| Form 990, Part VI, Line 6: Explanation of Classes of Members or Shareholder |
Mountain States Health Alliance is a Tennessee non-stock, nonprofit organization with Ballad Health as its sole member. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 7a: How Members or Shareholders Elect Governing Body |
Ballad Health has the authority to appoint Mountain States Health Alliance board members. The President and CEO of Ballad Health serves as the President and CEO for Mountain States Health Alliance. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 7b: Describe Decisions of Governing Body Approval by Members or Shareholders |
Decisions of the Mountain States Health Alliance Board of Directors are subject to approval by the Ballad Health Board of Directors. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process |
The Ballad Health Tax Department prepares and reviews the Form 990. During preparation other functional areas within the organization provide information and support to complete an accurate return. The return is reviewed by the organizations EVP/CFO and is provided in electronic form to all members of the Board of Directors prior to being filed with the IRS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts |
Ballad Health has a conflict of interest policy for all members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Chair/President, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and Vice Presidents, and applies to all Ballad Health organizations. All persons covered by this policy are required to complete a conflict of interest disclosure form on an annual basis. Should a conflict arise, it is the responsibility of the conflicted individual to update his or her disclosure immediately. All meetings of the board or board committees have a standing agenda item first on the agenda titled Conflicts of Interest. If a member of the board or board committee has a conflict of interest involving any issue on the board agenda, he or she must declare the conflict of interest during the period allotted for disclosure. If any issue arises during a meeting in which the board member has a conflict of interest, he or she must immediately declare the conflict. While each member of the board or board committee is responsible for disclosing conflicts of interest, it is also the responsibility of any board member aware of a conflict which has not been disclosed to ensure the board is made aware. The presiding officer of a board or board committee meeting may ask a conflicted member to excuse themselves from the meeting during the discussion related to the issue with which the conflict of interest applies. Under no circumstances shall a member vote on a matter that gives rise to a potential conflict. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available |
Governing documents and conflict of interest policy are made available upon request to the appropriate parties requesting them. Financial statements are made available upon request to appropriate parties requesting them, and they are made available to those parties who own indebtedness of the company on a quarterly basis. |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Intercompany Transfers = $10676517 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Other Acquisition = $197148 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases |
Temporarily Restricted Grants = $25923 |
| 2019 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY |
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) on January 31, 2020 due to confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). On March 10, 2020 Ballad Health executed its disaster plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the activation of its Corporate Emergency Operations Command (CEOC) to coordinate efforts across the system and around the region to rapidly plan for, and execute, ongoing response to the issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy establishing the CEOC is established and authorized by the Board of Directors, and follows guidelines established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the CDC. CEOC is led by an incident commander appointed by the Chief Executive Officer in this instance the Chief Operating Officer. The CEOC is composed of key leaders overseeing essential functions of the health system, including logistics, supply chain, communications, operations, finance, government relations and clinical services. The CEOC acts as the clearinghouse for all organizational planning and decision-making related to the event, and continues its responsibilities under the oversight of, and until discontinued by, the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer, who also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors, keeps the Board of Directors apprised of issues on an ongoing basis and ensures compliance with the Boards delegations of authority pursuant to Ballad Healths policies.During fiscal year 2021, CEOC continued to manage activities related to the PHE which included frequent communications to internal parties, news media, and the public. These communications included providing data related to the prevalence of the virus in the community, hospital capacity and constraints, and other timely information related to the progression of the pandemic. Upon release of vaccines, communications and efforts progressed to include the distribution of vaccination to eligible individuals. This was through