Dedicated to the Work of Health and Healing
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America's heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients.
We believe quality health care should be available close to home for everyone, no matter where you live.
Sanford Health Mission Statement
Dedicated to sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort.
Our Vision
Improving the human condition at every stage of life through exceptional care, spiritual enrichment, innovation and discovery.
Learn More
Sanford Health Highlights
Sanford Health includes:
- 47 medical centers
- 224 clinic locations
- 200 Good Samaritan Society senior care locations
- 158 skilled nursing and rehab facilities
- 42 affordable housing locations
- 220,000 Sanford Health Plan members
- 47,757 employees
- 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers and 8,716 registered nurses delivering care in more than 80 specialty areas
- Centers of Excellence:
- Cancer
- Children's
- Heart
- Orthopedics/Sports Medicine
- Women's Health
Each year, Sanford Health provides:
- 5.2 million outpatient and clinic visits
- 82,848 admissions
- 127,875 surgeries and procedures
- 9,163 births
- 194,864 emergency department visits
Sanford Health Values
Our Values
Calling
Demonstrating enthusiasm for those we serve, our vocation and the organization’s mission.
Courage
Having strength to persevere, innovate, use our voices and take action.
Family
Celebrating the connection and commitment we have to each other through it all.
Community
Providing care in a diverse range of settings and environments with a focus on the wellness of individuals.
Service
Sharing God’s love through actions that reflect compassion, acceptance, love, humility and sincerity in keeping with the common Lutheran heritage of our legacy organizations.
Resolve
Adhering to systems that align actions to excellence, efficiency and purpose.
Advancement
The pursuit of individual and organizational growth and development.
Symbols of Sanford Health
The Blue Lights
A beacon of hope
Each night, a blue glow emanates from Sanford Health locations across the region. The tradition of these blue lights began more than a decade ago when the first blue lights were installed at a Sanford facility. Soon these blue lights became more than a light in the darkness. They became a blue beacon of hope; a sign to all who saw it that healing could be found there.
Throughout history, the color blue has stood for many things including constancy, knowledge, tranquility and trust. Sanford Health is continuing that legacy of using the color blue as a beacon for people who are sick, hurting or in pain. As they get closer and the blue lights become brighter, their fear and panic begin to diminish. They know they are headed toward a place that will reduce suffering, offer empathy and lighten burdens.
This blue beacon of hope is a thread that connects many of our facilities, linking us together as one Sanford family. It binds together our physicians, nurses, executives and all other employees under our shared passion, uniting us in our mission to improve the human condition
The Lorraine Cross
A crusade for health
At the top of many of our facilities sits a two-barred cross. While it has been a sign of hope and healing at Sanford for many decades, it has been a global symbol of salvation for centuries.
It was given the name Lorraine after the French Duke of Lorraine placed it upon his banners as he fought to retake the Holy Land during the Crusades. Known as the Crusader’s Cross, it took on a meaning of protection as it was flown by those helping Christians traveling through Jerusalem. It was taken up most notably by the patron saint of France, Joan of Arc.
In the early 1900s the symbol turned from a rallying point in battle to one in medicine. Selected by the International Tuberculosis Congress, the Lorraine Cross transformed into a central sign in the fight against disease. It began to appear on hospitals and, as it is now, became the symbol in the crusade for health.
The Lorraine Cross now stands a proud part of the Sanford Health logo, illuminated on our buildings. It serves as a constant reminder of our dedication to health and healing.
Collegiate Gothic Architecture
A sign of longevity
As new buildings begin to take shape throughout the Sanford footprint, a common likeness is shared among them. Built in the classic gothic architectural style, merely looking at these facilities instills feelings of trust and stability.
This style became popular in America in the late-1880s and was most commonly used for college expansions. The architects pulled from classic campuses such as Oxford and Cambridge and European churches that were built during the gothic period, which spanned nearly four centuries. Categorized by their impressive size and stature, these buildings were simultaneously beautiful and strong.
This style has become a physical embodiment of our organization. It makes a remarkable statement by portraying a feeling of timelessness, asserting that this organization has been and will continue to be a staple in health care around the world and in each community it serves.
Contact Us
We want to hear from you. Contact us with any questions or concerns.
Contact Our Media Team
Sanford Health Media Relations is available 24/7 to work with journalists and members of the media. We’ll help you coordinate interviews, photos and video.