Community Benefit
Mary Washington Healthcare has been serving its communities since 1889
by providing health promotion and prevention services to help people stay
healthy and medical care for them when they are sick. Mary Washington
Healthcare’s commitment and leadership in investing in the health
of the communities it serves are focused around an overall Community Benefit
Strategy. Community Benefits are programs or activities that provide treatment
and/or promote health and healing as a response to identified needs in
the communities served by Mary Washington Healthcare. They increase access
to healthcare and improve community health. They are not provided for
marketing purposes. A Community Benefit must respond to an identified
community need and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Improve access to healthcare services,
- Enhance health of the community,
- Advance medical or health knowledge, or
- Relieve or reduce the burden of government or other nonprofit community efforts.
Community Benefit is an integral part of Mary Washington Healthcare’s
mission and is the basis for its tax-exempt status. Through community
programs, services, and partnerships, Mary Washington Healthcare is effectively
addressing the health needs of its communities, including the most vulnerable among us.
Mary Washington Hospital opened as an eight-room hospital more than 110
years ago. Since then, Mary Washington Healthcare has grown with the region
to become a 537-bed, two-hospital tertiary health system. Mary Washington
Healthcare provides an unmatched scope of advanced clinical services not
replicated in the region, including open-heart surgery, neurosurgery,
complex thoracic surgery, Stereotactic Radiosurgery, state-of-the-art
imaging, a da Vinci surgical robot, and an electrophysiology lab. Mary
Washington Hospital is designated as a Level II Trauma Center along with
a Level III designated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With two hospitals,
three Emergency Departments, and many outpatient facilities, Mary Washington
Healthcare provides access to the full continuum of care which provides
a great level of benefit to our community.
Examples of Mary Washington Healthcare’s commitment to Community
Benefit include health screenings for early diagnosis and referral, preventive
health education, patient and family counseling, direct and indirect support
to safety-net providers, and a commitment to foster volunteerism opportunities
for Mary Washington Healthcare’s Associates and employed and affiliated
physicians with non-profit community groups.
Since 1993, the Community Benefit Funds of the Mary Washington Hospital
and Stafford Hospital Foundations have allocated more than $11 million
to over 400 programs that address the areas of access, prevention and
screenings, and education and lifestyle.
The following information will provide more detail to Mary Washington Healthcare’s
commitment to Community Benefit.
Community Health Needs Assessment (2013-2015)
Community Benefit Letter to the Community (June 2013)
2012 Community Benefit Report (issued 2013)
2011 Community Benefit Report (issued 2012)
Patient Financial Assistance Programs (PFAP)
Patient Financial Assistance Programs recognizes Mary Washington Healthcare’s
role in providing access to medically necessary and emergency healthcare
services for all persons regardless of their ability pay. Mary Washington
Healthcare commits to ensure the equitable delivery of treatment regardless
of insurance status in a professional and compassionate manner that respects
each individual’s dignity and privacy. Therefore, Mary Washington
Healthcare provides free or discounted care for medically necessary, emergency
healthcare services to persons who demonstrate financial need and meet
other eligibility criteria. In 2011, Mary Washington Healthcare provided
$36.5 million dollars in financial assistance and unreimbursed Medicaid.
iVolunteer – Volunteer Program for Mary Washington Healthcare’s
Physicians & Associates
Mary Washington Healthcare wants to recognize and encourage Physician,
Leader, and Associate participation in Community Benefit programs and
other community service endeavors. Volunteerism is an inherent trait amongst
the Mary Washington Healthcare family and MWHC iVolunteer program promotes
collaboration with our community nonprofit groups, supports creative volunteerism
projects, enhances the culture of addressing community needs, and establishes
both formal and informal recognition of Associates and Physicians for
volunteering. Key components of this program includes mini-grants for
Community Benefit programs, annual iVolunteer Days to provide opportunities
for both external and internal groups to raise awareness about their community
service efforts and iVolunteer Awards.
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2013 Community Benefit Programs
Beginning in 2013 thru 2016, Mary Washington Healthcare will focus the
majority of Community Benefit resources towards addressing the Top 10
Health Priorities identified in the Healthy Communities Partnership's
Community Health Needs Assessment. Those Top 10 Health Priorities are:
- Cancer (Colorectal, Lung, Breast)
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Mental Health Issues
- Access, Awareness & Affordability of Healthcare
- Tobacco Use
- Substance Abuse
- Dental Health
- Senior Health Issues
Community Benefit programs will directly impact our community as well as
improve the overall health of our patients and Associates. In addition,
every opportunity will be made to partner with existing programs in the
community to maximize resources and reduce unnecessary duplication.
Citizen Advisory Council
The Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) is a working committee to actively engage
citizen participation in the development and implementation of the Community
Benefit Strategy of Mary Washington Healthcare. Since 2010, Citizen Advisors
have been invited to interactive quarterly meetings as well as to serve
on Community Benefit Workgroups.
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Healthy Communities Partnership
Mary Washington Healthcare and the Rappahannock Area Health District launched
the Healthy Communities Partnership in May 2011. The Healthy Communities
Partnership was charged with completing a Community Health Needs Assessment
to identify high priority healthcare needs within the regional Mary Washington
Healthcare service area. The Healthy Communities Partnership established
three committees: Advisory, Steering, and Communications. The Healthy
Communities Partnership’s Advisory Committee is comprised of 40
community volunteers representing regional hospitals, health departments
and insurers, private businesses, community-based organizations, and healthcare
and mental health services providers. The Healthy Communities Partnership’s
Advisory Committee’s chief responsibilities are to:
- Provide input on all aspects of the Partnership, and
- Provide input to the Steering Committee on priority needs, resources, and
healthcare goals for the community.
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Community Health Information Resource Tool (CHIR)
Mary Washington Healthcare will continue to host the web-based information
system providing access to high-quality data related to improving the
health of the communities it serves. CHIR played a significant role in
the Healthy Communities Partnership with health indicator tracking and
best practice sharing. CHIR will play a pivotal role in the continuous
assessment of need and the implementation of Community Benefit Programs.
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