|
PART I, LINE 6A:
|
A SYSTEM-WIDE COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT IS FILED BY:ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE NETWORK 3075 HIGHLAND PARKWAY, DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515. EIN 36-2167779
|
|
PART I, LINE 7:
|
A COST-TO-CHARGE RATIO, DERIVED FROM SCHEDULE H INSTRUCTIONS WORKSHEET 2, RATIO OF PATIENT CARE COST-TO-CHARGES, WAS USED TO CALCULATE THE AMOUNTS REPORTED IN THE TABLE FOR PART I, LINE 7A. SCHEDULE H INSTRUCTIONS WORKSHEET 3, UNREIMBURSED MEDICAID AND OTHER MEANS-TESTED GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, WAS USED TO CALCULATE THE AMOUNTS REPORTED IN THE TABLE FOR PART I, LINE 7B. A COST ACCOUNTING SYSTEM WAS USED TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNTS REPORTED IN THE TABLE FOR PART I, LINES 7E, 7F, 7G, AND 7I.
|
|
PART I, LN 7 COL(F):
|
$896,198 OF BAD DEBT EXPENSE WAS INCLUDED ON FORM 990, PART IX, LINE 25, COLUMN (A), BUT WAS REMOVED FROM THE DENOMINATOR FOR PURPOSES OF SCHEDULE H, PART I, LINE 7, COLUMN (F).
|
|
PART II, COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES:
|
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE IS COMMITTED TO GREENING HEALTH CARE BECAUSE IT IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE PURPOSE OF OUR ORGANIZATION HEALTH AND HEALING. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE HEALTH OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF THE PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED AND THAT A HEALTHY PLANET SUPPORTS HEALTHY PEOPLE. REDUCING WASTE, CONSERVING ENERGY AND WATER, MINIMIZING USE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND CONSTRUCTING ECO-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW ALL OF THESE EFFORTS HAVE A DIRECT BENEFIT ON THE HEALTH OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES VIA CLEANER COMMUNITIES, HEALTHIER AIR QUALITY, REDUCED GREENHOUSE GASES, AND PRESERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. AS WE WORK TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT OF HEALTH CARE, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES HELP EASE THE BURDEN OF HEALTH CARE COSTS BOTH DIRECTLY (LOWER ENERGY COSTS) AND INDIRECTLY (LOWER ENVIRONMENTALLY-RELATED DISEASE BURDEN). 1. MENTORING AND EDUCATIONAS WE WORK TO SERVE THE HEALTH NEEDS OF TODAY'S PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE NEEDS OF FUTURE GENERATIONS, ADVOCATE HAS COMMITTED RESOURCES TO SHARING LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES WITH OTHER HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. ADVOCATE SERVES IN A LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND MENTORING ROLE NATIONALLY THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN SEVERAL HEALTHCARE SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND ADVISORY BOARDS, ADDRESSING SAFER CHEMICALS IN FURNISHING AND MEDICAL PRODUCTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, PLASTICS RECYCLING, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-PREFERABLE PURCHASING:- HEALTH CARE CLIMATE COUNCIL - HEALTHCARE ANCHOR NETWORK- HEALTHCARE PLASTICS RECYCLING COALITION HEALTHCARE FACILITY ADVISORY BOARD- PRACTICE GREENHEALTH MARKET TRANSFORMATION GROUP SAFER CHEMICALS- PREMIER ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL - SIGNATORY OF THE CHEMICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECTADVOCATE ALSO COMMONLY PROVIDES MENTORING TO HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY ON SUSTAINABILITY BEST PRACTICES THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND WEBINARS, AS WELL AS TO INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.2. ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM 2020 ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES:- PLEDGED TO POWER ITS FACILITIES WITH 100% RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BY 2030.- AVOIDED 1,392 MTCO2E OF GREENHOUSE GASES (EQUIVALENT TO 3.4 MILLION MILES OF DRIVING) THROUGH ECO-FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT OF ANESTHETIC GASES. - RECYCLED 3,390 TONS OF WASTE FROM HOSPITAL OPERATIONS.- RECYCLED 85 PERCENT, OR 3,090 TONS, OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS.- SAVED 36 TONS OF WASTE FROM LANDFILL AND SAVED $1.6 MILLION VIA OUR SURGICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE REPROCESSING PROGRAMS.- CONTINUED OUR DONATION PROGRAM WITH PROJECT C.U.R.E., A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WILL RESPONSIBLY REDISTRIBUTE DONATED MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS AROUND THE GLOBE, FOR ALL ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. ADVOCATE DONATED A TOTAL OF 53 PALLETS OF MISCELLANEOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND 14 PIECES OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PROJECT CURE IN 2020, ALL OF WHICH MAY HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN LANDFILLED.- PURCHASED 48,600 FEWER REAMS OF PAPER IN 2020 VERSUS 2019 - TRANSLATING INTO A 17% YEAR-OVER-YEAR REDUCTION IN PAPER USAGE.- SPENT 83% OF ADVOCATE'S EXPENSES IN SELECT CLEANING PRODUCT CATEGORIES (WINDOW, FLOOR, CARPET, BATHROOM, AND GENERAL-PURPOSE CLEANERS) ON THIRD-PARTY CERTIFIED "GREEN" CLEANERS.- INCREASED THE PURCHASE OF HEALTHIER HOSPITALS-APPROVED FURNITURE, MADE WITHOUT SELECT CHEMICALS OF CONCERN, INCLUDING PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS, PVC (VINYL), FORMALDEHYDE, FLAME RETARDANTS (WHERE CODE PERMISSIBLE) AND ANTIMICROBIALS, TO 96% OF TOTAL PURCHASES.- PURCHASED $886,000 OF MEAT PRODUCTS FROM LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY RAISED WITHOUT THE ROUTINE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS (30% OF TOTAL), SUPPORTING THE JUDICIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN AGRICULTURE WHICH CAN HELP SLOW THE EMERGENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA.PLEASE SEE ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE'S PUBLICLY-FACING SUSTAINABILITY & WELLNESS WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.3. ADVOCATE CONDELL MEDICAL CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS IN 2020 AVOIDED 105 MTCO2E OF GREENHOUSE GASES (EQUIVALENT TO 256,334 MILES OF DRIVING) THROUGH ECO-FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT OF ANESTHETIC GASES. DIVERTED OVER 603,000 POUNDS OF OPERATING WASTE FROM THE LANDFILL THROUGH ITS VARIOUS RECYCLING PROGRAMS. RECYCLED 76%, OR 42 TONS, OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS. AVOIDED 6,500 POUNDS OF MEDICAL AND SOLID WASTE THROUGH ITS DEVICE REPROCESSING PROGRAMS. PURCHASED 1,657 FEWER REAMS OF PAPER IN 2020 VERSUS 2019, TRANSLATING INTO A 7.3% YEAR OVER YEAR REDUCTION IN PAPER USAGE. 94% OF CLEANING PRODUCTS PURCHASED FOR FIVE KEY CATEGORIES (WINDOW, FLOOR, CARPET, BATHROOM, AND GENERAL PURPOSE CLEANERS) WERE THIRD-PARTY GREEN CERTIFIED. 100% OF FURNITURE PURCHASES WERE FREE OF FIVE KEY CHEMICALS OF CONCERN. PURCHASED 25% OF TOTAL MEAT PRODUCTS FROM LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY RAISED WITHOUT THE ROUTINE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS, SUPPORTING THE JUDICIOUS AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN AGRICULTURE WHICH CAN HELP SLOW THE EMERGENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA. DONATED 12 PALLETS OF VARIOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO PROJECT CURE FOR USE IN RESOURCE-LIMITED AREAS AROUND THE WORLD.
|
|
PART III, LINE 4:
|
FOR 2020, FOR ADVOCATE CONDELL, THE ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS COVERED 44.54% OF NET PATIENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. PATIENT ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ARE STATED AT NET REALIZABLE VALUE. ACMC EVALUATES THE COLLECTABILITY OF ITS ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE BASED ON THE LENGTH OF TIME THE RECEIVABLE IS OUTSTANDING, PAYER CLASS, HISTORICAL COLLECTION EXPERIENCE, AND TRENDS IN HEALTH CARE INSURANCE PROGRAMS. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE ARE CHARGED TO THE ALLOWANCE FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS WHEN THEY ARE DEEMED UNCOLLECTIBLE.THE COSTING METHODOLOGY USED IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNTS REPORTED ON LINES 2 AND 3 IS BASED ON THE RATIO OF PATIENT CARE COST TO CHARGES. THE UNREIMBURSED COST OF BAD DEBT WAS CALCULATED BY APPLYING THE ORGANIZATION'S COST TO CHARGE RATIO FROM THE MEDICARE COST REPORTS (CMS 2252-96 WORKSHEET C, PART 1, PPS INPATIENT RATIOS) TO THE ORGANIZATION'S BAD DEBT PROVISION PER GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES, LESS ANY PATIENT OR THIRD PARTY PAYOR PAYMENTS RECEIVED.ADVOCATE MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO IDENTIFY THOSE PATIENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BY STRICTLY ADHERING TO ITS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY. WE BELIEVE THAT ADVOCATE HAS A POPULATION OF PATIENTS WHO ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED BUT WHO DO NOT COMPLETE THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION. THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF BAD DEBT EXPENSE (AT COST) WHICH COULD BE REASONABLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO PATIENTS WHO WOULD LIKELY QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY, IF SUFFICIENT INFORMATION HAD BEEN AVAILABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY, WAS BASED UPON SELF PAY PATIENT ACCOUNTS WHICH HAD AMOUNTS WRITTEN OFF TO BAD DEBTS. OUR METHOD WAS TO BEGIN WITH THE SELF-PAY PORTION OF BAD DEBT EXPENSE PROVISION. THE SELF-PAY PORTION EXCLUDES THOSE PATIENTS WHO HAD FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS PENDING AT THE TIME OF SERVICE. THIS COST WAS THEN REDUCED BY CHARGES IDENTIFIED AS TRUE BAD DEBT EXPENSE, INCLUDING COPAYS FOR PATIENTS WHO QUALIFIED FOR LESS THAN 100% FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND CHARGES FOR PATIENTS WHO APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND WERE DENIED. THE COST TO CHARGE RATIO WAS THEN APPLIED TO THE REMAINING CHARGES, TO DETERMINE THE VALUE (AT COST) OF PATIENT ACCOUNTS THAT DID NOT COMPLETE FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND WERE ASSIGNED TO BAD DEBT. WE BELIEVE THIS PROCESS IS A REASONABLE BASIS FOR OUR ESTIMATE. AS WE ARE ONLY CONSIDERING SELF-PAY ACCOUNTS WRITTEN OFF TO BAD DEBT FOR THIS ESTIMATE, THIS ESTIMATE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE IMMEDIATE 25% DISCOUNT TO CHARGES WHICH IS APPLIED TO ALL SELF-PAY PATIENTS. IT ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE ACCOUNT BALANCES OR CO-PAYS OF NON-SELF PAY ACCOUNTS WHICH ARE WRITTEN OFF TO BAD DEBT WHEN THE PATIENT HAS NO OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO PAY THESE AMOUNTS AND THE PATIENT DOES NOT APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.BAD DEBT AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFIT AMOUNTS REPORTED THROUGHOUT SCHEDULE H.
|
|
PART III, LINE 9B:
|
ACMC MAINTAINS BOTH WRITTEN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND BAD DEBT/COLLECTION POLICIES. THE BAD DEBT/COLLECTION POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO THOSE PATIENTS KNOWN TO QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE; THEREFORE, SUCH PATIENTS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO COLLECTION PRACTICES.
