Scripps Invests $110 Million into Community Programs in La Jolla Area

Uncompensated care accounted for majority of costs

A Scripps doctor checks the mouth and throat of a low-income La Jolla resident as part of his checkup routine.

Scripps Clinic/Scripps Green Graduate Medical Education supports clinics for low-income residents

Uncompensated care accounted for majority of costs

Scripps Health invested $110.1 million into community benefit programs and services in the La Jolla area through Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Green Hospital during fiscal year 2016.

 

The nonprofit health system recently released its 2017 Community Benefit Report detailing its community benefit activities for fiscal year 2016 (October 2015 through September 2016). Across San Diego County, Scripps invested $369 million into community benefit programs. A copy of the report is available online at www.scripps.org/communitybenefit.

 

Scripps La Jolla and Scripps Green contributed $77.1 million and $33 million in community benefits, respectively.

 

Scripps cares for some of the neediest people in San Diego County, often at low to no cost. While the largest portion of its community benefit efforts in the La Jolla area went toward uncompensated care, Scripps also invested in training for new physicians, health screenings, health education, support groups, and other important community needs through Scripps La Jolla and Scripps Green hospitals.

 

“We continue to build on our rich history of community service,” said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health. “The programs and services listed in our annual Community Benefit report show our ongoing commitment to making a vital and measurable difference in the communities that we serve.” 

 

Scripps La Jolla

Scripps divides community benefit services into three categories: uncompensated health care, community health improvement services and professional education and health research.

 

Uncompensated care accounted for the largest share of Scripps’ community benefit efforts throughout San Diego County, more than $335 million in fiscal 2016.

 

At Scripps La Jolla, uncompensated care totaled $74.1 million and included:

 

• $69 million in under-reimbursed care (underpayment from Medi-Cal, Medicare and other government programs).

• $5.1 million in charity care (for people without insurance who did not qualify for government assistance).

 

Scripps La Jolla also invested $2.2 million in professional education and health research, including a pharmacy residency program. It devoted nearly $453,000 to community health services such as prevention and wellness programs, and more than $217,000 to community building activities such as the in-lieu-of funds program that helps low-income patients with post-discharge needs, including board, medications and transportation.

 

Also in La Jolla, the Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute devoted more than $123,000 to community benefit programs, including uncompensated care, community health services, professional education and health research.

 

Scripps La Jolla area employees and affiliated physicians collectively volunteered 4,037 volunteer hours in support of Scripps-sponsored community benefit programs, the equivalent of nearly $193,170 in volunteer labor. Volunteer hours are mentioned in the report but are not part of the community benefit total.

 

Scripps Green

At Scripps Green Hospital, uncompensated care for 2016 totaled $27.6 million, including:

• $26.7 million in under-reimbursed care (underpayment from Medi-Cal, Medicare and other government programs).

• More than $891,000 in charity care (for people without insurance who did not qualify for government assistance).

 

Scripps also invested $5.2 million in professional education and health research through Scripps Clinic and Scripps Green Hospital, including internal medicine training. It devoted more than $201,000 to community health services, such as cancer and organ transplant support groups, support for the St. Leo’s Mission Medical Clinic and St. Vincent de Paul Village Medical Clinic, and community building activities such as the in-lieu-of funds program, which helps low helps low-income patients with post-discharge needs such as medication and transportation.

 

Scripps Health employees and affiliated physicians collectively volunteered 445 hours in support of Scripps-sponsored community benefit programs, the equivalent of $21,293 in volunteer labor. 

 

Meeting community needs in San Diego County

Scripps collaborates with other health systems, community groups and government agencies as well as business and grassroots organizations to serve the greatest patient population needs and prioritize investments in the health and well-being of the community.

 

The 2017 Community Benefit report is the system’s annual response to Senate Bill 697, a 1994 state law that requires private, nonprofit hospitals to document the full range of community benefits they provide on a yearly basis. Scripps takes this legislative requirement a step further by incorporating community benefit activities from throughout the system, including Scripps’ five acute-care hospital campuses, home health services, wellness centers and clinics


.Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system in San Diego, Calif.

Media Contact

Leonel Sanchez
858-678-6508

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