newly established Ballad Health vaccination centers, outpatient clinics, supporting community partners, and other mobile outreach efforts. Ballad Health administered almost 88,000 vaccine doses through these efforts during the fiscal year starting with the delivery of the first dose in the service region on December 15, 2020. The system also discharged over 6,500 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and referred an additional 1,600 patients from Emergency Departments into the Safe at Home program. Through the Safe at Home program and other measures, the healthcare system focused on delivery of care to patients in the most convenient and appropriate environment for their condition. These measures reduced hospital stays for patients in need of monitoring while conserving hospital beds for patients in need. Ballad Health also focused on supporting patients recovering from COVID-19 through the Center for Post-COVID Care and other COVID-19 support groups. This innovative approach creates an access point to comprehensive clinical care for those struggling with post-COVID symptoms. Through the Center for Post-COVID Care, Ballad Health provides a full spectrum of services, including care navigation and care management. The health system also fosters research and learning opportunities and collaborates with other leading institutions to understand post-COVID care and increase awareness to healthcare providers, patients and community members of this Long COVID condition. |
| CARTER COUNTY, TN: SYCAMORE SHOALS HOSPITAL (SSH) |
121-bed acute care facility Offers complete inpatient and outpatient surgical services including general surgery, surgical oncology, orthopedics (including hand and extremities), plastic surgery and gynecological surgeryCertified chest pain and heart failure program by the Joint CommissionA certified acute stroke-ready program by the Joint CommissionNew Leaf Senior Care offers inpatient psychiatric treatment to adults 55 and older Campus includes a regional cancer center clinic, an outpatient rehabilitation clinic, and comprehensive primary care and specialist care |
| IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES |
RE-IMAGINE RURAL HEALTHCARE - Since 2010, more than 136 rural hospitals have closed in the United States, according to the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program. Compared to other states, Tennessee ranks worst in the nation, with 16 rural hospital closures since 2005. In the region served by Ballad Health, however, it is a different story. Every community in the region with a hospital prior to the merger creating Ballad Health continues to be served by a hospital. In fact, in the middle of the pandemic, Ballad Health opened the countrys newest rural hospital. In July 2021, Ballad Health followed through on its promise to the residents of Lee County, Virginia, and reopened Lee County Community Hospital in Pennington Gap. REOPENING HOSPITAL IN LEE COUNTY, VA - Ballad Health took significant strides towards reopening Lee County Community Hospital as a Critical Access Hospital despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. During renovations of the hospital, Ballad Health staffed a new urgent care center to provide residents in the area with immediate access to care. All preparation work and renovations were completed during fiscal year 2021 in order to meet the July 1, 2021 grand reopening date. This 10-bed modern medical facility will serve the community in rural Southwest Virginia and Southeast Kentucky. GREENE COUNTY, TN CONSOLIDATION AND NEW SERVICES- During the 2018 fiscal year, the two hospitals in Greene County, Laughlin Memorial and Takoma Regional, saw combined operating losses of $11 million, with cumulative two-year losses totaling nearly $25 million. As competing hospitals in the community, both hospitals were failing financially. With Ballad Healths creation, both hospitals were consolidated into one, with the Laughlin Memorial campus being renamed Greeneville Community Hospital.Ballad Health continues to identify ways to reduce unnecessary administrative and overhead cost, improve quality, eliminate unnecessary duplication of high-cost services, and seek better supply pricing all of which further reduced the overall cost of care for patients in the Appalachian Highlands. Ballad Health has utilized the savings it has created and invested them into a population health infrastructure, Epic electronic medical record platform, provider recruitment, academics and training. STRONG Futures - In early 2021, Ballad Health announced a major investment into serving the specialized needs of pregnant women, babies and families who suffer from the pain of addiction. Ballad Health STRONG Futures is housed in the former Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville and provides residential and other care for pregnant women and mothers who suffer from addiction or need other behavioral health services. The program provides a range of residential and intensive outpatient behavioral health services that help ensure the strongest-possible new beginnings for women and their children. The program is unique in that children may live with the mother during treatment. Programs for financial stability, educational classes and fathers are also offered.STRONG Futures serves community members in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. The STRONG Futures program has served 147 families, impacting over 