Mount Nittany Medical Center Community Benefit Annual Report: Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014)

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1 Mount Nittany Medical Center Community Benefit Annual Report: Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014) 1

2 Community benefit has regional economic reach Whether it s offering a free Hunters Health Day, celebrating World Diabetes Day, providing cancer screenings, offering influenza vaccinations, mentoring future healthcare professionals through internship and training opportunities, offering support groups for patients and their families, or an array of other activities throughout the region, Mount Nittany Health is dedicated to making people healthier. It s impossible to account for all of the incredible services Mount Nittany Health teams provide day in and day out, but during Fiscal Year 2014, benefit to the local economy and community totaled more than half a billion dollars, as outlined below. Economic benefit*: Hospitals and health systems are one of the largest contributors to the economy through job creation and local spending. Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center s total spending for 2014 totaled more than $281 million, which then created an additional $198 million in a ripple benefit in the region s economy. Mount Nittany Physician Group s total spending for 2014 totaled more than $92 million, bringing the health system s total spending and ripple benefit for 2014 to more than $571 million. *U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Hospital Cost Report Information System, data used from FY2014. Ripple benefit based on regional economic multipliers from Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, RIMS II Multipliers for hospital industry. Community benefit: Mount Nittany Medical Center s total community benefit for 2014 totaled more than $12.5 million, bringing the combined total from the last five years to more than $65 million. 2

3 Total Mount Nittany Medical Center Community Benefit Community benefit services are offered to the broad community with the intent of improving community health. Programs and services are designed to respond to identified community needs. FY2014 Medicaid shortfall Bad debt (at cost) Subsidized health services Free care (at cost) Community health improvement services Cash and in- kind donations Health professions education Community building activities Total $5,289,303 $3,242,189 $1,908,086 $1,496,183 $238,681 $284,415 $125,089 $14,128 $12,589,074 Definitions: Medicaid shortfall In some cases, when Mount Nittany Health providers deliver care to patients with Medicaid, the Medicaid reimbursement rates do not cover the health system s entire cost of the service provided. This is called a Medicaid shortfall. Bad debt (at cost) When a business is unable to collect a customer s full amount owed, it is classified as a bad debt. Subsidized health services Mount Nittany Health provides the community with quality health and wellness programs at no cost, such as an oncology patient navigator program, 3

4 a breast health navigator, several free support groups, orthopedic surgery preparation classes, and numerous community presentations on important health topics such as heart health, hearing loss, stroke prevention, and more. Free care (at cost) In some instances, care is provided free of charge. This category represents the total of free care provided in Fiscal Year 14, at cost. Community health improvement services This category includes activities that are carried out to improve community health. Mount Nittany Medical Center provides community health education, health screenings, support groups, lunch-and-learn sessions, and transportation assistance. Cash and in-kind donations Mount Nittany Medical Center reported its support of more than 60 local organizations through in-kind and cash donations. The lead beneficiary of Mount Nittany Health s support is Centre Volunteers in Medicine. Other non-profit groups include the American Heart Association, People Centre d on Diabetes, YMCA of Centre County, and more. Health professions education Mount Nittany Health is advancing healthcare by improving access to education and training. In the past year, Mount Nittany Health offered numerous programs for both Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Physician Group staff. Popular programs include Team STEPPS and Hands-Only CPR training. Mount Nittany Health also served as the training ground for clerkships and fellowships of Penn State College of Medicine, as well as a brand new Family and Community Health Residency Program. Community-building activities Mount Nittany Health is a lead facilitator in local and regional preparedness activities, ensuring that Centre County is prepared should a disaster 4

5 strike through training and partnerships with Penn State Hershey LionReach and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. In addition, Mount Nittany Health sponsors popular events such as the Grange Fair Health Walk. 5

6 Community benefit in action: Health system s first Community Health Needs Assessment identifies region s health priority areas and brings community partners together to respond Mount Nittany Health s mission is to make people healthier. Whether it is through preventive care or the management of chronic disease, the health system serves a region of greater than five counties and cares for the more than 400,000 individuals who live and work there. In 2013, Mount Nittany Health undertook a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) in order to determine perceived insufficiencies relating to health within the Centre region. The CHNA served more than one purpose: supporting Mount Nittany Health s strategic priority of localizing healthcare for the community, sustaining the health system s vision of becoming the most trusted healthcare provider in central Pennsylvania, as well as satisfying IRS reporting purposes. The CHNA was comprised of five major components: 1. Health needs survey: 1,130 community members completed a survey identifying health needs/gaps and where they exist within the community. 2. Health needs summit: In conjunction with the Centre County Partnership for Community Health, semi-annual health needs summits were held, intending to provide a dedicated and collaborative forum for health experts, leaders, advocates, and elected officials to discuss, define, and prioritize health needs and gaps within the region. 3. Key stakeholder interviews: Approximately 40 key stakeholder interviews were conducted with elected officials, directors and board members from various healthrelated organizations, and knowledgeable community health advocates. 6

