| Program Service Accomplishments (cont'd) |
Emergency Services In FY2017, total emergency room visits increased 5.4% across the Northside system, surpassing 178,000. In May 2017, Northside opened its Northside Cherokee replacement hospital and the hospital experienced its highest monthly ER volume with more than 4,500 ER visits in June which grew to nearly 5,000 ER visits in December 2017. Northside always maintains a focus on quality. Accordingly, Northside participates in the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines Heart Failure program. This program improves care by promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines. Northside has earned the AHA's Gold Plus designation for all three of its emergency rooms. In addition, Northside also participates in the AHA's Get With the Guidelines - Stroke program. Two of Northside's emergency rooms have earned the AHA's Gold Plus designation and one emergency room has earned the Silver Plus designation. Oncology Services In 2017, the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute ("NHCI") continued to strengthen its services and infrastructure to better support the growing cancer care needs of the communities served. Below is a summary of the major successes in 2017: - Served 44 Georgia counties, diagnosed and treated nearly 13,000 cancer patients, provided 65 new cancer clinical trials, and screened 1,382 participants in our cancer screenings. - Maintained 12 cancer related accreditation and quality designations. - Expanded our cancer registry to an integrated Oncology Analytics program. - Established the NHCI Liver and Pancreatic Cancer Program. - Increased cases presented at cancer conference by 25% and increased engagement through web conferencing by 32%. - Exceeded national benchmark quality standards in breast, lung, and gastrointestinal cancers. - Expanded survivorship care program resulting in 89% of breast cancer patients reporting a better understanding of surveillance care. - Expanded oncology clinical and support services including pharmacy, nursing, hereditary cancer program, social work, and nutrition. - Continued to expand advanced technologies in cancer care specifically in the areas of surgical care and radiation oncology. - Continued success with NHCI Oncology Research Program, meeting 94% of credit goal. Radiology Services In FY2017 Northside's radiology network experienced volume of over 516,000 total patient encounters. In furtherance of its charitable mission, Northside developed an Imaging Charity Referral Program which aims to connect uninsured/underinsured patients in need of imaging services with one of Northside's twenty-three charitable imaging locations ("Charitable Imaging Location"). (While all Northside locations accept patients regardless of their ability to pay, and provide financial assistance to those who qualify for such assistance under Northside's Financial Assistance Program, Northside's Charitable Imaging Locations have specific and separate indigent/charity care commitments resulting from Georgia's Certificate of Need program.) In 2017, Northside's Imaging Charity Referral Program received over 800 referrals from its safety net clinic and federal qualified health center referral partners. Northside has a sizeable radiology network consisting of inpatient and outpatient centers located throughout its service area. In order to provide consistent, high-quality, efficient services across the network, Northside focusses on three priority area: 1) patient safety, 2) clinical excellence and 3) operations. Over FY17, the Organization achieved numerous accomplishments in each focus area with a few notable accomplishments highlighted below. - Collaborated with Phoenix Technology Corporation and Northside Hospital Quality Improvement to develop quarterly report cards for all hospital-based areas and physician practices with radiation emitting equipment. The report cards are reviewed by the Radiation Safety Officer and outliers are discussed in Radiation Safety Committee. - Northside Atlanta successfully completed: - FDA inspection at each mammography location - ACR accreditation and on-site surveys at all radiology locations for CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Ultrasound and Mammography (as applicable) - Northside Cherokee successfully completed: - ACR re-accreditation and on-site surveys at all radiology locations for CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, Mammography and Ultrasound (as applicable) - FDA inspections at each mammography location - State Licensing Survey for the Cherokee replacement hospital - Georgia DNR site visit for Nuclear Medicine at the hospital - Northside Forsyth successfully completed: - The re-accreditation survey process for The Joint Commission(TJC) Primary Stroke Disease Site - Inspection at each mammography location - ACR accreditation and on-site surveys at all radiology locations for CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Ultrasound and Mammography (as applicable) Surgical Services In FY2017, total surgeries increased 5.4% across the Northside system, surpassing 56,000. Northside has one of the highest volume surgical programs in Metro Atlanta and is continually striving to enhance its service offering and improve quality. Northside Hospital Forsyth is Georgia's leader in same-day joint replacements, performing more surgeries than any other hospital in the state, and has earned Disease Specific Certification for hip and knee joint replacement from The Joint Commission. As part of the Northside Hospital health care system, the hospital also offers patients expertise that ranks in the top one percent of all robotic surgery programs in the U.S. In furtherance of its mission to provide state-of-the-art quality healthcare, Northside Hospital Forsyth became the first