Summa Health provided $110.7 million in community benefit in 2018.
The total is a 12.7% decrease from the year prior, which a Summa spokesman attributed mostly to the fact that this is the first report that doesn't include Western Reserve Hospital. There was also a slight decrease in its education benefit because Summa didn't have its emergency medicine residency program in 2018. It also decreased in each of the following categories: charity care, Medicaid shortfall and research.
Summa's benefit increased in its community health improvement services and subsidized health services, according to its community benefit report.
"Giving back to the people we serve is a continuous focus across Summa Health and one of the most important things that we do," Dr. Cliff Deveny, president and CEO of Summa Health, said in a prepared statement. "Whether through the services that we provide or the many partnerships we enjoy with agencies and other organizations throughout the area, we are committed to keeping our community strong, healthy and successful."
Other area hospitals saw their community benefit increase between 2017 and 2018.
Cleveland Clinic's overall community benefit, which includes its operations in Ohio, Nevada and Florida, reached $1.04 billion, a record high for the system. The growth is in part attributable to the system adding hospitals.
University Hospitals' benefit grew by 17.8% to a total of $383 million. Akron Children's Hospital's community benefit grew by 25.6% to $167.1 million. Southwest General's grew by 11.7% to $21.3 million.
This article was originally published in Crain's Cleveland Business.
