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BayCare Community Initiatives Impact Hundreds of Thousands
August 13, 2024
A new, 18-month report shows that BayCare Health System’s Community Benefit efforts have led to more than a half-million engagements or interventions for the people of West Central Florida. BayCare today released the progress report on its three-year Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Implementation Plans, efforts that began in January 2023, to improve the well-being of residents across Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.
Providing in-kind and financial support to more than 100 community partners, BayCare’s Community Benefit programs are focused on addressing social determinants of health in three areas: behavioral health; access to health and social services; and exercise, nutrition, and weight. The plans for each county are based on demographic data, 2022 community health surveys and focus group discussions. BayCare’s 2023-2025 CHNA was its second in collaboration with the All4HealthFL Collaborative.
“BayCare is committed to improving health and well-being in the communities we serve, and our Community Benefit programs are a testament to that pledge,” said Stephanie Conners, president and CEO of BayCare Health System. “Based on the 18-month data reported by our Community Benefit partners, we know that BayCare’s programs are having a positive, direct impact on individuals and families who struggle to overcome barriers to access care and maintain good health.”
In 2022, when BayCare Health System and its All4HealthFl partners asked low-income residents in West Central Florida Counties how they obtained health care, nearly half of survey respondents had visited an emergency room for a reason other than an emergency or a life-threatening condition. On average, around one-third of low-income residents responding did not have health insurance or a regular physician. In addition to the challenge of taking time away from work, 60% said cost was a barrier to obtaining health care.
Since January 2023, BayCare’s Community Benefit outreach programs have provided nearly 140,000 free health screenings for high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and other health conditions. BayCare extends health care access beyond its hospitals primarily through free preventative health care screenings, a mobile clinic, a community health bus, and by staffing and providing financial support to free clinics in areas with underserved populations.
To expand access to social services, BayCare underwrites the FindHelpFlorida.com portal for West Central Florida. FindHelp Florida is a searchable database for social services, including housing, food assistance, transportation, childcare, senior care and more, that anyone can use. During the 18-month reporting period, residents conducted 187,732 FindHelpFL.com searches that led to 48,746 interactions with social service programs. BayCare’s internal FindHelp Florida platform is embedded in electronic medical records, allowing BayCare team members to discreetly help patients, and with patient permission, send referrals directly to local agencies.
“Through BayCare’s FindHelp Florida portal, we can ensure each patient has the supportive services he or she may need when they leave a BayCare hospital,” said Lisa Bell, BayCare’s director of Community Benefit. “When we identify issues that our excellent care can’t fix, our clinicians can connect patients with resources near where they live, work and play.”
BayCare’s Community Benefit county-specific programs continue to make substantial impacts:
- In Hillsborough County, the BayCare Kids Mobile Medical Clinic provided services to over 1,500 patients, including 3,000 immunizations, free of charge.
- In Pinellas County, four BayCare-supported clinics delivered 27,070 free office visits to 9,184 patients.
- In Polk County, The Mission of Winter Haven distributed over 18,000 hygiene kits to individuals experiencing homelessness.
- In Pasco County, BayCare’s support helped the Good Samaritan Health Clinic prevent over 1,200 emergency room visits, and enabled Farmworkers Self-Help to provide Narcan to nearly 1,500 individuals to combat drug overdoses.
Every year, BayCare returns 10% of its annual revenue to the community in the form of charity care, subsidizing the underinsured, and providing health-related community services to improve access to health care. In 2023, BayCare's commitment to Community Benefit was $557 million.
Read more: BayCare's Community Benefit Spend Grew in 2023
Access the 18-month progress report at this link.