hospital in Georgia to perform robotic total knee replacement surgeries. In addition to the financial assistance services provided to patients who qualify for such services under Northside's Financial Assistance Program, in furtherance of its charitable mission and in response to an identified community need, Northside created the Financial Access Surgery Program ("FASP"). The FASP was established and designed to provide medically-necessary, non-emergent surgical services and all related ancillary services at no cost, to uninsured/underinsured patients. Northside entered into formal referral agreements with several community organizations including Federally Qualified Health Centers and safety net clinics located across Georgia. Demand for the program was so great that Northside subsequently created the FASP Overflow Program and expanded the number of locations to four (4). In 2017, the FASP received over 950 referrals from its community partners. Women's Services In FY2017, delivery volume remains strong across the Northside system with deliveries surpassing 20,000. NHA is consistently ranked as the nation's leader in maternity services, delivering more babies than any other hospital. In CY2015, the most recent data available, Northside Hospital-Atlanta again was the national leader in maternity services with just over 16,100 births while the next closest provider had just over 14,800 births. In Georgia, NHA is the leader in maternity services including high-risk perinatal services. In 2016, the most recent data available, NHA cared for nearly 781 high-risk perinatal patients with the next closest provider caring for approximately 509 patients. NHA's expertise in caring for the most fragile neonates also is unsurpassed. In 2016, the most recent data available, NHA cared for more than 5,838 neonates (excluding normal newborns) with the next closest provider caring for more than 2,645 neonates (excluding normal newborns). Georgia ranks "at or near the bottom" in maternal deaths in the US, which is a serious public health concern within the state. Currently, the number of deaths and causes of maternal deaths are not properly documented. As such, the Centers for Disease Control determined that a review committee should be convened to investigate maternal mortality in the state. The Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee aims to develop prevention recommendations for maternal death and disseminate their findings throughout Georgia to policy makers, healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, and the general public. In furtherance of its charitable mission and to enhance public health, Northside's Clinical Outcomes Manager joined this committee and actively participates in the committee's activities with the full monetary support of Northside. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 6 |
Northside Health Services, the parent entity, elects all the members of the governing body for Northside Hospital, Inc. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7a |
Northside Health Services, the parent entity, elects all the members of the governing body for Northside Hospital, Inc. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 7b |
Northside Health Services, the parent entity, must approve bylaw revisions and revisions of the Articles of Incorporation for Northside Hospital, Inc. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b |
The Form 990 was prepared by an unrelated and independent accountant using detailed financial statements supported by a consolidated audit (also prepared by outside, independent auditors). Northside financial leadership, including the System Controller and CFO, perform a detailed review of the 990 and sign-off on the returns before they are filed. additionally, Outside Counsel reviews several sections of the form at Northside's request. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c |
Officers, directors and key employees are required to complete and sign a disclosure questionnaire annually, in accordance with the Conflict of Interest Policy. Northside's Legal Services department reviews contracts with other care providers, educational institutions, manufacturers and payors to determine whether conflicts of interest exist and whether they are in compliance with specific laws and regulations. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 |
To establish the compensation of the organization's CEO and key employees, a compensation study, including peer organizations, is completed by an independent compensation consultant. This information is shared with the Compensation Committee. Independent members of the Compensation Committee deliberate and determine the compensation of the CEO and approve the compensation of other officers and key employees. Records are retained of these decisions. The CEO's final written employment contract must be approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 |
The Corporate governance documents (specifically all Articles of Incorporation documents) are made available on the Georgia Secretary of State website. Our Conflict of Interest Policy is made available on our Intranet to Northside employees; however, neither our audited financial statements nor our Conflict of Interest Policy are made available to the public. When and if appropriate requests are made by the public, we evaluate disclosure on a case by case basis. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 16B |
