2010 Community Benefit Report

2010 Community Benefit Report
Who We Are
CDH is a nationally recognized healthcare network providing care to
those who live and work in Chicago’s western suburbs. This healthcare
network includes:
Central DuPage Hospital – A 313-bed hospital in Winfield listed as a
100 Top Hospital in the U.S. for the last four years by Thomson Reuters.
Medical Staff – More than 1,000 physicians representing 60 specialties
and subspecialties.
CDH Cancer Center – Comprehensive medical and social support
services for cancer patients and their families in a single, convenient
outpatient location.
CDH Proton Center, A ProCure Center* – One of only nine centers in
the country offering proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation for
treating complex cancers and other conditions.
Convenient Care Centers – Six community-based locations that provide
treatment for minor injury, illness and outpatient lab services.
Central DuPage Physician Group – More than 90 providers at 27
practices throughout DuPage and Kane Counties.
CDH Foundation – Development division of CDH that works closely with
individuals, businesses, community groups and government to sustain
and advance high-quality health care.
Central DuPage Business Health – Ten locations that provide health
services to more than 4,000 client companies, including physicals,
treatment of work-related injuries, and drug and alcohol screening.
CNS Home Health & Hospice – Cost-effective and convenient home care
for recovery from illness, injury or surgery; hospice and palliative care
for terminal patients.
HealthLab – Laboratory testing for physicians, health clinics, long-term
care facilities, home health agencies and local businesses.
Business Partnerships – Alliances with other health-related
organizations to promote wellness include:
Charlestowne Medical Office Building, with Delnor Community
Hospital, St. Charles
Community Alliance Home Health, with Rush-Copley Medical
Center, Aurora
HealthTrack Sports and Wellness, with Wheaton Sports Center,
Glen Ellyn
Life Time Fitness, with Wheaton Sport Center and Life Time Fitness
of Minnesota, Bloomingdale
The Center for Surgery, with Edward Health Services Corporation
and a consortium of physicians, Naperville
What We Believe
Our Mission
CDH is a community of caregivers committed
to providing excellent and compassionate
patient care each and every time.
Our Values
Delivering the best healthcare in the best way
is the foundation of our commitment at CDH.
Every employee here is driven by our “I CARE”
shared values:
Integrity – We constantly strive to do the
right thing.
Compassion – We care for and about our
patients, and about each other.
Accountability – We freely accept
responsibility for our decisions and actions.
Respect – We honor the dignity in our
patients and we honor the dignity in
each other.
Excellence – We pursue continuous
improvement in everything we do.
Our Pledge to Patients
As part of CDH’s mission in providing excellent
and compassionate patient care, our care will
be:
Effective – Providing services based on
scientific knowledge to all who could benefit
and refraining from providing services to those
not likely to benefit, thereby avoiding underuse
and overuse of valued resources
Safe – Avoiding injuries to patients from the
care that is intended to help them
Patient-centered – Providing care that is
respectful of and responsive to individual
patient preferences, needs and values, and
ensuring that patient values guide all clinical
decisions
Equitable – Providing care that does not vary
in quality because of personal characteristics
such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location
and socio-economic status
Timely – Reducing delays for both those who
receive and those who give care
Efficient – Avoiding waste, including waste of
equipment, supplies, ideas and energy
*The CDH Proton Center, A ProCure Center is a joint venture among Central DuPage Hospital, ProCure Treatment Centers and Radiation Oncology Consultants Ltd. to bring proton
therapy to Illinois. The physicians who practice at the center are neither agents nor employees of Central DuPage Hospital, nor does CDH control or operate the center.
Building on a Tradition of Community Service
Since our founding in 1964 by a group of local citizens, Central DuPage Hospital (CDH) has remained determined to meet
the expanding health needs of our community. As the population of the western suburbs has grown and diversified, CDH has
evolved from a full-service community hospital into a regional destination medical center.
Today our highly trained staff and physicians on the medical staff at CDH provide timely access to some of the most
sophisticated cancer, neurosciences, cardiac, orthopaedic and pediatric specialty care. We are a community of caregivers
committed to providing excellent and compassionate patient care each and every time.
Honoring that commitment in a dynamic healthcare environment requires foresight–and listening. Long before there was
talk of healthcare reform, we were formulating our strategies and focusing our vision on long-term community needs. We
conducted community research that helped identify health issues affecting both the community at large and our financially
disadvantaged and medically underserved neighbors.
In 2010, these needs were greater than ever. Increased unemployment and loss of health insurance by growing numbers of
DuPage County residents were big factors. Adding to the need was the continued growth of lower income and less educated
populations and a rapidly growing elderly population requiring complex medical support.
Our community benefit advisory committee, consisting of senior managers, met and assessed the research. The committee
determined four priority needs–access to care for underserved populations, addressing the issue of overweight and obesity
throughout the community, health education to mitigate chronic disease, and building even stronger community partnerships
that multiply the impact of our resources.
In 2010, CDH provided $112.2 million in community benefit. This figure includes charity care, the difference between the
cost and reimbursement received from government-sponsored healthcare, unpaid care to individuals and community health
services and programs. This represents a 10.1 percent increase over 2009, and a 39.2 percent increase over 2008.
