Social responsibility
Social responsibility is the principle that guides Aurora Health Care's
actions as a not-for-profit health care system. Our caregivers help bring
these actions to life by providing community-based services that promote
health and prevent illness; creating environments that meet the diverse
physical, emotional, spiritual, social and economic needs of its patients
and caregivers; and being good environmental stewards.
What does social responsibility mean to Aurora?
Social responsibility requires an all-encompassing dedication to our
patients, caregivers and communities. It means understanding community needs
by conducting community health surveys and taking an active role in
initiatives and activities that positively impact the health and overall
well being of those we serve.
As a not-for-profit health care provider, we are committed to improving
community well being through collaborations with community partners
including schools, faith communities and public health departments.
Aurora Health Care understands that there are many social and economic
factors that influence health and access to health care. We work closely
with our community partners to identify programs that will best meet the
needs of a particular population. For example, in Milwaukee County there are
many uninsured/underinsured people, so most of our social responsibility
programs in this area are focused on providing essential screenings and
preventative care at little or no cost. In Racine, Walworth and Kenosha
Counties, there is a large elderly population. The Senior Care Resource
Connection Program serves older adults by providing home safety evaluations
and medication review by nurses who also coordinate community resources to
enable aging adults to stay well and live safely and independently in their
own homes.
What does social responsibility mean to Aurora caregivers?
At Aurora, we believe in responsible freedom. This means caregivers are
able to take independent action that will benefit our patients and the
organization. This freedom means caregivers feel their ideas and actions are
valued, they are recognized and rewarded, and they can act on behalf of the
patient. By creating this type of environment, we can improve processes and
quality and provide patients with a better health care experience.
We encourage our employees to become involved in activities and
initiatives beyond our facilities. Many serve as volunteers for the
community programs we implement; others make an impact by participating in
our blood and food drives or by contributing to our annual Aurora
Partnership Campaign, which allows caregivers to donate to the programs and
charities of their choice.
Our caregivers go above and beyond what we expect and we are awed by
their time, effort and money to create not only a better place to work, but
also better communities in which to live.
How does Aurora's philosophy of social responsibility impact our
communities?
Learn how our caregivers make a difference in their communities - with the Aurora Partnership Campaign.
In 2008, Aurora Health Care provided over $150 million in uncompensated
care and more than $32 million in community benefits that included health
services at free clinics, funding for community health centers, community
health education programs and health screenings, support groups and
sponsorships reaching into every community we serve in eastern Wisconsin.
Some examples of our community benefit efforts include:
Aurora's leadership in community benefit programming has been recognized
by a multi-state demonstration project entitled "Advancing the State of the
Art in Community Benefit" (ASACB). Aurora is one among 10 health systems in
the country "with visionary leadership" invited to participate in the
evolution of this project.