In lieu of adopting a written policy concerning joint venture arrangements, the organization requires and undertakes a rigorous case-by-case evaluation of its participation in any proposed joint venture arrangement under applicable tax and other laws and regulations. Each proposed joint venture with a taxable entity is reviewed under applicable tax laws, regulations, and guidelines by outside legal counsel and organization personnel to confirm that the joint venture would be formed, operated and managed in a manner that furthers the community benefit and charitable purposes of the organization. Joint ventures with taxable entities are required to be structured, including through financial and governance provisions and reserved powers, in a manner to safeguard the organization's exempt status and ensure that the organization controls all aspects of the joint venture related to its exempt purpose. |
| Form 990, Part VII, Section B: |
To serve the patients within Northside's geographic region, Northside entered into a professional services agreement ("PSA") based upon personally performed and modifier adjusted productivity with Georgia Cancer Specialists I, P.C. ("GCS") to ensure oncology and hematology services are provided to all patients within the community regardless of the patients' ability to pay. Northside has provided a broad range of cancer care services through its cancer care program at The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute ("NHCI"). The NHCI, which is recognized nationally as a leader in oncology diagnosis, treatment and research, offers clinical excellence on par with academic-based programs along with the personalized and attentive care typically associated with a community hospital. Northside has committed to becoming a regional and national leader that redefines cancer care, which in part requires the expansion of its geographic footprint through development of an affiliation with additional locations, as well as having an integrated cancer care program that facilitates collaboration between Northside and clinicians specializing in oncology services. GCS has a large complement of clinicians to assist Northside in developing an outpatient oncology services program, specializing in medical oncology and hematology and the provision of infusion therapy services and medical and clinical research services. In accordance with the PSA, GCS remains a privately-held organization without ownership or management by Northside. GCS maintains responsibility for providing all administrative operations of the practice (e.g., staff benefits, malpractice insurance, etc.). Northside makes payments to GCS at fair market value rates for 1) personally performed and modifier adjusted professional services 2) management oversight responsibilities and 3) billing arrangements. GCS employs approximately 88 clinicians and 205 staff to maintain oncology, hematology, management and billing services at Northside's facilities and throughout the communities served by Northside. To serve the patients within Northside's geographic region, Northside entered into a professional services agreement ("PSA") based upon personally performed and modifier adjusted productivity with AGA, LLC to ensure gastroenterology ("GI") services are provided to all patients within the community, regardless of the patients' ability to pay. As such, this arrangement allows Northside to establish Centers of Excellence in GI services, especially related to endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cloangiopancreatography. GI services also have a significant tie-in to oncology services for which Northside is a leader in the Atlanta service area in terms of diagnosis and treatment. AGA, LLC has a large complement of clinicians that provide GI services including GI oncology. In accordance with the PSA, AGA, LLC remains a privately-held organization without ownership or management by Northside. AGA, LLC maintains responsibility for all expenses typically found in a GI clinicians practice (e.g., staff, billing, medical supplies, medical records, occupancy, malpractice insurance, etc.). Under the PSA, Northside pays AGA a fair market value rate based on personally performed and modifier adjusted wRVUs. AGA, LLC provides approximately 123 clinicians to ensure GI services at Northside's facilities and throughout the communities served by Northside. The compensation reflected on Form 990, Part VII, Section B, Column (c), represents professional services under the PSA to include related compensation and benefits. To serve the patients within Northside's geographic region, Northside entered into a professional services agreement ("PSA") based upon personally performed and modifier adjusted productivity with Atlanta Cancer Care ("ACC") to ensure oncology and hematology services are provided to all patients within the community regardless of the patients' ability to pay. Northside has provided a broad range of cancer care services through its cancer care program at The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute ("NHCI"). The NHCI, which is recognized nationally as a leader in oncology diagnosis, treatment and research, offers clinical excellence on par with academic-based programs along with the personalized and attentive care typically associated with a community hospital. Northside has committed to becoming a regional and national leader that redefines cancer care, which in part requires the expansion of its geographic footprint through development of an affiliation with additional locations, as well as having an integrated cancer care program that facilitates collaboration between Northside and clinicians specializing in oncology services. ACC has a large complement of clinicians to assist Northside in developing an outpatient oncology services program, specializing in medical oncology and hematology and the provision of infusion therapy services and medical and clinical research services. In accordance with the PSA, ACC remains a privately-held organization without ownership by Northside. ACC maintains responsibility for providing all administrative operations of the practice (e.g., staff benefits, malpractice insurance, etc.). Northside makes payments to ACC at fair market value rates for 1) personally performed and modifier adjusted professional services 2) management oversight responsibilities and 3) billing arrangements. ACC employs approximately 30 clinicians and 90 staff to maintain oncology, hematology, management and billing services at northside's facilities and throughout the communities served by Northside. |