|
|
PART VI, LINE 3:
|
ACMC ASSISTS PATIENTS WITH ENROLLMENT IN GOVERNMENT-SUPPORTED PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE AND IN SECURING REIMBURSEMENT FROM AVAILABLE THIRD-PARTY RESOURCES. FINANCIAL COUNSELING IS PROVIDED TO HELP PATIENTS IDENTIFY AND OBTAIN PAYMENT FROM THIRD PARTIES, INCLUDING ILLINOIS MEDICAID, ILLINOIS CRIME VICTIMS FUND, ETC., AS WELL AS TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY UNDER ACMC'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY. ADVOCATE UTILIZES A FINANCIAL SCREENING SOFTWARE PROGRAM TO HELP IDENTIFY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THE PATIENT MAY BE ELIGIBLE OR ADVOCATE'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION OR AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE THEREAFTER. IN ADDITION, HEALTHADVISOR, ADVOCATE'S EDUCATION REGISTRATION AND PHYSICIAN REFERRAL TELEPHONE CENTER, SERVES AS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE PROVIDING REFERRALS TO GOVERNMENT-FUNDED AND OTHER PROGRAMS VIA TELEPHONE FROM 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M., MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND SATURDAYS 9 A.M. TO 2 P.M. ACMC ASSISTS PATIENTS WITH APPLYING FOR ADVOCATE'S OWN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES, IF PATIENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT-SUPPORTED PROGRAMS. ACMC COMMUNICATES THE AVAILABILITY OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE APPLICABLE LANGUAGES OF THE HOSPITAL COMMUNITY. MEANS OF COMMUNICATION INCLUDE:1. THE HEALTH CARE CONSENT THAT IS SIGNED UPON REGISTRATION FOR HOSPITAL SERVICES INCLUDES A STATEMENT THAT FINANCIAL COUNSELING, INCLUDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATION, IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.2. SIGNS ARE CLEARLY AND CONSPICUOUSLY POSTED IN LOCATIONS THAT ARE VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO HOSPITAL PATIENT ACCESS, REGISTRATION, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, CASHIER, AND BUSINESS OFFICE LOCATIONS.3. BROCHURES ARE PLACED IN HOSPITAL PATIENT ACCESS, REGISTRATION, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, CASHIER, AND BUSINESS OFFICE LOCATIONS, AND WILL INCLUDE GUIDANCE ON HOW A PATIENT MAY APPLY FOR MEDICARE, MEDICAID, ALL KIDS, FAMILY CARE ETC., AND THE HOSPITAL'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. A HOSPITAL CONTACT AND TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS INCLUDED.4. A HANDOUT SUMMARIZING ADVOCATE'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION IS GIVEN TO UNINSURED PATIENTS WHO RECEIVE MEDICALLY NECESSARY HOSPITAL SERVICES AT THE EARLIEST PRACTICAL TIME OF SERVICE.5. ADVOCATE'S WEBSITE POSTS NOTICE IN A PROMINENT PLACE THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE, WITH AN EXPLANATION OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND ENABLE PRINTING OF THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION.6. HOSPITAL BILLS TO UNINSURED PATIENTS INCLUDE A REQUEST THAT THE PATIENT INFORM THE HOSPITAL OF ANY AVAILABLE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE, AND INCLUDE A SUMMARY OF ADVOCATE'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY, A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION, AND A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO REQUEST FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
|
|
PART VI, LINE 4:
|
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMUNITY/POPULATION. FOR THE 2017-2019 CHNA CYCLE, ADVOCATE CONDELL DEFINED THE COMMUNITY AS LAKE COUNTY, ENCOMPASSING 27 ZIP CODES, IN ORDER FROM HIGHEST SOCIOECONOMIC NEED TO LOWEST SOCIOECONOMIC NEED: NORTH CHICAGO (60064), WAUKEGAN (60085), ZION (60099), WAUKEGAN (60087), ROUND LAKE (60073), FOX LAKE (60020), HIGHLAND PARK/FORT SHERIDAN (60040), VOLO/FOX LAKE (60041), GREAT LAKES/NORTH CHICAGO (60088), ANTIOCH (60002), WADSWORTH (60096), MUNDELEIN (60060), WAUCONDA (60084), LAKE VILLA (60046), GURNEE (60031), GRAYSLAKE (60030), BEACH PARK/WADSWORTH (60083), BUFFALO GROVE (60089), VERNON HILLS (60061), LAKE BLUFF/RONDOUT (60044), LAKE ZURICH (60047), BARRINGTON (60010), LINCOLNSHIRE (60069), DEERFIELD (60015), LIBERTYVILLE (60048), HIGHLAND PARK/LAKE FOREST (60035), AND LAKE FOREST (60045). THE COMBINED POPULATION OF THE ADVOCATE CONDELL PRIMARY SERVICE AREA (PSA) AND SECONDARY SERVICE AREA (SSA) EQUALS 79.6 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF LAKE COUNTY. GENERALLY, ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF THE ADVOCATE CONDELL INPATIENT ADMISSIONS LIVE IN PSA COMMUNITIES AND 25 PERCENT LIVE IN SSA COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE ADVOCATE CONDELL HAS ADMISSIONS FROM APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN LAKE COUNTY, DATA WAS UTILIZED FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY FOR PURPOSES OF THE 2017-2019 CHNA.DEMOGRAPHICS (POPULATION, AGE, GENDER, RACE AND ETHNICITY). POPULATION. AS OF 2019, THE TOTAL POPULATION IN LAKE COUNTY IS 703,068 PERSONS. FROM 2010 THROUGH 2019, LAKE COUNTY HAS HAD A 0.06 PERCENT DECREASE IN POPULATION, SLOWER THAN THE 0.46 PERCENT DECREASE IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. AGE. BY AGE, THE MEDIAN AGE IN LAKE COUNTY IS 38.5 YEARS OF AGE. WHEN COMPARED TO THE MEDIAN AGE OF WOMEN (40.1 YEARS), THE MEDIAN AGE FOR LAKE COUNTY MEN (36.9 YEARS) IS LOWER. APPROXIMATELY 24 PERCENT OF THE LAKE COUNTY POPULATION IS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE AND 16 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS 65 YEARS AND OLDER. GENDER. BY GENDER, WOMEN ACCOUNT FOR 50.1 PERCENT OF THE LAKE COUNTY POPULATION AND MEN ACCOUNT FOR 49.9 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. RACE/ETHNICITY. BY RACE, THE LARGEST GROUP IN LAKE COUNTY IS THE WHITE POPULATION (71.9 PERCENT). THE SECOND LARGEST GROUP ARE THOSE THAT IDENTIFY AS SOME OTHER RACE (9.5 PERCENT). HOWEVER, LAKE COUNTY IS ALSO COMPRISED OF 7.9 PERCENT ASIAN; 7.1 PERCENT BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN; 0.5 PERCENT AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE; 3.0 PERCENT TWO RACES OR MORE RACES; AND 0.1 PERCENT NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER. ENGLISH IS THE PREDOMINANT LANGUAGE SPOKEN BY INDIVIDUALS IN LAKE COUNTY, AGES 5 AND OLDER (72.1 PERCENT), FOLLOWED BY SPANISH (16.7 PERCENT), INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES (6.3 PERCENT), ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER LANGUAGES (4.3 PERCENT) AND OTHER LANGUAGES (0.55 PERCENT) (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, CLARITAS, 2019).INCOME. THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN LAKE COUNTY IS $90,795. THE COUNTY'S MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME VARIES GREATLY BY RACE AND ETHNICITY. HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS HIGHEST AMONG THE ASIAN ($122,261), NON-HISPANIC/LATINO ($99,527), WHITE ($96,688) AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER ($92,006). THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS WITH THE LOWEST REPORTED MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME ARE HISPANIC ($58,505), AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE ($53,894) AND THE BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN ($47,145) POPULATION (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, CLARITAS, 2019).THE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL LABOR FORCE THAT IS UNEMPLOYED IN LAKE COUNTY IS 5.6 PERCENT, LOWER THAN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR ILLINOIS OF 6.7 PERCENT. THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN LAKE COUNTY ARE NORTH CHICAGO (30.3 PERCENT), ZION (8.9 PERCENT) AND FOX LAKE (8.7 PERCENT). THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOES NOT VARY GREATLY BY GENDER; 5.8 PERCENT OF MEN ARE UNEMPLOYED, AND 5.3 PERCENT OF WOMEN ARE UNEMPLOYED IN LAKE COUNTY (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, CLARITA'S, 2019). THE TOP THREE INDUSTRIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN LAKE COUNTY ARE TOTAL MANUFACTURING (16 PERCENT), RETAIL TRADE (11.9 PERCENT) AND HEALTH CARE OR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE (10.8 PERCENT). POVERTY. ACCORDING TO THE 2013-2017 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 8.5 PERCENT OF PEOPLE IN LAKE COUNTY ARE LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL; THE PRIOR RATE WAS 8.9 PERCENT. WHEN COMPARED TO THE ILLINOIS RATE (13.5 PERCENT) AND THE U.S. RATE (14.6 PERCENT), LAKE COUNTY IS IN THE BEST 0-50TH PERCENTILE. ACCORDING TO THE 2018 FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL (FPL) GUIDELINES, INDIVIDUALS MAKING LESS THAN $25,400 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR ARE CONSIDERED BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL. THE FEMALE POVERTY RATE (9.2 PERCENT) IS HIGHER THAN THE MALE POVERTY RATE (7.8 PERCENT). PEOPLE LIVING BELOW POVERTY LEVEL VARIES BY RACE AND ETHNICITY AS WELL. IN LAKE COUNTY, 23.6 PERCENT OF THE BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION IS LIVING BELOW POVERTY, THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTY, FOLLOWED BY 15.2 PERCENT OF HISPANIC OR LATINO POPULATION. THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE RATES FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY, BY COMMUNITY, ARE IN NORTH CHICAGO WITH 27 PERCENT, WAUKEGAN (60085) WITH 20.4 PERCENT AND ZION WITH 17.9 PERCENT (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2013-2017). ADDITIONALLY, THE PERCENTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS AGES 20 TO 64 WITH ANY DISABILITY LIVING IN POVERTY IS 13.8 PERCENT AND 11.5 PERCENT OF CHILDREN ARE LIVING BELOW POVERTY LEVEL IN LAKE COUNTY (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2017). ADULTS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE. THE RATE OF ADULTS (AGE 19-64 YEARS) WITH HEALTH INSURANCE IN LAKE COUNTY IS 91.7 PERCENT, WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 TARGET OF 100 PERCENT OF ADULTS WITH COVERAGE. THE RATE FOR ADULTS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE IN LAKE COUNTY VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY BY RACE AND ETHNICITY. FOR WHITE ADULTS, 96.4 PERCENT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, THE HIGHEST INSURED GROUP IN THE COUNTY. THE ASIAN POPULATION IS THE SECOND HIGHEST INSURED GROUP WITH 95.6 PERCENT THAT HAVE INSURANCE, FOLLOWED BY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK POPULATION (91.4 PERCENT), THEN THE POPULATION THAT IDENTIFIES AS 2 MORE RACES (90.1 PERCENT) AND SECOND TO LAST IS THE HISPANIC/LATINO POPULATION (76.6 PERCENT). THE GROUP THAT SELF-IDENTIFIES AS "OTHER" HAS THE LOWEST PERCENT (69.2) OF INSURED ADULTS IN LAKE COUNTY (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2017). CHILDREN WITH HEALTH INSURANCE. IN LAKE COUNTY, 97.2 PERCENT OF CHILDREN (19 YEARS AND UNDER) HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. THE COUNTY PERCENTAGE IS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN ILLINOIS (97.1 PERCENT) AND THE U.S. (95 PERCENT). IN LAKE COUNTY, 99.4 PERCENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN/BLACK CHILDREN HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, THE HIGHEST INSURED GROUP IN THE COUNTY. THE SECOND HIGHEST INSURED CHILDREN'S GROUP IS THE ASIAN POPULATION (99.1 PERCENT), FOLLOWED BY WHITE (98.7 PERCENT), 2 OR MORE RACES (94.6 PERCENT), OTHER (94.5 PERCENT) AND THE LEAST INSURED GROUP IS THE HISPANIC/LATINO POPULATION (93.9 PERCENT). THE RATE OF HEALTH INSURANCE FOR HISPANIC/LATINO CHILDREN IS SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN THE COUNTY RATE (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2017). PERSONS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE ONLY. IN LAKE COUNTY, 18.5 PERCENT OF INDIVIDUALS HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE ONLY. PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE INCLUDES THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS MEDICARE, MEDICAID, VA HEALTH CARE, THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) AND INDIVIDUAL STATE HEALTH PLANS. THE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE ONLY IN LAKE COUNTY IS LOWER THAN IN ILLINOIS (23.3 PERCENT) AND THE U.S. (23.6 PERCENT). HOWEVER, THE LAKE COUNTY RATE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASING; THE PRIOR RATE WAS 17 PERCENT (CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2017). HOSPITALS AND FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS. KEY HEALTH CARE RESOURCES WITHIN LAKE COUNTY INCLUDE: THE LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT (COUNTY-WIDE LOCATIONS); THREE FQHC'S INCLUDING THE FQHC/PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ERIE HEALTHREACH (WAUKEGAN, IL) AND FENIX CLINIC (HIGHLAND PARK, IL); FIVE HOSPITALS INCLUDING NORTHWESTERN LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL (LAKE FOREST AND GRAYSLAKE, IL), VISTA HEALTH SYSTEM (WAUKEGAN AND LINDENHURST, IL) AND NORTHSHORE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM (HIGHLAND PARK, IL); AND OAK STREET HEALTH (WAUKEGAN), WHICH IS AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC FOR THE MEDICARE POPULATION. IN LAKE COUNTY, THERE ARE FOUR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS (MUAS)ONE FOR THE NORTH CHICAGO SERVICE AREA, ONE FOR THE WAUKEGAN SERVICE AREA, ONE FOR THE ZION SERVICE AREA AND ONE FOR THE HIGHLAND PARK/HIGHWOOD SERVICE AREA.