800 individuals.EXPANDED ACCESS TO RURAL COMMUNITIES In addition to opening new hospitals in rural communities, Ballad Health has focused on expansion of access to other healthcare services. Ballad Health opened a new urgent care center in Banner Elk, North Carolina. This center provides convenient access to residents who previously were required to travel excessive distances for care. This clinic also serves as a convenient resource for students, faculty, and staff of a nearby college. CREATED SINGLE COORDINATED REGIONAL TRAUMA SYSTEM - One of the most significant ways Ballad Health has been able to comply with the provisions of the Certificate of Public Advantage and Cooperative Agreement, which required avoidance of duplication of services where appropriate, was the consolidation of the two Level I trauma centers operating in the region and the subsequent creation of a coordinated regional trauma system. In approving this move in advance, the State of Tennessee relied upon the evidence published in multiple respected studies which found higher volume trauma centers lead to improved outcomes. The move toward a single coordinated trauma system followed the guidance of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), which verifies trauma centers. The Tennessee Department of Health, after conducting a rigorous review of the trauma program at Johnson City Medical Center, issued its Level I Trauma Center Reverification Site Visit Report. The report found the hospital has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to care for the injured patient. Further, the survey resulted in zero deficiencies, a first for trauma care in the region. CONSOLIDATED REGIONAL PERINATAL CENTER - Tennessee law requires a regionalized system of care for high-risk newborns. The result of this law is a policy in Tennessee that recognizes five regional perinatal centers. Niswonger Childrens Hospital at Johnson City Medical Center is the designated center for regional perinatal care for the Appalachian Highlands. Prior to the merger, perinatal care in the Appalachian Highlands did not meet the goals of the state, with two NICUs that were not coordinated and shared volumes. Ballad Health immediately took steps to correct this after the merger, leading to a more sustainable and coordinated system of care for neonates, while also reducing the costs associated with maintaining two lower-volume units. After this consolidation, Ballad Health partnered with ETSUs Quillen College of Medicine, which provides ongoing expert neonatology coverage for the hospital, ensuring Ballad Health has neonatology provider coverage 24 hours per day. With more than 25 pediatric specialists to provide support for the Perinatal Center, this is the first time every newborn in the region has access to such highly specialized care.EXPANDED ACCESS TO PEDIATRIC SPECIALTIES - With financial support from Ballad Health and the State of Tennessee, the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine was able to successfully recruit pediatric surgeons to support the Niswonger Childrens Hospital. Our partners at ETSUs Quillen College of Medicine also provide 24/7 neonatology coverage for the NICU. Ballad Health now proudly meets the highest standards for regional perinatal care, something that was not thought possible prior to the merger creating Ballad Health.PARTNERSHIP WITH ETSU TO CREATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN ADDICTION MEDICINE - Ballad Health and East Tennessee State University formed a partnership to create a new fellowship program in addiction medicine. As part of its commitment to expand education and training in the region, Ballad Health will fund any unreimbursed costs of the fellowship program which, over a 10-year period, could cost more than $2.5 million. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER FOR RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the creation of a new Center for Rural Health Research that will be housed at the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University. In addition to state funding, Ballad Health has committed to contributing more than $15 million during the next 10 years to the Center. The goal of the Center will be to work with Ballad Health, local healthcare delivery partners, national experts and the leadership of ETSU Health to identify new mechanisms to improve health in rural and nonurban communities. Specific emphasis will be placed on strategies that disrupt inter-generational cycles of behaviors that contribute to poor health outcomes, which ultimately can affect college and career-readiness.RECRUITMENT OF NEW PHYSICIANS TO RURAL SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA - Ballad Health provided the necessary resources to recruit new specialists to serve our region, many of whom were recruited to private practices not owned by Ballad Health. The addition of specialists is helping to improve access to care in rural communities. For instance, Wise County, in Virginia now benefits from an orthopedist, a cardiologist and several other physicians and providers. Wythe County, in Virginia, a community not served by a Ballad Health hospital, benefits from a cardiologist recruited by Ballad Health. Throughout the region, new physicians and advanced practitioners, recruited and funded by Ballad Health, are serving the region from trauma care to pediatrics, from Wythe County, Virginia to Hancock County, Tennessee. CREATION OF APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS CARE NETWORK Unveiled a major, coordinated effort to increase healthcare access for low-income uninsured people, aiming to reduce health disparity and inequity. The new Appalachian Highlands Care Network is designed to bridge gaps, improve health and reduce avoidable healthcare cost and utilization. The program includes all Balla |
| IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE SERVICES (Cont'd) |
LAUNCH NISWONGER CHILDRENS NETWORK Unveiled philanthropic investment into comprehensive, regional system of care that represents a nearly $60 million commitment to children, families and the future of the Appalachian Highlands. This is a regional system of healthcare and community services marking a new phase in high standards of care and well-being for children, regardless of where they live, across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. |
| IMPROVING HEALTHCARE QUALITY |
QUALITY METRICS - Ballad Health continues to make headway in its aim of being a zero-harm, top-decile health system by improving the quality of care delivered to patients by reducing hospital-acquired infection rates and improving other key indicators related to quality care. The State of Tennessee established a scoring system in the COPA to measure key indicators related to quality care and compares those scores to a baseline figure established prior to the merger.In 2021, seven of our quality measures performed among the top decile in the country, the most in the health systems history. Those metrics included in-hospital fall with hip fracture rate, post-operative sepsis rate and perioperative hemorrhage or hematoma rate, among others.These quality metrics were achieved during a time when COVID-19 had a terrible impact on hospital operations, while associated infections and complications have deteriorated nationally.FOCUS ON QUALITY - Ballad Health launched a series of initiatives, including the work of the Clinical Council, implementation of systemwide tiered safety huddles and bold and ambitious initiatives like 30 in 90 reducing infections by 30% over 90 days that target hospital-acquired infections like Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI), surgical site infections and others. Not only did Ballad Health achieve its goal of reducing the number of C. diff cases by 30% within 90 days, the reduction in C. diff cases has continued as Ballad Health has now reduced C. diff cases by 70% since the programs inception.As part of Ballad Healths systemwide initiative to improve safety and reduce harm, Ballad Health has continued its tiered-safety huddle program throughout the pandemic, which continues to grow in popularity among frontline caregivers. Any issues identified during those huddles are elevated to hospital leadership. If hospital leadership cannot resolve the issue, the issue is further elevated to the market level and then to the corporate level. Using this approach, Ballad Health can improve outcomes and enhance safety by rapidly deploying resources to support and solve safety issues as they arise.PARTICIPATION IN THE MEDICAID TRANSFORMATION PROJECT - Ballad Health and a group of the nations leading health systems joined forces to identify ways to better care for some of the nations most vulnerable populations. The project is a national effort to transform healthcare and address social determinants of health for the nearly 75 million Americans who rely on Medicaid. The work focused on four keys areas of opportunity: behavioral health, child and maternal health, substance use disorder and avoidable emergency department visits. PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGH-VALUE CARE COLLABORATIVE - Ballad Health was chosen for a national initiative, The High-Value Care Collaborative, a partnership of the American Hospital Association, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundations Choosing Wisely campaign, and the Costs of Care organization. The High-Value Care Collaborative brings together participants to improve efficiency, decrease cost and improve quality in healthcare. During the past year, Ballad Health and other participants in the program adopted strategies to reduce unnecessary cost and deliver evidence-based care that has been demonstrated to reduce the burden on patients. |
| IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH STATUS |
ACCOUNTABLE CARE COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS - To help address the broader needs of the community at large, Ballad Health has convened the nations largest accountable care community (ACC), spanning two states with more than 300 participating organizations in 21 counties throughout the Appalachian Highlands.Through five months of regional focus groups and stakeholder meetings, the ACC selected four priority areas to influence through its work: substance abuse, tobacco use, overweight and obesity, childhood trauma and resiliency.The ACC leadership council has agreed that the most impactful way to address the four priority areas is by focusing on interventions that benefit children and families. To reflect this commitment toward youth, the group chose the name STRONG (Striving Toward Resilience and Opportunity for the Next Generation) Accountable Care Community and is organizing activities into four categories: STRONG Starts (conception through kindergarten), STRONG Youth (kindergarten through 12 years old), STRONG Teens (13 to 18 years