How United Hospital Center Benefits the Community
United Hospital Center, Inc. (UHC), a not-for-profit community hospital, provides a full range of health care services to residents of North Central West Virginia without regard to an individual’s ability to pay. The hospital recognizes that some patients are uninsured, underinsured or otherwise unable to pay for essential medical services and as such provides millions of dollars in charity care. The hospital also supports and finances numerous community outreach efforts. The following describes programs United Hospital Center has in place to further its commitment to the delivery of quality health care services in North Central West Virginia.
Free and Subsidized Care
In 2005, United Hospital Center provided nearly $17 million in uncompensated care, which represented 6.14% of total gross patient service revenue. Included in this amount was $5.6 million of charity care for individuals that qualified for financial assistance.
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Health Education
The Health Connection, the community arm of UHC, routinely conducts screenings and health fairs at various locations throughout North Central West Virginia. Screenings include venous hemoglobin Alc, blood pressure, blood glucose level, cholesterol, general health education, hearing, nutrition information and weight management, body composition analysis, and vision.
UHC conducts diabetes support groups for both adults and youth, with an average of 25 participants. In addition, the Health Connection provides diabetes education to increase community awareness on diabetes risk factors, symptoms and management. The Health Connection also offers nutrition and asthma management counseling services along with the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease and Lean for Life weight loss program. There were 35 participants in the Ornish program and 54 in Lean for Life during 2005.
The Health Connection staff routinely interacts with several community organizations by donating time to serve as educators and committee members. These organizations include the West Virginia Business College, Harrison County Head Start, Harrison County School Nurse liaison, Diabetes Committee of the Clarksburg Lions Club, and West Virginia Association of Diabetes Educators. In addition, the Health Connection staff assists indigent patients in enrolling in the Lilly Cares program for starter insulin. The Health Connection also receives glucometers from the Bayer Co. to distribute and properly educate patients in the daily monitoring of their blood glucose.
In 2005, UHC, in conjunction with West Virginia University School of Medicine, coordinated the Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities Cardiac Project. This chronic disease risk surveillance and intervention initiative designed to combat the unacceptably high prevalence of heart disease and diabetes in West Virginia. Laboratory equipment was supplied as well as personnel in order to test children and parents in North Central West Virginia.
UHC staff members collaborate with other area health care providers and service agencies to address community health concerns.
The hospital’s Laboratory Department works with the Harrison County Board of Education and Sheriff’s Department to fulfill the needs of the Hugged drug awareness program. UHC has been involved in the program for 13 years. In 2005, as in the past, expenses related to approximately 120 random drug screenings were covered by UHC for students who participated in the program.
United Hospital Center’s respiratory care, pharmacy and nursing departments and the American Lung Association of West Virginia co-sponsor an annual statewide asthma camp for children ages 8-13 to promote the development of self-management skills in these children. Celebrating its 15th year in 2005, seventy-one (71) children participated in “Camp Catch-Your-Breath” which took place at Jackson’s Mill in Lewis County. The camp included daily sessions on medical management, camping activities, sports and arts and crafts with 45 staff members. At the closing of camp, a workshop held for the camper's families was well attended with over 250 present.
The manager of United Hospital Center’s dietary department provides registered dietitian services for Bicounty Nutrition, asthma camp, and Harrison County Head Start.
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Community Benefits Through UHC’s Education Mission
As a part of United Hospital Center’s commitment to ensuring access to primary care, a Family Medicine Residency Program was established in 1974. The program is one of six available in West Virginia and accounts for approximately 20% of all graduates. The three-year program offers six residency positions each year and has graduated 166 residents to date, with 89 currently practice in West Virginia.
On an annual basis, United Hospital Center’s Family Medicine Residency faculty and residents teach sex education classes for the Harrison County school system. In addition, the residents contribute time in performing physical examinations for area high school student athletes. They also perform physical examinations for children between the ages of one and 18 as part of the local Shriner organization’s orthopedic screening clinic. Referrals from the clinic are made to a Shriner’s Hospital for free care. In 2005, 32 children were screened.