| Form 990, Part IX, line 11g |
other fees: Program service expenses 294,019,764. Management and general expenses 130,684,105. Fundraising expenses 0. Total expenses 424,703,869. |
| Form 990, Part XI, line 9: |
change in pension 74,416,326. equity transfer -51,092. income from joint ventures not on books -1,483,749. Other Changes in Net Assets -1,041,927. |
| Community Benefits Report - Fiscal Year 2017 |
Northside Hospital Health Care System is one of Georgia's leading health care providers with more than 150 locations across the state, including three acute care, state-of-the-art hospitals in Atlanta, Cherokee County and Forsyth County. Northside Hospital leads the U.S. in newborn deliveries, diagnoses and treats the most cancer cases of any community hospital in Georgia and is among the state's top providers of surgical services. Northside has more than 2,800 physicians and 15,000 employees who serve 3 million patient visits annually across a full range of medical services. Our Mission Through all of the growth, Northside has remained steadfast and committed to its mission. Northside Hospital is committed to the health and wellness of our community. As such, we dedicate ourselves to being a center of excellence in providing high-quality health care. We pledge compassionate support, personal guidance, and uncompromising standards to our patients in their journeys toward health of body and mind. To ensure innovative and unsurpassed care for our patients, we are dedicated to maintaining our position as regional leaders in select medical specialties. And to enhance the wellness of our community, we commit ourselves to providing a diverse array of educational and outreach programs. Our Values Northside's outstanding reputation is fueled by an instinctive devotion to a unique set of values. This statement of values defines and communicates those guiding, motivating philosophies that have led us to distinction: Excellence - A primary value in all matters of health care, our excellence is born of individual commitment to the highest personal potential. For if we reach our individual potentials, we can achieve excellence as an institution. Compassion - We believe that each person is unique - patient, family or caregiver - in health, in sickness, in life, in death. Each is to receive our respect, our care, our appreciation and our concern our empathy. Community - We value its well-being and are committed to its progress. In addition to our services, we provide an important corporate contribution, expressed through involvement with the people, organizations and jurisdictions that vitalize, energize and support our region. Service - We recognize a personalized expression of caring which transcends physical aspects of health. We realize that this depth of service to others can be the source of our own growth and well-being, while maintaining a financially successful organization. Teamwork - Our success stems from teamwork. We recognize the equal value and individual contribution of each member of our team. We believe in mutual regard for each other and for our patients. We encourage teamwork by working together respectfully, communicating openly and supporting the expression of differing opinions and perspectives. Progress & Innovation - We understand the need for these attributes in patient care and organizational management. While preserving the tradition and wisdom of those who have gone before us, we seek new information and state-of-the-art technology. We welcome new insights, new techniques, new ideasand will remain leaders in the health care of our community. Our Community Benefit Philosophy Northside's commitment to support healthier patients and create a stronger, healthier community fabric extends beyond our physical walls. In addition to providing high quality hospital-based medical services, we offer a number of community-based services, designed to improve the health of individuals who live, work and play in the areas we serve. We've developed strong relationships with organizations that champion a culture of wellness and stewardship in the community. Health care, education, awareness and advocacy intersect through these partnerships. Because Northside Hospital Inc. is not-for-profit and is not required to return profits to shareholders like taxable organizations, we reinvest our revenues, in excess of expenses, in order to enhance our capacity to deliver high-quality health care to the communities we serve. These resources provide for a long-term focus on the recruitment and retention of outstanding medical professionals, enhanced research and technologies, and new facilities and services. In addition, such resources enable us to provide numerous programs and activities that provide treatment or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs. "Community Benefit" Defined Community Benefit applies to activities or programs that respond to identified community health needs and that seek to achieve one or more of the following objectives: -improving access to health services -enhancing public health -advancing increased general knowledge -relieving or reducing government's burden to improve health The information presented in this report demonstrates the level of community service and benefits that we have provided to the community during fiscal year 2017 October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. AT A GLANCE Charity Care $482,921,000 Bad Debt & Government Sponsored Health Care $148,661,072 Community Benefit Programs: - Research $1,326,882 - Health Professions Education $23,227 - Community Health Services & Community Benefit Operations $1,571,655 - Subsidized Health Services $192,164 - Community Building $11,483 - Financial and In-kind Contributions $3,171,803 COMMUNITY BENEFIT OPERATIONS Northside Hospital's Planning Department performs the health system's Community Health Needs Assessment once every three years, last completed in FY2016. As part of the FY2016-FY2018 CHNA cycle, Northside has created a Community Benefit Steering Committee. The committees 8 members, who spent 48 hours in FY 2017, consist of Northside management and staff from various departments across the system who are engaged in community benefit activities. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE / CHARITY CARE Northside Hospital treats all patients, regardless of age, sex, creed, race, national origin or source of payment. All patients are treated equally in respect to charges, bed assignments and medical care, regardless of ability to pay. We provide care without charge, or at discounted rates, to patients who meet certain criteria. Such cases are not reported as revenue or listed as accounts receivable. We maintain records to identify and monitor the indigent and charity care we provide. These records include the amount of charges forgone for services and supplies provided under the charity care policy. In FY2017, Northside Hospital provided $482,921,000 in indigent and charity care. Uncompensated care including indigent and charity care and uncollected accounts represented $631,582,000. COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT SERVICES Corporate & Community Health Education In response to requests from the community, Northside Hospital physicians and employees regularly provide free lectures through the hospital's Speakers Bureau. Health-related topics include exercise, nutrition & weight control, women & heart disease, breast health, sleep disorders, and more. In FY2017, 389 people were served at 12 events, involving 41 staff hours. Northside's Smoking Cessation Program offers participants tips on how to quit, manage stress, avoid weight gain, cope with withdrawal symptoms and much more. The six-week sessions use a combination of group discussion and interaction, with nicotine replacement therapy, to provide the support needed to quit smoking. All classes are facilitated by trained Northside Hospital staff. Additional resources including online support services and referrals to telephone counseling also are available. In FY2017, the program enrolled 82 participants. The Northside Hospital Cancer Institute's community outreach staff provide community education and outreach programs throughout the year about breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, cancer prevention, the importance of screening and other cancer-related topics. In FY2017, 692 Northside staff hours served 47,014 people. Approximately 56,037 people attended events where Northside was present. Check It Out! is a collaborative effort between Northside and the Greater Atlanta Hadassah, which provides breast health education to high school junior and senior girls, teaching them proper breast self-exam technique and the importance of early detection and understanding risk factors. Schools in Cobb, Fulton and DeKalb counties have accepted the program as part of their health curriculum. In FY2017, the program was presented to 12 high schools, reaching 2,065 girls. |
| Northside Hospital Website/Online Education |
Northside Hospital's official website, northside.com, features a health encyclopedia and video library of general health content about surgeries and procedures including dedicated online educational centers for cancer, weight loss surgery and pregnancy. More than 2.4 million people visited this content in FY2017, including: -16,827 unique page views of weight loss surgery content -13,196 page views of online cancer center -135,188 page views of maternity and women's center content Northside's Lifetime of Care magazine, available online and in print, is a free health magazine geared toward men and women ages 30-65. The magazine was published three times in 2017 and each publication was delivered to 490,000 households with an additional 1,377 views on northside.com. The editorial staff dedicates approximately 220 hours of work per year. Maternal and Infant Health Education The Northside Hospital MothersFirst Program offers pertinent education, classes, support groups, and other services for women throughout the many stages of their childbearing years, from early pregnancy through the early childhood of their baby. Four classes qualify as community benefit Labor & Birth, CPR, Baby Essentials and Breastfeeding. In FY2017, 7,164 people attended these classes (657 class sessions). Northside supports the decision to breastfeed. Northside's "Warm Line" lactation telephone hotline is available to anyone in the community and offers breastfeeding advice from certified lactation consultants. The Warm Line is available 7 days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and served 13,621 people (with 3,128 staff hours) in FY2017. Northside also offers a free Breastfeeding eLearning Program on northside.com, which allows 24/7 access to information, videos, PDFs and animations about breastfeeding. Approximately 1851 people accessed the eLearning Program in FY2017. Support Groups Support Groups offer patients and the community a way to cope with the issues they face with the comfort of knowing that others are willing to help. Northside offers various support groups, conducted at the hospitals and led by Northside staff who organize, lecture and facilitate. These support groups are open to the community, regardless of where medical care was received. - Mom-Me Connection offers breastfeeding support for new moms. Three groups meet each week in Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Cumming, and Canton. Each group is facilitated by a certified lactation consultant. Approximately 1,802 people attended in FY2017. - Stroke Support Groups for stroke survivors and their families meet monthly at Northside's Alpharetta campus. The groups host speakers and provide networking and social support for stroke survivors and their families. Approximately 15-20 people attended the groups each month in FY2017. - Eight Diabetes Support Groups were available to anyone currently affected by diabetes and needing moral support, clinical information, guidance or advice about living with diabetes. - Northside's Outpatient Behavioral Health Department offers a Women's Empowerment Therapeutic Group for women, age 40+, who are undergoing cancer treatment or are in remission from cancer. Two licensed social workers lead and moderate the group. Topics include: self-case/health and wellness, intimacy/sexuality, grief and loss, relationships, and new factors in your life since diagnosis. In FY2017, 17 people attended this group. - Caring and Coping is a support group for parents and grandparents who have lost a baby due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or newborn death. Meetings are held once a month and are facilitated by two staff members. Approximately 20 people attended each meeting in FY2017, with approximately 30% of attendees coming from other hospitals. - Rainbow PALS (Pregnancy after Loss Support) is a social support group for parents considering or experiencing a subsequent pregnancy following the loss of a baby. The group primarily interacts through a private Facebook group. There are more than 70 members from around the community. Gatherings occur occasionally during the year. - ANEW is a social support group for parents, who are raising surviving multiple(s) following the loss of one or more multiple(s). The group primarily communicates through a private Facebook group. There are 30 members. Gatherings such as Mom's Night Out and play dates occur periodically during the year. A remembrance event was held in 2017 with more than 20 attendees; this event is held every other year. - H.E.A.R.T.strings Companions is a new program that offers peer-to-peer support for bereaved parents by trained volunteer mentors. Thirteen mentors have been trained to be matched. - Atlanta Walk to Remember is an annual event during National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month each October which draws families to celebrate and remember their babies. More than 700 attended the 2017 event. - Northside Hospital Forsyth hosts a monthly support group for patients and caregivers who have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The support groups provide support, information, and the opportunity to meet with others who are faced with a brain tumor. 45 people participated in these support groups in FY 2017. - Perinatal Loss Memorial Services are hosted by the Chaplains of the Spiritual Health and Education department to honor the memory of babies gone too soon at Northside. They are offered the 1st Sunday in May and November of each year. Approximately 150 people attend each Memorial Service. |
| Partnering with Schools |
Northside Hospital's Partners In Education program sponsors more than 100 schools in seven north metro Atlanta counties: Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett. Through these partnerships, Northside provides clinic supplies; participates in fundraisers; supports Career Days and invests in other student programs that promote health and wellness, science, safety and anti-bullying; sponsors teacher appreciation/ recognition events; and much more. In FY2017, 300 staff hours were spent serving approximately 150,000 students. Through Northside Hospital-Cherokee's Junior Health Advocates, medical professionals speak to an array of healthy living topics, tailored to children grades PK-8. Topics include Nutrition Nation, Buddy Not Bully, Happy Hands, House Rules, Drug Free Me, Fitness Fun, Squeaky Clean Hygiene, Tooth Truth, Summer Safety, and Net Safe Navigator. Each class offers a 45-minute interactive presentation. Students receive an activity book and gift to reinforce each subject. In FY2017, the program arranged 39 classes (616 classroom hours), reaching 19,770 students. Northside also partners with the Learning for Life Health care Exploring Program, which offers local high school students (grades 9-12) who are considering a career in health care a unique, insider's view of the hospital and its many careers. Throughout the seven-month program, which is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, the students visit many areas of the hospital, performing exercises and participating during lectures by health care professionals. Each class focuses on a different area of health care cardiology, robotic surgery, radiology, oncology, pharmacy, women's services and other specialties. During the 2016-17 session, 30 students participated in the program, facilitated by 121 staff hours. For outstanding high school students interested in pursuing a career in health care, Northside Hospital-Cherokee participates in the Cherokee County Schools' Work Based Learning Program Youth Apprenticeship. The unpaid internship offers an observation-only experience for students, who rotate through eleven different departments of the hospital including surgery, radiology and the emergency department for an hour each weekday during the school year. Students also receive American Heart Association HeartSaver/AED training. In FY2017, 37 students participated in the program at the hospital. Two employees managed the