| |
Reaching beyond the bedside of our patients
OWATONNA, Minn. 03/08/2012-- Statement by Dave Albrecht, Owatonna Hospital president, on Owatonna Hospital’s investment in the community in 2011.
Owatonna Hospital’s, part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, mission reaches beyond the bedside of our patients; our team of dedicated employees works each day to improve the health and wellness of the people in the communities it serves—and that’s you. As a not-for-profit organization, the health of our communities is essential to our mission and approach to health care. We believe it is our duty as your neighbor to collaborate with you in meeting community health goals. Activities like charity care, prevention and community partnerships like United Way of Steele County and Free Clinic of Steele County are just some of the ways we share in the work of meeting our community’s needs.
This past year, Owatonna Hospital has been very busy. We’ve reached out to where our community needs are greatest. One recent example is through Free Bikes 4 Kidz, where hundreds of bikes were donated through the generosity of community members and distributed to area children through the help of our partners.
Furthering our investment in the community, Owatonna Hospital provides the same high level of care to patients who are unable to pay at a cost to us of $491,000 in 2011. Additionally, we believe in education and learning opportunities for our future health care workforce. This includes internships and mentoring. Nursing, pharmacy, mental health and rehabilitation are just some examples of areas that future health care workers receive real, hands-on learning experience with patients and families. In 2011, this investment came to over $167,000.
If you’ve been around the city of Owatonna long enough, then you’ve probably heard the name Terry Carlyle, better known as TC. For 22 years, TC and Owatonna Hospital have provided athletic training services to Owatonna High School and Steele County. TC provides coverage for Owatonna High School’s 27 various varsity sports seasons. In addition, he provides weekly and on-call consultations for Medford and Blooming Prairie High Schools. This is a significant investment that Owatonna Hospital makes to the athletes each and every year. We know first-hand the cost and impact of medical care and our hope is that we can provide a solid preventative, care, management and rehabilitative program for these high school athletes.
While these may be the most notable, other investments we’ve made in 2011 include:
- Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute—Owatonna (SKRI)—the SKRI team is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of community members, with a specific focus on our senior population—we offer chair aerobics and weight training in the community to keep them healthy and living at home.
- Charitable donations—Allina Hospitals & Clinics has a charitable giving policy which funds organizations with a clear health care focus. Some include: Infants Remembered in Silence, Crisis Resource Center and Relay for Life of Steele County. This value came to more than $29,000.
- Community health education—it is our goal to educate our community about preventative care and the impact on a person’s long-term health. Owatonna Hospital has invested $17,708 through health fairs; presentations to the community; a presence at the Steele County Free Fair and through quarterly Healthy Communities magazines.
Owatonna Hospital would not exist without you. As a community of hardworking and dedicated individuals, it is important to remember that we all support one another. In an effort to not only provide quality care within the hospital walls, it is our goal to support your needs outside of them. That is why it was our honor to make these contributions to better the health and wellness of our community, be good stewards and continue to be a mission-driven organization.
|
|
