Caring for Central Valley families requires more than just medical care. It means working beyond hospital walls to partner with community groups who are feeding the poor and educating immigrants about diabetes, COVID-19 and vaccinations. It means investing to attract the brightest medical minds, to expand horizons for children and to enhance support for patients.
Last year, Community Medical Centers provided $175 million in uncompensated care, medical education, outreach and patient support services to create a healthier Valley for us all. California requires hospitals to invest in the people and communities they serve as part of their nonprofit designation and report it publicly in an annual Community Benefit Report.
Efforts to improve the community’s health status vary from sophisticated medical research that addresses the Valley’s unique health needs to lactation education and support for new mothers. With community benefit funding last year, the healthcare system partnered with Centro La Familia to provide free blood sugar testing, blood pressure checks, retinal eye exams and bilingual health education. Community benefit funding also supported the Fresno Diabetes Collaborative’s website with bilingual resources.
The healthcare system recognizes the importance of partnering with local non-profit organizations and educational institutions to serve the needs of low-income families and children in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
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