Once again, CDH was the largest single contributor to Access DuPage, an innovative and highly successful nonprofit
program that brings high-quality coordinated care to uninsured low-income adults. CDH also contributed $500,000 to
the Access Community Health Network to build capacity by hiring more staff at community clinics serving low-income
residents. In addition, CDH continued supporting programs such as HomeCare Physicians and outpatient mental health
services that address historically underserved populations. Together these activities provided access to health services for
thousands of community members in great financial and medical need.
CDH also advanced efforts to combat obesity. With substantial support from CDH, FORWARD–a coalition of community
organizations dedicated to reducing obesity in DuPage County–launched a surveillance system at area schools to obtain
baseline obesity data and track the efficacy of future interventions. CDH also sponsored a program to make fresh vegetables
and other healthy foods available through area food pantries, provided grants to local park districts supporting tuition for
low-income residents for exercise programs and supported community education programs provided by the physicians on the
medical staff at CDH and other healthcare providers.
All these activities reflect our philosophy of targeting investments and leveraging community resources to generate the most
benefit. CDH is and will remain committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the communities we are privileged to serve.
Luke McGuinness
President and CEO
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Always Thinking, Always Caring About Future Community Need
TM
Keeping up with community healthcare needs in an environment as dynamic as Chicago’s western suburbs requires a lot of
planning–and investment. From 2000 to 2009, DuPage and Kane counties added 136,000 residents–more than a quarter of
the state’s total growth–reaching a combined population of more than 1.4 million. Over the next five years the population is
projected to grow to about 1.5 million. Its age and ethnic makeup will also shift significantly. Residents age 65 and older will
increase by one-quarter, the Hispanic population will grow 20 percent, minority groups overall will make up 37 percent of
the total population (up from roughly 33 percent today) and the number of lower-income residents is also expected to grow.
The expanding older population requires more–and more advanced–medical services, including stroke, cardiac, orthopaedic
and cancer care. At the same time, the influx of young working families requires outstanding women and children’s services,
wellness programs and preventive care. The community also needs healthcare facilities with convenient hours and locations
to accommodate busy work schedules, and more language assistance and other social services to meet its increasingly diverse
cultural needs. Expanded access to community clinics is needed to serve growing low income and unemployed populations.
This will improve health and reduce costs by providing preventive and wellness services through a patient-centered medical
home model.
CDH has responded by evolving from a community hospital into a regional destination medical center investing in the most
advanced technology, such as intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and proton beam radiation therapy. Outpatient
facilities have been expanded to make care more convenient and affordable for all patients. In response to greater need for
medical homes and charity care in tough economic times, CDH has increased its support for Access DuPage, a program for
uninsured adults, as well as community clinics that serve low income patients throughout the county.
CDH is also addressing broader community health issues, including obesity and accident prevention for youth. Many of
these programs are provided in conjunction with other community organizations, local schools, park districts and churches.
The CDH mission is to be a community of caregivers committed to providing excellent and compassionate patient care each
and every day. To make good on that promise we have attracted an independent medical staff of exceptional and engaged
physicians, and hired and trained an outstanding and dedicated staff for our network of community and acute care facilities
outlined on these pages.
We’re able to do this in part because CDH is a not-for-profit hospital. Every dollar made over expenses is reinvested in
services that benefit the community. CDH is always looking forward to finding new and better ways to care for our community.
West Chicago Scholarship Helps Heart Patient
“Recently, my husband and I were blessed with a generous full
scholarship for membership in the West Chicago Fitness Center.
This came at a difficult time in our lives. My husband needed
emergency open heart bypass surgery, which left him unable to work
for months. He made a complete recovery, and followed the doctors’
recommendations to live a full and healthy life. This meant drastically
altering what we eat, and daily exercise. Together we committed
to making such changes, and for months remained faithful to our
new lifestyle. However, once it grew cold, it became more difficult to
exercise. We suspended our local health club membership because we
could no longer afford it. We weren’t sure how we could remain true
to our goals. Now that we have a membership to the West Chicago
Fitness Center, we are able to keep up with our program. Thank you to
everyone who contributed.”
– a West Chicago couple
CDH grants funded scholarships through nine regional park districts in 2010.
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Who We Serve
In 2010, nearly half of CDH patients came from Winfield and the surrounding towns of Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn,
Warrenville, West Chicago and Wheaton, with nearly 75 percent residing in DuPage or Kane counties. As CDH adds
advanced medical services, and communities to the west grow, our primary and secondary service area is expanding, and its
population is projected to grow by 4.8 percent by 2014.
With the 65 and older population in DuPage County expected to grow by 23 percent over the next five years, the healthcare
needs of our service area also are growing and changing.
Projected Percent Growth by Age Cohort, 2009-2014
(Combined DuPage and Kane counties)
1,500,000
+23.3%
1,200,000
+8.1%
900,000
65+
-0.6%
600,000
45-64
18-44
300,000
+1.5%
0-17
0
Population 2009
(actual)
Population 2014
(projected)
Source: Thomson Reuters, 2009
Shifts in the ethnic makeup of the western suburbs also increase the need to accommodate diverse language and
cultural needs. The Hispanic population is the fastest growing minority group in the area.
