Mercy Community Benefit Ministry
Mercy Hospital Mission Statement
We serve together in Trinity Health,
in the spirit of the Gospel,
to heal body, mind and spirit
to improve the health of our communities
and to steward the resources entrusted to us
Mercy Hospital is dedicated to the ideal that health care
is a ministry. This can be seen in the extensive array of
basic medical care and health services available to patients.
This is Mercy’s overall focus in the community.
This ministry to the community is evidenced in programs
such as the Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health, cosponsored
with the St. Clair County Medical Society, and funded in
part by the United Way of St. Clair County, as well as Mercy’s
commitment to educational and awareness programs including
Cover the Uninsured Week activities.
Another commitment is the ministry to the individual served.
Mercy sponsors or cosponsors a number of support groups.
Mercy also participates in community health campaigns and
provides financial support for those in the community who
do not have access to health insurance.
A Health System Tradition
At Mercy Hospital, we are not only obligated to share a
commitment back to the community, but are pleased to do
so in the tradition of Trinity Health.
Mercy Hospital is a Ministry Organization of Trinity Health,
which is the fourth largest Catholic health system in the
United States and the largest in the State of Michigan.
There are 25 Ministry Organizations throughout the system,
encompassing 44 hospitals in seven states. Trinity Health
represents combined revenue of $5.7 billion and provides
$401 million in Community Benefit Ministry. What a powerful
statement on behalf of the patients served.
Mercy Care
Mercy Care is just one example of Mercy’s Community
Benefit Ministry. Mercy Care is a financial assistance program
available to patients in need of medical care, who are either
underinsured, uninsured or lack the financial resources
to pay for their care. Mercy Care is administrated through
the hospital’s Financial Counselors and Finance Department.
When an uninsured or underinsured patient’s needs
must be met, extensive outreach and advocacy is conducted
to obtain health insurance services such as Medicaid. If
the patient is ineligible, other resources are researched.
When all other forms of reimbursement access fail or is
denied, Mercy Care is the service offered, providing a glimmer
of hope for most patients as they try to manage a way to
pay for their needed medical services.
Mercy Care is offered to patients who are income eligible
and comes in many forms. Based on certain criteria, patients
may get their entire bill or a percentage of it paid.
Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health – A Prime
Example
Peoples’ Clinic for Better Health is another of Mercy
Hospital’s prime examples of Community Benefit Ministry.
This collaborative project of Mercy Hospital and the St.
Clair County Medical Society offers free primary care medical
services to those members of our community who lack the
resources to pay for their care. One-half of its patients
are the working poor, those among us who lack medical benefits
or have insufficient medical coverage.
Located in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission on the southside
of Port Huron, the clinic only operates because of volunteers,
including physicians from the St. Clair County Medical Society,
who staff the clinic, and contributions from organizations
such as the United Way of St. Clair County, which funds
the prescription assistance program.
Mercy Community Sponsorship
Another way in which Mercy Hospital serves the community
is through financial and resources support of local clubs,
organizations, agencies, events and activities. Mercy provides
these supports in a variety of ways, including professional
participation on local boards of directors, volunteer participation,
and financial contributions.
Each year, Mercy participates in a number of fund raising
campaigns that are in addition to its own philanthropic
endeavors. Some of these community-wide campaigns include,
but are not limited to:
- United Way of St. Clair County
- American Cancer Society – Relay for Life
- American Heart Association – Heart Walk, Heart
Ball
- March of Dimes
One of the values highlighted in the Mercy Hospital Mission
is: to steward the resources entrusted to us. This is very
meaningful to Mercy Hospital as we offer supports while
ensuring our ability to provide outstanding medical and
healthcare services to the community.
Mercy Hospital utilizes the following criteria when
evaluating sponsorship requests:
- Alignment with Mercy’ Community Benefit Ministry
program (as defined above).
- Alignment with meeting our community’s needs:
- health of individuals (men, women, children, elderly)
- care to the poor and underserved
- health of the environment
- elevation of the status of our community
- Alignment with Mercy’s current programs and services.
- Alignment with the work currently underway through
the Mercy Hospital Foundation.
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