2016 KAISER PERMANENTE OF GEORGIA COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT
Partnering to Build Healthy Communities At Kaiser Permanente Georgia, our commitment to improving health has been going strong for more than 30 years. We work every day to achieve our mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. Our drive to achieve optimal health extends beyond the walls of our facilities and into our communities, and it involves a coordinated, team effort. With the help of our long-standing partners which include hospitals, health clinics, educational institutions and local organizations our Community Benefit program allows us to impact thousands of lives each year through grants, programs and collaborations. Our dedicated employees also offer their assistance both in dollars and in their time and energy to improve metro area neighborhoods through charitable giving and community volunteerism. Kaiser Permanente knows that supporting health and wellness requires non-stop commitment. We look forward to building on the success we ve achieved and are dedicated to becoming an even more integral part of the community. In 2016, we invested $48.2 million in health improvements in metro Atlanta and Athens, benefitting the lives of more than 1.6 million people. We re proud of what was accomplished and are excited to share a few highlights in our 2016 Community Benefit Report.
$48.2 MILLION TOTAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT INVESTMENT FOR 2016 FOCUS AREAS $40.3 million Access to Care $2.1 million Community Health Initiatives $2.8 million Health Knowledge $1.3 million Safety Net Partnerships $1.7 million Other COMMUNITY BENEFIT IMPACT 70 charitable contributions awarded to community organizations 5,328 patients received medical financial assistance 2,334 people enrolled in a charitable health coverage program 19,552 children enrolled in the Medicaid Program 1.6 million people impacted by Community Benefit contributions and programs 202,598 people saw an Educational Theatre Program performance
Community Benefit: What It Is and What We Do Building healthy communities is vital to our mission. Along with awarding grants, our Community Benefit program makes significant contributions to help build healthy communities through wellness and prevention programs, community initiatives, health care access for the uninsured and underinsured, and research and education. Our core areas of focus include: Access to Care We expand access to care for underserved communities through grants, charitable coverage and medical financial assistance programs. We also participate in Medicaid by providing pediatric care to Medicaid and Child Health Insurance Program participants through contracts with Medicaid care management organizations. Community Health Initiatives We support community-based organizations that work to advance health improvements and healthy communities through our grants to school-based clinics, place-based and multi-sector collaborative efforts, and a variety of initiatives that enhance health education and economic opportunities. Health Knowledge We create and spread health knowledge in our communities by supporting the research and training of health care professionals. We also award grants to colleges and universities to provide scholarships for the next generation of nurses, pharmacists and primary care physicians.
Westside Story: Improved Care, Healthier Living in West Atlanta As the foundation of our Community Benefit Program, Kaiser Permanente conducts a community health needs assessment (CHNA) every three years to identify the most significant health needs of our communities. Our most recent CHNA, completed in 2016 and used as a guide for 2017-2019 Community Benefit work, was produced in collaboration with Grady Health System, Piedmont Healthcare, Mercy Care and WellStar Health System. Kaiser Permanente and its partners gained insight into the health issues and care gaps in our service area by conducting focus groups and individual interviews with a diverse set of stakeholders. We aligned our 2017-2019 Implementation Strategy with the results of the assessment to help us make investments where they re needed most, including Atlanta s Westside, a collection of neighborhoods located near downtown Atlanta. We re pleased to share a snapshot of some of the initiatives Kaiser Permanente is supporting in Atlanta s Westside to achieve long-term health improvements. Community Health Workers: Connecting Residents to Health Care Dr. Charles Moore, an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist with a practice at Grady Hospital, opened the HEALing Community Center, a federally-qualified health center, in 2004 to expand access to high-quality medical care to those most in need. The first graduating class of the Westside s community health worker program. The HEALing Center s Westside medical facility provides comprehensive health services, including cardiology, urology, pulmonary care, HIV testing, podiatry, and dental and vision care, as well as offerings that promote healthy living. In 2016, we identified the community health worker program as a way to expand access to vital health care, funding two community health worker (CHW) positions affiliated with the HEALing Center. The community health worker has an opportunity to go into homes in the neighborhood to see what barriers there may be to receiving health care. These workers really help to create a connection to the integrated services available at the center, said Karen Williams, CEO at the HEALing Center.