Projected Percent Growth by Ethnicity and County, 2009-2014
County
Ethnicity
2009
2014
% Growth 2009-2014
Hispanic
118,000
139,000
+18.2%
Non-Hispanic
819,000
813,000
-0.7%
Hispanic
151,000
183,000
+21.3%
Non-Hispanic
339,000
358,000
+5.6%
DuPage
Kane
Source: Thomson Reuters, 2009
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
A Community-Based Strategy for Assessing, Planning
and Meeting Community Needs
At CDH, we believe it is our responsibility to balance our obligation to serve low-income and underserved patients with our
commitment to provide advanced services that meet the increasingly complex healthcare needs of our expanding community.
We believe the most effective way to address the healthcare needs of the community is to maximize the impact of community
resources through collaboration. In keeping with this philosophy, our community benefit plan was developed and executed
in close collaboration with community groups, local governments and other healthcare providers.
With extensive input from these partners, we conducted a comprehensive, data-driven community health needs assessment.
This assessment focused on identifying unmet needs for medical services as well as emerging community health issues, such
as obesity and chronic disease. Its findings guided development of our community benefit priorities and are integrated into
CDH’s overall strategic and financial plans.
The priority needs identified for the 2010 community benefit plan, as well as the coordinated steps we took to address them,
are outlined in the following sections. In some cases we addressed these needs directly, for example by providing charity care or
subsidies for patients insured by government programs. In other cases, we addressed needs by supporting community partners,
for example through grants to community clinics providing primary care and park districts offering exercise programs.
Research Drives Priorities
Good planning requires good information, and the best source of community information is the community. In developing
this plan, CDH employed a variety of both internal and external resources to identify community needs and develop
appropriate responses. Major plan information sources and their contributions to the planning process are outlined below.
DuPage County Health Department IPLAN – Every five years, local public health agencies conduct a survey of area health issues
and needs, and develop a plan to address them. This process is known as the Illinois Project for the Local Assessment of
Needs (IPLAN). Consistent with CDH’s commitment to collaboration, the IPLAN process considers not only health needs,
but the range of community organizations, assets and capabilities that can be mobilized to meet them. CDH senior staff
actively participates in this process.
The 2010 IPLAN identified obesity, mental health and access to health services as DuPage County’s three top public health
priorities. Over the past year, CDH made significant contributions to each, focusing on access and obesity in keeping
with our policy of matching needs to capabilities. CDH addressed these goals with both our own resources and those of
community partners, as outlined in the next section. In 2010, CDH also participated in developing the 2015 IPLAN, which
will help guide health resource development throughout DuPage County for the next five years.
CDH Strategic Planning Research – CDH continually conducts research on the changing demographics and emerging needs
of our primary, secondary and expanding tertiary service areas. Research shows that our aging and increasingly diverse
population requires more services and can significantly benefit from the addition of new medical technology in many areas.
This ranges from inpatient services for complex conditions like stroke or cancer to basic hospital services such as treating
injuries and infections. Local access to pediatric specialty services is a growing need that we are addressing through our
affiliation with Children’s Memorial Hospital. CDH also recognizes the growing need for community-based services to assist
patients with chronic disease management.
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Patient Satisfaction Research – To ensure that we complement our high-tech capabilities with high-touch service, CDH
rigorously monitors patient satisfaction and the overall quality of care provided. These surveys provide us with critical
information about what our patients need and how well we are meeting their needs. Overall, these surveys show we are
doing well. In 2010, we achieved top decile performance in overall patient satisfaction as objectively measured by a national
independent research firm. Employee satisfaction and physician satisfaction were also over 95 percent when compared
nationally, making CDH a destination for the most highly skilled caregivers as well.
Keeping the Plan on Track
A plan is only effective if it is executed well and adjusted as conditions change. That requires leadership.
CDH’s plan is overseen by a community benefit advisory committee consisting of hospital senior managers as well as service
line and community affairs directors, who are in constant contact with patients and community groups. They monitor
progress toward meeting identified community needs and recommend adjustments. Their goal is to ensure that community
benefit investments are coordinated and need-based such that hospital resources are leveraged for maximum community
health impact.
In the coming years this team will build on the research conducted and experience gained in 2010. We will continue to
integrate what we learn into community benefit plans that meet the growing needs of a community that is expanding in
population and complexity of need.
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
2010 Community Benefit Plan
Meeting Community Needs by Investing in High-Tech Care and Community Partnerships
In light of our own research and that of our partners, we focused on the following community needs for 2010:
Access to Care
Continued high unemployment, growing numbers of lower-income workers and the steady increase in older and
medically complex patients in our service area are increasing the need for targeted outreach and access to low-cost,
comprehensive medical homes and other coordinated care services.
Obesity
With up to one-third of DuPage County school children and 65 percent of adults either overweight or obese, this may
be the No. 1 health issue facing our community–and country.
Evidence-Based Health Education, Screening and Prevention
Continuing these programs and targeting high-risk populations, such as infants in car seats and high-risk cancer
populations, improves health and reduces healthcare costs.
