Northeast Ohio receives over $497 million in community benefits from Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic provided more than $497 million in community benefit to the Northeast Ohio community in 2009. Significant increases over 2008 were seen in education, community outreach programming, Medicaid shortfall and charity care.

Hospitals across the country are facing significant challenges due to a continuing difficult economy, reduced reimbursement, and low patient volumes. Cleveland Clinic is no different. This year, our Community Benefit report reveals the largest level of community benefit in the history of reporting.

"Cleveland Clinic has been an engaged community partner, committed to its mission of delivering high-quality patient care, groundbreaking research and medical education," said Delos M. Cosgrove, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of Cleveland Clinic. "This continued growth in our community benefit demonstrates our focus on creating a healthier population in Northeast Ohio."

The total of $497.7 million is broken down in the following categories:

Cleveland Clinic continues to focus on community health and wellness with an emphasis on chronic disease management. Traditionally, health care has focused on rescue, repair and recovery. Today, Cleveland Clinic prides itself on moving "sick" care to "health" care and educating our community to provide disease management for crippling diseases like diabetes.

For example, the diabetes rate in East Cleveland is 40 percent higher than neighboring Cleveland suburbs. At Huron Hospital, we have placed the highest priority on developing a cutting-edge Community Health Center that will teach prevention and education for proper management of one's health. Through access to physicians and healthcare staff, nutrition and behavioral modification, Cleveland Clinic, together with its community partners, hopes to see patients apply what they learn to everyday life, stay healthy and improve their long-term health.

"We're committed to promoting nutrition, fitness and healthy habits in Cleveland and its neighboring communities. We're empowering people with the tools and education they need to take responsibility for their health and safety and bringing neighbors, physicians and community organizations together to energize change. We want to help make Northeast Ohio a model of wellness for the nation," said Anthony Stallion, M.D., Chief Community Relations Officer at Cleveland Clinic.

Since 2004, Cleveland Clinic has calculated community benefit by using guidelines defined by the Catholic Health Association, whose reporting standards have been adopted by the Internal Revenue Service for nonprofit hospitals filing Form 990 starting this year.

Each year, Cleveland Clinic issues a Community Benefit Report that provides in-depth analysis and illustrations of community benefit activities. The 2009 report is viewable online at www.clevelandclinic.org/communitybenefit2009.