|
|
PART VI, LINE 5:
|
ADVOCATE CONDELL'S GOVERNING COUNCIL IS COMPRISED OF LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PHYSICIANS. SIXTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE CURRENT GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE FAITH COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION EXTENDS MEDICAL STAFF PRIVILEGES TO ALL QUALIFIED PHYSICIANS IN ITS COMMUNITY FOR SOME OR ALL OF ITS DEPARTMENTS AND SPECIALTIES. ADVOCATE CONDELL ALSO DONATES STAFF TIME AND EXPERTISE TO SEVERAL LOCAL COUNCILS, BOARDS, COALITIONS AND COMMITTEES. THE ADVOCATE CONDELL PRESIDENT DEVOTES TIME TO THE GREATER CHICAGO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE. THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND AN ED SOCIAL WORKER REPRESENT ADVOCATE CONDELL ON THE LAKE COUNTY OPIOID INITIATIVE TASK FORCE, WHICH FOCUSES ON ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT IN THE SERVICE AREA. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DIRECTOR ALSO SERVES ON THE LIVE WELL LAKE COUNTY STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH PROVIDES OVERSIGHT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN. BOTH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DIRECTOR AND COMMUNITY HEALTH COORDINATOR SERVE ON THREE LIVE WELL LAKE COUNTY ACTION TEAMS, FOCUSING ON DIABETES, NUTRITION, FOOD INSECURITY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DIRECTOR ALSO SERVES ON THE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE ERIE HEALTHREACH WAUKEGAN HEALTH CENTER, A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER. IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIFIC 2017-2019 CHNA-RELATED PROGRAM EXAMPLES MENTIONED ELSEWHERE IN THIS DOCUMENT, ADVOCATE CONDELL PROVIDES NUMEROUS OTHER HOSPITAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY AS DESCRIBED BELOW.COVID-19 PREVENTION AND MITIGATION. IN 2020, ADVOCATE CONDELL PROVIDED FREE COVID-19 TESTING IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF ENSURING ACCESS FOR HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. FREE MASKS AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WERE DISTRIBUTED, AND TESTING WAS HELD AT JOHN T MAGEE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ROUND LAKE AND AT THE ZION PARK DISTRICT, TWO HIGH SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEED COMMUNITIES WITH DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH RATES OF COVID-19 INFECTION. A TOTAL OF 144 LAKE COUNTY RESIDENTS RECEIVED COVID-19 TESTS AT THESE LOCATIONS OVER FOUR DAYS. ADVOCATE CONDELL'S COMMUNITY HEALTH TEAM ALSO SHARED BI-WEEKLY UPDATES AND COVID-19 RESOURCES WITH OVER 90 COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN LAKE COUNTY. DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ADVOCATE CONDELL AND ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LOCAL PARTNERS, SHARE RESOURCES AND ADDRESS BARRIERS AND GAPS RELATED TO COVID-19 IN THE COMMUNITY. ADVOCATE CONDELL ALSO PARTNERED WITH A CHURCH IN NORTH CHICAGO AND THE ROUND LAKE AREA LIBRARY TO PROVIDE FREE FLU VACCINATIONS, ENSURING CONVENIENT ACCESS FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. A TOTAL OF 129 INDIVIDUALS WERE VACCINATED IN ROUND LAKE AND NORTH CHICAGO, WHICH ARE HIGH SOCIO-ECONOMIC NEED COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (CHW) PROGRAM. IN 2019, ADVOCATE CONDELL HIRED A FULL-TIME COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (CHW) TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, ASSIST WITH HEALTH NAVIGATION AND REDUCE IMPROPER USE OF THE ED. IN 2020, 456 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED BY THE ADVOCATE CHW. A TOTAL OF 1,388 COMMUNITY REFERRALS WERE MADE FOR SUPPORT SERVICES AND 46 PERCENT OF PATIENTS RECEIVED REFERRALS TO A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHW WORKED WITH LOCAL COALITIONS TO COORDINATE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES TO HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS AND ASSISTED AT COVID-19 TESTING SITES AND COMMUNITY FLU VACCINATION CLINICS. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFERENCE ADVOCATE CONDELL'S 2020 FORM 990, PART III, UNDER 4C, STRATEGY 1. SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER (SANE). ADVOCATE CONDELL HAS ONSITE REGISTERED NURSES WHO ARE SANE CERTIFIED AND CAN PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. THE SANE NURSES ALSO PROVIDE PEER TO PEER EDUCATION AND TRAIN OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING TESTIMONY IN COURT TO ASSIST IN PROSECUTING SEXUALLY VIOLENT PERPETRATORS. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFERENCE ADVOCATE CONDELL'S 2020 FORM 990, PART III, UNDER 4C, STRATEGY 4. TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER. IN 2020, ADVOCATE CONDELL BEGAN PLANNING THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW NORTH REGION TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER, PROVIDING QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS OF INTENTIONAL TRAUMA. A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WILL BE PROVIDING ACCESS TO TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AT THE MEDICAL CENTER, AT AN OFFSITE TRC OFFICE LOCATION AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH TELEHEALTH. SERVICES WILL INCLUDE OUTPATIENT CLINICAL ASSESSMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND SAFETY AND SELF-CARE GUIDANCE. THE PROGRAM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2021. RISK WATCH. RISK WATCH IS A NATIONWIDE SAFETY AWARENESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAM PRESENTED AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS; RISK WATCH IS CONDUCTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LIBERTYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ADVOCATE CONDELL'S TRAUMA AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT STAFF GO TO LOCAL SCHOOLS TWICE EACH YEAR TO PRESENT INFORMATION TO STUDENTS AND SCHOOL FACULTY ON FALLS PREVENTION, POISON PREVENTION, STRANGULATION PREVENTION, CHOKING PREVENTION AND SUFFOCATION PREVENTION. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATION, POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, HANDOUTS, VIEWING OF X-RAYS OF FRACTURES AND FOREIGN BODIES SWALLOWED, AS WELL AS A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PERIOD. IN 2020, ADVOCATE CONDELL'S TRAUMA DEPARTMENT PROVIDED SAFETY AWARENESS AND EDUCATION TO LOCAL SCHOOLS IN LIBERTYVILLE. THE RISK WATCH TEAM SERVED 830 LIBERTYVILLE GRADE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2020.PENWASCIZ PROGRAM. ADVOCATE CONDELL PROVIDES AN EARLY OPPORTUNITY FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR AND SENIOR STUDENTS TO LEARN FIRST-HAND ABOUT HEALTH CAREERS THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMPENWASCIZ HEALTH CAREERS. INTERNS LEARN ABOUT A VARIETY OF HEALTH CARE CAREERS THROUGH DIRECT PATIENT INTERACTIONS AND CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS. ADVOCATE CONDELL'S TEAM OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS GUIDE STUDENTS INTO VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, PATIENT CARE UNITS, CLINICAL LABORATORIES, RADIOLOGY AND PHARMACY. THE PROGRAM ENABLES DIRECT INTERACTION WITH DOCTORS AND NURSES AT THE HOSPITAL, GIVING STUDENTS THE EARLY EXPOSURE THEY NEED TO PURSUE CAREER PATHS IN HEALTH CARE. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE PROGRAM ONLY SERVED 79 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN 2020; THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE IN 2021.COUNTY ACTION TO COMBAT HUNGER (C.A.T.C.H). ADVOCATE CONDELL ALSO SUPPORTED THE C.A.T.C.H COMMITTEE BY DEVOTING STAFF TIME TO COORDINATING LOCAL FOOD DELIVERIES TO HOMEBOUND INDIVIDUALS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC. FOR MORE DETAILS, REFERENCE ADVOCATE CONDELL'S 2020 FORM 990, PART III, UNDER 4C, STRATEGY 6..
|
|
PART VI, LINE 6:
|
6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. IF THE ORGANIZATION IS PART OF AN AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, DESCRIBE THE RESPECTIVE ROLES OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS AFFILIATES IN PROMOTING THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES SERVED.ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE (ILLINOIS) AND AURORA HEALTH CARE (WISCONSIN) MERGED IN 2018 TO BECOME ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH. ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH'S ILLINOIS HOSPITALS (ADVOCATE) ARE NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND ARE RELATED TO BOTH THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA AND THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST. THE ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE NETWORK BOARD MEMBERS, LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MEMBERS (STAFF/EMPLOYEES) ARE COMMITTED TO POSITIVELY AFFECTING THE HEALTH STATUS AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS IN COMMUNITIES SERVED BY THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT THE ADVOCATE AURORA VISION OF "WE HELP PEOPLE LIVE WELL." PRIOR TO 2016, THE COMMUNITY FACING FUNCTION WAS LED BY A TEAM OF ADVOCATE SYSTEM-LEVEL INDIVIDUALS WHOSE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDED VARIOUS COMMUNITY ROLES MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH COMMUNITY RELATIONS. IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO SUPPORT ITS HOSPITALS IN ADDRESSING COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITIES, ADVOCATE AURORA'S SYSTEM LEADERSHIP DIRECTED THE FORMATION OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 2016. THE DEPARTMENT IS LED BY A SYSTEM EXECUTIVE AND STAFFED WITH PUBLIC/COMMUNITY HEALTH SPECIALISTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY BENEFITS REPORTING, EXECUTING COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ADVOCATE. THE COMMUNITY HEALTH TEAM HAS SINCE LED TWO CHNA CYCLES. THE MOST RECENT CHNA REPORTS WERE APPROVED BY THE ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE NETWORK BOARD AND POSTED IN DECEMBER 2019, FOLLOWED BY APPROVAL AND POSTING OF THE HOSPITALS' COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPLEMENTATION PLANS IN 2020. IN OCTOBER 2019, THE ADVOCATE AURORA BOARD APPROVED A COMMUNITY STRATEGY THAT WOULD SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SYSTEM-WIDE PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE HEALTH NEEDS OF PATIENTS, FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ADVOCATE AURORA. THROUGH THIS STRATEGY, WE WILL BUILD HEALTH EQUITY, ENSURE ACCESS AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH EVIDENCE-INFORMED SERVICES AND INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS BY ADDRESSING MEDICAL NEEDS AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS. BASED ON NEED AND EFFECT ON HEALTH EQUITY, AS IDENTIFIED IN ADVOCATE AURORA'S 27 HOSPITAL CHNA REPORTS AND IN INDUSTRY LITERATURE, ADVOCATE AURORA PRIORITIZED THE FOLLOWING SIX FOCUS AREAS ON WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL HOSPITAL COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPLEMENTATION PLANS ARE BUILT AND SUPPORT, INCLUDING: 1) ACCESS/PRIMARY MEDICAL HOMES; 2) ACCESS/ BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES; 3) COMMUNITY SAFETY; 4) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT; 5) AFFORDABLE HOUSING; AND 6) FOOD SECURITY. GIVEN THAT ADVOCATE AND AURORA HAVE SEPARATE FEIN'S, THE NARRATIVE WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT PRIMARILY DESCRIBES PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES PERTAINING TO ADVOCATE (AAH ILLINOIS). ADVOCATE'S BOARD, SYSTEM LEADERSHIP AND TEAM MEMBERS ARE FULLY ENGAGED IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT SYSTEM AND SITE EFFORTS IN ACHIEVING MILESTONES IN EACH OF THESE COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOCUS AREAS. EXAMPLES OF AFFILIATED SYSTEM PROGRAMS/SERVICES THAT ALIGN WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMUNITY STRATEGY AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THESE KEY FOCUS AREAS ARE PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE. 1. ACCESS/PRIMARY MEDICAL HOMES. THE FIRST OF SIX KEY AREAS TARGETED BY ADVOCATE'S COMMUNITY STRATEGY IS IMPROVING ACCESS/CONNECTING PATIENTS TO PRIMARY MEDICAL HOMES. ADVOCATE IS COMMITTED TO UNDERTAKING AND SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT ENHANCE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, CARE COORDINATION, LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PROVISION OF CARE, AND PREVENTION EDUCATION AND WELLNESS SERVICES ACROSS THE LIFESPAN AND WITHIN THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ADVOCATE SERVES. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ADVOCATE OFFERS A VERY GENEROUS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, REQUIRING NO PAYMENTS FROM THE PATIENTS MOST IN NEED, AND PROVIDING DISCOUNTS TO UNINSURED AND INSURED PATIENTS. PATIENTS EARNING UP TO SIX TIMES THE FPL, AND INSURED PATIENTS EARNING UP TO TWO AND HALF TIMES THE FPL, MAY QUALIFY FOR A FULL OR PARTIAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT. ADDITIONALLY, A CATASTROPHIC ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT IS AVAILABLE FOR UNINSURED AND INSURED PATIENTS WHOSE INCOMES EXCEED THE TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INCOME GUIDELINES AND HAVE OUTSTANDING PATIENT BALANCES OF $25,000 OR MORE FOR A SINGLE DATE OF SERVICE OR SUM OF SEVERAL DATES OF SERVICE. THESE PATIENTS MAY QUALIFY TO RECEIVE A FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DISCOUNT THAT REDUCES THEIR OUTSTANDING BALANCE TO 25% OF THEIR NET INCOME. FOR UNINSURED PATIENTS, ADVOCATE WILL PRESUMPTIVELY PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IF THE FINANCIAL STATUS HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IN THESE CASES, THE PATIENT IS NOT REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A SEPARATE CHARITY APPLICATION. IF PRESUMPTIVE CRITERIA ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR UNINSURED PATIENTS, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY IS AVAILABLE USING AN INCOME-BASED SCREENING. ADVOCATE EXTENDS ITS INCOME-BASED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY TO ITS INSURED PATIENTS AS WELL. ADVOCATE CONTINUES TO REVIEW AND REFINE ITS POLICY IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP.FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS (FQHCS). ALL ADVOCATE'S HOSPITALS HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH FQHC'S OR OTHER COMMUNITY CLINICS WITHIN THEIR SERVICE AREAS FOR PROVIDING CARE FOR MEDICAID AND UNINSURED PATIENTS. ADVOCATE SHERMAN WORKS CLOSELY WITH GREATER ELGIN FAMILY HEALTH (FQHC), VNA HEALTH CARE AND AUNT MARTHA'S (FQHC) TO COORDINATE CARE FOR LOW-INCOME PATIENTS IN THE ELGIN AREA. THE HOSPITAL PROVIDES COLONOSCOPIES AND MAMMOGRAMS TO GREATER ELGIN FAMILY HEALTH PATIENTS, COORDINATED THROUGH GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAMS. ADVOCATE CONDELL WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (FQHC) AND ERIE HEALTHREACH WAUKEGAN (FQHC), BY PROVIDING MAMMOGRAMS AND SOME SPECIALTY CARE TO UNINSURED AND LOW-INCOME PATIENTS AS THEY ARE REFERRED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC AND ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL ALSO PARTNER WITH HEARTLAND HEALTH CENTERS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH, ONE OF THE LARGEST FREE CLINICS IN THE NATION, TO PROVIDE SPECIALTY CARE TO UNINSURED PATIENTS AND REFERRALS TO FQHCS AND FREE CLINICS FOR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES. IN ADDITION, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC PROVIDES OPERATIONS SPACE TO HEARTLAND HEALTH CENTERS ON ITS CAMPUS TO PROVIDE PRIMARY CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE UNINSURED. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ACCESS TO CARE ORGANIZATION, ADVOCATE CHRIST PROVIDES MAMMOGRAMS TO AREA UNINSURED AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE REFERRED BY THE CLINIC TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN THIS SERVICE IS REQUIRED. ADVOCATE TRINITY WORKS WITH CHICAGO FAMILY HEALTH CENTER AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER TO COORDINATE CARE FOR LOW INCOME PATIENTS. TO MAINTAIN QUALITY CARE EXCELLENCE AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE SEEKING CARE FROM ADVOCATE, WORKING TO FIND MEDICAL HOMES AND TO REDUCE EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS AND HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IS ESSENTIAL. ADVOCATE HAS NUMEROUS PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON MANAGING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE CONTINUUM OF CAREIN INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SETTINGS, AND IN THE HOME. MEDICAID AND MEDICARE. ADVOCATE ACTIVELY WORKS TO IMPROVE THE PROVISION OF SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE COVERED BY MEDICARE AND MEDICAID AND THAT SEEK SERVICES AT ANY OF ADVOCATE'S 400 SITES OF CARE. ADVOCATE COLLABORATES WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) AND FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS (FQHCS) IN INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ESTABLISH PRIMARY CARE RELATIONSHIPS FOR MEDICAID AND UNINSURED PATIENTS. ADVOCATE CARE ORGANIZATION (ACO). ADVOCATE COLLABORATES WITH MERIDIAN FAMILY HEALTH PLAN (FHP) OF ILLINOIS AS PART OF AN INTEGRATED CARE MODEL FOR PEOPLE ON MEDICAID. ADVOCATE HAS A STRONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CARE TO THE MEDICAID POPULATION WITHIN ITS NETWORK WITH KEY FOCUS AREAS, INCLUDING IMPROVED CARE COORDINATION, ACCESS AND QUALITY PERFORMANCE. THE RESULT HAS BEEN A REDUCTION IN ED UTILIZATION DUE TO SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS IN THE PLAN TO A MEDICAL HOME.