Building on Community Partnerships
Our active support of community efforts, such as exercise promotion and cancer awareness, multiplies the impact of
our resources on community health.
The community benefit activities undertaken in 2010 targeted both communitywide health issues and those of
populations with the greatest unmet need. In addition, our subsidies for patients covered by Medicaid, Medicare and other
government programs grew substantially, while our write-offs for unpaid patient accounts remained high.
In addition to providing millions of dollars in support for uninsured and otherwise underserved patients, our substantial
investments in expanded healthcare services contributed significant value to the community by saving lives and improving
patients’ ability to function at work and at home. These investments will undoubtedly continue to yield health and
economic dividends throughout our community for many years to come.
Charity Care Policy
Our community benefit commitment is reflected in our
charity care policy. Uninsured patients with incomes of less
than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, currently
about $33,000 for an individual and $66,000 for a family
of four, are eligible for free care. Those with higher incomes
receive partial assistance or discounts, along with payment
terms that cap monthly bills at an affordable rate.
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Caring for Those in Need
$112.2 Million in Community Benefit
Since the recession began two years ago, the need for financial assistance with health services has risen sharply in DuPage
and Kane counties. In 2010, CDH provided $112.2 million in community benefit. This represents a 10.1 percent increase
over 2009, and a 39.2 percent increase over 2008. Among the fastest growing areas was charity care, which was 17.2 percent
higher than in 2009 and 44 percent higher than 2008. Subsidies for government-sponsored health programs also grew, rising
more than 62 percent from 2008 levels.
Charity care $15.4 million – Free care for patients without
insurance who demonstrate that they make less than three
times the federal poverty level, or about $33,000 for an
individual and $66,000 for a family of four. Those with
incomes between 300 and 600 percent of the federal poverty
level receive discounted care.
Volunteer services $800,000 – Time that employees and
affiliated non-employees contributed to community health,
education and fundraising projects
Language assistance $902,000 – Free interpretation services
provided in nearly 200 languages
Research $444,000 – Cost to provide more than 30 clinical
trials under way at CDH
Government-sponsored health care $49.3 million – The
Subsidized health services $1.3 million – Cost to provide
difference between the cost to provide care and the
reimbursement received from Medicare, Medicaid and other
government insurance programs
Donations $1.5 million – Cash and resources in support of
community programs
Education $2.4 million – Health professions education of
nursing and allied health students
community education as well as programs that do not
generate adequate revenue to cover costs
Uninsured/bad debt $40.1 million – Services to patients
who were unable to or did not pay self-pay accounts, often
uninsured or underinsured patients
❶
❷
❶ Charity care $15.4 million
❷ Language assistance $902,000
❸ Government-sponsored health care $49.3 million
❹ Donations $1.5 million
❺ Volunteer services $800,000
❻ Education $2.4 million
❼ Research $444,000
❽ Subsidized health services $1.3 million
❾ Uninsured care/bad debt $40.1 million
❾
$112.2 Million
❽
❼
❻
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❸
❺
❹
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Priority: Access to Care
As is the case nationwide, unemployment in DuPage County roughly doubled from 2008 to 2009 and remained high
throughout 2010. Loss of employment resulted in loss of health insurance and increased demand for charity care and lowcost primary care services.
At the same time, the number of older residents is growing quickly, as is the prevalence of chronic disease. These trends also
increase community need for specialized outreach and coordination of care to manage patients with complex conditions.
In 2010, CDH engaged in many efforts to improve access to care for financially needy and medically underserved patients.
These included collaborative efforts with community partners as well as direct contributions of charity care and subsidies to
ensure continuing access for patients insured by government programs. Research suggests that these efforts were effective in
both meeting current need and expanding capacity to meet future need.
Partnering to Increase Access
In keeping with our philosophy of coordinating community
and hospital assets to leverage the impact of both, CDH
worked with many partners to increase access in 2010. Major
collaborative programs and their impact are outlined below.
DuPage Health Coalition’s Access DuPage Program – By
providing coordinated preventive, maintenance, primary and
hospital care, this community collaborative improves access
while lowering treatment costs for thousands of low-income,
uninsured DuPage County adults. While numerous local
hospitals and medical practices participated, CDH was the
largest individual contributor, providing more than half
the $49 million retail value of hospital services. CDH also
provided the single largest grant, of $635,000, to support
Access DuPage’s operations.
Now in its 10th year, Access DuPage has emerged as a
national model for both providing coordinated care and
reducing costs, even as it serves an ever-growing population.
During 2009, the latest period for which complete figures are
available, enrollment grew 30 percent, with 10,954 enrolled
at year end.
Economic and clinical outcomes were strong. The average
cost per enrollee per year in 2009 was $3,912. That is 22
percent less than the $5,049 average premium cost for
employer-sponsored health insurance for the year–even
though Access DuPage members on average have more
medical issues than the employer-insured population. This
reduced cost is accomplished by applying a medical home
concept, in which each member’s care is carefully tracked
and coordinated through a free clinic, a federally qualified
community health clinic or a volunteer private physician’s
office. These physicians work with an established network
of hospital and specialty physician providers as well as
community organizations to efficiently provide preventive
and primary care. Results suggest that the model is quite
successful in encouraging primary care visits and avoiding
complications and the unnecessary utilization that can
result from the lack of primary care. For example, primary
care visits were higher for Access DuPage members than
the general population, while inpatient admissions were 33
percent lower, and emergency room visits 24 percent below
the expected rate.