program, spending approximately 20 hours. The Northside Hospital-Forsyth Laboratory participates in Lambert High School's Health Sciences Program to help prepare students for advanced health care education and industry placement. The high school provides the content, skills and safety procedures as it relates to clinical laboratory and health care diagnostics. Students job shadow at Northside for a total of 30 weeks, rotating through six departments within the Laboratory including Chemistry, Hematology, Blood and Tissue Bank, Phlebotomy, Microbiology and Histology/Pathology. Students get hands-on experience, reviewing and analyzing data and working with real equipment. Diagnostic Phlebotomy and Internship Students were able to interact first hand with patients, nurses and physicians in a clinical setting. In FY2017, 183 students participated for a total of 1,450 hours. More than ten Northside staff members spent 962 hours organizing and supervising the program. The Northside Hospital-Atlanta Auxiliary's Puppet Program (CHEP- Community Health Education Program) travels to schools in DeKalb, Cobb and North Fulton counties, educating children in grades PK-2 about the importance of healthy behaviors and why children should not be afraid of medical check-ups. In FY2016, the program conducted 23 puppet shows, reaching 3,293 students. Volunteers provided more than 368 hours and drove more than 1,619 miles. Northside's call center handles the scheduling of the puppet shows. In FY2017, the department spent approximately 8 -16 hours fielding calls from schools and scheduling. SUBSIDIZED HEALTH SERVICES Corporate & Community Health Fairs Northside provides free on-site health screenings at corporate and community locations throughout the year to raise health care awareness and to promote prevention and early detection of diseases. Health screenings include cholesterol/glucose testing, blood pressure screening, body composition analysis, osteoporosis screening, pulmonary function testing, sleep quality screening, cancer risk assessment, diabetes assessment, coronary risk profile and audiology screening. In FY2017, Northside offered health screenings at 24 community and 18 corporate events, reaching 4,521 people. More than 3,082 staff hours were spent on the planning and implementation of the events. Community Screenings Throughout the year, Northside also offers disease-specific health screenings at the hospital's campuses in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Cherokee and Forsyth. Screenings are offered at low cost or completely free to those who qualify. -822 screening mammograms were provided; 17 cancers were diagnosed. -Four Prostate Cancer Screenings took place, reaching 836 men; 97 men were recommended for follow-up treatment because of abnormal findings. -Five free Skin Cancer Screenings were held, with 546 participants; 137 people were recommended for follow-up treatment because of abnormal findings. -The Audiology Department provided free Hearing Screenings through the Cherokee County School District's "Give a Kid a Chance" Program. Screenings were provided to 258 school children. Twenty children were referred for further testing. Northside's Financial Access Surgery Program (FASP) is designed to eliminate financial obstacles faced by the uninsured or underinsured in obtaining non-emergent, yet medically-necessary, outpatient surgical and endoscopy services including Screening and Diagnostic Colonoscopies. The services are provided at no cost to qualified participants. This program serves 12 counties - Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Gwinnett, Hall, Lumpkin, and Pickens Counties. In FY2017, 430 people were served and 2,530 hours were spent facilitating this program by the FASP Coordinator and department secretary. RESEARCH The Northside Hospital Research Program works to provide patients with the latest treatments and prevention methods being tested through clinical trials. Staff organize and manage all aspects of the clinical trials offered, with the goal of providing access to cutting-edge clinical trials in a community setting and ensuring that the safety of trial participants is the top priority. In FY2017, 14,641 staff hours were spent on research, 725 people were served, and 79 research projects were performed. Specialties include blood and marrow transplant, cardiology, critical care, endocrinology, oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology, rheumatology, and vascular surgery. HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION Northside Hospital is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to provide continuing education for physicians. Northside Hospital designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. These seminars are open to both Northside and Non-Northside health care professionals. - The Medical Education/Primary Care Update: 70 staff hours coordinated this event which had 51 attendees. - 5th Annual Women and Stroke Symposium Approximately 69 staff hours coordinated the event; 119 attended. - 5th Annual Cherokee Cardio Vascular Summit: 100 staff hours coordinated this event which had 130 attendees. - The Heart of the Matter: Managing Cardiovascular Risks In Pregnancy. The event involved 85 attendees and 200 staff hours. - Lung Cancer Is A Curable Disease: 10 staff hours coordinated the event; 18 attended. - Identification of Patients With Hereditary Syndrome: 12 staff hours coordinated the event; 13 attended. - HPV and Cervical Cancer Film Screening, Someone You Love: 27 staff hours coordinated the event; 40 attended. |
| Cash and In-Kind Donations |
Cancer Institute Through the Northside Hospital Cancer Institute (NHCI), approximately 478 hours were allocated to community benefit planning, operational support and fundraising, and preparing/writing grants. $390,412 in grants were awarded to NHCI to provide the following services free of charge to vulnerable populations: -822 screening mammograms -360 diagnostic mammograms -316 ultrasounds -101 breast biopsies -23 cyst aspirations -8 MRIs -422 $25 gasoline cards to over 90 patients unable to drive to colon cancer screenings or cancer treatment appointments Sponsorships In addition to the excellent medical care and educational programs, Northside provides financial assistance, approximately $2,679,000, to more than 300 charitable organizations each year. The hospital's sponsorship activities are coordinated by a Community Development Specialist in the Marketing Department, who worked more than 1,000 hours in FY2017 compiling, assessing and coordinating sponsorships that meet community benefit guidelines. The hospital's four-member Sponsorship Committee reviews all requests received and determines whether or not each organization complements the hospital's Mission and Values and meets geographic and demographic parameters that the hospital has established throughout its primary and secondary service areas. Employee Volunteerism (The Community Connection) Northside Hospital promotes and encourages community volunteerism among its physicians, employees, Auxilians and their families and friends. Each year, staff and physicians volunteer their time, talents and resources to make a positive impact and build strong and healthy communities. In FY2017, more than 3,630 Community Connection volunteers donated more than 28,000 hours of their time to more than 100 community service projects in the hospital's service areas. Northside's Community Connection Employee Volunteer Program is coordinated by one staff member, who spent 2,080 staff hours coordinating volunteers participating in community benefit activities / programs throughout the community in FY2017. CPR Kiosk Northside collaborated with the American Heart Association to increase public awareness about the lifesaving power of bystander CPR in an effort to empower more members of our community to intervene in an emergency by sponsoring a Hands Free CPR Kiosk at the Home Depot headquarters. In FY2017, Northside contributed $125,000 per year for the next 3 years for the sponsorship of this program which will officially launch in FY2018. MedShare Donations MedShare is a 501c(3) humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. In addition to a $10,000 sponsorship, Northside donated surplus medical supplies amounting to $515,881 worth of supplies and serving 562,500 people in underserved communities. Second Helping Atlanta Second Helpings Atlanta, Inc. (SHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose vision is to fight hunger in the 5 county Metropolitan Atlanta area by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need. In addition to a $2,500 sponsorship donation Northside donated 2,688 pounds of surplus food. Coordinating these efforts utilized 140 staff hours and served 2,225 people. Tennis Against Breast Cancer Northside Hospital organized the 13th annual "Tennis Against Breast Cancer" event, luncheon and fashion show at multiple locations in North Fulton, Forsyth, and Cherokee counties to raise community awareness of breast cancer prevention and education, and 1,286 women participated in the event, which raised $250,972 for the hospital's Breast Care Program Fund. Approximately 500 hours were spent coordinating the event. Miracle Babies In November 2016, Northside hosted the third annual Miracle Babies, a Northside Hospital fundraising event to raise financial assistance and support for families facing a financial hardship due to having a newborn in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). $119,232 was raised for the Miracle Babies fund, and 131 people attended the event. 150 staff hours coordinated this event. Charity Golf Classic Northside hosted 2 Charity Golf Classic's, a corporate fundraiser for the Northside Hospital Blood & Marrow Transplant Program (BMT), General Research Program, and Prostate Cancer Program. The FY2017 events raised a total of $575,825. The event was attended by 1,378 people and coordinated by 654 staff hours. Wine Women and Shoes Approximately 345 people attended Northside's Wine Women and Shoes event, benefitting the Leukemia Program and GYN Oncology Program. More than $257,000 was raised. Approximately 1,200 staff hours were spent coordinating the event. Baby Alumni Birthday Party The 2017 Northside Hospital Baby Alumni Birthday Party at Zoo Atlanta was Atlanta's largest birthday party. More than 5,000 children and their families celebrated and enjoyed face painters, crafts, birthday cookies as well as an evening visit of the animal exhibits. Blood Drives Northside Hospital is a partner with the Metro Atlanta Red Cross and hosts blood drives for hospital staff and the community. In FY2017, 73.5 staff hours were spent coordinating 31 blood drives, at which 1,258 pints of blood were donated. COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES The Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee aims to identify pregnancy-associated deaths and their causes, and review contributing factors and interventions that may reduce these deaths. Northside's Clinical Outcomes Manager joined the committee. The hospital offers full monetary support of her time/costs associated with going to the committee's meetings - three meetings, 22 hours in FY2017. OUR COMMITMENT We measure the success of our efforts by the number of residents we reach with our messages related to health and wellness. Our mission is to work to positively impact the overall health of the communities we serve. Clearly, education, outreach and community service allow us to broaden our impact beyond the walls of our facilities. |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.