Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for instructions and the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
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Total |
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Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
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(a) 2019 | (b) 2020 | (c) 2021 | (d) 2022 | (e) 2023 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | ||||||
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf .... | ||||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | ||||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | ||||||
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f) .. | ||||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | ||||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
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(a) 2019 | (b) 2020 | (c) 2021 | (d) 2022 | (e) 2023 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | ||||||
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | ||||||
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | ||||||
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal
year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2019 | (b) 2020 | (c) 2021 | (d) 2022 | (e) 2023 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | ||||||
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | ||||||
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | ||||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | ||||||
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | ||||||
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | ||||||
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | ||||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in)
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(a) 2019 | (b) 2020 | (c) 2021 | (d) 2022 | (e) 2023 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | ||||||
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | ||||||
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | ||||||
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included on line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | ||||||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | ||||||
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 0.015 of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by 0.035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | 1 | |
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
2 | |
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | 3 | |
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | 4 | |
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required - provide details in Part VI) | 5 | |
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | 6 | |
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | 7 | |
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
8 | |
| 9 Distributable amount for 2023 from Section C, line 6 | 9 | |
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | 10 | |
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2023 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2023 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Distributable amount for 2023 from Section C, line 6 | ||||
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2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2023 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI).
See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2023: | ||||
| a From 2018....... | ||||
| b From 2019....... | ||||
| c From 2020....... | ||||
| d From 2021....... | ||||
| e From 2022....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2023 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2018 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from line 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2023 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2023 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from line 4. | ||||
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5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2023, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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6
Remaining underdistributions for 2023. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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7 Excess distributions carryover to 2024. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2019..... | ||||
| b Excess from 2020..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2021..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2022..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2023..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
| Software Version: |
| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Part III, Program Service Accomplishments | Ballad Health (Ballad) is an integrated healthcare delivery system consisting of 20 hospitals in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, including a Level 1 Trauma Center, dedicated children's hospital, several community hospitals, four critical access hospitals, a behavioral health hospital, an addiction treatment facility, long-term care facilities, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, outpatient services and a comprehensive medical management corporation. Ballad works closely with an active independent medical community and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of over one million people in 29 counties of the Appalachian Highlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina, and Southeast Kentucky. Ballad is a Tennessee non-profit corporation and is the main provider of healthcare services in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Ballad Health is a tax-exempt entity and the parent corporation of both Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA) and Wellmont Health System (WHS). On February 1, 2018, Ballad was formed through a merger of