Infirmary Health

Infirmary Health System (ihs) provides centralized management and administrative services to four not-for-profit hospitals, a skilled nursing facility, a charitable foundation, and a network of more than twenty medical clinics. Ihs is focused on achieving economies of scale for its supported facilities by providing centralized, coordinated services, allowing the facilities to offer state-of-the-art medical services at the lowest possible cost. Centralized and coordinated services include accounting, accounts payable, human resources, information technology, purchasing, business office, and maintenance, among many other support services. The services are provided to System facilities at a level of knowledge and experience that, in many cases, would not otherwise be available or affordable. Ihs has spearheaded efforts to improve the availability of healthcare services in rural areas of southwest Alabama. Recruitment of physicians to the rural community of bay minette, Alabama has remained a focus, resulting in several physicians relocating to the area. Capital investment in the facilities in bay minette continue to provide benefit to the community, with over 15,000 emergency services, over 1,800 surgical cases, 227 newborn deliveries, and 37,045 adjusted patient days being provided. As a result of an assessment of community Health needs, ihs supported the initiation of geriatric psychiatric services at its facility in bay minette, the only one of its kind in baldwin county. Studies to determine additional healthcare needs of the community are ongoing. In response to a community need, ihs built and now operates the e.a. Roberts alzheimer center, a day care center for the provision of care to patients suffering from alzheimer's disease or senile dementia. This low- cost facility, the first of its kind in the region, provides much needed assistance and relief to family members for these patients. Because ihs and its employees are actively involved in supporting numerous local community benefit organizations, Health fairs, and Health advocacy organizations, ihs created, ihelp - a program to centralize, track and identify community service including volunteer, in-kind and financial resources to make an impact on the Health and well-being of our region. Ihs established a community department with a budget and purchased software to track employee involvement and community requests. Campaigns for united way, the american cancer society, the american heart association, march of dimes, and many other national organizations are actively supported by the organization and its employees. The ihs leadership team serves on more than 65 boards and plays an active role with ihelp by leading, supporting, encouraging and participating in all volunteer projects. Ihelp supports more than 30 organizations and non- profit organizations through teams, fundraising, Health and wellness fairs and in-kind donations. Blood drives are conducted quarterly on Infirmary Health's campuses, where employee volunteers and donations are strongly encouraged. Infirmary Health is proud to support local organizations like feeding the gulf coast and prodisee pantry who help address hunger needs across our local communities. This december, our leadership team from across the Health System raised more than 3,000 for the food banks during our year- end leadership summit. For every dollar donated, feeding the gulf coast and prodisee pantry can help provide up to five meals. Thanks to the Infirmary Health team, 15,000 meals were served across our gulf coast communities. In september 2021, Infirmary Health hosted a drive for employees to give back to the victims of hurricane ida. Mobile Infirmary collected hygiene kits, cleaning supplies and other items for those who were affected by the hurricane. In total, the Health System collected more than seven pallets of items to donate to the new orleans community. Infirmary Health was a leader during the covid-19 pandemic and saw more covid-19 patients than any other provider in the region. From april 2021 - march 2022, Infirmary Health teams administered more than 30,000 vaccines to the community. In mobile county, the covid vaccine team traveled to ancillary areas in the county to provide vaccines to those with limited access to travel, as well as hosted several on campus at mobile Infirmary. In fy22, Infirmary Health also participated in the american heart association's annual mobile county and baldwin county heart walks for which employees raised more than 10,000. Cardiac rehabilitation patients also participated in the fundraising through purchasing t-shirts and registering for the walk. Infirmary Health supports our local american cancer society with numerous fundraisers and events through volunteer, in-kind, and financial contributions such as: relay for life, making strides against breast cancer, chili cook-off, and numerous other american cancer society events throughout the year. In october 2021, Infirmary Health raised money for both the chili cook off, raising money for colon cancer awareness, and making strides against breast cancer. For the chili cook off, each hospital sold t-shirts and tickets to the event. In total, 296 shirts were sold, and 1,422 was raised. For making strides, each hospital sold t-shirts and breast cancer awareness flags, raising nearly 3,500. Infirmary Health and Infirmary cancer care rolled out its mobile cancer screening unit in february 2019. The mobile screening unit helps address the need for access to care in rural communities, so the unit traveled to many outlying areas of the community such as theodore, citronelle, lillian and others. During this fiscal year, the unit was utilized to provide covid-19 vaccines to communities. In total, the unit saw more than 500 patients who were screened for various cancers and/or provided covid-19 vaccines. In february 2022, Infirmary Health conducted a new community Health needs assessment to determine the needs of our communities in both mobile and baldwin counties. By surveying and interviewing community leaders through the chna, two key areas of need were identified: access to care and obesity/physical activity. Additionally, an emphasis on diabetes, cancer, heart disease and mental Health will be the focus of chna initiatives in the next two fiscal years. Infirmary Health hosts its annual "turkey toss" for employees in november, giving each employee a turkey for the holidays. Remaining turkeys were donated to feed the homeless and low income families in mobile and baldwin counties through various organizations such as: feeding the gulf coast (formerly bay area food bank), home of grace, wilmer hall, l'arche mobile, penelope house, wings of life, prodisee pantry, fairhope united methodist church and first hope (first baptist church of fairhope). Those who donated their turkey provided a meal for a family that might not, have otherwise, had anything to eat this holiday season. In support of its desire to lead by example, ihs has initiated a wellness program for its employees, providing encouragement and incentives for employees to live a healthy lifestyle. The program includes Health assessments that provide each participating employee with key Health metrics. Plans for improving Health are formulated for each employee based upon their individual assessment results. Ihs actively supports the efforts of the Infirmary foundation, a non- private foundation formed to provide financial support for the mobile Infirmary association, a not-for-profit hospital in mobile, Alabama. The Infirmary foundation provides financial support for investment in state- of-the-art technology, allowing the mobile Infirmary association to provide the latest in advanced treatment options for its patients. The Infirmary foundation, recognizing the shortage of qualified healthcare providers in the community, also invests in the education of future healthcare providers by offering scholarship opportunities for college students in the field of healthcare, and by providing funding support for System employees who further their education in the field of nursing. The ihs board, management and staff are committed to enhancing the healthcare status and related quality of life of the residents in the areas we serve along the central gulf coast region. By bringing efficiency through the coordination of services, eliminating redundancy and reducing cost, focusing on specific community needs, encouraging healthy lifestyles, supporting employee involvement in healthy initiatives, and enhancing educational opportunities for tomorrow's caregivers, these goals are being realized.