United Hospital Center is one of the largest providers of obstetrical services in the state in terms of deliveries and serves as a regional resource for obstetric services. In fulfilling that role, Family Medicine faculty and residents conduct weekly clinics for the Harrison County Health Department. In addition, monthly obstetric/family planning clinics and weekly pediatric clinics are conducted for the Doddridge County Health Department. The Obstetrics Department also conducts childbirth and related classes for expectant parents and siblings.
To improve access to health care services for Harrison County citizens who cannot afford to have health insurance coverage, the Family Medicine residents also volunteer their services after hours to the Health Access free clinic.
To address other health manpower shortages throughout the region, United Hospital Center’s School of Radiological Technology graduates 12 radiology technologists each year. In addition, United Hospital Center serves as a clinical training site for nursing students from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Fairmont State College, Alderson Broaddus College, United Technical Center, Monongalia Technical Center, West Virginia University, Wheeling-Jesuit College, Davis and Elkins College, Widener University, Edinboro University, and the Fred Eberle School of Practical Nursing. The hospital also offers rotations for students in the following programs: emergency medical personnel, medical record technology, medical technology, pharmacy, safety engineering, medical students from Lewisburg and West Virginia University, physician assistant, physical therapy, and surgical technicians. Rotations for one to three practicums and internships for counseling students in a masters degree program are provided as needed in cooperation with West Virginia University.
On the high school level, UHC’s laboratory staff provides clinical education and supervision to microbiology students enrolled through the magnet and Liberty high schools.
United Rehab physical therapists serve as clinical instructors for West Virginia University, Slippery Rock, and Fairmont State University.
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Shares resources with area public institutions, agencies and businesses
Each year numerous UHC associates volunteer their time to assist other community organizations in achieving their goals and to overall positively impact the community.
A hospital representative is a member of Liberty High School’s Improvement Council and coordinates various speakers and project judges as needed for the school system. In addition, a hospital representative volunteers with the Health Occupations Student Association for the United Technical Center.
United Hospital Center’s School of Radiologic Technology conducts numerous radiology demonstrations at area grade schools and participates in high school career days. A hospital representative assists the Harrison County Board of Education with their child development classes, which includes tours of the maternal/child unit and educational lectures. Other hospital personnel conduct CPR training for the American Heart Association for area organizations. In 2005, UHC hosted regional team training sessions for adult and pediatric SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Exams).
United Hospital Center continues to support an associate directed program known as “Care and Share,” which accepts voluntary contributions from associates to be distributed annually to community non-profit agencies and associates in need. Other associate sponsored community functions include food, clothing and gifts for indigent families at the annual “From the Heart, For the Kids” Christmas party, Easter baskets for children in area homeless shelters, Harrison County United Way Campaign (conduct annual employee campaign and participate in Day of Caring), American Heart Association Walk, and American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
United Hospital Center continues to support Health Access, a free healthcare clinic that it helped organize. The clinic serves indigent members of the community. United Hospital Center provided free healthcare services worth more than $1.2 million to the clinic and its patients in 2005. Many of the hospitals’ associates and members of the medical staff volunteer time to the clinic. United Hospital Center also sponsors an annual pathology seminar that is organized by one of its staff pathologists. This seminar has been very successful and attracts pathologists from all parts of the world. The proceeds, $37,000 in 2005, were contributed to the Health Access clinic ($30,000) and Camp Catch Your Breath ($7,000).
United Hospital Center provides administrative facilities for the American Cancer Society. In addition, UHC allows some community health related organizations the use of classroom space at no charge. Those organizations include, but are not limited to, American Red Cross, WV Autism Support Group, Parents of Murdered Children Support Group, and Narcotics Anonymous.
Along with three other rural hospitals United Hospital Center provides support to the West Virginia Chapter of the Office Managers Association of Healthcare Providers. The purpose of the organization is to improve the professional knowledge and skills of physician office personnel through informal and formal education activities and to facilitate communications between provider offices and affiliated hospitals.
United Hospital Center also donates expired products to Taut, Inc. for distribution to Third World Countries such as Africa and South America. During 2005, $227,087 worth of expired products was donated.
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