two legacy systems, Mountain States Health Alliance and Wellmont Health System. Ballad was formed under state-action immunity in compliance with federal antitrust law, to create a healthier region and keep healthcare local. The action approving the merger was officially taken through the agreements made between Ballad and the State of Tennessee in the Certificate of Public Advantage (the "COPA") and the Letter Authorizing the Cooperative Agreement (the "CA") in Virginia. Pursuant to the COPA and CA, Ballad must fulfill certain obligations, commitments, and covenants. Tennessee and Virginia, through their respective health departments, supervise specific aspects of Ballad's operations under certain conditions of the COPA and the CA. The COPA and amendments are publicly available on the website of the Tennessee Department of Health, at https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program -areas/health-planning/certificate-of-public-advantage.html. The Cooperative Agreement is available on the website of the Virginia Department of Health, at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/licensure- and-certification/cooperative-agreement/. Form 990 for Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA) includes eight wholly owned hospitals including a tertiary hospital, a children's hospital and a behavioral health hospital; two others, wholly owned by MSHA, each file a separate return. MSHA is sole shareholder of Blue Ridge Medical Management Corporation (BRMMC), a for-profit entity that owns and manages physician practices and real estate and provides other health care services to patients in Tennessee and Virginia. MSHA is the sole member of Integrated Solutions Health Network, LLC (ISHN). ISHN, also included in this Form 990, is a regional health solutions company headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. ISHN is an expansive network of providers serving residents of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and consists of provider groups, primary care physicians, specialists, and allied health providers. Specific to the hospitals included in this Form 990, services were provided to: 42,158 inpatients 614,120 outpatient visits 178,101 emergency visits 3,431 deliveries 25,560 surgeries 85,470 home health visits |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY, TN: JOHNSON CITY MEDICAL CENTER (JCMC) | - Located in Johnson City, Tennessee and serving the community since 1911. The 585-bed regional tertiary referral center has 416 beds dedicated to acute care, 85 beds for children and 84-beds for behavioral. - Provides a wide array of acute care services, including a complete range of cardiovascular, neurology, oncology, surgical and rehabilitation services. JCMC is a comprehensive, acute-care teaching hospital affiliated with James H. & Cecile C. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). - Region's only Level I trauma center, one of only five in Tennessee, with 24/7 orthopedic traumatologist specialist coverage. - Region's only safety net hospital. - Regional Cancer Center at JCMC has relationships with Harvard, Duke, and Vanderbilt universities. - Quantros named JCMC in the top 10% of hospitals in the nation for patient safety in overall medical care, trauma care, heart attack and heart failure treatment, stroke care, hip fracture treatment and major neurological surgery in its 2023 CareChex awards. JCMC was also recognized among the top 100 hospitals and top 10% of hospitals in the nation for medical excellence in hip fracture care. - U.S. News recognized JCMC as "high performing" for knee replacement procedures, heart attack care and treatment, heart failure care and treatment, and care of stroke patients. - Niswonger Children's Hospital (NsCH) is a hospital within a hospital located on the campus of JCMC. NsCH is the only children's hospital in northeast Tennessee and serves more than 200,000 children in the four state, 29-county region. NsCH has more than 20 pediatric subspecialties providing specialty care through a pediatric emergency room and 85 inpatient beds, including a 16-bed neonatal abstinence syndrome unit. The Level III designated neonatal intensive care unit is only one of five state-designated tertiary centers for high-risk maternal fetal care in Tennessee and is the regional referral center for neonatal patents. A Ronald McDonald House is located on the campus and provides services to the pediatric patients and family members. In October 1999, a clinical affiliation was entered with St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital to provide pediatric cancer and other catastrophic disease treatment services. The affiliation with St. Jude's is one of only eight in the country. The First Regional Hemophilia Program, a state sponsored program for congenital bleeding disorders, is housed in the St. Jude affiliate clinic and provides programs for both children and adults with hemophilia. - Woodridge Hospital, a free-standing 84-bed behavioral health hospital located across the street from JCMC, provides mental health and chemical dependency services for adults, adolescents, and children in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Woodridge is the only dedicated inpatient behavioral health hospital in the region and provides a 24/7 intervention helpline. In 2023, Woodridge opened a new access point for behavioral healthcare with a 24/7 walk-in behavioral crisis clinic for patients experiencing behavioral health emergencies, such as suicidal or homicidal ideation, acute psychosis, auditory and/or visual hallucinations and other extreme mental or emotional crises. |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY, TN: FRANKLIN WOODS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (FWCH) | - 80-bed acute care hospital located in Johnson City, Tennessee and providing services since 2010. - Provides specialty and subspecialty care, including general acute medical, maternity, comprehensive diagnostic imaging, emergency services and advanced surgical services, including minimally invasive robotic surgery. - FWCH was the first "Leadership Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) certified hospital in Tennessee. - U.S. News recognized FWCH as "high-performing" for pulmonary disease care. - Healthgrades recognized FWCH as a Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Sepsis in 2023. |
