Dear Friends,
When reading this Community Benefit Report, I am amazed at the commitment of our employees, physicians and volunteers to the hospital and to the communities we serve, and realize how many lives we touch each year. In addition to the 165,000 patients we cared for at the hospital, well over 30,000 more people in our community benefited from hospital outreach and education programs; we also collaborated with over 100 community organizations, providing financial, in-kind, and human and educational resources.
Once again this year, the hospital was pleased to cosponsor Howard County's second Latino Health Fair in March, and we look forward to continuing to be a significant part of this event. We were also proud to support the third Muslim Health Fair, which was held in April; in total, the hospital participated in more than 30 health fairs in the past fiscal year.
Health screenings and education programs offered both in the hospital's Wellness Center and throughout the community promote wellness, prevention and early detection for a wide range of diseases. Howard County General Hospital provided 1,860 blood pressure screenings through our Community Cardiovascular Project in 19 churches throughout Howard County last year and more than 4,500 blood pressure screenings were performed at libraries, senior centers and the mall. Twenty-six speakers furnished through the HCGH Speakers Bureau presented to non-profit organizations.
The ultimate goal of our community outreach activities is to assist all residents of our community to live healthier, happier and more productive lives. On the following pages you will read about how Howard County General Hospital is working to achieve that goal. Please know that we are anxious to partner with you, the members of the communities we serve.
Sincerely,
Victor A. Broccolino
President and CEO
Community Benefit Report FY2006
|
Community Services |
|
| Community Education & Outreach |
$555,179 |
| Health Screenings/Assessments |
162,846 |
| Support Groups |
145,109 |
| Educational Partnerships |
7,657 |
|
|
|
Funding for Nursing & Other Professional Education |
340,487 |
|
Subsidized Health Services |
222,870 |
|
Donations |
1,388,672 |
|
Community Volunteerism |
1,033,581 |
|
Charity Care |
809,607 |
| Other |
16,170 |
| Total Community Benefit |
$4,682,178 |
|
|
| Hospital Financial Performance |
|
| Financial Data |
|
| Total Revenue - |
$164,038,000 |
| Total Expenses - |
158,908,000 |
|
|
| Surplus for Future Investments |
5,130,000* |
| Community Benefit as % total of expenses |
2.85% |
Partners in Education
Five days a week Willa Xiong is a senior at River Hill High School. In addition to her full AP class load, for two hours each day, four days each week, Willa goes to work with her mentor, Tina Milman at Howard County General Hospital too. With dreams of one day becoming a physician, getting a taste for a profession in health care through the hospital's mentor program in partnership with Howard County Public Schools, was an exciting opportunity for Willa.
Tina Milman, clinical program manager of Pulmonary Rehabilitation at HCGH and Willa's mentor, has been involved with the program for many years. “These students are a special part of our team. We assign projects that will give them a good experience and they observe and participate with patient therapy,” says Tina. “Willa has been quite an asset to our department. She has coordinated our flu vaccine initiative, made beautiful handouts and bulletins, done research for us and compiled educational materials.” Some students have been inspired by their experience and chosen a career in health care.
The hospital's mentor program offers two different options for students. Senior Howard County high school students, identified by their teacher, can apply for the program to shadow a physician or nurse at the hospital. They spend a full school year for a minimum of five hours each week, working with their mentor. This year the program has 17 students enrolled.
The second mentor program is catered to vocational technical students looking to gain experience in the health care arena. The vocational mentor program currently has 11 students enrolled. These students are placed in clinical departments such as diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, lab and nursing units. Periodically, they rotate to various departments to gain exposure to as many clinical situations as possible. They spend eight to 10 hours per week at HCGH.
According to Sarah Sherman, R.N., the hospital's coordinator of the mentor program, for almost 20 years Howard County General Hospital has been partnering with schools to bring students into the hospital to gain experience. The motivated students receive the same orientation and training as employees in patient confidentiality, fire safety, HIPAA, etc. “This program is a big commitment for the students to make, but the experience they receive is one they will never forget. The hospital and mentors are proud to be able to provide this opportunity to the students,” notes Sarah.