|
|
PART VI, LINE 7, REPORTS FILED WITH STATES
|
IL
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
PRIMARY CARE CONNECTION-COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHWS) IS A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES SEEN IN THE ED ON APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM USING COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PRIMARY CARE CONNECTIONS INTERVENTION ARE TO: EDUCATE AND SCHEDULE LOW ACUITY PATIENTS WHO VISIT THE ED REGARDING ALTERNATIVE CARE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM; HELP THEM ESTABLISH A PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL HOME; IMPROVE CARE COORDINATION TO PREVENT INAPPROPRIATE ED UTILIZATION; AND HELP THEM NAVIGATE SPECIFIC SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THE PROGRAM EXISTS IN FOUR AAH ILLINOIS HOSPITALS INCLUDING ADVOCATE CHRIST, ADVOCATE TRINITY, ADVOCATE CONDELL AND ADVOCATE SHERMAN. THE PCC PROGRAM HAS REACHED OVER 28,235 PATIENTS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2017. FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER 2020, THE PROGRAM SERVED 3,000 PATIENTS WITH A 90-DAY READMISSION RATE AMONG ALL PATIENTS OF LESS THAN THREE PERCENT. ADVOCATE CONTINUES TO PURSUE QUALITY AND UTILIZATION IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES LIKE THE PRIMARY CARE CONNECTIONS INTERVENTION TO ACTIVELY MANAGE AND ENGAGE THE ADVOCATE/MERIDIAN FHP MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE QUADRUPLE AIM OF IMPROVED PHYSICIAN AND PATIENT EXPERIENCE, BETTER PATIENT OUTCOMES, AND REDUCTIONS IN THE TOTAL COSTS OF CARE.ADVOCATE ALSO PROVIDES LANGUAGE AND OTHER CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO A BROAD RANGE OF HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES. LANGUAGE SERVICES. IN 2020, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC, THE LANGUAGE SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROACTIVELY DEPLOYED STRATEGIES TO HELP PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED ACCESS TO LANGUAGE SERVICES FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. LANGUAGE SERVICES EXPANDED ITS VIDEO INTERPRETATION CAPABILITIES BY DEPLOYING MORE THAN 500 NEW IPADS, BRINGING THE TOTAL AT ALL IL SITES TO 1,400. ALL EMPLOYED INTERPRETERS WERE SETUP TO WORK REMOTELY AND/OR ONSITE TO PROVIDE VIDEO AND TELEPHONIC INTERPRETING SERVICES. PHONES, IPADS AND COMPUTERS HELPED CONNECT PATIENTS IN MORE THAN 250,000 INTERACTIONS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. AS THE USE OF TELEHEALTH INCREASED, INTERPRETERS WERE SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED INTO THE TELEHEALTH PLATFORMS TO CONTINUE COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS IN THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE, RESULTING IN NEARLY 2,000 TELEHEALTH VISITS WITH AN INTERPRETER. THROUGHOUT 2020, COVID-19 INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH TO HELP MITIGATE THE SPREAD IN AT-RISK COMMUNITIES. IN TOTAL, 32% OF ALL TRANSLATED DOCUMENTS INCLUDED COVID-19 RELATED CONTENT. ONSITE INTERPRETERS, EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE WERE PROVIDED FOR COVID-19 TESTING TRAILERS, SCREENING TENTS, MOBILE UNITS AND ENTRANCE SCREENING TABLES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. ADVOCATE'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT PROMOTE HEALTH EQUITY HAVE RESULTED IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS/INITIATIVES THAT WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF DIVERSE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. EXAMPLES OF THESE EFFORTS FOLLOW. LGBTQ (LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUEER) HEALTH EQUITY INDEX. ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC WAS THE FIRST ADVOCATE AURORA HOSPITAL TO ACHIEVE, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, "LEADER" STATUS DENOMINATION WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION'S HEALTH EQUALITY INDEX. THE MEDICAL CENTER IS ONE OF 765 HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS, ALONG WITH ALL HOSPITALS WITHIN THE ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH NETWORK, WHICH IS NOW THE THIRD LARGEST SYSTEM IN THE U.S. WITH ALL ITS HOSPITALS HEI LEADERS AWARDED IN 2020. LEADERS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR POLICIES AND SERVICES SUPPORTIVE OF LGBTQ RIGHTS, INCLUDING PATIENT VISITATION AND EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION, STAFF TRAINING IN LGBTQ PATIENT-CENTERED AND EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION, STAFF TRAINING IN LGBTQ PATIENT-CENTERED CARE, LGBTQ PATIENT SERVICES AND SUPPORT, TRANSGENDER PATIENT SERVICES, EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, AND PATIENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IN 2016, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC ALSO CREATED AN INTERNAL LGBTQ WORK GROUP. THE MEDICAL CENTER HAS DEVELOPED PROCESSES FOR GENDER CONFORMING IDENTIFICATION AND CAPABILITIES TO CAPTURE GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION SOGI DATA. ONE WAY OF DOING THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS TO PLACE A SIGN ON SPECIFIC ROOMS AS AN ALERT TO NURSING AND PHYSICIAN TEAM MEMBERS THAT THE ROOM'S OCCUPANT IS A GENDER DIVERSE OR GENDER EXPANSIVE (TGNC) PATIENT AND TO BE SENSITIVE OF THE PATIENT'S GENDER IDENTITY/PRONOUNS/NAME IN USE. ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC'S EXPERIENCE WAS THE MODEL FOR OTHER MEDICAL CENTERS WITHIN THE ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH NETWORK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HEALTH EQUALITY INDEX IN 2020, IMPACTING MILLIONS OF TEAM MEMBERS AND PATIENTS ACROSS ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN. DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CHALLENGES THAT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BROUGHT TO THE WHOLE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, ADVOCATE HOSPITALS CONTINUED THEIR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE AND AFFIRMING CARE FOR LGBTQ PATIENTS.CULTURAL HEALTH INITIATIVES. TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE UNIQUE CULTURAL, SPIRITUAL AND HEALTH NEEDS OF THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WITHIN ITS SERVICE AREA, ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL CREATED A NEW ROLE IN 2020 TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE CULTURAL HEALTH INITIATIVES. PREVIOUSLY THE HOSPITAL HAD A DESIGNATED PATIENT NAVIGATOR (POLISH) WHOSE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WAS THE POLISH COMMUNITY. AS OF LATE 2020, THE HOSPITAL ACQUIRED A CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY LIAISON TO SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THIS INDIVIDUAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTEGRATING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES IN THE LATINX, POLISH, RUSSIAN, SOUTH ASIAN AND SENIOR POPULATIONS. IN ALIGNMENT WITH ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH, THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO EMBED DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN ALL FORMS OF PATIENT CARE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY LIAISON PROGRAM SUPPORTS COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL'S COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. COMMUNICATION WITH PROVIDERS AND CLINICAL SUPPORT SERVICES AROUND CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES OF THE PATIENT'S CARE PLAN AND POSSIBLE ALTERATIONS NEEDED FURTHERS THE GOAL OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE FOR ALL, PROMOTING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MEETS THE UNEXPRESSED AND EXPRESSED NEEDS OF ALL THOSE IN THE FACILITY. THE OPPORTUNITY ALSO EXISTS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL BARRIERS AND TO ASSESS WHAT EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND HOSPITAL RESOURCES ARE NEEDED THAT SUPPORT CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES, FOSTERING GREATER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PROVIDER AND PATIENT/FAMILY AROUND THE PATIENT'S CARE PLAN. DUE TO ITS LATE DEVELOPMENT IN 2020, NO OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN REPORTED, HOWEVER, 2021 PROGRAM OUTCOMES WILL BE REPORTED IN ADVOCATE'S 2021 COMMUNITY BENEFITS REPORT. 2. ACCESS/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICESA SECOND ADVOCATE COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOCUS AREA IS ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. ADVOCATE HAS IMPLEMENTED MANY PROGRAMS/SERVICES FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS. SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT ADVOCATE HOSPITALS HAVE IMPLEMENTED AND IMPROVE ACCESS ARE PROVIDED BELOW. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA). WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, MENTAL HEALTH IS SELECTED AS A KEY COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITY. MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS, HOSPITAL STAFF, FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY CONTINUED IN 2020 AS ONE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPACT THIS ISSUE. THE EIGHT-HOUR PROGRAM INCREASES PARTICIPANTS' KNOWLEDGE OF SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND RISK FACTORS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES AND ADDICTIONS, AND INCREASES THEIR CONFIDENCE IN AND LIKELIHOOD TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL IN DISTRESS. AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE STRUCTURE OF THE MHFA TRAINING WAS MODIFIED AND MADE VIRTUAL TO MEET THE COVID-19 IN-PERSON AND SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS AND GUIDELINES. IN ITS SERVICE AREA, ADVOCATE CONDELL PROVIDED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING TO GRAYSLAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF AND TO GRAYSLAKE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 214 STAFF IN 2020. THE MEDICAL CENTER ALSO SPONSORED THE CERTIFICATION OF TWO SPANISH-SPEAKING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINERS. ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN TRAINED 24 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) STUDENTS IN MHFA IN 2020. FOLLOWING THE TRAINING, NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT OF PARTICIPANTS AGREE OR STRONGLY AGREE THAT THEY ARE MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT RECOGNIZING AND CORRECTING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL ILLNESS. IN ADDITION, FIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID TRAINING SESSIONS WERE PROVIDED TO A TOTAL OF 125 FAITH LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN 2020 AND NINE ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH WEBINARS WERE OFFERED TO 109 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE SOUTH CHICAGOLAND REGION. A TOTAL OF 234 FAITH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDED THESE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
FIRST ACCESS PROGRAM. GIVEN THE HIGH NUMBER OF ADMISSIONS AND ED VISITS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AT ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC AND THE HIGH NUMBER OF DISCHARGED PATIENTS THAT WERE NOT KEEPING THEIR OUTPATIENT FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS, THE HOSPITAL'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT CREATED THE FIRST ACCESS PROGRAM IN 2013. THE GOAL OF FIRST ACCESS IS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO FOLLOW-UP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO SUPPORT RECOVERY AND PREVENT RELAPSES. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ED PATIENTS, AS WELL AS PATIENTS REFERRED BY THE HOSPITAL'S INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC UNIT, MEDICAL FLOORS AND PHYSICIANS, ARE LITERALLY WALKED OVER TO OUTPATIENT CARE BY A STAFF MEMBER TO ENSURE SAME DAY FOLLOW-UP FOR OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENTS. SINCE ITS IMPLEMENTATION, FIRST ACCESS HAS CONSISTENTLY INCREASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS' APPOINTMENT FOLLOW-THROUGH RATES FROM 40 PERCENT IN 2013 TO 100 PERCENT IN 2019, ALL DISCHARGED PATIENTS RECEIVED WARM HAND-OFFS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND LEFT WITH AN OUTPATIENT PLAN OF CARE. HAVING ACHIEVED THAT, THE PROGRAM STARTED TO FOCUS ON PROVIDING ACCESS TO CARE TO ALL ADVOCATE AURORA PATIENTS AND ITS VOLUMES GREW STEADILY. IN 2020, FIRST ACCESS PROVIDED 825 INTAKES TO PATIENTS.MEDICALLY INTEGRATED CRISIS COMMUNITY SUPPORT (MICCS). THE MICCS TEAM AT ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC IS COMPRISED OF SIX CLINICIANS, A CHAPLAIN AND A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST WHO PROVIDE ONE-TO-TWO THERAPEUTIC, COMMUNITY-BASED CONTACTS PER PATIENT PER DAY TO ACUTELY ILL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS ON THE NORTHSIDE OF CHICAGO. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE STATE'S CLOSURE OF NUMEROUS MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITALS IN ILLINOIS. THE TEAM GOES INTO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP HOMELESS AND INDIGENT PATIENTS WITH SITUATIONS IMPACTING THEIR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, SUCH AS HOUSING AND MEDICATION STABILIZATION, THUS HELPING CLIENTS IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL HEALTH. IN 2020, MICCS SERVED 104 INDIVIDUALS ON THE CASELOAD. IN ADDITION, 100 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED BY THE INJECTION CLINIC, MANY OF WHICH ARE UNIQUE PATIENTS GIVEN THEY DO NOT NEED/RECEIVE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT. DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PROGRAM. ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC'S DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PROGRAM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL) TO DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS ACROSS THE CHICAGOLAND AREA. THE PROGRAM OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT INCLUDES CLINICAL ASSESSMENTS; PRE-SCREENINGS AND LINKAGE; INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY THERAPY; PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS AND MEDICATION MONITORING; AND INTERVENTION WITH A 24-HOUR PHONE LINE CONNECTED TO A TEXT TELEPHONE (TTY) SYSTEM. A TELE-PSYCHIATRY NETWORK ENABLES THE PROVISION OF OTHERWISE SCARCE DEAF-FRIENDLY PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES IN THE HOMES OF DEAF PATIENTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE FREE VIDEOPHONE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES SUPPORTED BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC). OVER THE YEARS, THE HOSPITAL HAS DISTRIBUTED SEVERAL THOUSAND FREE ASL DVDS ON HIV/AIDS, STDS, BREAST HEALTH, DIABETES, DEPRESSION AND SMOKING CESSATION. IN 2020, 66 UNIQUE PATIENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PROGRAM.COMMUNITY LINKAGE SPECIALIST (CLS). IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASING RATES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL ILLNESS IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN EMPLOYED A COMMUNITY LINKAGE SPECIALIST THAT WORKS WITH DETOX AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT PATIENTS TO CONNECT THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AND RESOURCES. THIS INDIVIDUAL ALSO CONDUCTS COMMUNITY AND HOME VISITS WITH DISCHARGED PATIENTS. IN 2020, THE CLS HELPED COORDINATE SERVICES FOR PATIENTS AND CONDUCTED 75 PATIENT CONTACTS VIA PHONE OR ZOOM. 3. COMMUNITY SAFETY: ADVOCATE ALSO WORKS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY SAFETY/VIOLENCEANOTHER COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOCUS AREA. SOME EXAMPLES ARE PROVIDED BELOW.CENTER FOR FAITH AND COMMUNITY HEALTH TRANSFORMATION. THE CENTER FOR FAITH AND COMMUNITY HEALTH TRANSFORMATION WORKS TO ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY BY PARTNERING WITH FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD COMMUNITY, NURTURE LEADERS AND CONNECT THE UNIQUE SPIRIT POWER OF FAITH COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ABUNDANT LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THE CENTER IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ADVOCATE AND THE OFFICE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO. CURRENTLY, THE CENTER IS CONVENING A TRAUMA INFORMED CONGREGATIONS NETWORK TO SUPPORT THE CAPACITY OF FAITH COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT TRAUMA AND TO BE PLACES OF HEALING FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED ADVERSITY IN CHILDHOOD OR THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS (SANE). ADVOCATE CONDELL, ADVOCATE CHILDREN'S AND ADVOCATE'S SOUTH REGION SANE (AT ADVOCATE CHRIST, SOUTH SUBURBAN AND TRINITY) PROGRAMS CONSIST OF SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS WHO ARE NATIONALLY AND STATE CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL. SANES ARE AVAILABLE EITHER IN THE ED OR ON AN ON-CALL BASIS TO PROVIDE COMPASSIONATE, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS SEEKING CARE IN THE ED. THESE HIGHLY TRAINED PRACTITIONERS PERFORM HEAD-TO-TOE EXAMS PERTAINING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT/ABUSE, ADDRESS MEDICAL CONCERNS SUCH AS STI (SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION), HIV AND PREGNANCY, COLLECT FORENSIC EVIDENCE, TESTIFY IN COURT AS EXPERT WITNESSES, AND OFFER ACCESS TO AFTER-CARE RESOURCESSUPPORTING THE VICTIM THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS. THE THREE SANE PROGRAM COORDINATORS WORK CLOSELY WITH A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT INCLUDES LOCAL RAPE ADVOCATES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (DCFS) AND PROSECUTORS TO ASSURE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT RECEIVE THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE AT ALL CONTACT POINTS. SANE PROGRAM COORDINATORS ALSO COLLABORATE TO PROVIDE BEST PRACTICE STANDARDIZED SEXUAL ASSAULT CARE THROUGHOUT ALL ADVOCATE ILLINOIS HOSPITALS SO THAT BY JANUARY 1, 2022, A SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER (SANE) WILL BE AVAILABLE 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR TO CARE FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTED PATIENTS. ADVOCATE CONDELL CARED FOR 72 PATIENTS IN 2020, 21 OF WHICH WERE PEDIATRIC SEXUAL ASSAULT PATIENTS (<13 YEARS)CARE PROVIDED DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 AND CONCERNS THAT PREVENTED MANY INDIVIDUALS FROM SEEKING CARE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING. THE MEDICAL CENTER PROVIDED TRAINING REGARDING SEXUAL ASSAULT TREATMENT AND IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY PARTNER REQUESTS FOR EDUCATION FROM RAPE ADVOCACY CENTERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEDICAL STUDENTS AND OTHERS, AND INCREASED ITS PARTICIPATION IN COUNTYWIDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION INITIATIVES. ACCLIVUS PARTNERSHIP. ACCLIVUS IS A COMMUNITY OUTREACH ORGANIZATION SEEKING TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF DEADLY STREET VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS. ADVOCATE CHRIST AND ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC, BOTH LEVEL I TRAUMA CENTERS SERVING THE SOUTH AND NORTH PORTIONS OF CHICAGO AND THE SUBURBS, PARTNERED WITH ACCLIVUS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH INTERVENTION SERVICES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE. NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF TRAUMAS AT ADVOCATE CHRIST EACH YEAR ARE VICTIMS OF INTENTIONAL VIOLENCE, SUCH AS GUNSHOTS, STABBINGS AND/OR BATTERY. VIOLENCE, LIKE OTHER EPIDEMICS, IS PREDICTABLE AND OFTEN ENGAGED IN AS AN ACT OF RETALIATION, SO IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION IS NECESSARY. WHEN VIOLENTLY INJURED PATIENTS FROM THE CHICAGO AREA ARE TRANSPORTED TO ADVOCATE CHRIST AND ILLINOIS MASONIC, CHAPLAINS NOTIFY ACCLIVUS. ACCLIVUS HAS A HOSPITAL RESPONDER AND A CASE MANAGER ASSIGNED TO EACH ADVOCATE SITE WHO PROVIDE COUNSELING TO PATIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES AIMING TO REDUCE ONGOING CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY AND RISK OF RETALIATION. ACCLIVUS' CASE MANAGER SEES THE PATIENTS IN THE TRAUMA CLINIC AFTER DISCHARGE ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE FOLLOW-UP CARE. IN 2020, HOSPITAL RESPONDERS AT ADVOCATE CHRIST SERVED 745 PATIENTS AND MADE 254 ADDITIONAL REFERRALS TO EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND HOSPITAL VISITOR RESTRICTION POLICIES, ACCLIVUS PROVIDED SERVICES AND REFERRALS TO ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC PATIENTS REMOTELY FROM MARCH THROUGH JULY 2020. THE HOSPITAL RESPONDERS AT ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC SERVED 147 PATIENTS IN 2020, MANY OF WHICH WERE PROVIDED REFERRALS TO EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCES.4. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. ADVOCATE WORKS WITH NON-TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SUCH AS SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUSINESS LEADERS TO ADDRESS BOTH THE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN SOME CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLVING THE CITY'S HEALTHCARE SECTOR TALENT SHORTAGE.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
ADVOCATE WORKFORCE INITIATIVE (AWI). THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND HISPANICS IN CHICAGO IS THREE TIMES THAT OF THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE AS HIGH AS 31.9% IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA AS COMPARED TO CHICAGO'S OVERALL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 8.2%. ILLINOIS ALSO HAS THE NATION'S HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICANS. IN 2015, THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR WAS EXPECTED TO GENERATE 14,000 NEW WELL-PAYING MIDDLE-SKILL JOBS ANNUALLY IN THE CHICAGO REGION THROUGH 2019, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SKILLED TALENT NEEDED TO FILL THESE ROLES. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, JPMORGAN CHASE MADE A GENEROUS DONATION IN 2015 TO THE ADVOCATE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, ADVOCATE'S CHARITABLE ARM, TO DEVELOP THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE, WHICH OFFERS A CREATIVE AND MODERN SOLUTION TO THE CITY'S TALENT SHORTAGE AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES. LED BY ADVOCATE, THIS HEALTH CARE SECTOR SKILLS-BASED TRAINING INITIATIVE CONNECTS CHICAGOLAND'S UNDEREMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED RESIDENTS WITH HIGH-QUALITY, IN-DEMAND JOBS IN THE RAPIDLY GROWING HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY. ADVOCATE ALSO HELPED TO LAUNCH THE CHICAGOLAND HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE (CHWC). THE CHWC IS A CONSORTIUM OF LEADING HEALTHCARE EMPLOYERS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS THAT BELIEVE IN THE NECESSITY OF A STRONG AND DIVERSE LOCAL HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. BY LEVERAGING RESOURCES AND BEST PRACTICES, THE COLLABORATIVE AIMS TO SUPPORT AN INCLUSIVE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE, PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED POPULATIONS, AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY. THIS IS ACHIEVED BY IDENTIFYING AND IMPLEMENTING IMPACTFUL, DATA-DRIVEN AND ACTION-ORIENTED SOLUTIONS, WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ALIGNS TRAINING CURRICULUM TO CURRENT AND EMERGING JOB NEEDS; CONNECTS JOB SEEKERS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN ADVOCATE; INCREASES DIVERSITY WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR; PROVIDES CAREER PATHWAYS TO ADVANCED TRAINING OR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN HEALTHCARE; SUPPORTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES; ESTABLISHES BEST PRACTICES, CREATING A REGIONAL/NATIONAL MODEL; AND PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.TO ENSURE THE INITIATIVE IS BROAD-REACHING AND COMPREHENSIVE, ADVOCATE HAS ESTABLISHED STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WITH SIX COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES AS WELL AS NUMEROUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND SUPPORT POTENTIAL CANDIDATES. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING AND LICENSING EXAM, ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE GUARANTEED AN INTERVIEW WITH ADVOCATE AND RECEIVE JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE. SINCE INCEPTION, THE INITIATIVE HAS TRAINED MORE THAN 900 PARTICIPANTS, WITH OVER AN 80% GRADUATION RATE, AND 84% OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS WERE PERSONS OF COLOR. FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE GRADUATES FROM THE INITIATIVE ARE NOW EMPLOYED IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY. NEARLY 200 OF THOSE WERE EMPLOYED AT ADVOCATE, AND 84% HAVE MAINTAINED EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS. ADVOCATE HAS ALSO LAUNCHED THE NAVIGATE PROGRAMAN INCUMBENT WORKER STRATEGY FOR FRONTLINE TEAM MEMBERS. NAVIGATE PROVIDES ASSOCIATES WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP NEW SKILLS, DETERMINE A CAREER PATHWAY AND CONNECT WITH TOOLS AND RESOURCES. NAVIGATE HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT AT SEVERAL HOSPITALS, INCLUDING ADVOCATE TRINITY, ILLINOIS MASONIC, CHRIST, SOUTH SUBURBAN, SHERMAN AND GOOD SAMARITAN, AS WELL AS ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP. SINCE INCEPTION, NAVIGATE HAS ENROLLED AND SUPPORTED 338 INCUMBENT WORKERS, GUIDED MORE THAN 150 TO IDENTIFY A CAREER PATHWAY AND HAS NEARLY AN 80% GRADUATION RATE WITH AN AVERAGE SALARY OF $19.17. SEVENTY-SIX PERCENT OF GRADUATES WERE PERSONS OF COLOR. WHEN WORKPLACES AND EDUCATION FACILITIES SHUT DOWN IN 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS EVEN MORE URGENCY IN ENSURING AWI PARTICIPANTS COULD COMPLETE THEIR REQUIRED CLINICAL AND HOSPITAL EXTERNSHIPS TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE THAT NEEDED THEM. ADVOCATE AURORA ENHANCED ITS REMOTE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY AND LEVERAGED PROGRAM FUNDS TO SUPPORT PARTNERS WHO REQUIRED ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE PROGRAM ACCESS. MANY PARTICIPANTS PUSHED TO SAFELY CONTINUE IN THE AWI PROGRAM WITH MODIFICATIONS. BY COMPLETING TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS, PROGRAM GRADUATES COULD IMMEDIATELY ENTER CRITICAL COVID-RELATED ROLES (E.G., CNAS, RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS, ETC.). SOME 2019 AWI GRADUATES WERE CERTIFIED BEFORE THE FIRST COVID-19 SURGE AND SOME AWI PRE-CERTIFICATION GRADUATES WERE BROUGHT ON IN MODIFIED ROLES TO SUPPORT COVID-19 TEAMS. DESPITE CHALLENGES AND UNCERTAINTY, ADVOCATE AURORA WAS STILL ABLE TO EXCEED ESTABLISHED GRANT OUTCOMES AND ELEVATE THE LIVES OF THOSE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY. IN 2020, 927 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED TRAINING AND BECAME CERTIFIED, 427 MORE THAN THE FIVE-YEAR GOAL OF 500. JOB PLACEMENT ALSO EXCEEDED THE FIVE YEAR GOAL, REACHING 465 PARTICIPANTS AS COMPARED TO A GOAL OF 300 OVER THE FIVE-YEAR SPAN. OF THE TOTAL INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN JOBS, 197 WERE ADVOCATE AURORA HIRES. BASED ON ITS SUCCESS TO DATE, AWI AND NAVIGATE ARE NOW CORE COMPONENTS OF ADVOCATE AURORA'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. USING LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FIVE-YEAR CHICAGOLAND INITIATIVE, PLANS ARE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM ACROSS THE ADVOCATE AURORA FOOTPRINT IN BOTH STATESILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN. ADVOCATE BETHANY COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND. THE ADVOCATE BETHANY COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND WAS CREATED IN 2006 TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE HEALTH NEEDS OF CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE BY FUNDING PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND REDUCE HEALTH INEQUITIES AND THEIR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS. DURING ITS 14-YEAR TERM, THE FUND