Most important, Access DuPage enrollees consistently
reported maintaining their physical health and improving
their mental health. Many of these individuals have
complex medical problems that almost certainly would have
deteriorated without coordinated care.
Because of the high level of support from CDH and other
hospitals, community physicians and community groups,
Access DuPage was able to accept every qualified applicant in
2009 and 2010.
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Access Community Health Network Clinics – Increasing
access to affordable health services through medical homes
also requires building capacity to service more patients. In
addition to our ongoing collaborative work with the federally
qualified health centers operated by Access Community
Health Network, CDH contributed $500,000 to expand
their operations. As a result, the Martin T. Russo Family
Health Center/Bloomingdale was able to add an additional
physician, a nurse practitioner, four medical assistants
and two support personnel. This enabled the clinic to stay
open an extra 13 hours a week, and to increase its patient
encounters by 22 percent over 2009.
Similarly, the West Chicago Family Health Center added a
bilingual physician assistant, two medical assistants and two
support personnel. This allowed it to stay open an additional
18 hours weekly and increase volume by 10 percent.
Adding evening and weekend hours makes these clinics
more accessible to low-income working families. By adding
volume, these centers also generate more income, which
helps make the added capacity sustainable.
DuPage Community Clinics – In addition to indirect
financial support via Access DuPage, CDH also provided all
outpatient lab tests for DuPage Community Clinic patients
free of charge.
HomeCare Physicians – Since 2001, this medical practice
has conducted more than 75,000 home visits to elderly
and disabled patients who can’t leave home without
assistance. This not only allows these patients the comfort
and dignity of continuing their lives in their homes, it also
has eliminated unnecessary ambulance, hospitalization and
nursing home costs.
CNS Home Health & Hospice – Home care helps keep patients
out of expensive nursing home facilities by providing nursing
and other services to patients recovering from severe illnesses
or injuries, and patients with terminal illnesses. Last year,
CNS Home Health & Hospice conducted more than 79,000
home visits.
Parish Nurse Program – This partnership between CNS
Home Health & Hospice and faith-based organizations
provides nursing services to more than 6,000 area residents
each year.
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Access DuPage a Life Saver
Like millions of Americans in recent
years, Glen Ellyn resident Glenda
Ross found herself without employersponsored health insurance for the first
time in her life after a layoff. For awhile
she stayed healthy. But in late 2008,
severe abdominal pain drove her to the
emergency department at CDH. Tests
revealed she needed a hysterectomy.
Ross was concerned that she could not
afford the operation. Staff at CDH helped
her sign up for Access DuPage. Ross was
referred immediately to a participating
surgeon. “He was my angel of mercy.
He saw my pain and scheduled surgery
ASAP,” Ross says.
The case was more difficult than
expected. The scheduled two-hour
surgery stretched to four and a half
hours when the surgeons encountered
additional complications. Afterward, the
surgeon followed up with personal calls.
“The doctors and the staff at CDH have
always been respectful, helpful and
encouraging,” says Ross. “I am really
thankful that there are programs like
Access DuPage and hospitals like CDH
out there.”
Financial Assistance –
A Critical Aspect of Ensuring Access
Access to Care at Home
Even though she had complications from diabetes,
suffered recurrent infections and required a full-time
caregiver, Helen B. Moore never saw the inside of a
hospital in the last six years of her life. She also greatly
reduced trips to the eye doctor, skin doctor and other
specialists. Her daughter, Lynn Moore, gives all the credit
to Thomas Cornwell, MD, a HomeCare Physician with
Central DuPage Physician Group.
During regular house calls, Dr. Cornwell stabilized Helen
Moore’s medications, blood sugar and blood pressure.
As a result, she didn’t need to see as many specialists.
He and the staff also repeatedly treated her for infections
that might otherwise have meant a trip to the emergency
department. Access to home care not only improves
homebound patients’ condition, it reduces costs, Dr.
Cornwell points out.
As important as expanding primary care capabilities
is, ensuring that hospital services are available to
low-income, uninsured and government-insured
patients is equally critical. Lack of financing and lack
of information about available services and financial
support can be major barriers to hospital care for
these patients.
In 2010, CDH provided substantial assistance in
both areas. Indeed, the cost of free and subsidized
care comprised the largest segment of our
community benefit contribution for the year. Our
financial and information support to overcome
financial barriers to access are outlined below.
Support for Patients Applying for Financial Assistance
CDH actively assists patients in identifying options
to finance care. These include:
• Checking a patient’s insurance coverage to
identify any gaps in coverage
• Researching alternative methods of coverage
• Assisting patients with completing insurance
forms
Home care also improved her mother’s quality of life,
Lynn Moore says. “She didn’t want to go to the hospital.
