Community Benefit Details
Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region
Community Benefit Definition
Community benefits are programs or activities that provide treatment and/or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs and meet the following criteria:
- Generates low or negative margin
- Responds to needs of special populations, such as persons living in povertyand other underserved populations
- Supplies services or programs that would likely be discounted – or would need to be provided by another not-for-profit or government provider - if the decision were made purely on a financial basis
- Responds to public health needs
- Involves education or research that improves overall community health
SHSSR community benefit programs work collaboratively with others in the community to address specific community health needs and improve the overall well-being of the community. The programs include services for persons who face barriers accessing health care and initiatives to help people get healthy and stay healthy.
Providing community benefits demonstrates that our not-for-profit health care network is fulfilling its mission of community service and meeting its charitable tax-exempt purpose as a community benefit organization.
Community Benefit Plan
The Community Benefit Plan is developed by local community advisory boards with expertise and knowledge. The Community Benefit Plan provides a framework for the organization to strategically deliver programs and services to those that need them the most and includes an evaluation component to ensure the organization is meeting its goals.
The 2007-2009 Community Benefit Plan highlights the priority needs for the next three years and this Community Benefit Report provides information
on programs we supported in 2008.
Community Needs Assessment
SHSSR participates in a collaborative Community Needs Assessment (CNA) process every three years to help target areas of need within the communities served. Results from the CNA assist SHSSR with identifying areas of focus and are utilized to draft a three-year plan to address identified needs. The 2007-2009 Community Benefit Plan utilizes the findings from the 2007 CNA (a collaborative effort among Kaiser Permanente, Mercy/Catholic Healthcare West, Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region and UC Davis Health System). The CNA is an interactive Web site at: www.healthylivingmap.com.
Community Benefit Value
The community benefit value for SHSSR is calculated in two categories; Benefits for the Poor and Underserved and Benefits for the Broader Community. Below are definitions for each community benefit activity:
- Benefits to the Poor and Underinsured
Traditional Charity Care: Free or discounted health care services provided to the uninsured and underinsured populations.
Unreimbursed Costs of Medi-Cal: The "shortfall" created when the facility receives payments below the costs of treating public beneficiaries.
- Benefits for the Broader Community
Non-Billed Services: Activities with no individual patient bill, therefore no deduction from revenue is shown in the traditional statement of revenues and expenses.
Cash Donations and In-Kind Donations: Dollars and other items such as staff time and supplies donated by a facility to a community-based program or agency.
Education: All community, patient and medical education including, but not limited to, community lectures, nursing student rotations, physician/medical student clinician training and presentations.
Research: Any unreimbursed costs for clinical trials taking place in an SHSSR affiliate or with the Sutter Institute for Medical Research (SIMR).
| 2008 Community Benefit Value | Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region | Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital | Sutter Davis Hospital | Sutter Medical Foundation | Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento | Sutter Roseville Medical Center |
| Benefits for the Poor and Underserved | $98,104,000 | $5,310,000 | $7,343,000 | $20,026,000 | $49,738,000 | $15,687,000 |
| Benefits for the Broader Community | $10,810,000 | $480,000 | $657,000 | $419,000 | $6,642,000 | $2,244,000 |
| Total Quantifiable Community Benefit | $108,914,000 | $6,158,000 | $8,000,000 | $20,445,000 | $56,380,000 | $17,931,000 |