ALLOCATED $14M FOR GRANTMAKING AND CAPACITY BUILDING IN FOUR PRIORITY AREAS: DIABETES, SCHOOL DROPOUT PREVENTION, VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. OVER THE FUNDS 14-YEAR TERM, THE FUND BOARD AWARDED 473 GRANTS TO 116 UNIQUE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SUPPORTING OVER 75,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN 2020, FINAL FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO MAINTAIN THE FUND'S LEGACY. THESE FINAL ALLOCATIONS INCLUDED $1.5M TO PROVIDE CONTINUED OPERATING SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS $272K TO PARTNERSHIP FOR SAFE AND PEACEFUL COMMUNITIES AND AMPT-ADVANCING NONPROFITS TO PROVIDE CONTINUED GRANTMAKING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING SERVICES ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE. LEGACY GIFTS WERE ALSO MADE TO THREE OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED ON INCREASING MINORITY LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. TRAINING FUTURE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. TO FURTHER THE TRADITION OF PROVIDING MEDICAL EDUCATION TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS, STUDENTS IN NURSING AND OTHER ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS, ADVOCATE HAS DEVELOPED LONG-TERM ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS WITH ALL MAJOR UNIVERSITIES IN THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA FOR THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THESE UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE AND POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS. MEDICAL EDUCATION (UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION [UME]/GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION [GME]/POST-GRADUATE [CME] MEDICAL EDUCATION. THE ADVOCATE MEDICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF PHYSICIANS THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE (UME) AND GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION (GME), AND TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVOCATE PHYSICIANS THROUGH CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME). AS ONE OF THE LARGEST PROVIDERS OF PRIMARY MEDICAL EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS, THERE WERE 1,387 MEDICAL STUDENT ROTATIONS COMPLETED AND 591 RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS WHO RECEIVED HANDS-ON TRAINING IN 2020 AT ADVOCATE'S FOUR ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERSADVOCATE BROMENN, ADVOCATE CHRIST, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC AND ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL. ADVOCATE IS ACCREDITED BY THE ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (ACCME) TO PROVIDE CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) FOR PHYSICIANS. ADVOCATE'S CME PROGRAM PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULING AND PLANNING OF ACCREDITED COURSES, SEMINARS AND MEETINGS FOR ADVOCATE AND NON-ADVOCATE PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE REGION. ADVOCATE'S MEDICAL STAFF SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE THROUGH GRAND ROUNDS, MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY CONFERENCES, AND JOURNAL CLUBSAS WELL AS SINGLE ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING A VARIETY OF CLINICAL AND RESEARCH TOPICS. IN 2020, ADVOCATE HOSTED 2,555 HOURS OF ACCREDITED EDUCATION TO 32,602 PARTICIPANTS, OF WHICH 20,714 WERE PHYSICIANS. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, MOST EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED VIRTUALLY WHICH EXPANDED OUR REACH TO A BROADER AUDIENCE ACROSS THE ADVOCATE SYSTEM.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
NURSING EDUCATION. UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE (APN/NP/MANAGEMENT) NURSING EDUCATION OCCURS AT TEN ADVOCATE HOSPITALS AND AT MANY ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP SITES. NOTABLY, EIGHT ADVOCATE HOSPITALS HAVE EARNED MAGNET RECOGNITION FROM THE AMERICAN NURSE CREDENTIALING CENTER (ANCC), INCLUDING ADVOCATE CHILDREN'S, ADVOCATE CONDELL, ADVOCATE CHRIST, ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN, ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC, ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL AND ADVOCATE SHERMAN. MAGNET STATUS REPRESENTS HOSPITAL-WIDE TEAMWORK AND DEDICATION TO CREATING A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH HELPS ATTRACT THE BEST PHYSICIANS AND NURSES, RESULTING IN BETTER OVERALL PATIENT CARE. ALLIED HEALTH EDUCATION. ADVOCATE IS COMMITTED TO TEACHING STUDENTS IN A BROAD RANGE OF SPECIALTIES. THESE STUDENTS COME FROM LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WITH WHOM ADVOCATE HAS CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION. STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED A CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO LEARN IN OVER TWENTY HEALTH CARE DISCIPLINES/FIELDS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: PHARMACEUTICAL; CARDIO DIAGNOSTICS; CARDIAC REHABILITATION; RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE, MRI AND X-RAY; RADIATION THERAPY; EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY; PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH AND RECREATIONAL THERAPY; PSYCHIATRY; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; RESPIRATORY; AUDIOLOGY; PATHOLOGY; PODIATRY; PHLEBOTOMY; NUTRITION/DIETARY; AND DENTISTRY (DENTISTRY IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC). SEVERAL ADVOCATE HOSPITALS PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN (EMT) EDUCATION FROM BASIC THROUGH PARAMEDIC LEVEL. IN FACT, SOME OF THESE ADVOCATE FACILITIES SERVE AS THE LEAD HOSPITAL IN THEIR COUNTIES/SERVICE AREAS, PROVIDING EDUCATION, STANDARDIZATION OF PROTOCOLS OF CARE AMONG ALL HOSPITALS (NON-ADVOCATE INCLUDED) AND EMS RESPONDERS, AND DIRECTION OF COUNTY-WIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY-BASED, MASS INJURY/CASUALTY DISASTERS. MULTIPLE ADVOCATE SYSTEM AND HOSPITAL DEPARTMENTS ALSO PROVIDE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION (CPE). ADVOCATE'S SPIRITUAL LEADERS OVERSEE A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED CPE PROGRAM. SUPERVISING OVER 200 STUDENT UNITS EACH YEAR, THE PROGRAM IS THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY IN AN INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEMINARY STUDENTS, CHAPLAINS AND LOCAL FAITH LEADERS TO GROW AND DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS AND SPIRITUAL CARE MINISTRY SKILLS. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. SEVERAL ADVOCATE HOSPITALS PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE ON AN EDUCATIONAL TRACK TO A HEALTH CARE CAREER. THESE STUDENTS RECEIVE CREDIT TOWARDS GRADUATION IN ADDITION TO HELPING THEM DISCERN IN WHICH HEALTH CARE AREA THEY WISH TO SPECIALIZE. AS AN EXAMPLE, IN ORDER TO GIVE CHICAGO SOUTHSIDE STUDENTS BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES, ADVOCATE TRINITY WORKS WITH STUDENTS FROM CHICAGO VOCATIONAL CAREER ACADEMY, AND SOUTH SHORE AND JULIAN HIGH SCHOOLS. THESE STUDENTS ARE ROTATED IN HOSPITAL UNITS TO LEARN MARKETABLE JOB SKILLS. 5. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: ACCORDING TO HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020, DATA INDICATES THAT POOR-QUALITY HOUSING IS ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCLUDING CHRONIC DISEASE AND INJURY, AND POOR MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT ADVOCATE HAS VOWED AS A FIFTH COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOCUS AREA TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF ED PATIENTS WHO ARE SCREENED POSITIVE FOR HOMELESSNESS BY 5% BY 2025. WHILE WORK TOWARDS THIS GOAL IS STILL EMERGING, SEVERAL ADVOCATE HOSPITALS ARE TAKING STEPS TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO HEAL. FLEXIBLE HOUSING POOL. IN 2020, THE FLEXIBLE HOUSING POOL (FHP) AT ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC PLACED ONE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENT IN PERMANENT HOUSING. THE FHP PLACED AN ADDITIONAL THREE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. THE MEDICAL CENTER ALSO PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN PERMANENT HOUSING WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. THE ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL CARE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ALSO PLANS SAFE DISCHARGES FOR PATIENTS RECOVERING FROM HOSPITALIZATION, WHO HAVE NO HOUSING RESOURCES. THE DEPARTMENT MANAGES THE ADVOCATE LUTHERAN CAROL STREET APARTMENTS. LOCATED ON THE HOSPITAL'S CAMPUS, THESE APARTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT ON A DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY BASIS. THE APARTMENTS ARE USED BY PATIENTS THAT ARE ACTIVELY GETTING SERVICES ON CAMPUS, I.E. CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIATION, ETC., AND ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF INPATIENTS THAT DO NOT LIVE NEAR THE HOSPITAL. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS GRANTED TO PATIENTS AND FAMILIES THAT DEMONSTRATE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. IN 2020, EXPENSES FOR ELECTRICITY, CLEANING AND RENT TOTALED $7,350. WITH TOTAL REVENUE FROM PATIENTS OR FAMILIES OF JUST $4,225, THE BALANCE OF $3,125 WAS AN EXPENSE SUBSIDIZED BY ADVOCATE LUTHERAN GENERAL. THIS TOTAL DROPPED FROM 2019 DUE TO FEWER PATIENTS SERVED IN 2020 DUE TO COVID-19.WARMING CENTER. WHILE THE SOLUTION TO END HOMELESSNESS IS MORE COMPLEX THAN PROVIDING A LOCATION FOR AN OVERNIGHT STAY, ADVOCATE RECOGNIZES THAT A CLEAN, SAFE AND SECURE PLACE TO STAY IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF LIFTING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC PROVIDES A WARMING CENTER, A SAFE WARM PLACE FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO STAY OVERNIGHT OUT OF CHICAGO'S BITTERLY COLD, WINTERY WEATHER. IN 2020, THE WARMING CENTER WAS OPEN FOR A TOTAL OF 400 HOURS OVER A PERIOD OF 50 DAYS AT A COST OF OVER $16K TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. WHILE THE WARMING CENTER WAS NOT OPEN DURING THE LATTER PART OF 2020, THERE WERE 180 INDIVIDUALS THAT STAYED AT THE WARMING CENTER FROM JANUARY 2020-MARCH 2020. IN ADDITION, TWO ADVOCATE HOSPITALS, ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN AND ADVOCATE SOUTH SUBURBAN, HAVE PARTNERSHIP WITH PADS TO PROVIDE LAUNDRY SERVICES FOR CLEANING LINENS USED IN COMMUNITY HOMELESS SHELTERS. THIS SUPPORTS THE WORK OF DUPAGE PADSTHE LARGEST PROVIDER OF INTERIM AND PERMANENT HOUSING IN DUPAGE COUNTY. THROUGH THE PROVISION OF SHELTERS AS A TEMPORARY HOME, COUPLED WITH SUPPORT SERVICES, DUPAGE PADS HELPS THESE INDIVIDUALS WORK TOWARD BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT. PADS FURTHER PROVIDES VITAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND LIFE COACHING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT, SUCH AS JOB COACHING, AS WELL AS ENGAGEMENT WITH EMPLOYERSEFFECTIVELY STOPPING THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS. IN 2020, ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN AND ADVOCATE SOUTH SUBURBAN PROVIDED LINEN CLEANING SERVICES TO AREA PADS AT A COMBINED TOTAL EXPENSE OF $6,625 FOR CLEANING OVER 10,400 POUNDS OF LINENS. THIS WAS LESS THAN THAT WHICH WAS PROVIDED IN 2019 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.6. FOOD SECURITY. ANOTHER KEY ADVOCATE COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOCUS AREA IS FOOD SECURITY. ACCESS TO FRESH, AFFORDABLE FOOD IS A KEY INGREDIENT IN THE RECIPE TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITYAND IN KEEPING THE COMMUNITY HEALTHY. ADVOCATE IS INVOLVED WITH MULTIPLE NON-TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS ADVOCATE GOOD SAMARITAN'S PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM THAT OFFERS HEALTHY FRESH FOOD, NUTRITION AND COOKING CLASSES TO CLIENTS OF THE FOOD PANTRIES. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD'S WORK WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL MUNICIPAL ENTITIES THAT SERVE SENIORS TO IMPLEMENT FOOD SECURITY SCREENING FOR SENIORS. A SCREENING TOOL AND COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE GUIDE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR SENIORS THAT SCREEN AS FOOD INSECURE. ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD AND SEVERAL OTHER ADVOCATE HOSPITALS ARE GROWING VEGETABLES ON THEIR CAMPUSES OR IN THE COMMUNITY. ADVOCATE GOOD SHEPHERD HAS PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, SMARTFARM, WHOSE MISSION IS TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE ON SUSTAINABLE GARDENING AND HEALTHY EATING. SMART FARM MANAGES THE ON-SITE GARDEN ON OVER 10 ACRES OF LAND OWNED BY ADVOCATE AND THE HARVESTED FRESH VEGETABLES ARE DONATED TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES. SIMILAR PARTNERSHIPS EXIST AT ADVOCATE SHERMAN AND ADVOCATE BROMENN. IN 2018, ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC ESTABLISHED A HOSPITAL-BASED FOOD PANTRY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF FOOD INSECURE ONCOLOGY PATIENTS AND IN JANUARY 2019, THE PANTRY WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE FOOD INSECURE PATIENTS FROM FOUR NEW SERVICE LINES AND PROGRAMS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAKEVIEW FOOD PANTRY, THE MEDICAL CENTER PROVIDES DRY GOOD FOOD BAGS, RE-USABLE WHEELIE GROCERY BAGS AND GIFT CARDS TO LOW-INCOME AND FOOD INSECURE PATIENTS. THE HEALTHY LIVING FOOD FARMACY PROGRAM, SUPPORTED BY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY AND ADVOCATE TRINITY'S LEADERSHIP, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, INVITES PATIENTS TO ATTEND BI-WEEKLY EVENTS TO TEACH THEM TO MAKE BETTER FOOD SELECTIONS FROM TABLES OF ASSORTED FRESH PRODUCE AND LOW-SODIUM, SHELF-STABLE PROTEINS.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