In one-on-one meetings, the CHW determines an individual s needs and can then schedule appointments for testing and treatment at the HEALing Center. Workers also address issues of The HEALing Center s Shanna-Kaye Igbinoba and Aisha Williams at a Westside health event. economic disparity by helping individuals gain access to other essential services, such as transportation, food, day care and job training. The assistance provided to one man, a 57-year-old double amputee, shows how the CHWs are a vital link to medical treatment and community services. Despite living near the HEALing Center, the patient hadn t received medical treatment for several years because he lacked the transportation and assistance needed to get to the center. A CHW and a care provider from the HEALing Center visited the man s home to conduct an evaluation and complete paperwork. After the patient visited the HEALing Center for further evaluation and tests, lab results revealed that he was HIV positive and suffering from diabetes and hypertension. Thanks to the CHW s assistance, he was able to receive medication to manage his diabetes and hypertension, and he was referred to Grady Hospital for treatment to address his HIV complications. This really speaks to the importance of the community health workers being able to meet people where they are in their homes, Williams said. Had the CHW not been in the neighborhood to visit him in his home, he wouldn t have been able to access the care he needed. Westside BeltLine: Better Health through Exercise In 2016, more than 1.7 million people walked, ran and biked along the 2-mile Eastside Trail of the Atlanta BeltLine. Recognizing the BeltLine s potential to enhance health and well-being, Kaiser Permanente became a contributor to the project, which will eventually feature 22 miles of trails circling the city of Atlanta. The organization initially contributed $2.5 million to support the development of the Eastside Trail. Most recently, Kaiser Permanente contributed a total of $2.5 million for the 3-mile Westside Trail $2 million for construction and $500,000 in grants for programs that promote exercise and healthy living on the trail. The 12 Westside neighborhoods adjacent to the BeltLine have higher-than-average rates of poverty and certain chronic diseases than other parts of Atlanta, and Kaiser Permanente views its investment in the Westside as a crucial opportunity to improve health in one of Atlanta s most underserved communities. Rob Brawner, Executive Director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, which secures public, private and philanthropic support on behalf of the Atlanta BeltLine Inc., emphasized the BeltLine s potential to spur positive change. The BeltLine is a great way for parents to encourage children to enjoy exercise and the outdoors. (Photo courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Partnership) Where the BeltLine is open now, there is a whole BeltLine lifestyle that has developed people walking to get their groceries, biking to work, exercising in parks and meeting up with their friends and neighbors, Brawner said. We expect similar results for the Westside Trail, including better health, stronger communities and positive economic development. Kaiser Permanente sought extensive input from Westside residents to determine what types of programs would best encourage BeltLine use and improve health, also enlisting the assistance of consultants Chris Parker, Associate Project Director at
Where the BeltLine is open now, there is a whole BeltLine lifestyle that has developed people walking to get their groceries, biking to work, exercising in parks and meeting up with their friends and neighbors the Georgia Health Policy Center, and Marla Orlos, President of The Mosaic Group, as part of the effort to engage residents in the process. A Neighborhood Leadership Advisory Group comprised of more than 30 business and community leaders was formed to gain perspective on Westside issues and residents were invited to offer their input at a series of public meetings. We spent over a year building trust and listening to folks tell us what they thought needed to happen in order for the Westside Trail to make things better for the most vulnerable populations in the community the very young and the very old, said Parker. One of the key messages from participants was that grants should help increase the reach of organizations that already provide services in the Westside. The Advisory Group and the BeltLine will award grants in summer 2017 to coincide with the opening of the new Westside Trail extension. Awards will range from running and walking clubs to health education and nutrition programs. We want the organizations we re partnering with on the Westside to express themselves and help define what the culture on the Westside BeltLine looks like, said Brawner. Community engagement and buy-in is incredibly important and something we passionately believe in. Added Marla Orlos: We really made an effort to make sure grass-roots community organizations could participate in applying for and receiving grant dollars, which is kind of unique and speaks to Kaiser Permanente s commitment to engaging the community. The Kaiser Permanente-funded grants will be awarded to community organizations for health and wellness programs they will offer to users of the Westside Trail. The annual Atlanta BeltLine Washington Park Jamboree offers a variety of fun activities promoting health and wellness for Westside residents. (Photo courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Partnership)
ABOUT KAISER PERMANENTE Founded in 1985, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia is the state s largest nonprofit health plan and the second largest medical group in Atlanta. Its mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of its members and the communities it serves. Kaiser Permanente serves members in 28 counties in metro Atlanta and four counties serving Athens. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of other health care providers. Nationally, Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America s leading health care providers serving 11.8 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. For more information about our Community Benefit Program, visit kpgagives.org. Connect with us on Social Media facebook.com/kpthrive twitter.com/kpgeorgia youtube.com/kpganews Kaiser Permanente Health Plan of Georgia Inc. Nine Piedmont Center 3495 Piedmont Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30305 404-364-7004 C Please recycle. This material was produced from eco-responsible resources. 2017 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc.