Ascension (St. Louis). Ascension is a nonprofit, faith-based health system covering around 2,500 sites of care. The 141-hospital system spans 24 states and the District of Columbia. In the 2016 fiscal year, Ascension provided more than $1.8 billion in care to people living in poverty and other community benefit programs. The system includes approximately 150,000 associates and 36,000 aligned providers.