old) and STRONG Families (adults and caregivers).In May, Ballad Health announced it would invest $2 million in 21 regional, community-based organizations to support strategies aimed at improving childrens health outcomes in the region, including providing social support services and navigation for women suffering from addiction, preventing food insecurity, parenting and resiliency training and keeping youth from dropping out of school. The work these community organizations are doing will help ensure that children and families reach their full potential.Ballad Health and the regions STRONG Accountable Care Community unveiled a new partnership and coordinated care network with Unite Us that will enhance community members health and well-being. The partnership, announced in June, will join Ballad Health with the Unite Tennessee and Unite Virginia networks. These networks connect people with unmet health and social service needs, such as housing, food, transportation and employment. Within Ballad Health, specially trained staff now conduct health related social needs screenings for gaps in care, such as food andhousing insecurity, transportation challenges or other obstacles.The Unite Us technology helps staff connect families with community organizations committed to resolving those issues. The network, however, is not dependent on Ballad Health. Participating organizations also now use the system to refer clients to each other even if the people theyre referring arent Ballad Health patients.CREATION OF NEW BALLAD HEALTH BEHAVIORAL SERVICES DIVISION - To achieve success in a value-based healthcare environment and to achieve the goals for improved access to behavioral services for the region, Ballad Health created the Behavioral Health Services Division. CREATION OF THE BALLAD HEALTH INNOVATION CENTER - Ballad Health created The Innovation Center to serve as a hub for development of partnerships and collaborations that can bring to market life-saving initiatives and other technologies and services that can improve the human condition. COMMUNITY RESOURCES - Ballad Health parish nurses work with individual congregations to help people in religious communities improve their health, prevent illness and injury and ease suffering associated with any health crisis. The parish nurse acts as counselor, educator and healthcare provider by identifying needs of the congregation, coordinating health screenings, providing educational programs, supplying health literature and referring congregants to supportive health services where appropriate. Also, the parish nurse maintains an active visitation program to parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized or in nursing homes. Currently, there are dozens of churches in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia that are serviced by the Ballad Health parish nurse program. Ballad Healths Nurse Connect is a toll-free line that connects community members with experienced nurses around the clock. The nurses provide expert medical advice anytime, day or night, make referrals to a primary care provider with a location and hours convenient to the community member and referrals to a physician specialist when they need advanced local medical care. They also provide health information and resources, including health screenings and immunizations, and make referrals to urgent care clinics to see a doctor near the community member the same day. Ballad Healths Marsh Regional Blood Center supplies the blood needs of 25 medical facilities, all regional cancer centers, and local rescue aircraft across the Appalachian Highlands. This is accomplished through our collection facilities in Kingsport, Johnson City, Bristol, and mobile blood drives.CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS- From its inception in February of 2018, Ballad Health made significant contributions to the community it serves totaling over $27 million to date in direct contributions and other community health improvement initiatives. A few examples from fiscal year 2021 include: contribution towards Center for Rural Health and Research Fund, contribution towards Strong BRAIN Institute, support for Milligan Universitys Addiction Counseling Program, support towards a Medical / Legal Partnership to improve access to health care and patient health. |
| INVESTMENTS |
COMMON ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD - Ballad Health continued building on prior progress around a common electronic medical record. An implementation plan was developed to include infrastructure enhancements to support the expansion. This investment of over $200 million will allow patient information to be shared immediately at the point of service regardless of where a patient enters the Ballad Health system, providing clinical staff with information to better manage patients in the emergency room, clinics, acute and post-acute settings. In the midst of, and despite the global health pandemic, on October 1, Ballad Health successfully completed the acute care phase of the transition. This new common platform will provide patients and their doctors with new options for access, care and security of patient records unprecedented in Ballad Healths service area. This concluded a multi-year effort to transition to a single patient record platform. With this accomplishment, Ballad Health expects to optimize its connectivity to consumers, improving the patient experience dramatically. Ballad Healths