| SULLIVAN COUNTY, TN: INDIAN PATH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (IPCH) | - 239-bed acute care hospital located in Kingsport, Tennessee serving the community since 1984. - Provides general medical and surgical services, including the Center for Women and Babies, various outpatient services, including advanced services such as the lung nodule clinic, a regional cancer center, and a sleep center. - IPCH opened the third Niswonger Children's Network Pediatric Emergency department in 2023, strengthening the system of care for children by joining Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City and the J.D. Nicewonder Family Pediatric Emergency Department at Bristol Regional Medical Center. - Quantros named IPCH in the top 10% of hospitals in the nation for patient safety in overall surgical care, medical excellence in general surgery, patient safety in gastrointestinal care in its 2023 CareChex awards. IPCH was also named in the top 10% in the State of Tennessee for patient safety in general surgery. - U.S. News recognized IPCH as "high-performing" in pneumonia care in 2023. |
| CARTER COUNTY, TN: SYCAMORE SHOALS HOSPITAL (SSH) | - 121-bed acute care facility located in Elizabethton, Tennessee providing services to the community since 1955. - Provides inpatient, geropsychiatric, and outpatient care for medical and surgical patients. - Quantros named SSH in the top 10% in the nation for medical excellence in gallbladder removal in its 2023 CareChex awards and in the top 10% of hospitals in the State of Tennessee for gastrointestinal hemorrhage. |
| JOHNSON COUNTY, TN: JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (JCCH) | - Federally designated critical access hospital located in Mountain City, Tennessee serving residents of upper Northeast Tennessee, parts of western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia since 1998. - Provides inpatient, emergency and outpatient care along with cardiac rehabilitation, diagnostic, and physical therapy services. |
| RUSSELL COUNTY, VA: RUSSELL COUNTY HOSPITAL (RCH) | - 78-bed Medicare dependent hospital located in Lebanon, Virginia. - Included in the 78-bed complement, is a 20-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. RCH offers a full array of primary care services and some specialty services, including a cancer center. |
| UNICOI COUNTY, TN: UNICOI COUNTY HOSPITAL (UCH) | - 10-bed acute care hospital, located in Erwin, Tennessee and providing services since 2018. - Provides general acute inpatient, emergency, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, sleep lab, and rehabilitation services. |
| LEE COUNTY, VA: LEE COUNTY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (LCCH) | - 10-bed critical access hospital located in Pennington Gap, Virginia providing services since 2021 to residents of Southwest Virginia and Southeast Kentucky. - LCCH was specially designed to meet the needs of its community, with acute and emergency services, diagnostic radiology and lab services, outpatient cardiology and additional rotating clinics for specialty care and telehealth access. In FY24, Ballad Health continued to demonstrate its commitment to improving the health of the Appalachian Highlands region through investments in its people, COPA Plan spending commitments, and capital. These investments include: - Over $67 million in new investments for rural health, behavioral health, children's health, population health, health research and graduate medical education, and health information exchange. - Capital spend of over $91 million, investing in information technology, new diagnostic and treatment technology, facility upgrades and the continued expansion of Niswonger Children's Hospital. Quality of Care - Recognition from Independent Organizations: Ballad Health hospitals were named among the top performers in the nation by multiple respected national organizations, such as U.S. News & World Report, Quantros Inc's CareChex awards, and the American Heart Association. Noted areas of excellence for specific hospitals included overall hospital care, trauma and orthopedic care, cardiovascular care, neurological care, surgical care, pulmonary care, and gastrointestinal care. Additionally, zero deficiencies were found across all Ballad Health trauma centers by state surveyors. Their report found that Johnson City Medical Center "demonstrated an outstanding commitment to care for the injured patient." Blue Cross and Blue Shield of America has designated Ballad Hospitals as "Blue Centers of Distinction" in services such as cardiology and maternity care. In fact, Blue Cross highlights only five hospitals in Tennessee as "Blue Centers of Distinction in Quality and Value" for cardiology services, with two of the five hospitals being Ballad Health facilities. |
