We are rooted in the communities we serve, and we are proud to be a part of the history of Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Lincoln City and Newport and the surrounding communities. Our employees -- including physicians, nurses, technicians, social workers and dozens of other professionals -- are part of the communty as well. They’re proud to serve as active volunteers, non-profit board members, coaches, and church and community leaders.

It’s only natural, then, that we would see the importance of extending our health care mission beyond the walls of the hospitals and physician clinics and into the community at large. Whether it’s helping to support a health-related non-profit organization, volunteering at a low-cost medical clinic, providing a scholarship to a student pursuing a health care career, or offering free health screenings, we value our involvement in community health.

Direct and in-kind community support

Services for people in need, Total: $62,503,000*

Unreimbursed costs of Medicare: $38,415,000

Unreimbursed costs of Medicaid: $12,874,000

Continuum of care services: $3,947,000

Charity care: $6,602,000

Community benefit services: $3,641,000

* from audited statement ending Dec. 31, 2007

The community benefit activities we engage in are as diverse as the needs of the people we serve. For example:

• In Lincoln City, Samaritan supports the Early Learning Center, part of an outreach to young children and families. The center provides a nurturing, educational environment for children 6 weeks to 6 years of age, regardless of the income level of the children’s parents. 
• Samaritan regularly shares its professional staff in conducting health education classes, health screenings, support groups and other health promotion activities. In 2007, the value of such staff time was $488,945. Serving thousands of area residents, these outreach activities cover health topics such as prenatal parenting education, CPR certification, diabetes management, women’s health issues and heart health. As of 2008, for example, 3,000 people have received free heart health screenings as part of the Samaritan Heart & Vascular Institute’s annual Heart Month activities. In another example, Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital provides the site, physicians and staff to work with the Shriners to screen local children in the Shriners’ annual orthopedic screening initiative.   
• Samaritan partners with local school districts in many ways, including offering health career classes and on-site experiences to middle and high school students, and performing puppet shows for first graders as an engaging way to explain basic health rules. Samaritan also offers Trauma Nurses Talk Tough seminars, in which trauma nurses visit schools to give age-appropriate talks and videos on safety, including automobile safety.   
• To educate communities about good health, Samaritan offers numerous classes at all its hospital sites, as well as Health On Video (a free lending library of videos on hundreds of health topics), and the Speakers’ Bureau.