conversion to a single technology platform, is just the first of many steps the system is taking as part of its digital transformation journey. Last year, Ballad Health launched an app for patients, giving them direct access to new services, including real-time scheduling, digital access to health information, price transparency and better coordination between providers, regardless of their location. More than 150,000 Ballad Health patients use the Ballad Health app, with thousands joining each month.CHARITY CARE CONTRIBUTIONS - For 2021, Ballad Health provided more than $80 million in free care, cost that is not reimbursed by any payer nor recovered from the patient who qualifies for charity assistance. Following the merger, Ballad Health increased the threshold for patients to qualify for charity care from 200% of the federal poverty level to 225% of the federal poverty level and provides significant discounts for people up to 450% of the federal poverty level. ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATION SAVINGS - Ballad Health was among the first health systems to implement and successfully demonstrate that value-based care led to reduced costs through its Accountable Care Organization (ACO), AnewCare Collaborative. Value-based care means payments for healthcare are based on the quality of care provided and in the reduction of the total cost of care. Since the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established the shared savings program six years ago, AnewCare has been one of only 18 ACOs in the nation to generate savings for taxpayers each year saving taxpayers more than $60 million since inception.MEDICAL EDUCATION - Ballad Health continues to offer free Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes, which are open to the public. The CNA courses are approved and regulated by either the Tennessee State Board of Nursing or the Virginia Board of Nursing. The training opportunity can lead to career opportunities for those who complete the program. Ballad Health offers the course free of charge and participants who successfully complete the course meet criteria to sit for the state certification examination. The program includes classroom sessions followed by clinical experience. Clinical hours are conducted at various Ballad Health facilities. RESEARCH the Ballad Health research department serves as the central source of oversight for multi-specialty research. In addition to providing full spectrum support for research studies at Ballad Health, the department also provides oversight for studies generated externally. Teaching and continuing education play a large role at Ballad Health and research staff participate in conferences/webinars and conduct a monthly research orientation sessions. The research department has participated in several large-scale, multi-center trials with a high subject retention rate and sponsor/monitoring rating. Oversight services include administrative, legal, regulatory support, internal service arrangement and financial management. The department maintains reportable metrics and financial reports on a quarterly basis. The focus for principal investigators is mostly in therapeutic areas such as oncology, neuro/trauma/ortho, pharmacology, endocrinology, pediatrics, and cardiology. A variety of studies include different designs that may include, but are not limited to, pharmaceutical/investigational trials, retrospective medical chart reviews and registry studies. The research department is dedicated to: providing consistent oversight and management of clinical research performed at all Ballad facilities,ensuring regulatory compliance and fiscal responsibility, andcreating a research culture across Ballad facilities |
| JOHNSON COUNTY, TN: JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (JCCH) |
Federally designated Critical Access Hospital serving residents of the upper northeast tip of Tennessee, parts of North Carolina and Southwest VirginiaLocated in one of Tennessees poorest counties providing care to the rural and medically underservedOffers 24/7 emergency care, inpatient and outpatient care, cardiac rehabilitation, various diagnostic services, physical therapy, a primary care clinic, and Senior Life Solutions, a behavioral health program for seniors |
| OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS AND AWARDS |
Recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the 29 best workplaces in America for diversityEarned the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Digital Health Most Wired recognitionSmyth County Community Hospital earned CMS 5 Star rating for patient experience.Ballad Health provided support to build the Miracle League Field at Brickyard Park in Kingsport, TN that provides opportunities for children and adults with both mental and physical disabilities to play baseball on a safe, smooth, cushioned field. It is the only field of its kind in Northeast Tennessee.Received its Accreditation/Department of Distinction from the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS)Partnered with East Tennessee State University (ETSU) to launch Strong BRAIN Institute to study adverse childhood experiences. The Strong BRAIN (Building Resilience through Adverse Childhood Events -Informed Networking) Institute facilitates the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices that prevent, reduce or mitigate the negative effects of Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) on health and health disparities. The Institute will also work to inform the citizenry and workforce in the Appalachian Highlands on the importance of being trauma informed. Established through a five-year gift from Ballad Health to ETSU, the Strong BRAIN Institute will be guided by an advisory board comprised of ETSU experts, Ballad Health experts and community members.Recognized by Harvard University and UnitedHealthcare as one of four healthcare organizations leading the way towards a 3D model for value-based care.Partnered with Mayo Clinic, in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic to conduct research into convalescent plasma as an experimental treatment. |