| Charity Care: | Ballad Health maintained increased patient eligibility for charity care at 225% of the federal poverty guidelines (up from 200% before the merger in 2018). Ballad Health spent over $106 million in FY24 for Charity and Unreimbursed TennCare and Medicaid, the most ever as a merged entity. Notably, the weighted average median household income in the region is approximately $46,800 (lower in some communities), while Ballad Health's threshold for free charity care for a family of 2.5 people is approximately $52,000 (225% of the Federal Poverty Level) - indicating one of the most generous charity care policies in the nation. Additionally, continued efforts by Ballad Health to provide care to chronic uninsured and underinsured patients had the desired result in reducing the cost of care, lowering charity care costs, and savings to employers, payers, and individuals who help subsidize the cost of charity care through state and federal programs. Reducing the number of preventable hospitalizations and emergency room visits results in lower costs of charity care and improves patient safety. This is a benefit of efforts by Ballad Health to initiate value-based initiatives, such as the Appalachian Highlands Care Network (AHCN). The AHCN connects uninsured patients and their families with free or low-cost clinics, dental services, financial counseling, and preventative care services. The AHCN is a national model for partnership programs between a health system and local organizations, outpatient clinics and providers that are working together to deliver a better, more supportive system of care for the uninsured population. These efforts reduce the cost of charity care - which benefits taxpayers, patients, and hospitals. The AHCN had over 8,500 uninsured enrollees by the end of the reporting period. Expanding Access to Care and Population Health: - Access to Care Metrics: Ballad Health achieved results over the pre-merger baseline for 21 of 25 access measures. Notable areas of improvement included appropriate emergency department wait times, asthma emergency department visits, antidepressant medication management for both acute and continuation phase, engagement of alcohol or drug treatment and rate of SBIRT administration during emergency department visits. Notably, while officially rolled out in FY24, with the FY23 investment in technology, anyone with access to a smart phone or the internet can now access Ballad Health's urgent care from anywhere in the region or world. Ballad Health is the only provider in the region which currently provides this service. - Population Health Measures: Ballad Health achieved all Process Measures (15 out of 15) for FY24. Ballad Health also exceeded its FY24 Population Health Plan Spend commitment of $11 million with an additional $7 million investment over its required spend. Improving Quality of Care, Patient Experience & Staff Experience: Quality data in almost every hospital in the nation declined during the pandemic. According to Premier - the nation's largest aggregator of quality data for hospitals - "Ballad Health's quality has recovered faster than any of the thousands of hospitals in its database." Quality of Care Metrics: Ballad Health publishes its quality data in accordance with the COPA requirements on its website. Notable highlights include the following: - Ballad Health improved results in 11 of the 17 target measures for FY24 compared to FY23. - Ballad Health improved in 8 out of the 10 patient experience monitoring measures for FY24 compared to FY23. - Among the hospital infection indicators, Ballad Health is performing better than expected or meeting the measure in all but one measure when using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommended adjustment methodology accounting for differences in patient population. Clinical Council: The Clinical Council (the Council) is aligned with the Ballad Health Board of Directors and the Board's Quality Service and Safety Committee (QSSC). During FY24, the Council was comprised of 30 physicians from many backgrounds and specialties. Of those physicians, 16 were employed by Ballad Health. The Council continued to assist in establishing key quality and patient safety priorities with consideration to risk, volume, propensity for problems (including incidence, prevalence, and severity), impact on health outcomes, patient safety and quality across all areas of care. Key accomplishments in FY24 included: - improvements in the usage of electronic health records, - standardization of a variety of high-value care initiatives, - updates to medication use processes, and - improvements to children's and women's care standards. Patient Experience: In the aggregate, 90% of patients surveyed by Press-Ganey, the nation's most credible patient data firm which tracks patient and employee experience, would recommend Ballad Health's hospitals. In some Ballad Health hospitals, as many as 98% of patients would recommend their hospital. While wait times, specifically for the emergency department, are too long as a result of staffing shortages, it should be noted that the metrics for Ballad Health's tertiary hospitals outperform national averages, and some of America's, Tennessee's, and Virginia's most well-respected health systems in areas such as patients who leave without being seen, time from presentation to discharge, and sepsis care. Workforce and Career Development: Ballad Health has added programs and enhanced existing programs since its last report, reflecting a significant investment in workforce development resources to equip Ballad Health team members to deliver the best experience for patients and each other. These programs include the return of in-person orientation, onboarding programs for new leaders as well as tiered leadership programs, the healthcare advisory program, and tuition reimbursement and scholarships. Lowering Cost of Care Ballad Health and community physicians continue to reduce the cost of care to patients, employers and government payors through value-based care. Price Transparency: Ballad Health continued to meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services hospital price transparency requirements under section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act. As such, Ballad Health's gross charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated rates, and de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated rates for all hospital items and services as well as a consumer- friendly estimator tool and other pricing information are publicly available on its website. Cost-Efficiency Measures: According to countyhealthrankings.org, Ballad Health and community physicians have reduced preventable hospitalizations in our region by 50% since 2017. This has resulted in over $200 million of savings to taxpayers, employers, and patients. Our region's preventable hospitalization rate is as low, or lower than, communities like Nashville - a stunning result given the magnitude of resources available in those communities. In FY24, Ballad Health saw more than $50.3 million (for projects greater than $200,000) in savings due to cost-efficiency measures taken across the areas of labor, and contract consolidation, productivity, and supplies. Partnership & Research Highlights Ballad Health has made progress toward its involvement with its academic and community partners and its research goals. Highlights include receiving a grant from the Bloomberg Foundation to develop the Ballad Health Academy, a multifaceted academic partnership with East Tennessee State University's (ETSU) Center for Rural Health and Research, as well as continuing studies with Harvard Medical School's Department of Health Care Policy. Non-academic research included work with the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) efforts to combat opioid usage in rural communities, and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) Accountable Health Communities. Ballad Health also funded a myriad of initiatives across a broad spectrum of research. |
| ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) | Ballad Health is committed to being a responsible and concerned citizen of the communities of the service area where it operates and is driven by its mission: "honor those we serve by delivering the best possible care." Ballad continues to deploy initiatives intended to improve the overall health and well-being of the over one million people living in its service area. ENVIRONMENTAL - Environmental stewardship and preserving the environment is important to Ballad and is demonstrated in the following practices: - Environmentally responsible supply chain - Encourage the recycling of materials and minimization of waste - Encourage the reduction of energy usage - Incorporate environmentally preferable alternatives when designing new construction SOCIAL - Social commitments are an integral part of Ballad's mission, vision, and values. By working and collaborating with others in the communities in which it serves, Ballad works "to build a legacy of superior health by listening to and caring for those we serve." Ballad provides direct and in-kind support to improve access to care and deliver healthy lifestyle services, education, and activities. The community health programs are designed to improve access and quality of care, strengthen community outreach and partnerships, decrease healthcare costs, and assist in the reduction of health care disparities in the region. Ballad has opened two new rural hospitals in the past five years. Ballad offers extensive education and outreach programs throughout the community at little or no cost to participants. Program areas include: - Community events, such as health fairs, screenings, flu shots, health and safety education, support groups, stroke education, baby and child health, and medical libraries. - Children's resources, such as the Morning Mile Program, B.E.A.R. Buddies, car seat safety, and Families Thrive. - Heart and Soul, senior health, and well-being programs. - General health resources, individual health, nutrition, and safety education. - Regular health education speakers covering a wide range of topics. The following are some of the programs designed to improve healthcare equity and availability: Ballad as a Community Health Improvement Organization: Ballad's goal is to ensure the sustainability of rural healthcare services while improving the health and well-being of the region as a whole. In the short-term, Ballad will address health related social needs to improve access to care, reduce inequity, and empower individuals to adopt healthy behaviors and manage health conditions. In the long-term, Ballad will address social drivers of health to provide a community level foundation for permanent regional health improvement through multi-sector collective impact. Ballad is taking an intergenerational approach to focus on children's health initiatives to give kids a strong start in life, as well as assisting adults with overcoming obstacles to health and self-sufficiency. Ballad is on a journey to universalize social needs screening and prioritized navigation resources throughout the system using embedded Epic tools combined with the UniteUs referral management platform. These efforts are informed and supported by a multi-departmental team called the Social Needs Council which has accountability to the system Population Health Council, the Chief Population Health Officer, and ultimately the board of Population Health and Social Responsibility Committee. STRONG Accountable Care Community: Driving Community Level Action and Change: The STRONG Accountable Care Community is a regional collective impact model focusing on community level strategies across a life course model that includes a multi-generation approach to parenting support and family self-sufficiency. Established in 2018, the STRONG Accountable Care Community (STRONG ACC), sponsored by Ballad, is a 350 organization, multi-sector model serving the same geographic footprint as Ballad and additional contiguous counties. The STRONG ACC has adopted the "Five Conditions of Collective Impact": a common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support. Ballad is providing backbone support and investing in the STRONG ACC because the health system believes the collective impact model is necessary to accelerate, leverage, and sustain community level change. The STRONG ACC is also using the UniteUs platform for a "no wrong door" approach to social needs across hundreds of networked