Giving Back to the Community
Allegiance Health has demonstrated a long-term commitment to improving the health and well-being of the community by investing significantly in wellness and prevention services in addition to traditional acute care services. We believe that our services should be accessible to all people in our community regardless of ability to pay and provide care at little or no reimbursement for the uninsured and financial assistance to low-income patients. Health education, research and other activities that are tailored to the needs of our community are financially sponsored by Allegiance Health.
How we use our community’s resources is a priority for Allegiance as a community-owned health system. To learn how we use resources, please see the section below or view our IRS Form 990.
Community Benefit Investment
The table below reflects the tens of thousands of people who are touched each year by our services. Many of them share their stories with us, revealing how profoundly our programs have affected their lives. We hear stories of people who can not afford medicine to control their diabetes, and receive their medicine through our Community Medication Assistance Program at little out of pocket expense. We’re told of people whose life-threatening conditions were discovered through one of our free community health screenings, and who were able to receive care before the condition worsened. Individual stories like these are examples of the reason we are so passionate about continuing our tradition of supporting community benefit programs.
The resources supporting these programs represent an investment in the community and a commitment to serve those in need. This investment is an extension of our mission as a not-for-profit, community-owned health system.
Examples of the mission-based, unreimbursed services we provided in 2011 include:
* Previous years reported at gross charges; this year reported at cost.
| Program/Service |
Contribution |
Lives Impacted |
| Community-Based Clinical Services - Includes contributions to support the medically underserved, primarily through the Center for Family Health. |
$600,000 |
4,499 |
| General Community Health Education - Includes aids / hiv education; mental health / depression education; fitness / exercise; prenatal / family planning; community presentations; newsletters. |
$290,991 |
165,882 |
| Free or Discounted Prescriptions and Supplies - Includes prescription drugs, hearing aids, wheelchairs, etc., to those who are unable to pay or are medically underserved. |
$361,690 |
46,959 |
| Transportation Services - Includes transport between hospital and physician offices or patient homes, as well as emergency cash for those unable to pay for bus tokens or cab fare. |
$90,260 |
4,009 |
| Community-Building Activities - Includes activities focused on improving social conditions, such as homelessness and poverty. |
$365,255 |
|
| Health Care Support Services - In Home Services |
$18,773 |
109 |
| Health Care Support Services - Nurse Call Center, Red Cross blood drives and other support services |
$322,474 |
389 |
| Family Support Services |
$2,926 |
12 |
| Community Support Groups - Includes support for those impacted by asthma/chronic lung disease, bereavement/grief, cancer, diabetes, stroke and organ transplants. |
$24,427 |
1,970 |
| Community-Based Health Screenings - Includes screenings for blood pressure, vascular disease, cholesterol, cancer, hearing and mental health. |
$12,455 |
1,288 |
| Counseling - Includes family and tobacco/smoking cessation counseling. |
$69,419 |
4,502 |
| Meals/Nutrition Services |
$35,348 |
24,478 |
| Donations for the Community - Cash |
$77,571 |
|
| Donations for the Community - Grants |
$25,000 |
|
| Donations for the Community - In-Kind |
$87,953 |
247 |
| Community Benefit Operations |
$323,033 |
|
| Charity Care - Services provided for qualified patients who cannot afford to pay * |
$11,708,113 |
|
| Bad Debt - Services provided without payment or at substantially less-than-standard charges * |
$10,104,345 |
|
| Medicaid Subsidy - Shortfalls in Medicaid reimbursement for care to the poor and uninsured |
$12,112,122 |
|
| Medicare Subsidy - Shortfalls in Medicare reimbursement for care to the poor and uninsured |
$16,674,212 |
|
| Total Community Benefit Contributions for 2011 |
$53,306,367 |
|
Many of the community benefit services noted in the table above are offered through the Health Improvement Organization (HIO). Formed in 2001 by Allegiance Health, the HIO promotes a culture of wellness and prevention in the Jackson region. The HIO is a collaboration between Allegiance Health and more than 30 other health and community service organizations. It has created a Community Action Plan to prioritize and address pressing health needs, particularly for people who are underserved.
In recognition of our long-term commitment to community service programs such as those listed above, Allegiance Health was awarded the 2010 Foster G. McGaw Prize by the American Hospital Association. This distinction is received by only one hospital or health system per year.