| Part III, Program Service Accomplishments |
Ballad Health (BH) is an integrated community health improvement organization serving 29 counties of the Appalachian Highlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Northwest North Carolina and Southeast Kentucky. Our system of 21 hospitals, including a dedicated childrens hospital, post-acute care and behavioral health services, and a large multi-specialty group physician practice works closely with an active independent medical community and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of more than 1 million people. By leading in the adoption of value-based payments, addressing health-related social needs, funding clinical and health systems research and committing to long-term investments in strong children and families in our region, Ballad Health is striving to become a national model for rural health and healthcare. Ballad Health is a tax-exempt entity and the parent corporation of both Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA) and Wellmont Health System (WHS). The two healthcare systems came together on February 1, 2018 as a result of a merger approved by both Tennessee and Virginia Departments of Health. Ballad Health operates under a Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) in Tennessee and a Cooperative Agreement (CA) in Virginia. Pursuant to the COPA and CA, MSHA and WHS are required to fulfill the obligations, commitments and covenants set forth in the COPA. Such obligations include that Ballad Health shall meet, over the ten-year period beginning July 1, 2018, established minimum spending criteria on initiatives for expanded access to healthcare services, health research and graduate medical education, population health improvement, and a region-wide health information exchange. The full text of the COPA can be found on the Tennessee Department of Health's website, while the CA can be found on the Virginia Department of Health's website.Form 990 for Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA) includes seven wholly-owned hospitals including a childrens hospital and a behavioral health hospital; four others, majority owned by MSHA, each file a separate return. MSHA is sole shareholder of Blue Ridge Medical Management Corporation (BRMMC), a for-profit entity that owns and manages physician practices and real estate and provides other health care services to patients in Tennessee and Virginia. MSHA is the sole member of Integrated Solutions Health Network, LLC (ISHN). ISHN, also included in this Form 990, is a regional health solutions company headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. ISHN is an expansive network of providers serving residents of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and consists of provider groups, primary care physicians, specialists, and allied health providers. Specific to the hospitals included in this Form 990, services were provided to: 40,407 inpatients555,806 outpatient visits 131,046 emergency visits 3,853 deliveries 21,537 surgeries138,569 home health visits |
| Part VI, Line 15a Compensation Process for Top Official |
The executive compensation committee serves as the compensation oversight committee of Ballad Healths Board of Directors. The executive compensation committee is comprised of members who are determined to be independent and whom are not reliant upon any business relationship with Ballad Health for income or compensation. The compensation plan for Alan Levine, Ballad Healths Chairman, President and CEO, was reviewed and approved by the executive compensation committee and then by the Ballad Health Board of Directors in accordance with the Board's compensation policy and practice. The Board of Directors relies upon the advice of an independent and experienced compensation consultant with knowledge about pay practices for comparable positions within the industry, and who has access to broad data, studies and surveys in order to ensure the compensation falls within competitive and appropriate ranges for the position. |
| Part VI, Line 15b - Compensation Process for Officers |
On an annual basis, Ballad Healths Human Resources (H/R) Department evaluates compensation for all executives at a position level of Assistant Vice President and above. H/Rs evaluation is based on market data obtained from independent third-party consultants for positions with similar responsibilities at similarly situated organizations. Based on this comparable data, Ballad Healths CEO evaluates the data and, if appropriate, makes necessary adjustments. Any adjustments to Senior Vice Presidents or above are reviewed by the Board of Directors Executive Compensation Committee. In addition, Ballad Health offers an incentive plan to executives based on targeted achievement metrics categorized by; Quality, Service and Safety; Access to Care; Financial Stewardship, and any other metrics approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. |
