An Orientation To Community Benefit: What Hospital Staff Need To Know

Working Definition of Community Benefit Community benefits are programs or activities providing treatment and/or promoting health and healing that are responsive to identified community needs, and not provided for marketing purposes.

Community benefit activities are the link between the hospital’s mission and operations.

To Count As Community Benefit: A Community Benefit must address an identified community need and have at least one of the following community benefit objectives: –Improve Access to Health Services –Enhance Community Health –Advance Medical Knowledge –Demonstrate Charitable Purpose or Relief of Government Burden

An Identified Community Need Is: Documentation that demonstrates a community need exists (survey, statistics, etc.); A request from a public agency or group; or, A community needs assessment developed by the hospital or other community agency or group.

Services Provided in Response to Community Need Charity care and discounted services to uninsured and low-income. Losses from Medicare/Medicaid programs. Losses from programs subsidized because they are needed in the community (i.e. mental health services). Community health services (clinics, health education). Training for physicians, nurses and others. Donations / cash and in-kind contributions. Community building activities (mentoring, advocacy for better health programs, environment improvement).

Why Does Community Benefit Matter? Hospitals have a rich tradition of serving the community. [Insert hospital name] was established to address the health services in our community. We continue to respond to community needs with programs that increase access to health care and improve the health of our communities.

Social Responsibility Social responsibility takes on special meaning in health care…the health of a community depends heavily on its largest healthcare entities – its hospitals.” My Brother’s Keeper, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2006

It’s Also Our Tradition Our Hospital Values and Mission Commit Us To: Promote and defend human dignity – treat every person with respect. Care for poor and vulnerable persons – reach out to underserved persons. Promote the common good - always look for what is in the best interest of the community. Steward resources - use our financial and human resources wisely. (add values of this organization)

Facts About the Uninsured  49.5 million people in the U.S. lacked health insurance in  25.2 million people in the U.S. are “under” insured.  Nearly 20 percent of those uninsured are children.  During a year, one out of three Americans are without health insurance at some point.  Four out of five uninsured persons are in working families. U.S. Census Bureau and Commonwealth Fund

Facts About the Uninsured The effect of being uninsured has an impact on health: Higher death rates Many deaths are preventable Poorer control of chronic illness Less use of prevention services U.S. Census Bureau

Information About Financial Assistance Programs (Charity Care)  Hospitals provide free care and can discount the cost of care to persons who meet certain financial criteria.  Hospitals have written charity care policies that are posted in prominent areas.  Policies describe who is eligible and what services are covered.  Hospitals provide all patients with information on financial assistance, but sometimes people do not understand help is available or are afraid to indicate they need financial help.

(Organization’s name) Charity Care Policies

Emergency Departments Must: Treat every person who needs emergency services: With respect, With the highest quality of care to all patients, and Without any regard to ability to pay.

Billing Departments Should:  Provide information on Financial Assistance: Options that may be available for uninsured and low-income persons. How patients can apply for assistance,  Establish a process for resolving unpaid bills: Payment options available. Clear, concise statements.

All Staff Can Participate in Community Benefit Programs  Tell patients you come in contact with about programs we provide that may be of benefit to them.  Let the community benefit staff know about all community activities that your department or program is providing.  When you get a chance, work in collaboration with other providers in the community and let our staff know about it.  Volunteer to help with our programs.  Tell others about our community benefit programs and invite them to be involved.  Let us know if you would like time off for a personal volunteer program.

Telling our Story We tell our community benefit story in all communications: –Reports to the community –Orientation and education of staff –Board meetings –Media contacts –Advocacy visits with policy makers

Telling the Story – An Opportunity, Not a Burden External Audiences Patients Businesses Media Donors Consumer Groups Elected Officials and Policy Makers Public at Large Internal Audiences Employees Board of Directors Medical Staff Volunteers Visitors Vendors

Summary  We provide community benefits because this is an important part of our mission;  Our communities need us to provide services to uninsured and low income persons and to help improve health in our communities.  It’s our social responsibility.

(Organization’s Name) Community Benefit Activities Our community benefit activities include: For more information about our community benefit activities, contact (add contact info)

(Organization’s Name) Community Benefit Activities Our community benefit activities include:

(Organization’s Name) Community Benefit Activities For more information about our community benefit activities, contact (add contact info)