organizations. The organization is also creating an Early Care and Education Plan for all of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. For more information, visit https://www.strongacc.org/. Accountable Health Communities ("AHC"): When Ballad was awarded the Accountable Health Communities grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2017, the system acted on its vision to universalize social needs screening and navigation. Health related social needs create major barriers to health for some individuals. Within Ballad Health, Unite Tennessee and Unite Virginia will allow specially trained staff to conduct health-related social needs screenings for gaps in care, such as food and housing insecurity, transportation challenges or other obstacles. It will then connect those families with community organizations committed to resolving those issues. The network, however, is not dependent on Ballad Health. Participating organizations will also be able to refer clients to each other - even if the people they are referring aren't Ballad Health patients. The program has revealed new information about the extent of social needs within Ballad's patient environment and informed the goal to scale social needs screening and navigation services throughout the organization. Appalachian Highlands Care Network: Appalachian Highlands Care Network, started in 2020, is Ballad's program to serve low-income, uninsured people of the region through a realignment of charity care dollars. The goals of the Appalachian Highlands Care Network are to identify low-income uninsured people, enroll them in the program, and serve them to improve quality of care, increase access to care, and reduce avoidable cost of care. Patients in the program receive free needed medical care from Ballad and a network of other providers. This includes ensuring all patients have a source of primary care and are screened and navigated to social need resources, provided with medical care coordination, and assisted through care management services. Ballad partners significantly with Appalachian Mountain Project Access, the region's free and reduced cost clinics and health departments, and hundreds of regional social support agencies to break down barriers to medical care, improve chronic conditions like diabetes, and address social needs. |
| STRONG Starts: Ballad believes safe, stable, nurturing environments | for children are essential to optimal early development and later success in life. Started in 2021, STRONG Starts is aimed at improving birth outcomes and reducing the negative impact of chronic stress for mothers, babies and families. The birth of a new baby is a pivotal time for a mother and her family. No one should feel alone or unsupported during this time. Ballad seeks to connect with every expectant mother as early in her pregnancy as possible to ensure access to early prenatal care - all in partnership with the region's obstetric providers. As the life situation and pregnancy experience for every woman is different, Ballad will build supportive relationships aligned with the unique circumstances of every woman and family. With embedded staff in the region's obstetric practices and hospital birthing centers, these relationships begin early. Staff will help families connect with community resources for issues from food/housing insecurity to parenting resources to education/job training. The program continues into the post-natal and early stage of life. Ballad staff assist those in the program through kindergarten entry with a whole-family approach. This ongoing relationship will help with evolving needs and the transition in healthcare from the obstetric environment to the pediatric environment. Ballad works with regional pediatricians to ensure they can refer children and families into the program. The developmental milestones of children will be assessed so early supports can be provided, and Ballad can assist with connections to community resources as children grow, including programs which support resiliency and early learning environments. Ballad seeks to further support the safety, stability, and self-sufficiency of families and to help ensure children enter kindergarten developmentally, socially, and emotionally ready to learn. This first experience with the educational system is foundational, as it sets the tone for later success with grade level reading, math proficiency, and the academic discipline needed to ensure high school graduation and college and career readiness. These benchmarks are predictors of later economic and health outcomes which can reshape the life trajectory, health, and well-being for children and families for generations to come. In addition to these programs, Ballad invests significant funding annually to support partnering organizations, Community Health Improvement Sites, who provide aligned services and mutually serve the populations mentioned above. These services include free health services, care coordination, housing supports, substance use and recovery, social needs support, maternal/child supports, early learning and literacy improvement initiatives, and women's health services. Ballad also provides a host of other services to vulnerable populations including free cancer screenings, mobile health services, health fairs, children's resources, and health education programs notably through a network of faith community nurses. GOVERNANCE - Governance is overseen by the Ballad Board of Directors and ongoing ESG work through the following committees: - Audit and Compliance - environmental and sustainability performance - Community Benefit & Population Health - social and community goals and performance - Executive Compensation - human capital; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and pay equity goals and performance - Governance - governance goals and performance - Quality - equity of care, patient safety and quality of care goals and performance Ballad has a conflict-of-interest policy and plans to align reporting with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board's topics for disclosure and other reporting frameworks in the coming years. Ballad has leader diversity with 30% of CEOs being females and 33% of Executive Vice Presidents being females. CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS - From its inception in February of 2018, Ballad Health made significant contributions to the community it serves totaling over $30 million to date in direct contributions and other community health improvement initiatives. A few examples include: Support for Speedway Children's Charities, aid to Feeding Southwest Virginia, provision of new EKG equipment to regional emergency medical services, and investments in regional programs for schoolchildren. |
| OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS AND AWARDS | - Ballad has invested significantly across the region specifically in academic and community institutions that serve the people in the service area. Examples of this investment are shown through the continuum of service from the offering of observation opportunities to students of all ages within our clinical facilities, to providing experts to lecture to school children on a broad variety of healthcare topics. The commitment to giving back extends to direct investment in regional educational partners. Some key examples of this include the Appalachian Highlands Center for Nursing Advancement, The Center for Rural Health Research, the STRONG BRAIN Institute, and the Gatton College of Pharmacy Center for Pharmacy, Education, Outreach, and Advocacy. The work of these centers at ETSU focuses on some of the leading issues facing the service area, from the development and support of the next evolution of nursing as a profession, to understanding the unique challenges facing our public health, to the scourge of adverse childhood experiences, to access and intervention at the community pharmacy, Ballad is committed to understanding and addressing the significant issues facing the service area. - Ballad is also engaged in funding the development of new and expanded healthcare training programs across the region. Ballad has granted support of programs in Nursing and Allied Health. From a new BSN program in Southwest Virginia at Emory & Henry College, to a new program in Ultrasonography at Southwest Virginia Community College, we are supporting programs large and small. We have expanded the medical-legal partnership we have in the Appalachian Highlands to include all of the Ballad facilities as well as many of the outpatient clinics. This one-of-a-kind program partners Ballad with Virginia Tech and the Appalachian School of Law together to address the challenges of access to social supports for the poorest members of the service area. Ballad is a sponsor of a residency in Advanced Education Graduate Dentistry in Southwest Virginia. The endemic problem of poor oral hygiene across service area accounts for loss of economic opportunity, loss of self-esteem, and profound impacts on the health of individuals suffering from missing or diseased teeth. - Ballad's research department serves as the central office for multi-specialty research oversight in the System. In addition to providing full spectrum support for studies generated and managed by the research department, the department provides oversight for studies generated by external groups. The research department has participated in several large-scale, multi-center trials with subject retention at nearly 100%. Oversight services include administrative, legal, regulatory support, internal service arrangement and financial management. Ballad is a world leader in cardiovascular clinical trials. - Received its Accreditation/Department of Distinction from the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS). - Recognized by Harvard University and United Healthcare as one of four healthcare organizations leading the way towards a 3D model for value-based care. - Earned the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Digital Health Most Wired. - After the creation of a regional and coordinated system of trauma care nearly two years prior, in July 2021, a Tennessee Department of Health survey concluded the trauma program serving the Appalachian Highlands provides "outstanding commitment to care for the injured patient and found zero deficiencies at the Level I Trauma Center at Johnson City Medical Center, a first for trauma care in the region. As a result of the regional and coordinated system of trauma care, Ballad decreased mortality by 40% and reduced the cost of care by approximately $3 million. |
| Part IV, Line 24a and Part X, Line 20 - Tax Exempt Bonds | The tax exempt bond liability reflects the portion of bonds issued by Ballad Health, MSHA's parent organization, on behalf of MSHA for capital needs. MSHA pays all costs related to this portion of the bond issue. |
| Form 990, Part V, line 1a | Ballad Health (BH), MSHA's parent organization, files Form 1096 on a consolidated basis for all subsidiaries that are required to file Forms 1099-MISC/NEC. MSHA reimburses BH for all expenses related to vendor payments and the expenses are recorded on MSHA's books. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 6 | Line 6 explanation - Mountain States Health Alliance is a Tennessee non-stock, nonprofit organization with Ballad Health as its sole member. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7a | Line 7a explanation - Ballad Health has the authority to appoint Mountain States Health Alliance board members. The President and CEO of Ballad Health serves as the President and CEO for Mountain States Health Alliance. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7b | Line 7b explanation - Decisions of the Mountain States Health Alliance Board of Directors are subject to approval by the Ballad Health Board of Directors. