Mission: Global Health Begins at Home but Impacts the World
April 25, 2025
Key Highlights
At Hospital Sisters Health System, we know global health starts right here — in our hospitals, our supply rooms, and with our people. It extends far beyond our walls to serve communities around the world. Through Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, we’re improving health and wellness across continents by responsibly redistributing medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in need.
Headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, Mission Outreach continues to serve as a beacon of compassion and innovation in health care. In FY24 alone, the team completed 112 shipments — including 17 large container shipments — reaching 59 partners in 34 countries. That’s nearly $5 million worth of medical supplies and equipment, serving a global population of more than 28 million.
Medical equipment that is safe and effective is a tool that physicians, nurses and clinicians can use to save patients’ lives and improve outcomes anywhere in the world. Each year, hospitals in the United States dispose of thousands of pieces of equipment that they no longer use but are still functional and could be used in low-resource communities that are building health systems.
One of the reasons Mission Outreach’s work is effective and impactful is because of its people. One of those people is Ratish Kumar, our very own biomedical engineer, who we are celebrating because he was nationally recognized with the 2025 Humanitarian of the Year Award by TechNation for his extraordinary contributions to global health.
“Every piece of equipment we send has been tested and is prepared according to the infrastructural capabilities of our international partners. Thanks to Ratish, the hospitals and clinics we work with can trust what they receive is what they can use and is safe for patient care.” - Erica Smith, Executive Director of Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
“This award is a great opportunity to showcase Mission Outreach partnerships with the global health care community, serving the most vulnerable among us.” – Ratish Kumar
Why It Matters: You Are Part of This Global Mission
As HSHS colleagues, you are integral to this mission. Over 75% of the medical equipment donations come from HSHS-affiliated facilities. That unused monitor, surgical tray, or infusion pump you helped replace? It could now be saving lives in Kenya, Peru, or Ukraine.
Global health isn’t someone else’s job — it’s ours, too. We all can take pride in knowing we contribute to a network of healing that stretches across the globe and truly fulfills our Mission of embodying Christ's healing love for all people.
- $5 million in requested medical supplies and equipment shipped globally in FY24
- 112 shipments made from Springfield to 34 countries across 4 continents
- Mission Outreach partners serve a combined 28 million people worldwide
- Ratish Kumar, Mission Outreach biomedical engineer, nationally recognized with 2025 Humanitarian of the Year award
At Hospital Sisters Health System, we know global health starts right here — in our hospitals, our supply rooms, and with our people. It extends far beyond our walls to serve communities around the world. Through Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, we’re improving health and wellness across continents by responsibly redistributing medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics in need.
Headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, Mission Outreach continues to serve as a beacon of compassion and innovation in health care. In FY24 alone, the team completed 112 shipments — including 17 large container shipments — reaching 59 partners in 34 countries. That’s nearly $5 million worth of medical supplies and equipment, serving a global population of more than 28 million.
Medical equipment that is safe and effective is a tool that physicians, nurses and clinicians can use to save patients’ lives and improve outcomes anywhere in the world. Each year, hospitals in the United States dispose of thousands of pieces of equipment that they no longer use but are still functional and could be used in low-resource communities that are building health systems.
One of the reasons Mission Outreach’s work is effective and impactful is because of its people. One of those people is Ratish Kumar, our very own biomedical engineer, who we are celebrating because he was nationally recognized with the 2025 Humanitarian of the Year Award by TechNation for his extraordinary contributions to global health.
“Every piece of equipment we send has been tested and is prepared according to the infrastructural capabilities of our international partners. Thanks to Ratish, the hospitals and clinics we work with can trust what they receive is what they can use and is safe for patient care.” - Erica Smith, Executive Director of Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
“This award is a great opportunity to showcase Mission Outreach partnerships with the global health care community, serving the most vulnerable among us.” – Ratish Kumar
Why It Matters: You Are Part of This Global Mission
As HSHS colleagues, you are integral to this mission. Over 75% of the medical equipment donations come from HSHS-affiliated facilities. That unused monitor, surgical tray, or infusion pump you helped replace? It could now be saving lives in Kenya, Peru, or Ukraine.
Global health isn’t someone else’s job — it’s ours, too. We all can take pride in knowing we contribute to a network of healing that stretches across the globe and truly fulfills our Mission of embodying Christ's healing love for all people.
Media Contact
Andrew Dilbeck
Communications & Public Relations Specialist