Even a trip to the doctor was exhausting. She wanted to
stay at home.”
• Helping individuals apply for public assistance
(Medicaid or other programs) and/or applying
for assistance through the hospital’s financial
assistance program
Dr. Cornwell respected that. “He talked to her and asked
her what she wanted instead of just talking to me,” Lynn
Moore says. “He was the first doctor in a long time who
looked at her like a person.” He also respected Lynn
Moore’s role, she says. “He knew I could be trusted to
give information on her medications. He treated me as a
peer on the team taking care of my mother.”
• Actively notifying patients of our charity care
policy through our website, hospital signage,
patient account statements and other patient
communications
Often we find coverage for patients, making it easier
and more comfortable for them to seek care.
Dr. Cornwell helped Lynn Moore and her mother through
the hardest days, setting up standing orders for
medicines that needed to be refilled to save time and
bother. “He was always coming up with a plan to make
things easier. It took a lot of stress out of my life. He
even called in an audiologist to get her stronger hearing
aids in the last weeks of life.
It allowed Helen Moore to hear her grandson read her the
Christmas story aloud just days before her death. It’s a
moment Lynn Moore and her son now cherish. “A lot of
doctors would have given up. He didn’t.”
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Charity Care
CDH provided $15.4 million in charity care to patients during 2010. To be classified as charity care, services must be
provided to patients who meet income and resource criteria outlined in CDH’s charity policies and must be provided without
any expectation that the services will be paid for. The eligibility of charity patients must be documented, which requires
patients to submit tax returns, pay stubs and similar proof of their financial status. Charity care is available at no charge
to patients who make up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $33,000 for an individual or $66,000 for a
family of four, with reduced payments for those with higher incomes. In addition, discounted care is offered to patients
with incomes between 300 and 600 percent of the federal poverty level. Patients who may qualify but do not provide such
documentation are not included in this category. The graph below shows how CDH’s charity care has grown over time:
Fiscal Years 2000 to 2010
Charity Care at CDH Through Financial Assistance Programs
(in millions)
$18.0
$15.4
$15.0
$13.1
$12.0
$10.7
$8.5
$9.0
$5.7
$6.0
$3.8
$3.0 $2.0 $2.0
$5.8
$4.4
$2.7
0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Government-Sponsored Health Care
Subsidizing care provided to patients insured by government-sponsored plans is another important element of CDH’s
community benefit. In 2010, these subsidies totaled $49.3 million. They helped ensure continued access to thousands of
patients enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and other government plans that reimburse less than the cost to provide services.
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Priority: Obesity
Taking the Fight to the Community
According to the DuPage County Health Department, obesity is the most significant public health issue facing our
community. Nearly 65 percent of adults in our community are overweight or obese, a figure that mirrors national statistics.
Of even greater concern is the epidemic of obesity among children. In a first-of-its-kind study in DuPage County, a survey
of 1,077 students in kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade found that 16 percent were obese and 33 percent overweight.
Among children, obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for their age, while overweight
is at or above the 85th percentile.
The study was conducted by FORWARD (Fighting Obesity, Reaching Healthy Weight Among Young Residents of DuPage),
a coalition of dozens of community groups in which CDH is a charter member and leading financial supporter. This research
effort, which will be expanded beyond the 44 self-selected schools that participated in 2010, is part of a multipronged
approach to identifying and addressing obesity where it originates–in the community.
Obesity increases risk for many medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer and arthritis. It is overtaking
smoking as the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the United States. But while the medical consequences of obesity are
severe, its causes are largely socioeconomic–behavior, education, income, culture and psychology are all significant factors.
Community-based education and other programs are well positioned to reduce and prevent obesity by addressing these issues.
Over the past year, CDH took a leading role in organizing and advancing many such efforts. We believe that supporting these
community efforts will create substantial community benefit by reducing the future burden of weight-related disease and
disability. We also provide medical and surgical services that address the obesity problem. A summary of our activities in these
areas follows.
Community Partnerships
Park District Scholarship
Keeps Boy Playing Baseball
“Thank you for the scholarship opportunity
you have given my son for the upcoming
baseball season. He has played baseball
with the West Chicago Park District since
he was 5 and learned more each year.
Due to a recent change in our family
circumstances we are experiencing
financial difficulties. Because of your
generosity, he will be able to continue
with baseball. With his acquired skills
he hopes to excel in high school and
even beyond.”
– a West Chicago resident
The FORWARD Initiative – The first step to reducing obesity is
to get good information on its scope, causes and impact. To
establish a baseline and create the infrastructure for ongoing data
collection, CDH contributions and technical assistance helped
FORWARD build and launch a countywide BMI surveillance
system, of which the school study was the first project. The
investment from CDH also helped FORWARD leverage
additional private and public funding. CDH’s financial support
helped the coalition hire staff, expand its membership and develop
a website.
In 2010, this support resulted in the incorporation of national
BMI standards to make it possible to compare local data to
national prevalence rates and benchmarks. Over the next year,
FORWARD will gather data to determine the scope of the
problem and then recommend and sponsor evidence-based
interventions for children and adults through schools, parks and
other community organizations.