7 4. Internal insights: An internal Mount Nittany Health advisory team conducted select interviews with those who work within the organization to capture insights into the issues that the providers see, hear about, or have researched. 5. Secondary data: Publicly available health, census, and demographic data was compiled and incorporated into the CHNA to provide high-level insight into prevailing risk factors specific to the region. From the CHNA, six priority areas were identified that reflected the perceived health insufficiencies, including: mental health, diabetes/obesity, oral health, access (transportation and provider ability), substance abuse, and healthy aging. After the 2013 CHNA was published, the health system was charged with developing an implementation plan to achieve goals identified by the assessment. Because of Mount Nittany Health s strong interest in investing in the current and future health of the community, and because of the incredible support from individuals, teams, and organizations across the region, the following accomplishments were recognized during the 2014 Fiscal Year. Mental health: Because an estimated 20 percent of American adults live with a mental illness, Mount Nittany Health coordinated efforts with media to provide valuable and relevant information to the population at risk; sponsored Centre County s annual Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walk; enlisted a mental health professional to serve on the board of the Central PA Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; and coordinated a free community film screening and panel discussion in honor of Mental Health Awareness Week that saw over 300 community members in attendance. Diabetes/obesity: Because the rate of Centre County children in kindergarten through grades 12 who are obese is nearly double the national benchmark, and because Centre County adults 7

8 obesity rates exceed the national benchmark, Mount Nittany Health supported a pediatric weight management program within Mount Nittany Physician Group Pediatrics; provided quarterly health and wellness content via a pediatric e-newsletter; provided education through a Healthy Homeruns program with the State College Spikes; established a Family Health Fall Fest with free health screenings and education; established Sign Up Sunday, an annual event that enables community members to sign up for different sports programs and leagues as part of SpikesFest; sponsored and promoted an Eat Well, Play Well exhibit at Discovery Space; enlisted educators to provide diabetes/nutrition education and blood sugar checks for free at the Boalsburg Farmers Market; collaborated with People Centre D on Diabetes for National Diabetes Month promotions; provided free EKG, A1c, and total cholesterol screenings for emergency responders in Centre County; featured diabetes/nutrition educators and local chefs on WTAJ-TV Channel 10; provided annual heart health education; and supported One on One s Nutrition Habit Challenge. Oral health: Because Centre County is a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area for dental providers, and because patients are waiting approximately six months to see a provider, Mount Nittany Health helped to convene a Dental Task Force, focused on prevention and education programs within Centre County. Access (transportation): Because securing affordable, reliable and convenient transportation to healthcare providers can be challenging, Mount Nittany Health supports alternative methods of transportation for individuals seeking healthcare who lack access to public and private transportation, by funding and supporting the American Cancer Society transit program, allowing patients to get to and from appointments; offering taxi vouchers to patients unable to secure transportation home after a hospital visit; and using a radiation/oncology van to provide access for cancer patients to physician appointments and treatments. 8

9 Access (provider ability): Because the national benchmark ratio of primary care physicians to patients is 631 patients to 1 provider, and the ratio in Centre County is 1,286 patients to 1 provider, and because Mount Nittany Health recognizes the need to increase access points to primary care providers for patients within our service area to meet the high demand for preventive services, the number of primary care facilities and providers in the region were expanded to meet increasing demand for family medicine; free screenings were provided to the community; a patient portal called My Mount Nittany Health was launched to enhance patient engagement and access; and an enhanced medical education partnership with Penn State College of Medicine was developed and supported. Substance abuse: Because drug and alcohol use among high school students continues to rise and substance abuse is a problem among adults in the region, Mount Nittany Health provided community outreach for populations at risk regarding substance abuse, specifically through local media outlets. Healthy aging: Because Centre County agency officials expressed strong interest in enhancing health education efforts to seniors, and because chronic diseases are the most costly illnesses to treat over time and directly contribute to a decline in functionality and the inability for seniors to live independently, Mount Nittany Health provided available and affordable resources to the elderly population, such as access to providers and educational information, to enhance the ability to age safely at home. In addition to the accomplishments surrounding the six identified priority areas, Mount Nittany Health also established an internal Community Outreach Department to facilitate the daily operations, and build and sustain irreplaceable community relationships necessary to continue the good work outlined by the CHNA. 9

10 Extensive work continues to take place regarding each of these priority areas. And because priorities can fluctuate and perceived health needs can vary, Mount Nittany Health is in the process of planning and conducting a repeat of the CHNA, which will conclude by June 30, To learn more about the CHNA, visit mountnittany.org/healthneeds. 10