Community Benefit Plan Overview

Carle Foundation Hospital is proud of our role as a healthcare and community leader and we work diligently to earn our property tax exempt status through a comprehensive Community Benefit Plan. Through the Community Care Discount Program, the Community Health and Wellness Program, emergency preparedness, and research and education initiatives, the Carle Foundation provided $57.5 million in community benefit during the 2007 fiscal year. Following is a snapshot of our community benefit investments that enhances the health care of everyone, everywhere and in every way:

Community Care Discount Program

Carle provides low cost or no-cost care to qualifying patients. For the second year in a row, the Hospital and other Foundation services significantly increased their charity care, providing $7.6 million in 2007, up from $4.9 million in 2006 and $2.5 million in 2005. More than 4,500 patients were served by this program in 2007. Investment: $7.6 million

Clinical Support and Subsidized Health Services

We offer many services that operate at a loss to significantly improve access to health care. These programs include AirLife, the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology program, Low Vision Center, the Breastfeeding Clinic, ECHO (Expanding Children’s Hearing Opportunities) and Palliative Medicine. Investment: $2.8 million

Research

Groundwork was further laid in the development of Carle Foundation Hospital’s translational research program, as we funded and collaboratively searched for medical advances through more than 20 translational research projects. Investment: $862,000

Community contributions

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, Frances Nelson Health Center, Family Service of Champaign County, Center for Women in Transition, Developmental Services Center, and Central Illinois Dental Education and Services in Rantoul are among the 128 organizations that received donations from Carle in 2007. We also set aside several thousand dollars earmarked for funding services to the low-income seniors in our community in 2008. Investment: $3 millionThrough a variety of community benefit programs, such as the examples below, Carle increases access to health care and provides much-needed medical services for our community. Carle’s program expenses are an investment of $9.5 million.

Carle Auxiliary Guest House

We welcomed 1,460 family members in the Carle Auxiliary Guest House last year. The Guest House, staffed by volunteers, provides a free place for families to stay and rest while their seriously ill loved ones receive intensive care.

Community Education

These initiatives primarily include Risk Watch, a safety curriculum taught in local schools by Carle Foundation Hospital staff members and area public safety representatives; Playing it Safe, our annual safety fair; a myriad of Farm Safety programs; prenatal and therapy services classes; and the Community Medical School, a partnership with the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana.

Community Parish Nurse ProgramParish Nursing

This nationally-acclaimed program trains nurses from local churches to educate congregants and advocate for their healthcare interests. The tuition costs to nurses and churches are minimal for this course, underwritten by The Carle Development Foundation, which is offered elsewhere for $400. In the 2007 fiscal year, the program trained 20 additional nurses, and all parish nurses logged 12,069 hours of volunteer services to their congregations. This program is one of the largest in the nation, with 399 nurses from 210 congregations in 29 counties in three states. Through the program, we distributed more than 2,000 Vial of Life kits during the 2007 fiscal year, and more than 15,000 to date.

Community Prenatal Care

We partner with Planned Parenthood of East Central Illinois and the United Way to provide low-cost, high-quality prenatal care and birthing options to expectant parents.

Emergency Preparedness

Carle works with officials and public safety agencies in the region for community-wide emergency preparedness to strengthen the area’s skills in the face of a disaster. Federal grant monies have also helped purchase equipment for use throughout the region. 

Health Screenings

The Carle Mobile Clinic partners with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Wellness on Wheels program to screen for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and other health conditions.

Housing and Neighborhood Enhancements

We own approximately 40 houses in the area north of our medical campus. We rent these homes below market value, collectively saving our renters about $20,000 annually, and maintain the lawns at no charge to the tenants. Carle ensures the neighborhood is safe through patrols by Carle’s Security Department. Additionally, Carle installed a designated bike path along Crystal Lake Park.

TelemedicineTelemedicine

These initiatives provide greater access to health care for rural residents. Currently, 10 Carle physicians communicate with patients and other healthcare providers via telemedicine at 15 sites throughout Illinois and Missouri in eight areas of specialty. These areas include neurology, certified sleep specialists, gastroenterology, cardiology, cardiovascular services, oncology, colon/rectal surgery, and child and adolescent psychiatry. 

Workforce Development

We want to make an impact on tomorrow’s healthcare workforce. We do that by supporting the Medical Scholar’s program at the U of I College of Medicine at Urbana; the Carle Scholars program at Parkland Community College and through various graduate medical education programs for physicians. Newest among our residency programs is the Geriatrics Residency Program. We also support various nursing education programs as well as provide educational opportunities for regional providers who are not members of the Carle Foundation Hospital staff through our longstanding Carle Foundation Day.