Christus Health Northern Louisiana

Programs: Commitment to benefiting our communities - patient care services christus health northern louisiana is part of christus health, formed in 1999 to strengthen the 152-year-old, faith-based health care ministries of the congregations of the sisters of charity of the incarnate word of houston and san antonio. Founded on the mission "to extend the healing ministry of jesus christ," christus is challenged to reach out to, and beyond, the more than 60 communities we serve to help those in need. The vision of christus health as a catholic, faith-based ministry, is to be a leader, a partner and an advocate in the creation of innovative health and wellness solutions that improve the lives of individuals and of local and global communities so that all may experience god's healing presence and love. Christus health northern louisiana responds to health care needs through services provided by christus highland medical center, a 212-bed integrated health system located in south shreveport. The facilities of christus health northern louisiana shares one objective -- to lead the way to a healthier community. Christus health northern louisiana is located in shreveport, louisiana, which is in the northwestern corner of the state. Its service area extends to northeast texas and southern arkansas, which includes a population of more than 1 million individuals. In fiscal year 2017, we served hundreds of thousands of individuals in various ways including 24,064 visits to our emergency departments, 2,206 inpatient surgery procedures, 3,241 outpatient surgery procedures, 8,489 patients who were admitted to our hospitals for care and 111,487 patients who received outpatient care at our facilities, although this number may also reflect repeated visits by the same patient. Touching the lives of the people around us is what makes christus health northern louisiana stand apart. Interacting with community organizations, individual patients and clients gives us a vision for the medically needy in each of the communities we serve. Christus health northern louisiana's health care services work to provide the best care possible regardless of an individual's ability to pay. By collaborating with community organizations, churches, businesses, and other health care organizations, christus health northern louisiana's various entities have strengthened their roles as major providers of comprehensive, accessible health care services. These partnerships with community organizations have assisted christus health northern louisiana to further care for those in need. Furthermore, investment in community services would not be possible without dedicated associates and volunteers. They help to build strong relationships among the hospitals, other health care ministries and the communities, nurturing christus health's mission to meet the needs and make a difference in the lives of others. Christus associates work both inside and outside the walls of our health care facilities and are committed to helping our communities maintain good quality health. Understanding the need to provide access to health care to as many people as possible, christus health participates in government-sponsored health care programs, including medicaid, medicare, champus, tricare and others. In addition, christus health northern louisiana offers specific programs which provide discount services to those in need who do not have medical insurance or who do not participate in government-sponsored programs. Christus health northern louisiana also contracts with a company to screen individuals for government-sponsored programs such as medicaid and lachip. Christus health northern louisiana provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services to the people from the communities it serves. It conducts its activities and serves its health care purpose without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, orientation, disability, age or national origin. Christus health northern louisiana offers a broad spectrum of adult and pediatric medical and surgical care services with the latest technology. These services include comprehensive cancer treatment, pediatric services, neonatal intensive care, inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and surgery services, and athletic clubs. Christus highland provides a 24-hour emergency room that serves all those in need of emergent care, regardless of their ability to pay. Christus health northern louisiana also supports many local community health services, including the cara center for suspected victims of child abuse and/or neglect and various health specialty programs in collaboration with the louisiana state university health sciences center, such as graduate medical education and allied health education. Christus health northern louisiana operates three school-based health centers. The first center opened at linwood public charter school in 1996; the second center opened at atkins elementary in august of 1998; and the third facility began operations in september, 2007, at woodlawn high school. Since their inception, these centers have had over 100,000 student visits. Services offered include treatment for minor illnesses/injuries; routine physical and/or athletic examinations; immunizations; increased access to primary care; special awareness of std and teen pregnancy for high school students; obesity reduction; screening tests for hearing, vision, scoliosis, etc. ; referral and follow-up for acute and chronic illnesses (ex. Diabetes, asthma); and mental health services, such as crisis, individual, family and/or group counseling. The operation of the school-based health centers is enhanced by collaborative partnerships with the northwestern state university school of nursing and other community organizations. As a not-for-profit organization and as part of christus health, a regional governing board comprised largely of independent community members representing the area we serve guides christus health northern louisiana. Christus health northern louisiana is privileged to have an open medical staff comprised of qualified physicians who provide care within our local communities. All qualified physicians are granted privileges to serve within christus hospitals after undergoing a thorough and comprehensive credentialing process.

community benefit reporting - charity care and medicaid christus adheres to the catholic health association's guide for planning and reporting community benefit (2016), and complies with the state of texas requirements for reporting. Community benefit, reported as unpaid costs, includes both charity care and community services. To the limits of its resources, christus health is an institution of purely public charity; thus, the most tangible expression of christus health's charitable purpose is the provision of health care services to those persons who are unable to pay. Charity care falls into two categories: charity care and unpaid government indigent care. In keeping with its mission, values and vision, christus health provides charity care services in a manner that respects the dignity of the patients and their families. Charity care is provided without charge or at a charge that is less than the usual charge for such services. The determination as to the amount to be charged, if any, is made according to a patient's ability to pay as determined by the established eligibility criteria. For uninsured patients whose economic circumstances place them at or under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (fpl), services are provided without any expectation of payment. Uninsured patients whose economic circumstances place them between 200 and 400 percent of fpl are charged based on a sliding scale, and those above 400 percent receive discounts based on the uninsured fee schedule. No patient is refused necessary medical care due to his or her inability to pay. Christus health is an active participant in the states of texas and louisiana medicaid programs. Those programs seek to provide payment for health care services to individuals who meet certain financial and other requirements. Financial requirements include evaluation of both assets and income.

other government sponsored programs in addition to the provision of charity care and other community services, christus health provides services to persons covered under government-sponsored programs, including medicare and tricare. The unreimbursed costs of these services are not included in reports prepared following catholic health association guidelines. Christus health provides services to persons covered under the federal medicare program, and in fact, this is the largest single payor classification of patients served by this health system. The payment rate for inpatient services is on a per-case rate, calculated based on the diagnostic-related group (drg) into which the patient is categorized. Outpatient services are reimbursed by medicare based on its fee schedule.