West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –The West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) has released its Community Benefit Report, outlining the $1.05 billion in contributions West Virginia hospitals make to the health of their patients.
Community benefits are defined as programs or activities that provide treatment and/or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs. They increase access to health care and improve community health.
“When travelers spot the familiar blue ‘H’ sign along the highway, they recognize that the nearby hospital offers an extensive array of services,” said WVHA President and CEO Jim Kaufman. “However, what many might not realize is that the hospital also provides specialized programs tailored to its community’s needs, including addiction treatment and neonatal abstinence efforts, diabetes education, primary care for rural areas, and workforce reintegration through collaborations with local missions.”
The stories featured in this Report are shining examples of how West Virginia hospitals go far beyond the delivery of traditional hospital care to bring health-related services to the people in their communities. The Report also highlights the magnitude of which hospitals are helping strengthen West Virginia’s economy.
West Virginia hospitals continue to serve as essential providers of health care services and economic anchors for communities throughout the region. In all, hospitals account for more than $13.9 billion in economic activity for the Mountain State. Among other items:
- $203 million in charity care (services for which the patient is unable or chose not to pay); and
- $81 million in community benefit activities to improve the health of the local citizens, neighborhoods and communities they serve.
West Virginia hospitals also directly employ 53,000 people, accounting for $3.77 billion in wages and benefits, and indirectly support another 45,000 additional skilled jobs in the state. West Virginia hospitals make those abundant contributions while also handling the vast majority of total state voluntary and involuntary behavioral health inpatient hospital admissions, accommodating 870,000 emergency department visits, accepting more than 318,000 inpatient stays, 5.6 million outpatient visits, and delivering nearly 16,000 babies.
The Report also features the benefits of the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program which has helped West Virginia hospitals and other providers serving vulnerable patients and communities stretch scarce resources to expand access to care.
“The savings generated from the 340B Program have played an invaluable role in supporting hospitals that serve a disproportionately high share of low-income patients who have health coverage through Medicare and Medicaid, and those who are underinsured or lack insurance altogether,” said Kaufman. “This is – and always has been – the purpose of the 340B Program. We’re proud to highlight the many benefits of the Program through essential services and programs that contribute to the well-being of communities throughout the State.”
“Overall, what this Report highlights is that West Virginia hospitals are doing more than just treating their patients – they help them find ways to pay for life-saving medication, put food on their table, or have a roof over their head,” added Kaufman. “We’re pleased to feature the community-minded approach that West Virginia hospitals are taking to improve the overall health and well-being of the community.”
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About WVHA: The West Virginia Hospital Association (WVHA) is a not-for-profit statewide organization representing hospitals and health systems across the continuum of care. The mission of the WVHA is to support its members in achieving a strong, healthy West Virginia. Connect with WVHA through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Learn more about WVHA at wvha.org.
