In 2010, University Health Care System provided more than $18.7 million in indigent and charity care. This includes the cost of inpatient and outpatient services for indigent patients, support of six community clinics and free disease management programs for people with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Community Outreach
Staying true to our mission of helping people stay healthy, University reached more than 200,000 people in 2010 and invested $2.2 million on free screenings and community education to spotlight the importance of prevention and early detection of disease This includes 1,300 free mammograms, uncovering 17 cases of cancer.
Health Professions Education
University has the deserved reputation of hiring the best and brightest to care for our patients. Because we know that a skilled and educated workforce is an important part of providing advanced health care, we invested more than $750,000 in 2010 in three University-based programs - Harry T. Harper Jr., M.D., School of Cardiac and Vascular Technology; Augusta Dietetic Internship; and Stephen W. Brown School of Radiography - to train excellent allied health professionals.
Other Community Programs
We invested an additional $107,000 to help fund and support other free programs last year, including the Cancer Survivor Luncheon, Columbia County Back-to-School Festival, Breast Cancer Survivor Dinner and our Online Health Library.
* Dollar amounts reflect estimated costs, not charges. Information may not be IRS Form 990 Schedule H compliant.
New Service Lines
As Baby Boomers age and health needs increase for this growing population, we re-evaluate our services to ensure we continue to lead the way as the region's health resource. In 2010, University:
Began offering bariatric banding surgery.
Opened new state-of-the-art Wound & Hyperbaric Center.
Approved University Hospice, Augusta's only not-for-profit hospice program, targeted to open summer 2011.
Introduced new less invasive anterior approach to hip replacement surgery.
Community Outreach
