Community benefits report

Print a copy of our 2010 report (PDF)

In 2009, across eastern Wisconsin, Aurora Health Care provided more than $57 million in charity care and community benefits.

• Health screenings
• Health services at free clinics
• Funding for community health centers
• Community health education programs
• Support groups
• Sponsorships that reach into every community we serve in eastern Wisconsin

Community benefits are services provided with little or, in most cases, no compensation that go above and beyond the delivery of essential health care for patients and align with our mission to promote health and well-being, prevent illness, and contribute to the overall welfare of the communities we serve.

As a not-for-profit health care provider, we are committed to improving community well-being through collaborations with community partners. One example is our continuing partnership with local health departments to conduct community health needs assessments throughout eastern Wisconsin. These help communities focus their resources on areas of greatest need and enable us to align our outreach to better meet those needs. See the results of the community health needs assessments.

Accessibility and affordability of health care

As the leading health care provider in eastern Wisconsin, we recognize our role in addressing concerns about the accessibility and affordability of health care. Further, we recognize that we are accountable to our patients and communities and that our initiatives to support our communities must be cost-effective, stretch limited financial resources and fit our role as a not-for-profit organization.

Each year Aurora Health Care provides, without charge, a variety of services in communities throughout eastern Wisconsin, in addition to charity care for people who are uninsured or are otherwise unable to pay for the care they need.

Charity Care at cost*	$25,066,000
Medicaid shortfall at cost*	$131,432,000
Losses on Other Public Programs at cost*	$5,918,000
Total uncompensated care	$162,416,000
Community benefit programs	$3,362,237
Community health education and outreach - includes: Aurora Parish Nurse Program School-Based Health Program senior education and outreach Community programs on disease prevention topics such as: Nutrition Exercise Chronic disease management Controlling asthma etc.	$3,362,237
Transportation for indigent patients	$364,308
In-kind services and sponsorships - includes: Community-building initiatives Research Prescription drugs Emergency response phone system and LifeLine®	$6,555,251
Counseling Aurora Psychiatric Hospital & Behavioral Health Services substance abuse and mental health counseling Sexual Assault treatment Center counseling Aurora Family Service money management counseling	$1,071,842
Free clinics - including: Aurora Walker's Point Community Clinic Bread of Healing Salvation Army Clinic, etc.	$5,951,703
Health screenings and immunizations Diabetes Cancer Cholesterol Mental health/depression Aurora Visiting Nurse Association of Wisconsin Shoo The Flu & Pneumonia Too! program	$1,059,758
Support groups and self help AIDS/HIV Alzheimer's Asthma/COPD Bereavement Cardiac/heart healthy Caregivers Cancer Diabetes Nutrition & weight Loss Substance abuse Tobacco/smoking cessation	$272,022
Health Professions Education Health professions education for: Physicians Medical students Nurses Nursing students Allied health professionals including Scholarships Mentoring and job-shadowing programs	$13,725,988
Total community benefit programs	$32,363,109
Total 2009 community benefits**	$194,779,109

*Calculations and cost-to-charge ratios based on Wisconsin Hospital Association guidelines.

**Unlike some community benefit reports that include additional categories as community benefits, Aurora has elected to exclude Medicare shortfalls and bad debt expense from the community benefit calculations. When Medicare shortfalls are added, Aurora's total benefit to the community is $594,546,109.

Print a copy of this report (PDF)