As reported to the North Carolina Medical Care Commission, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center invested $237.4 million in programs and activities defined as community benefits during the 2012 fiscal year, July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. This significant contribution is a $300,000 increase over the previous year’s record total and represents 12.4 percent of the total Medical Center’s expenses.
“As Forsyth County’s largest employer and the region’s only academic medical center, every single employee contributes uniquely and significantly to the health and well-being of those locally and regionally,” said John D. McConnell, M.D., chief executive officer of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. “The Medical Center’s profound impact takes many forms including community outreach, research, charity care and other efforts for those in need.”
Of the $237.4 million that Wake Forest Baptist provided in community benefits funding, the largest portion, $75.2 million, went toward charity care. That is $10.6 million more than in fiscal year 2011 and largely due to the Medical Center’s assistance in helping patients qualify for charity care.
Wake Forest Baptist committed an additional $64.9 million to cover the gap between the cost to provide care for Medicare and Medicaid patients and reimbursements from federal and state government for that care. Unreimbursed costs for Medicaid and other government programs are down by $19 million, largely due to the Medical Center’s participation in North Carolina’s provider tax assessment this year.
In addition, Wake Forest supported medical education with $57.6 million. This is an increase of $7.3 million, driven by higher graduate medical education (GME) costs with no incremental offset/revenues.
Funded research grew by $1.7 million to $28.7 million and Wake Forest Baptist supported community health outreach with $5.1 million.
The Medical Center also allotted $5.9 million for subsidized health programming, which is a $1.4 million increase over the prior year. This is mostly driven by increasing patient dependence on and volume of physicians and residents needed at the Downtown Health Plaza.
In accordance with the state Medical Care Commission’s guidelines, the report did not include $31.3 million in bad debt. This is a decrease of $1.2 million from the previous year, which is partially due to efforts that helped patients qualify for charity care.
“Though many health care providers provide charity care and health outreach, Wake Forest Baptist delivers additional, significant impact through its extensive community-based programs, research mission and training of tomorrow’s health care professionals, many of whom will practice in the community,” McConnell said.
Additional information about Wake Forest Baptist’s Community Benefits report is available online.
“As Forsyth County’s largest employer and the region’s only academic medical center, every single employee contributes uniquely and significantly to the health and well-being of those locally and regionally,” said John D. McConnell, M.D., chief executive officer of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. “The Medical Center’s profound impact takes many forms including community outreach, research, charity care and other efforts for those in need.”
Of the $237.4 million that Wake Forest Baptist provided in community benefits funding, the largest portion, $75.2 million, went toward charity care. That is $10.6 million more than in fiscal year 2011 and largely due to the Medical Center’s assistance in helping patients qualify for charity care.
Wake Forest Baptist committed an additional $64.9 million to cover the gap between the cost to provide care for Medicare and Medicaid patients and reimbursements from federal and state government for that care. Unreimbursed costs for Medicaid and other government programs are down by $19 million, largely due to the Medical Center’s participation in North Carolina’s provider tax assessment this year.
In addition, Wake Forest supported medical education with $57.6 million. This is an increase of $7.3 million, driven by higher graduate medical education (GME) costs with no incremental offset/revenues.
Funded research grew by $1.7 million to $28.7 million and Wake Forest Baptist supported community health outreach with $5.1 million.
The Medical Center also allotted $5.9 million for subsidized health programming, which is a $1.4 million increase over the prior year. This is mostly driven by increasing patient dependence on and volume of physicians and residents needed at the Downtown Health Plaza.
In accordance with the state Medical Care Commission’s guidelines, the report did not include $31.3 million in bad debt. This is a decrease of $1.2 million from the previous year, which is partially due to efforts that helped patients qualify for charity care.
“Though many health care providers provide charity care and health outreach, Wake Forest Baptist delivers additional, significant impact through its extensive community-based programs, research mission and training of tomorrow’s health care professionals, many of whom will practice in the community,” McConnell said.
Additional information about Wake Forest Baptist’s Community Benefits report is available online.
Media Relations
Chad Campbell: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587
Paula Faria: pfaria@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-1279
Main Number: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587