| RUSSELL COUNTY, VA: RUSSELL COUNTY HOSPITAL (RCH) |
78-bed acute care hospital located in Southwest Virginia Offers a full array of primary care services and some specialty services such as Clearview Psychiatric Center, hospice care, center for sleep disorders, direct lab testing, and a cancer center |
| SULLIVAN COUNTY, TN: INDIAN PATH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (IPCH) |
239-bed acute care hospitalProvides advanced services including lung nodule clinic, an accredited joint replacement program and a dedicated spine centerCenter for Women and Babies a more than $8 million commitment to provide women and children services to the region. This consolidation of women and childrens services to one location will allow Ballad Health to centralize strong teams of caregivers and specialists to give patients better access to the care they needCampus offers a regional cancer center, a sleep center for both adults and children, a full range of surgical services, a family birth center and many other service lines |
| UNICOI COUNTY, TN: UNICOI COUNTY HOSPITAL (UCH) |
10-bed acute care hospital opened in October 2018 Services include 24/7 emergency care, cardiology services, radiology and diagnostic imaging, laboratory, respiratory, sleep lab, and rehabilitation |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY, TN: FRANKLIN WOODS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (FWCH) |
80-bed acute care hospital First Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified hospital in Tennessee, setting the precedent for environmentally friendly designs, and named one of Soliant Healths 2016 Most Beautiful HospitalsFirst hospital in Tennessee to earn Perinatal Care Certification from the Joint Commission Certified with The Joint Commission Seal of Approval for minimally invasive colorectal surgery, the only hospital in Tennessee and one of just five in the nation to have earned this disease-specific certificationEarned the Tennessee Department of Healths BEST for Babies award for efforts to reduce infant mortality |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY, TN: JOHNSON CITY MEDICAL CENTER (JCMC) |
585-bed regional tertiary referral center 432 acute care beds, a 69-bed dedicated childrens hospital and an 84-bed behavioral health hospitalTeaching hospital affiliated with James H. & Cecile C. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University (ETSU)Second hospital built in TennesseeLevel I trauma center one of only five in Tennessee Regional Cancer CenterRanked by U.S. News and World Report as a top-performing hospital in Heart Attack and Stroke Recognized by BlueCross BlueShield Association as a Blue Distinction Center+ for maternity careNiswonger Childrens Hospital (NsCH) is a 69-bed childrens hospital within a hospital located on the campus of Johnson City Medical Center serving more than 200,000 children in the four-state, 29-county region. Regions only dedicated hospital for children providing comprehensive services with access to more than 20 pediatric subspecialties Clinics affiliated with St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital located on the campus. Staffed by pediatric hematology-oncology physicians and other clinic support team members, the Tri-Cities affiliate is a partnership among the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, East Tennessee State University and NsCH. The outpatient clinic, established in 1999, is part of the St. Jude mission to extend the protocol-structured treatment and research at St. Jude through clinical, research and academic partnerships with pediatric programs. More than 300 children with malignancies are followed each year and more than 3,000 outpatient visits occur annually, including treatment of many children with congenital bleeding disorders and a variety of other hematological problems. The First Regional Hemophilia Program, a state sponsored program for congenital bleeding disorders, is housed in the St. Jude Tri-Cities Affiliate and provides programs for both children and adults with hemophilia. Neonatal intensive care unit, with Level III designation, is one of only five state-designated perinatal centers in Tennessee and is the regional referral center for neonatal patients Pediatric emergency department serving patients from birth to 18 years of age 24 hours a day from specially trained personnel Partners with med flight provider to provide a specialty crew for neonates requiring transports The Northeast Tennessee Regional Perinatal Center located at JCMC is one of five state-designated tertiary centers for high-risk maternal fetal care. State designation is based on guidelines for the service provisions and designations of levels of care governed and reviewed by a state appointed committee through Tennessee Department of HealthWoodridge Hospital, a service of JCMC, is an 84-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital serving a wide region in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Woodridge is the only dedicated inpatient behavioral health hospital in the region providing mental health and chemical dependency services for adults, adolescents, and children ages 6 and older. The hospital provides a 24/7 intervention helpline |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.