, it’s really about transparency… Whenever we are buying [drugs] either through a GPO or directly from a manufacturer, you know exactly what we’re paying for and what the specific markup is going to be.”

By removing confusing markups and keeping costs clear and consistent, this model supports more affordable medications and better outcomes for our communities.

🔗 Read the full HFMA article:
https://www.hfma.org/finance-and-business-strategy/health-system-pbm-ownership-model/

A health system touts PBM ownership as transparency reforms reshape pricing, rebates. and margins across pharmacy benefit manager models.