CDH grants funded scholarships through nine
regional park districts in 2010.
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Park District Scholarships – In keeping with our commitment
to work with community partners, CDH contributed
$55,000 to area park districts to provide scholarships to
residents. This supports summer camps, memberships
in gyms and other related activities for youth and adults.
We believe that supporting these established community
programs will increase access to exercise which studies show
is helpful in reducing body weight and improving blood
pressure, blood sugar and lipid control.
Mobile Food Pantries – In addition to our ongoing support
for the People’s Resource Center, which operates the largest
food pantry in DuPage County, CDH worked directly with
Northern Illinois Food Bank to provide three mobile food
pantries convenient for county residents. In each event, a
semitrailer loaded with nutritionally dense foods visited a
community center. Participants had a choice of fresh fruits
and vegetables beyond standard food pantry fare. CDH
staff volunteered at these events, and we plan to expand this
program in coming years.
Dine Away Hunger – CDH matched contributions from
area restaurants and their patrons raising $20,000 for
People’s Resource Center. These funds were earmarked to
purchase nutritionally dense foods, including fresh fruits
and vegetables.
Targeted Exercise Programs – CDH supported numerous
exercise groups for populations at high risk for weight gain.
These included programs for bariatric patients to maintain
weight loss, pre- and postnatal aquatic aerobics and mall
walker clubs for area seniors.
Support Groups – Recognizing the importance support
networks play in reinforcing healthy eating and exercise
habits, CDH sponsored support groups for bariatric patients,
those with eating disorders and a chapter of Overeaters
Anonymous.
Hospital-Based Programs
Complimenting these programs offered in conjunction
with community groups, CDH also provided a full range
of obesity prevention and treatment services on the medical
end of the spectrum. These included a medical weight-loss
program supervised by a board-certified endocrinologist, and
surgical gastric bypass and gastric banding procedures that
have been shown to maintain longer-term weight loss.
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Looking FORWARD
to Healthier Children
A sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary
choices often lead to unhealthy weight gain
in children. That was the case for Joey
Asbach, 12, from Naperville. When Joey was
11 years old he began to feel self-conscious
about his weight. He was carrying 120
pounds on his 4-foot frame.
“I didn’t feel proud of myself and I didn’t like
the way I looked,” Joey says. So he and his
family decided to do something about his
weight. They began to look closely at the food
they bought and checked it for fat content,
fiber content and total calories. His mother,
Claudia Asbach, also began exercising.
“I’m now down 17 pounds,” he proudly
says as he holds up an earlier picture of
himself. Joey is now a spokesman for the
FORWARD initiative.
Claudia says she was proud of her son’s
efforts in changing his life. She is also proud
of him for encouraging healthy eating habits
and exercise in the rest of his family.
Joey’s weight loss story is one FORWARD hopes
to replicate across the county, partnering with
schools, social organizations and faith-based
organizations to promote healthy living.
Priority: Evidence-Based Health Education, Screening and Prevention
Encouraging healthy habits begins with education. These programs not only provided that education, but undoubtedly
enabled the prevention and early detection of health problems. CDH supports numerous community education and outreach
events through sponsorship, facilitation and in-kind donations, including:
Labor and Delivery Classes – Prenatal care and labor and delivery training are essential to help children and mothers get a
good start.
Diabetes Education – Managing blood sugar and weight are important steps to control diabetes and prevent complications,
such as blindness and loss of limbs.
Heart and Vascular Evidence-Based Community Screening – Detecting and treating high blood pressure and heart disease early
helps reduce the impact of these conditions, which remain leading causes of death and disability in DuPage County.
Dinner with the Doc Series – Patients are more likely to listen to medical advice when it comes from doctors. “Dinner with the
Doc” presents health information in an easy-to-understand, relaxed dinner format. In 2010, CDH held 33 programs focused
on prevention and detection of common serious health issues including cancer, heart disease, stroke, back and joint pain and
epilepsy for nearly 4,000 attendees.
Health Fairs – Health fairs and support events bring education to the community on a variety of health conditions, including
diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis. In addition, CDH regularly provides evidence-based screening services at local
shopping centers.
CNS Home Health & Hospice – Meeting the needs of the elderly is a
complex challenge for at-home caregivers. Free education programs
included fall prevention and home safety, understanding palliative and
hospice care, and the legal, financial and healthcare issues facing the
children of aging parents.
Smoke-free Solutions – Quitting may be the best thing smokers can
do for their health. This seven-week class provided tools to help stop
smoking, including advice on managing cravings.
Emmi® Online Patient Education Programs – Patients need reliable
sources for online medical information. These web-based, animated
and narrated programs provide CDH patients with advice on health
issues and tips for managing chronic conditions.
CPR and First Aid – CPR and basic first aid for adults and children help community members know what to do in an emergency.
Kits for Kids – The earlier kids learn healthy habits the better off they’ll be. These information packets especially for children
cover topics including bicycle safety and the importance of hand washing to prevent disease.
Support Groups – Social support increases the odds of improving health status. Among the programs CDH offers are
addiction support including smoking, alcohol, cocaine and narcotics; parenting issues including postpartum depression and
pregnancy and infant loss; and disease management and support for conditions such as Lupus, cancer, seizures and epilepsy,
depression, bipolar disorder and low vision.
