FLH Delivers $13.66 Million in Charity Care & Community Benefit

Finger Lakes Health’s 2017 Report to the Community – Caring for you every season of your life, outlines $13.66 million in charity care and community benefit for 2016. The report outlines the health system’s far-reaching impact from community health to economic impact. The report is now available online by visiting www.flhealth.org/caring-for-community.

The report details how Finger Lakes Health focuses its resources and efforts on the areas of health and wellness in our communities and the economic impact of Finger Lakes Health in our communities.

Finger Lakes Health’s 2017 “Report to the Community” reminds the community that as a community-owned, not-for profit, the health system delivers care to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay. In 2016, $3.43 million in financial aid (underwriting healthcare for patients in our community who are unable to pay for needed services) was provided at Geneva General and Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospitals. That charity care, coupled with the health system’s other community benefit, totaled $13.66 million in 2016. For information on Finger Lakes Health’s Financial Aid Program, eligibility criteria and applications, please call (315) 787-4150.

Additionally, the report summarizes Finger Lakes Health’s economic impact on our communities through 1,900 jobs at Geneva General Hospital (GGH) with an $94,491,000 payroll, and 600 jobs at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital (SSMH) with a $20,682,000 payroll. Indirectly, the jobs supported by GGH generated $26,000,000 in tax dollars, and the jobs supported by SSMH generated $7,300,000 in tax dollars, both resulting in stimulation of the economies of our communities.

The report further outlines how the health system joins the local county public health departments for the counties it serves, along with other community partners to conduct needs assessments, to determine the health priorities and establish improvement plans to meet those priorities.

Priorities outlined in the community report are: chronic disease, specifically hypertension and obesity, and substance abuse. Some of Finger Lakes Health’s outreach initiatives that have targeted these priorities include:

• Participation by all of its primary care physicians in the Regional Blood Pressure Registry being overseen by Common Ground Health in an effort to increase the percentage of patients with hypertension who have controlled their blood pressure.

• A Diabetes Prevention Program that focuses on weight loss to help pre-diabetics and community members concerned about diabetes, combat the risk factors for the disease.

• Our Cardiac PRE-hab program to educate community members on the risks for cardio-vascular disease, including hypertension and obesity.

• Educational programs on a wide range of topics, such as stroke, diabetes, weight loss, etc. via radio - “Finger Lakes Health Matters” on the Finger Lakes Radio Network; our Dine & Discuss Lecture Series; Chat & Snack at the YMCA.

In addition to viewing the report online, copies of the report can also be obtained by contacting the Community Services office at Finger Lakes Health, (315) 787-4053.