Christus Spohn Health System Corporation

Programs: Commitment to benefiting our communities christus spohn health system is part of christus health, formed in 1999 to strengthen the 152-year-old, catholic 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 spohn reaches out to the more than 15 coastal bend communities we serve to help those in need. The vision of christus health, a catholic health ministry is to be a leader, a partner and an advocate in creating innovative health and wellness solutions that improve the lives of individuals and communities so that all may experience god's healing presence and love. Christus spohn health system corporation responds to the communities' health care needs through services provided at christus spohn hospital corpus christi with three campuses - the 557-bed shoreline campus, the 341 bed memorial campus, and the 153-bed south campus. Additionally, we serve our communities through christus spohn hospital kleberg with 96 beds in kingsville, christus spohn hospital alice with 135 beds in alice, and christus spohn hospital beeville in beeville with 69 beds. Each of the facilities of christus spohn health system corporation shares one objective - to lead the way to a healthier community. Christus spohn health system corporation is located along the lower texas coastal area (often called the coastal bend), and its service area includes a 15-county area with a population of more than 598,000 individuals. In our 2017 fiscal year alone, we were privileged to serve hundreds of thousands of individuals in various ways including 182,965 visits to its emergency departments, 9,274 inpatient surgery procedures, 10,631 outpatient surgery procedures, 36,141 patients who were admitted to our hospitals for care, and 395,293 patients who received outpatient care in our ambulatory facilities. Touching the lives of the people around us is what makes christus spohn health system corporation stand apart. Allowing others to touch us gives us a vision for the medically needy in each of the communities we serve. Whether it is the life of a child expecting a future filled with miracles, the life of a man in need of a critical heart surgery, or the life of a woman about to give birth to her first child, christus spohn health system corporation's health care services work to provide the highest quality care regardless of an individual's ability to pay. By collaborating with communities, churches, businesses and other health care organizations, christus spohn health system corporation has strengthened their roles as major providers of comprehensive and accessible health care services. These partnerships with the community have been a blessing to christus spohn health system corporation by helping us learn how to better respond to those in need. Furthermore, investment in community services would not be possible without dedicated employees and volunteers. They help to build strong relationships between the hospitals and other health care ministries and the communities, nurturing christus' mission to meet the needs and make a difference in the lives of others. Our employees work both inside and outside the walls of our health care facilities and are committed to reaching beyond the traditional hospital walls to help our communities maintain good health. Understanding the need to improve access to health care to as much of our population as possible, christus health participates in government-sponsored health care programs, including medicaid, medicare and variety of others. In addition, we offer specific programs to provide free or discounted services to those in need who do not have third party coverage or who do not participate in government-sponsored programs. Christus spohn health system corporation provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services to the people from the communities it serves. Christus spohn conducts its activities and serves its health care purpose without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, orientation, disability, age or national origin. Each of the six campuses of christus spohn health system provides a 24-hour emergency room that is open to serve all those in need of emergent care, regardless of their ability to pay. Christus spohn health system corporation also supports many local community health services, offering convenient locations for primary care through the christus spohn family health centers, rural health clinics, and a mobile outreach clinic. In addition, christus spohn health system corporation collaborates with the federally qualified health centers (fqhcs) in our region, as well as, other not-for-profit health clinics in the area that are committed to creating greater access to primary care. As one example, christus spohn health system corporation provided free lab tests and flu vaccines for patients seen by mission of mercy, a not-for-profit free health clinic that utilizes the services of volunteer physicians and nurses and uses donated space in churches, community centers and other locations throughout the region. As a not-for-profit organization and as part of christus health, a regional governing board comprised largely of independent community members representing the makeup of the area we serve guides the christus spohn health system corporation. We are privileged to have an open medical staff comprised of qualified physicians who work with us to provide care to our communities. All qualified physicians who are granted privileges to serve with us in our hospitals must undergo a thorough and comprehensive credentialing and orientation process.

community benefit reporting - charity care and medicaid christus adheres to the catholic health association's "a guide for planning and reporting community benefit" (2015), 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. This falls into two categories: charity care and unpaid government indigent care. In keeping with the mission, values, and vision of christus health, christus spohn health system corporation provides charity care services in a manner that respects the dignity of the patients and their families. Charity care is defined as services provided without charge or at a charge that is less than the usual charge for such services. The determination as to the amount to charge, if any, is 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. Christus spohn health system corporation also discounts care for those whose medical expenses would deplete their financial resources. If a bill, after all payments, is still in excess of 25% of the family's annual gross income, the remaining bill is discounted. No patient is refused necessary medical care due to inability to pay. Christus health is an active participant in the states of texas, new mexico, arkansas and louisiana's 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 services 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 non-reimbursed cost of these services is reported to the state of texas, but is not included in federal reports since christus health follows 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 case rate, calculated based on the diagnostic-related group (drg) into which the patient is categorized. Outpatient services are reimbursed per the medicare fee schedule.