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Community benefit. It's at the core of who we are…what we do…and why we do it. CHE's Mission Statement refers to the importance of community benefit, noting "…we continually seek ways to assure access to services to persons most in need." Our Core Values of reverence for each person, community, and commitment to those who are poor all give witness to our ministry's focus on providing access to those who have been marginalized and are most in need of our care. Most of us chose health care as a profession because we are caring people who want to contribute to the well-being of our patients and our communities. Whatever our role—at the bedside, in a lab, in front of a computer or preparing a meal—our Catholic health ministry provides each of us the privilege and opportunity to fulfill our innate need to serve. Our health care facilities are sacred places of healing, and our acts of healing extend well beyond the walls of our buildings. From caring for the poor in inpatient, outpatient, and emergency settings…to screenings that detect life-threatening afflictions…to outreach programs that reach at-risk populations such as the elderly and the very young…CHE organizations have a long history of providing a vast array of community benefit programs and services. We've been doing the right thing…but, across the nation, there was no consistent agreement or standard for how to report on, measure, and evaluate community benefit efforts. Some institutions did this very effectively; others did not place as much emphasis in this area. While many organizations compiled this information and shared it with various audiences, they were not compelled to do so. But, times have changed. In recent years, the not-for-profit status of hospitals has been under increased levels of scrutiny from various public and private groups. Issues such as billing and collection practices, executive compensation, and profits have fueled heightened interest in the debate: are health care providers being true to their charitable missions? With these challenges threatening the future viability of many providers, the Catholic Health Association has led a nationwide effort to improve the quantification and standardization of the reporting process. I have the privilege of serving as a member of CHA's Community Benefit Task Force, which just released "A Guide for Planning and Reporting Community Benefit." This guide, full of practical tools, tips, and hints for planning and documenting community benefit activities, is a "must read" for all of our institutions. If you do not yet have this Guide, I encourage you to go to www.chausa.org/communitybenefit/guide to view excerpts and to learn more about how CHA is helping members to address these issues. Thanks to your collective efforts to measure and report Community Benefit data over the last few years, we do have reliable baseline information and we can accurately track our progress. I am proud to report that, as a System, Catholic Health East accounted for nearly $264 million in community benefit in 2005…a 6% increase over the prior year. Our health care ministry provided over $72 million in charity care, nearly $63 million in community services, over $20 million in volunteer services, and over $107 million in providing for the unpaid costs of Medicaid. We are reporting this information throughout CHE via the Summer 2006 issue of Horizons; we will also include it on our web site and in our 2005 Community Benefit Annual Report. According to CHA, "Catholic health organizations across the United States are committing to consistency and transparency in planning, evaluating and reporting community benefit…their commitment will enable the Catholic health ministry to tell its collective story, especially to federal lawmakers and agencies." Now more than ever, I urge you to embrace the guidelines and recommendations included in CHA's Guide…and to encourage your staff to complete the tedious but important process of accounting for all of their time and effort devoted to community benefit activities throughout the year. Thank them for all of the good work they do to benefit the poor and uninsured…and remind them of the increased importance of documenting their efforts! Thank you for your dedication and commitment to being a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.
Sincerely yours,
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