Avera Gettysburg

Programs: The avera gettysburg hospital was founded in 1948 with its doors opening in 1952. To strengthen the organization, the previously leased buildings; oahe manor, oahe villa and the community care clinic joined avera gettysburg in 1999. As the first catholic hospital to serve the community and later primary care clinic and long term care facilities, avera gettysburg embraced the mission of the founding, religious congregation, which has joined with other religious congregations to form avera. The mission of avera gettysburg is to develop a healthy community and provide care to all in need. Community service has always been at the core of avera gettysburg activities. Each year, services and programs are encouraged to promote a healthy community. The programs and services described throughout this report not only serve the community but also reduce the burdens on the government. For example, if avera gettysburg did not provide charity care, the burden of providing charity care would fall on area county poor relief programs. To live out the mission of avera gettysburg we:* provide services to all persons in the community on a non-discriminatory basis. * operate an emergency room that is open to all persons regardless of ability to pay. * have an open medical staff with privileges available to all qualified health care providers in the area. * have a governing body in which independent persons representative of the community and area comprise a majority. * participate in medicaid, medicare, champus, tricare and/or other government sponsored health care programs. Avera gettysburg serves the counties of potter, sully, faulk, and dewey, with a general service area population of 2,300. As a frontier community primarily supported by agriculture we serve both a high risk industry and an aging population. Avera gettysburg prides itself on providing a continuum of care for all in need. As an aging region, the health status of people we serve includes, but is not limited to, chf, diabetes, cancer, orthopedic conditions, dementia, and other geriatric ailments. To ensure the highest access and quality to health services, avera gettysburg collaborates with avera st. Mary's , avera medical group physicians, north central heart physicians, and rural health care inc. Rural health care inc. Is an on-site community health center which services all based on ability to pay and extends very similar mission based services as avera gettysburg. Along with these services, avera gettysburg must be prepared for any and all trauma and emergency needs. Financial assistance: avera gettysburg provides financial assistance to those who meet certain criteria based on specific poverty guidelines, those most vulnerable are uninsured and under-insured which both are effectively managed by the program. Avera gettysburg takes every action to identify and assist those in need to complete required documentation. The facility communicates the program thru posters, direct verbal notification and thru collaboration with the community health center. The avera gettysburg's policy on third party discounts is to limit its reduction to 3-5% of charges, this helps ensure the viability of the services necessary for our community. This policy has been successful due to our at-risk status identified by most payor organizations. They see the opportunity to partner with us to ensure our continued success thru access of those they provide coverage for. Broader community:avera gettysburg supports many economic development activities both in-kind and with direct support. The organization partners with many other non-profit community based providers to ensure access for primary care, emt training facilities, health promotion and education, distance learning opportunities, support for local ems and fire departments, along with many other activities. Avera gettysburg knows its organization must reach out to the broader community and finds success in building relationships with other community based service organizations for the promotion of a healthier community.