OVERALL, ADVOCATE FUNDS MANY SYSTEM LEVEL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON POSITIVELY AFFECTING THE HEALTH STATUS AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS IN COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ADVOCATE. IN ADDITION TO THE MANY PROGRAM EXAMPLES PROVIDED PREVIOUSLY, ANOTHER SYSTEM-LEVEL FUNDED PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BELOW.PARISH NURSE MINISTRY. ADVOCATE FULLY FUNDS THREE FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE POSITIONS SERVING IN LOW-INCOME, HIGH NEED COMMUNITIES. THESE NURSES WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND MULTIPLE CONGREGATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY WORK WITH AN ADVOCATE-FUNDED COMMUNITY CONNECTOR TO CARRY OUT PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS HEALTH ISSUES RAISED BY THE COMMUNITY AS CRITICAL TO THEM. THIS INCLUDES INITIATIVES AROUND FOOD SECURITY, STRESS AND MENTAL WELL-BEING, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. ADVOCATE ALSO SUPPORTS A FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE NETWORK OF 37 NURSES THAT SERVE CONGREGATIONS ACROSS THE CHICAGOLAND REGION.AT BOTH THE SYSTEM AND SITE LEVELS, ADVOCATE IS WORKING TO EXAMINE AND ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF HEALTH INEQUITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SOCIONEEDS INDEX. ADVOCATE PURCHASED ACCESS TO A TOOL FOR ITS 2014-2016 CHNA CYCLE THAT COULD BE USED BY ALL OF ITS HOSPITALS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPACT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ADVOCATE. INCLUDED IN THIS TOOL, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED BY CONDUENT HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE, IS THE SOCIONEEDS INDEX. THE SOCIONEEDS INDEX IS A MEASURE OF SOCIOECONOMIC NEED THAT IS CORRELATED WITH POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES. INDICATORS FOR THE INDEX ARE WEIGHTED TO MAXIMIZE THE CORRELATION OF THE INDEX WITH PREMATURE DEATH RATES AND PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATION RATES. THIS INDEX COMBINES MULTIPLE SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS INTO A SINGLE COMPOSITE VALUE. AS A SINGLE INDICATOR, THE INDEX CAN SERVE AS A CONCISE WAY TO EXPLAIN WHICH AREAS ARE OF HIGHEST NEED. A MAP WAS THEN PREPARED FOR EACH HOSPITAL SERVICE AREA ENABLING THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS TO FOCUS PRIORITY SETTING AND PROGRAM PLANNING ON COMMUNITIES AT HIGHER LEVELS OF SOCIOECONOMIC NEED. THE INDEX WAS AGAIN USED FOR ADVOCATE'S 2017-2019 CHNA PROCESS.ADVOCATE CONTINUES TO WORK LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY WITH MANY PROMINENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. EXAMPLES OF THESE EFFORTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. HEALTH CARE ANCHOR NETWORK (HAN). IN DECEMBER 2016, ADVOCATE JOINED LEADERS FROM HEALTH SYSTEMS IN WASHINGTON, DC, TO EXPLORE WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO HARNESS THEIR SHARED ECONOMIC AND INTELLECTUAL POWER TO TRULY BENEFIT THEIR COMMUNITIES. "THE DISCUSSION CENTERED ON IDENTIFYING HOW ALL OF THESE ECONOMIC ASSETS (THE COMBINED PURCHASES OF $65 BILLION IN PURCHASED GOODS AND SERVICES, 1.4 MILLION EMPLOYEES AND $200 BILLION IN INVESTMENT AND ENDOWMENT PORTFOLIOS), COMBINED WITH CIVIC LEADERSHIP COULD BE DEPLOYED TO CREATE INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE, HEALTHY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES" (ADVANCING THE ANCHOR MISSION OF HEALTHCARE, DEMOCRACY COLLABORATIVE, 2017). ADVOCATE AURORA, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THIS STRATEGY, HAS LAUNCHED TWO SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS HEALTH EQUITY IN THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES. ADVOCATE AURORA $50M INVESTMENT PLEDGE. IN 2019, ADVOCATE AURORA ANNOUNCED A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED COMMITMENT TO INVEST $50 MILLION WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS (CDFIS) BY 2025 TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FOOD CENTERS AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THIS INVESTMENT STRATEGY UNDERGIRDS ADVOCATE AURORA'S ANCHOR APPROACH ADDRESSING HEALTH INEQUITY IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. IN 2020, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMMITTEE DEVELOPED THE ADVOCATE AURORA COMMUNITY INVESTMENT POLICY TO GOVERN THE WORK, RESEARCHED BEST PRACTICES NATIONALLY AND SCREENED MULTIPLE CDFIS, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE INITIAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL ADVANCE $31 MILLION OF THE FUNDING FOR LOCAL DEPLOYMENT. ADVOCATE AURORA PURCHASING COMMITMENT. ADVOCATE AURORA IS AMONG THE FIRST FIVE HEALTH SYSTEMS WHO HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT AS MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH CARE ANCHOR NETWORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE BY FOCUSING ON INCREASING DIVERSE PURCHASING SPEND AND MEETING IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY METRICS. "WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS HEAVILY IMPACT HEALTH OUTCOMES AND THAT DEEPLY EMBEDDED ECONOMIC AND RACIAL INEQUITIES DRIVE SUBSTANTIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES, WHICH HAVE BECOME EVEN MORE STARK IN THE CURRENT CONTEXT. WE BELIEVE THAT ALIGNING OUR PURCHASING POWER WITH OUR CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO IMPROVE SOCIETAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING REPRESENTS THE EVOLVING MISSION OF HEALTH" (HAN IMPACT PURCHASING COMMITMENT, 2020-2021). ADVOCATE IS ALSO STRENGTHENING CORPORATE OPTIONS THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCE, SUPPLY CHAIN, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND INVESTMENT POLICIES TO IMPACT THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVES.ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP. REDUCING WASTE, CONSERVING ENERGY AND WATER, MINIMIZING USE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS, AND CONSTRUCTING ECO-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROWALL OF THESE EFFORTS HAVE A DIRECT BENEFIT ON THE HEALTH OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES VIA CLEANER COMMUNITIES, HEALTHIER AIR QUALITY, REDUCED GREENHOUSE GASES AND PRESERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. AS ADVOCATE CONTINUES WORK TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS OF HEALTH CARE, THE SYSTEM'S ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES EASE THE BURDEN OF HEALTH CARE COSTS BOTH DIRECTLY (LOWER ENERGY COSTS) AND INDIRECTLY (LOWER ENVIRONMENTALLY-RELATED DISEASE BURDEN), AND HELP SAVE PRECIOUS RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO REDUCE OUR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AS A HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION, ADVOCATE ALSO PROVIDES NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING IN SUSTAINABLE HEALTH CARE THROUGH THE MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN SEVERAL SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP COUNCILS AND GROUPS. THESE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ADDRESS MULTIPLE SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, INCLUDING ANTIBIOTIC OVERUSE IN AGRICULTURE, SAFER CHEMICALS IN FURNISHINGS AND MEDICAL PRODUCTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, CLINICAL PLASTICS RECYCLING, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-PREFERABLE AND LOCAL PURCHASING, THUS SPURRING MOVEMENT TOWARD HEALTHIER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES THROUGHOUT THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR AND WIDER MARKETPLACE. THESE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE THE: HEALTHCARE ANCHOR NETWORK; HEALTH CARE CLIMATE COUNCIL; HEALTHCARE PLASTICS RECYCLING COALITION HEALTHCARE FACILITY ADVISORY BOARD; PRACTICE GREENHEALTH MARKET TRANSFORMATION GROUPLESS MEAT, BETTER MEAT; PRACTICE GREENHEALTH MARKET TRANSFORMATION GROUPSAFER CHEMICALS; PREMIER'S ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL; AND SIGNATORY OF THE CHEMICAL FOOTPRINT PROJECT.ENVIRONMENTALLY-RESPONSIBLE INVESTING. ADVOCATE INSTITUTES AN ENVIRONMENTALLY-BASED SOCIAL SCREEN FOR ITS MARKETABLE INVESTMENT PROGRAM. ALL COMPANIES IN SEPARATELY MANAGED ACCOUNTS ARE SCORED ON ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES, BEHAVIOR AND CONTROVERSIES. POOR-SCORING COMPANIES ARE SCREENED OUT OF THE INVESTMENT PROGRAM. PROJECT C.U.R.E. (COMMISSION ON URGENT RELIEF AND EQUIPMENT). ADVOCATE IS A MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY DONATION PARTNER OF PROJECT C.U.R.E., THE WORLD'S LEADING MEDICAL SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION ORGANIZATION BENEFITING RESOURCE-LIMITED AREAS ACROSS THE GLOBE. SURPLUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND DECOMMISSIONED EQUIPMENT ARE DONATED TO PROJECT C.U.R.E. AND MANY ADVOCATE ASSOCIATES VOLUNTEER TIME AT ITS WAREHOUSESORTING AND PACKAGING SUPPLIES FOR DISTRIBUTION OVERSEAS. IN 2020, ADVOCATE DONATED A TOTAL OF 53 PALLETS OF MISCELLANEOUS MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND 14 PIECES OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO PROJECT C.U.R.E.SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND OPERATIONS. SUSTAINABILITY, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY ARE CORE ELEMENTS OF ADVOCATE BUILDING AND OPERATIONS PROGRAMS. IN 2008, ADVOCATE EMBARKED ON A JOURNEY TO REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT AND TO BECOME THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT HEALTH SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY. BY 2015, ADVOCATE HAD REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY 23% FROM THE 2008 BASELINE. WHILE AGGRESSIVELY CONTINUING ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS, IT NOW AIMS TO TRANSITION TO 100% RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BY 2030.IN 2020, 85% OR 3,090 TONS OF ADVOCATE CONSTRUCTION WASTE WAS RECYCLED. ADVOCATE PURSUES LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (LEED) CERTIFICATION FOR ALL NEW MAJOR BUILDINGS AND UTILIZES A RIGOROUS, INTERNAL TOOL CALLED THE HEALTHY SPACES ROADMAP TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY IN ALL ITS RENOVATIONS AND PROJECTS. TO DATE, ADVOCATE HAS COMPLETED SIX MAJOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED LEED SILVER OR GOLD CERTIFICATION.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
ADVOCATE COMBINES SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY OPERATIONS AND PURCHASES. THIS INCLUDES WASTE MINIMIZATION AND RECYCLING, REDUCING CHEMICALS IN FURNITURE AND CLEANING PRODUCTS, PURCHASING MEAT RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS, AND OTHER ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPACTS IN THEIR LIFE CYCLE. IN 2020, ADVOCATE ACHIEVED THE FOLLOWING. AVOIDED 1,392 MTCO2E OF GREENHOUSE GASES (EQUIVALENT TO 3.4 MILLION MILES OF DRIVING) THROUGH ECO-FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT OF ANESTHETIC GASES. 96% OF ADVOCATE'S 2020 FURNITURE PURCHASES AVOIDED FIVE KEY CHEMICALS OF CONCERN. SPENT OVER $65,000 ON THIRD PARTY CERTIFIED GREEN CLEANERS IN 2020 (83% OF TOTAL PURCHASES IN FIVE KEY CLEANING CATEGORIES). $886,000 OF ADVOCATE'S MEAT PURCHASES SUPPORTED PRODUCERS WHO RAISE THEIR ANIMALS WITHOUT THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS. COPY PAPER USED CONTAINS 30% POST-CONSUMER RECYCLED CONTENT AND IS FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL CERTIFIED. REDUCED PAPER USAGE BY 23% FROM 2019 LEVELS--AVOIDING USE OF 48,600 REAMS OF PAPER. RECYCLED 3,390 TONS OF WASTE FROM HOSPITAL OPERATIONS. RECYCLED 85 PERCENT, OR 3,090 TONS, OF CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS. SAVED 36 TONS OF WASTE FROM LANDFILL AND SAVED $1.6 MILLION VIA SURGICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE REPROCESSING PROGRAMS.STAKEHOLDER HEALTH. ADVOCATE IS A FOUNDING MEMBER AND INVESTING PARTNER OF STAKEHOLDER HEALTH, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE HEALTH SYSTEMS LEARNING GROUP. MEMBERS OF ADVOCATE STAFF SERVE ON THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN OFFERING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE WRITING OF TWO SEMINAL DOCUMENTSA 2013 HEALTH SYSTEMS LEARNING GROUP MONOGRAPH HTTPS://STAKEHOLDERHEALTH.ORG/PDF/ AND A 2016 BOOK, STAKEHOLDER HEALTH: INSIGHTS FROM NEW SYSTEMS OF HEALTH HTTPS://STAKEHOLDERHEALTH.ORG/STAKEHOLDER-HEALTH-CHAPTER-1/. THE LATTER PUBLICATION, DEVELOPED AND PUBLISHED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION, IS A RICH AND DETAILED REVIEW OF SOME BEST PRACTICES IN THE AREAS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT, AND CLINICAL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. THE FIRST RELEASE OF THE BOOK OCCURRED AT AN EVENT AT THE CHICAGO THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND WAS PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY ADVOCATE STAFF AND STAFF OF THE CENTER FOR FAITH AND COMMUNITY HEALTH TRANSFORMATION. STAKEHOLDER HEALTH ASPIRES TO IDENTIFY AND ACTIVATE A MENU OF PROVEN COMMUNITY HEALTH PRACTICES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK. ADVOCATE AURORA CONTINUES TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER AND LEADER OF STAKEHOLDER HEALTH.ADVOCATE BETHANY COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND (BETHANY FUND). AS INDICATED EARLIER, THE ADVOCATE BETHANY COMMUNITY HEALTH FUND WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2006 BY ADVOCATE AS PART OF AN ONGOING COMMITMENT TO HELP BUILD, PROMOTE AND SUSTAIN HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE. WHILE THE FUND CAME TO A CLOSE IN 2020, OVER THE YEARS THE BETHANY FUND SUPPORTED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITIES HISTORICALLY SERVED BY ADVOCATE BETHANY HOSPITAL (NOW RML CHICAGO)INCLUDING AUSTIN, GARFIELD PARK, HUMBOLDT PARK AND NORTH LAWNDALE. THE BETHANY FUND DID THIS THROUGH PROGRAM GRANTS, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY-BUILDING EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD ON THE ASSETS OF THESE COMMUNITIES. ADVOCATE WORKS TO LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND MAXIMIZE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER DIVERSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. A PRIMARY VALUE OF ADVOCATE'S COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS, PREFERABLY THROUGH A COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL. IN ORDER TO ALIGN INITIATIVES WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITIES, ALL ADVOCATE HOSPITALS COLLABORATE WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS DURING THE CHNA AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENT (IMPLEMENTATION PLAN) CYCLES. ONE SUCH NOTABLE COLLABORATION IN WHICH ADVOCATE SYSTEM LEADERSHIP PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IS AS FOLLOWS. THE ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE HEALTH IMPACT COLLABORATIVE OF COOK COUNTY [HICCC]). ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE (NOW KNOWN AS ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH), PRESENCE HEALTH (NOW KNOWN AS AMITA HEALTH) AND THE ILLINOIS PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE (IPHI) WERE THE THREE FOUNDING ORGANIZATIONS OF THE HEALTH IMPACT COLLABORATIVE OF COOK COUNTY. THESE ORGANIZATIONS INVITED HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND ALL COOK COUNTY NONPROFIT HOSPITALS TO JOIN THEM IN CREATING WHAT IS NOW ONE OF THE LARGEST CHNA AND COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT COLLABORATIVES IN THE COUNTRY. THE INITIAL PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WORKED TOGETHER TO DESIGN A SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL AND COLLABORATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-ENGAGED PLANNING PARTNERSHIPS AND STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS TO FACILITATE MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT. IN LATE 2017, HICCC MERGED WITH THE HEALTHY CHICAGO HOSPITALS COLLABORATIVE TO CREATE THE ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY (THE ALLIANCE). IPHI SERVES AS THE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION FOR THE COLLABORATIVE AND THE HOSPITALS PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE SHARED ASSESSMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANNING WORK. IN 2019, THE ALLIANCE GREW TO INCLUDE 37 NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC HOSPITALS, SEVEN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND MORE THAN 100 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY COMPLETED A COLLABORATIVE CHNA BETWEEN MARCH 2018 AND MARCH 2019.THIS COLLABORATIVE CHNA CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTPS://ALLHEALTHEQUITY.ORG/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2019/06/FINAL_2019_CHNA-REPORT_ALLIANCE-FOR-HEALTH-EQUITY.PDF.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DATA FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF SOURCES WERE UTILIZED FOR ROBUST DATA ANALYSIS AND TO IDENTIFY COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS IN CHICAGO AND SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY. FOR THE 2019 CHNA, THE ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY BUILT ON THE PREVIOUS COLLABORATIVE CHNA WORK (2016), PREVIOUS CHNA REPORTS FROM MEMBER HOSPITALS, HEALTHY CHICAGO 2.0 (2016), AND WEPLAN 2020 (2016). THE PRIORITY AREAS SELECTED BY THE ALLIANCE INCLUDE SOCIAL AND STRUCTURAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, ACCESS TO CARE, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS, INJURY INCLUDING VIOLENCE, AND MATERNAL/FETAL HEALTH. ALL PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS SELECTED SOME OF THE PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS IN THE AREAS SERVED. THERE ARE MULTIPLE WORK GROUPS ADDRESSING THE PRIORITY AREAS AND ADVOCATE STAFF SERVE ON MOST OF THE WORK GROUPS. ADVOCATE CONTINUES TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP OF THE ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP, SERVING ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE. ADVOCATE HOSPITALS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER MEMBER HOSPITALS, PROVIDE THE MONETARY SUPPORT FOR THE COLLABORATIVE'S WORK AND SUPPORT THE COST OF STAFF AND OVERSIGHT PROVIDED BY THE ILLINOIS PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE. ADVOCATE PROMOTES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SYSTEM AND SITE ALIGNMENT BY INCREASING PROGRAM COORDINATION AND DEVELOPING STRONG GOVERNANCE RELATIONSHIPS.SYSTEM OVERSIGHT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH. KEY TO DEVELOPING STRONG GOVERNANCE RELATIONSHIPS IS ESTABLISHING SYSTEM BOARD ENGAGEMENT IN SUPPORT OF ADVOCATE'S COMMUNITY HEALTH VISION. AS THE FUNCTION ACCOUNTABLE FOR ADVOCATE'S SYSTEM-WIDE CHNA PROCESS AND BOTH CHNA AND STATE COMMUNITY BENEFITS REGULATORY REPORTING IN ILLINOIS, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDES PROGRESS UPDATES AT LEAST ANNUALLY TO HOSPITAL AND SYSTEM LEADERSHIP. THE ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE NETWORK BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADOPTION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH STRATEGY FOR ADVOCATE'S HOSPITALS. DURING ADVOCATE'S MOST RECENT CHNA CYCLE COMPLETED IN 2019 AND TO SUPPORT ADVOCATE HOSPITALS' PLANS TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM STRATEGIES FOR 2020-2022, THE VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH-ILLINOIS, ANNUALLY ASSURES HOSPITAL-SPECIFIC COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGETS ARE IN PLACE AT ALL ADVOCATE HOSPITALS. THESE BUDGETS SUPPORT ONGOING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, STAFF SALARIES, ANNUAL CONTRACTED DATA ACCESS COSTS TO USE THE CHNA DATA TOOL, THE FEE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY (AHFE), USER FEES AND ANNUAL SUPPORT FOR THE LYON SOFTWARE CBISA (COMMUNITY BENEFITS INVENTORY FOR SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY) REPORTING TOOL. ONGOING SYSTEM LEVEL MONITORING OF BUDGETS SUPPORTS APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO SUSTAIN EXISTING AND IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS THAT TARGET SELECTED COMMUNITY HEALTH PRIORITIES.
|
|
PART VI, 6. AFFILIATED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM CONT.
|
HOSPITAL GOVERNING COUNCILS. THE KEY TO PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGHOUT ADVOCATE HAS BEEN SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION OF A STANDARDIZED PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, REVIEW OF KEY FINDINGS, SELECTION OF KEY PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF SITE-SPECIFIC IMPLEMENTATION PLANS. TO OVERSEE THIS PROCESS, THE SYSTEM EXPANDED THE ROLE OF THE HOSPITAL GOVERNING COUNCILS TO INCLUDE OVERSIGHT OF THE CHNA PROCESS AND APPROVAL OF THE HOSPITAL CHNA REPORTS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES. THIS HAS RESULTED IN COMMUNITY HEALTH BEING STRONGLY INTEGRATED INTO ADVOCATE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES. COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY EXPERTS AND HOSPITAL LEADERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AT EACH HOSPITAL. THESE COUNCILS ARE CO-LED BY THE HOSPITAL COMMUNITY HEALTH LEADER AND A HOSPITAL GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER. A MINIMUM OF 50% OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE 2019 CHNA REPORT CYCLE WERE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES WITH A FOCUS ON PEOPLE WHO REPRESENTED UNDERSERVED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE COUNCILS MEET MULTIPLE TIMES THE YEAR THAT THE HOSPITAL CHNA'S ARE COMPLETED, WHICH WAS MOST RECENTLY 2019. HOSPITAL COMMUNITY HEALTH STAFF ANALYZED AND PRESENTED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY COMMUNITY HEALTH DATA TO THE HOSPITALS' COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS IN 2019. THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IDENTIFIED THE HOSPITAL SERVICE AREAS' SIGNIFICANT HEALTH NEEDS, SUBSEQUENTLY EMPLOYING A CONSENSUS BASED, PRIORITY-SETTING PROCESS TO DETERMINE THE NEEDS UPON WHICH TO FOCUS. AS PART OF THE PRIORITIZATION PROCESS, THE COUNCILS SCANNED HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY CHALLENGES AND ASSETS, AS WELL AS POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT RESULT IN A LARGER HEALTH IMPROVEMENT IMPACT.CHNA DATA ASSESSMENT RESULTS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES AND HIGH-LEVEL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES WERE PRESENTED TO THE FULL HOSPITAL GOVERNING COUNCILS FOR ENDORSEMENT. ONCE THE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES WERE APPROVED BY THE HOSPITAL GOVERNING COUNCILS FOR THE MOST RECENT 2017-2019 CHNA CYCLE, THE RESULTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE ADVOCATE HEALTH CARE NETWORK BOARD FOR APPROVAL AS THE SENIOR BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSIGHT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES. SERVICE LINE AND POPULATION HEALTH ENGAGEMENT. TO SUPPORT FURTHER ALIGNMENT WITHIN ADVOCATE, THE SYSTEM COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO WORKED TO ENGAGE SYSTEM DEFINED CLINICAL SERVICE LINES IN EXPANDING THEIR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY HEALTH. ADVOCATE IS VIEWED AS A LEADER IN THE POPULATION HEALTH MANAGEMENT ARENA. AN EARLY ADOPTER OF MANAGING CARE ACROSS POPULATIONS, ADVOCATE HAS SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES WHILE DECREASING OR MAINTAINING COST OF CARE DELIVERY. ADVOCATE'S COMMUNITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS INTENTIONALLY ALIGNED WITH ADVOCATE POPULATION HEALTH LEADERS AND ADVOCATE SERVICE LINES. THIS ALIGNMENT ASSURES THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES ADVOCATE SERVES AND OUR PATIENTS RECEIVE COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONS, AS WELL AS EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING, THAT ALIGNS WITH THEIR HEALTH NEEDS. FOLLOWING ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING ALIGNED WITH POPULATION HEALTH AND SERVICE LINE DEVELOPMENT THAT REFLECT THIS INTEGRATED APPROACH. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNCIL INTEGRATION STRATEGIES HAVE INCLUDED COMMUNITY HEALTH STAFF OFFERING THE EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID CLASSES TO TARGETED COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REDUCING STIGMA, AND TRAINING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO RECOGNIZE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND UNDERSTAND APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS.ADVOCATE PHYSICIAN PARTNERS (APP). ADVOCATE POPULATION HEALTH LEADERS AND ADVOCATE COMMUNITY HEALTH LEADERS ARE ALSO PARTNERING TO DEVELOP NEW APPROACHES TO PATIENT SCREENING AND RESOURCING FOR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. ADVOCATE ALSO PROVIDES AN INFRASTRUCTURE TO ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER AT VARIOUS ADVOCATE SITES OF CARE, AS WELL AS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVOCATE TEAM MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED BY ADVOCATE.VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. EACH YEAR, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY SHARE THEIR TIME AND TALENTS THROUGH SERVICE AT ADVOCATE'S HOSPITALS, ADVOCATE MEDICAL GROUP AND ADVOCATE AT HOME, AND IN THEIR OWN WAY, FURTHER ADVOCATE'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT HEALTH CARE. IN 2020, MOST VOLUNTEERS WERE LIMITED TO SERVING FROM JANUARY THROUGH MID-MARCH DUE TO ADVOCATE'S ADHERENCE TO COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE HOURS THEY WERE ABLE TO DEVOTE TO ADVOCATE SITES. EVEN STILL, ADVOCATE STAFF MANAGED 2,743 ACTIVE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS IN 2020 THAT ENGAGED PATIENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF IN A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES, SOME OF WHICH WERE: PROVIDING INFORMATION DESK SERVICES TO VISITORS; CLERICAL SUPPORT TO STAFF; SERVING CUSTOMERS IN HOSPITAL GIFT AND RESALE SHOPS; OFFERING COMPASSIONATE CONCERN TO PATIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES IN MULTIPLE HOSPITAL AREAS, SUCH AS THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, SURGERY WAITING ROOM, POST-ANESTHESIA CARE AND NURSERY INTENSIVE CARE UNITS; ASSISTING WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH SCREENINGS AND BLOOD DRIVE EVENTS; PROVIDING CHEERFUL SERVICE TO PATIENTS BY DELIVERING FLOWERS, MAIL AND NEWSPAPERS; AND PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE HOSPITAL THAT HAVE LIBRARIES AND/OR WELLNESS CENTERS. ADVOCATE TEAM MEMBERS (STAFF) VOLUNTEERING IN THE COMMUNITY. ADVOCATE TEAM MEMBERS (EMPLOYEES) AND PHYSICIANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DONATE TO, VOLUNTEER AT AND HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. ADVOCATE PROMOTES AND SUPPORTS TEAM MEMBER, PHYSICIAN AND HOSPITAL PARTICIPATION IN FOUR COMPANY-SPONSORED WALKS FOR MULTIPLE HEALTH-RELATED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA HEART WALK), AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY (MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER), ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION (WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S) AND THE MARCH OF DIMES (MARCH FOR BABIES). IN 2020, DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THESE WALKS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY WITH 1,324 ADVOCATE TEAM MEMBERS REGISTERED TO WALK IN THE ANNUAL LOCAL FUNDRAISERS AND $214,390 IN CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS RAISED TO SUPPORT THESE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AT THE COMMUNITY EVENTS. IN 2020, ADVOCATE WAS DESIGNATED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AS THE #2 HEART WALK FUNDRAISING HEALTH CARE COMPANY IN THE NATION AND THE #1 HEALTH CARE COMPANY IN THE MIDWEST. IN ADDITION, ADVOCATE'S ASSOCIATES AND PHYSICIANS GENEROUSLY SUPPORT MULTIPLE LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, INCLUDING SOME OF ADVOCATE'S OWN SYSTEM-WIDE AND HOSPITAL-BASED COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS. IN 2020, ADVOCATE ASSOCIATES, NURSES AND PHYSICIANS CONTRIBUTED NEARLY $1.2M THROUGH THE ANNUAL ADVOCATE AURORA GIVE WELL CAMPAIGN.
|
Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ. 
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.