By Mary C. Mayhew

Florida’s hospitals are the heartbeats of their communities. Generally, when we see the Blue “H” sign for the nearest hospital, we think about that one large facility providing emergency care, lifesaving surgeries, treatment for serious illnesses, maternity care, and many other vitally important hospital-based services. In reality, Florida’s hospitals are all of that and so much more.

Every three years, hospitals undertake an elaborate process to determine their community’s health needs through a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This comprehensive survey broadly reviews the needs of a community, such as rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, substance use disorder, mental illness and many other pressing community health needs. The results of these surveys help to shape the priorities of hospitals and health systems and their partnerships with other community organizations to improve the health and well-being of the individuals and families in their communities.

Hospitals are helping to bridge gaps in social services that negatively impact well-being and health outcomes for children and adults. Many times, these initiatives are closely aligned with local or state health department priorities – such as helping moms into early prenatal care, tackling housing instability for those with mental illness, supporting nutrition programs to address food insecurity, or developing innovative programs to overcome transportation barriers.

Comprehensive care is not just a throwaway line for hospitals. According to an FHA survey of its members, last year, Florida’s hospitals invested $6.2 billion in community benefit programs across the state, to promote and support healthy communities, extending their mission well beyond the walls of the hospital. Hospitals are engaged in efforts to support educational goals for children, to expand access to preventive services, to support free clinics, to expand access to dental care, to enhance healthcare literacy, to improve the array of services for our elderly, and to address the ever-growing need for community-based mental health services.

Additionally, each hospital adopts a financial assistance policy for patients in their communities who are uninsured or do not have the means to pay for their care despite having health care coverage. With 2.6 million Floridians lacking health care coverage and another 4.4 million Floridians covered by Medicaid, hospitals absorb a large portion of costs associated with caring for these populations. FHA member hospitals incurred $5.1 billion in costs associated for patients receiving free care, financial assistance or coverage through means tested programs in 2022.

All of this work and community engagement is supported by more than 322,000 hospital and health system staff and the ripple effect of so many other jobs that are created locally because of these comprehensive efforts.

While these survey numbers provide dollar values to the investment and impact of hospitals, we know that the true reward is invaluable; these community benefit programs improve the lives of millions of Floridians, every single day by getting to the heart of health and taking a holistic approach to well-being.

In Florida, creating timely access to world-class care begins in the community, before an individual is admitted to the hospital, and continues 7 days a week, 24/7, for all who need it.

Mary C. Mayhew is the Florida Hospital Association President and CEO.