Language Assistance – Clear communication is essential to diagnose and counsel patients. Our Interpreter Services
Department works with patients and families who communicate in ways other than spoken English to make certain patients
receive accurate and complete medical information in a manner they can understand.
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Protecting
Children in Cars
Priority: Building on Community Partnerships
Wanda Szacilowski of West Chicago
was the only one to make it to the
new mothers program presented
one stormy night by Jill Braselton,
RN, injury prevention coordinator for
ThinkFirst at CDH.
Throughout the years, CDH has
cultivated relationships with a
variety of national and community
health advocacy groups. Through
these relationships we have not only
encouraged detection and early
treatment of major illnesses, including
cancer and heart disease, we have
provided support for survivors within
our community. Our support of injury
prevention programs has also helped
reduce accident rates in the community
by encouraging safe behavior. Our
partnerships with some major
community groups are outlined below.
Ms. Szacilowski’s 8-month-old son
was getting too big for his car seat.
“I thought maybe she could look at
it and adjust it,” she recalls.
Braselton saw immediately the
child had outgrown his seat. So
she had Szacilowski follow her to
Braselton’s office where she had a
bigger seat.
Braselton installed the new seat
facing backward and explained when
it should be turned around as the
boy grew, Szacilowski says.
In the last 18 months Braselton
has distributed 292 seats in West
Chicago alone. Other CDH injury
prevention programs include fitting
first-graders with bike helmets–
about 2,000 each year–and
coaching grade school children on
safe street crossing. Teen programs
target car safety, such as using
seat belts and never riding in a
vehicle with anyone who is under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
While it’s hard to judge the precise
impact, injuries of all types are
trending downward according
to Braselton.
ThinkFirst Injury Prevention – CDH continues to partner with ThinkFirst
National Injury Prevention Foundation, a leading injury prevention
foundation focused on education, research and policy, to provide direct injury
prevention training and education in our communities. Programs include:
• Ride Smart!
• ThinkFirst chapter training
• ThinkFirst for Kids
• Child safety seat checks
• ThinkFirst for Youth
• Booster seat program
• ThinkFirst for Teens
• Bicycle helmet distribution
In 2010, CDH injury prevention staff conducted 496 presentations to local
schools and community groups, reaching nearly 70,000 individuals.
Awareness and Support Initiatives – In 2010, CDH supported dozens of
local events to raise awareness and funds for illness and disability prevention,
treatment and family support. Major sponsorships included:
• American Cancer Society Relay for Life
• American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure and Step Out Walk
• Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Ball
• March of Dimes March for Babies and Perinatal Nursing Conference
• MS Society Indoor Triathlon
• Teen-Parent Connection
Building on these and other community relationships helps us stay in touch
with the needs of our community.
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
Providing Advanced Medical Services
The community benefit programs outlined in the previous pages are a vital and important part of the most important
community benefit of all–to provide excellent and compassionate patient care each and every time. Doing so requires
CDH to prepare for growth in the volume and complexity of services the community will need. In 2010, we made
significant investments to ensure that services from primary care to advanced medical technologies remain available for the
entire community.
Major Projects Included:
CDH Cancer Center – In July 2010, CDH opened a new center that provides cancer patients with all their outpatient cancer
care and related support services in a single, convenient location. Services include physician care, oncology pharmacists,
chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as support services including diagnostic imaging, nutritional counseling, social
work services, genetic counseling and image-renewal services.
CDH Proton Center, A ProCure Center* – In November 2010, CDH opened the 60,000-square-foot facility in partnership
with ProCure Treatment Centers and Radiation Oncology Consultants Ltd. This facility brings proton treatment to
Illinois for the first time, enabling more precise treatment of a wide range of tumors with less damage to surrounding healthy
tissue. Proton therapy is especially beneficial for children whose bodies are more vulnerable to the damaging side-effects of
radiation treatment.
Full-Field Intraoperative MRI (iMRI) – In 2010, we acquired the capability to scan patients while still in surgery with this
technology. It creates new capability to locate and remove tumors, venous malformations and blood clots during brain
surgery. CDH is the first hospital in Illinois to implement this full-field iMRI technology.
Bed Pavilion – In 2010, CDH completed significant work on this facility, which will provide single-occupancy rooms for all
patients, enhancing care and recovery, slated for completion in 2011.
Emergency Department Expansion – To meet growing demand, CDH is expanding the Emergency Department by adding an
observation unit, admissions unit and “fast track” area.
At CDH, we believe the best way to create community benefit is to continue studying the diverse and complex needs of our
communities, and deliver the services that best meet them with excellence and compassion. It’s what Always thinking, Always
caringTM looks like.
*The CDH Proton Center, A ProCure Center is a joint venture among Central DuPage Hospital, ProCure Treatment Centers and Radiation Oncology Consultants Ltd. to bring proton
therapy to Illinois. The physicians who practice at the center are neither agents nor employees of Central DuPage Hospital, nor does CDH control or operate the center.
Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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Central DuPage Hospital Community Report
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