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b | Line 11b Explanation - The Ballad Health Tax Department prepares and reviews the Form 990. During preparation other functional areas within the organization provide information and support to complete an accurate return. The return is reviewed by the organization's EVP/CFO and is provided in electronic form to all members of the Board of Directors prior to being filed with the IRS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c | Ballad Health policy requires Board of Directors and Board Committee members, the Executive Chair/President, and Executive Vice Presidents to complete a conflict of interest disclosure statement on an annual basis. Ballad Health policy also requires team members to complete an annual acknowledgement that they have read and understand the conflict of interest policy and they will complete a conflict of interest disclosure statement if they have a conflict of interest. Should a conflict arise, it is the responsibility of the conflicted individual to update his or her disclosure immediately. All meetings of the board or board committees have a standing agenda item first on the agenda titled "Conflicts of Interest". If a member of the board or board committee has a conflict of interest involving any issue on the board agenda, he or she must declare the conflict of interest during the period allotted for disclosure. If any issue arises during a meeting in which the board member has a conflict of interest, he or she must immediately declare the conflict. While each member of the board or board committee is responsible for disclosing conflicts of interest, it is also the responsibility of any board member aware of a conflict which has not been disclosed to ensure the board is made aware. The presiding officer of a board or board committee meeting may ask a conflicted member to excuse themselves from the meeting during the discussion related to the issue with which the conflict of interest applies. Under no circumstances shall a member vote on a matter that gives rise to a potential conflict. This applies to all Ballad Health organizations. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 | Line 15a - Compensation Process for Top Official The executive compensation committee serves as the compensation oversight committee of Ballad Health's Board of Directors. The executive compensation committee is comprised of members who are determined to be independent and whom are not reliant upon any business relationship with Ballad Health for income or compensation. The compensation plan for Alan Levine, Ballad Health's Chairman, President and CEO, was reviewed and approved by the executive compensation committee and then by the Ballad Health Board of Directors in accordance with the Board's compensation policy and practice. The Board of Directors relies upon the advice of an independent and experienced compensation consultant with knowledge about pay practices for comparable positions within the industry, and who has access to broad data, studies and surveys in order to ensure the compensation falls within competitive and appropriate ranges for the position. Line 15b - Compensation Process for Officers On an annual basis, Ballad Health's Human Resources (H/R) Department evaluates compensation for all executives at a position level of Assistant Vice President and above. H/R's evaluation is based on market data obtained from independent third-party consultants for positions with similar responsibilities at similarly situated organizations. Based on this comparable data, Ballad Health's CEO evaluates the data and, if appropriate, makes necessary adjustments. Any adjustments to Senior Vice Presidents or above are reviewed by the Board of Directors Executive Compensation Committee. In addition, Ballad Health offers an incentive plan to executives based on targeted achievement metrics categorized by; Quality, Service and Safety; Access to Care; Financial Stewardship, and any other metrics approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 | Governing documents and conflict of interest policy are made available upon request to the appropriate parties requesting them. Financial statements are made available upon request to appropriate parties requesting them, and they are made available to those parties who own indebtedness of the company on a quarterly basis. |
| Form 990, Part IX, line 11g | Collection Services: Program service expenses 0. Management and general expenses 39,854,075. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 39,854,075. Consulting Fees: Program service expenses 0. Management and general expenses 4,607,670. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 4,607,670. Contract Labor: Program service expenses 34,560,304. Management and general expenses 8,281,217. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 42,841,521. Dietary Services: Program service expenses 11,194,177. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 11,194,177. Environmental Services: Program service expenses 10,426,204. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 10,426,204. Hospital Supported Clinics: Program service expenses 64,714,509. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 64,714,509. Laboratory Services: Program service expenses 4,955,269. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 4,955,269. Laundry Services: Program service expenses 3,382,968. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 3,382,968. Other: Program service expenses 12,430,004. Management and general expenses 5,036,988. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 17,466,992. Physician Fees: Program service expenses 51,733,309. Management and general expenses 0. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 51,733,309. |
| Form 990, Part XI, line 9: | Temporarily Restricted Grants 1,524,626. |
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