The Heart of Volunteering
Don't tell Richard Davis it can't be done. He will tell you it can and then make it happen. It should come as no surprise that Richard Davis was recently named 2006 Volunteer of the Year by the Howard County Government.
“If you are going to impact people's lives, you need to do it by finding them in the workplace and creating change,” says Richard.
As a volunteer at Howard County General Hospital, Richard knows the impact volunteers can have on an organization. When a request went out in 2003 by the American Cancer Society for a volunteer coordinator to work with local organizations to bring exercise into the workplace, Richard knew the job was for him.
Exercise was important to Richard. It had impacted his health in the past. In 1999, Richard was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Following angioplasty, Richard went through Howard County General Hospital's 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program. “I was driven by fear, so I exercised, and it immediately improved my condition,” says Richard.
The American Cancer Society's Active for Life Program became Richard's new mission. As the Howard County program coordinator, Richard has recruited corporations, their employees and various other organizations to participate in the program including Howard County General Hospital, Columbia Association, Howard Community College, and churches—just to name a few. The number of participants over the past three years stretches into the thousands.
Active for Life is a free, team-based, 10-week wellness program. It can accommodate any number of people. Members of the program agree to do two things: set a personal goal to do moderate exercise that raises your heart level; as well as call the head of your team and report your progress each week. “We provide the team with a calendar of events to encompass the length of the program and a theme for each week,” notes Richard. “We include events such as a scavenger hunt, group walk, a speaker on nutrition or exercise, or workshops. The ultimate goal of the program is to create a change in behavior and habit. You can't do that through exercise alone—education components must exist.”
At Howard County General Hospital, Richard introduces those completing the cardiopulmonary exercise regimen to the program to help keep them active. “Through the Active for Life volunteer-base, we follow-up with patients after they complete the hospital's program to make sure they keep up with the exercise,” notes Richard. “I am so grateful that I took the initiative to spearhead this program. It has been an incredibly rewarding journey.”
For more information on the Get Active Howard County spring program, call 410-740-7601.
Helping Hand Gives a Head Start
“I am so in awe of the people who work for this agency. They inspire me and it is a blessing for me. When they thank me — I say, ‘no, I thank you,'” says Debbie.
Debbie Harris, R.N., a longtime employee of Howard County General Hospital, wears a lot of hats. She is the director of Clinical Informatics at the hospital, a mother, wife, and, in her spare time, she gives of herself to the Community Action Council of Howard County (CAC). As immediate Past Board of Directors Chair and current Board Treasurer, Debbie is familiar with the support and services the CAC brings to Howard County's low-income residents.
The CAC is an organization that grew out of the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act to fight the “War on Poverty.” The Act helped establish nonprofits to assist people achieve economic efficiency and step out of poverty.
The Community Action Council governs Howard County Head Start, a program that equips preschool children with skills to enter kindergarten. “The children are so eager, but often there is a gap in readiness. Head Start bridges the gap during the preschool years, so that by the time they are old enough for kindergarten, they are well prepared,” says Debbie. There are 264 children currently enrolled in three centers in the county, with a waiting list of income-qualified children.
In addition to Head Start, the Community Action Council provides assistance for people facing eviction, loss of electricity, and those in need of other crisis intervention services. There is a food bank, assistance for Katrina victims, transitional housing services, and a group that has formed a charity called “One Month's Rent.”
“I love this agency because it makes a difference in so many lives, but there is so much more that needs to be done and so many people who need our help,” notes Debbie. “Many people don't realize that there is poverty in Howard County. We are very fortunate for Howard County Government's commitment to CAC. In addition, we are lucky because numerous community organizations have really helped CAC help those in need. “However, as hard as it is to believe, despite the generosity of those who have helped, there are many who are turned away because we have insufficient funding to address every need. We are constantly searching for ways to find additional funding and raise awareness of the poverty among us.”