Sharp Contributes $335 Million to Community Health Needs

In 2010, Sharp gave more than $335 million to the community.

San Diego's Health Care Leader
Sharp HealthCare is a not-for-profit integrated regional health care delivery system based in San Diego, Calif. At the heart of Sharp HealthCare are more than 18,000 affiliated physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers who work at Sharp hospitals, medical centers, outpatient and urgent care centers, home health, hospice and skilled nursing facilities.

As San Diego’s largest and most comprehensive health care system, Sharp sets the community standard for exceptional care. Sharp’s mission is “to improve the health of those we serve with a commitment to excellence in all that we do.” To help fulfill this mission, everyone at Sharp is dedicated to the extraordinary level of caring called The Sharp Experience — to make Sharp not only the best place to work and practice medicine, but also the best place to receive care.

To learn more about the influence Sharp employees have in the community, read our Sharp HealthCare Community Benefits Plan and Report, Fiscal Year 2010. 

Community Benefits Planning at Sharp
Findings from the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by the San Diego Community Health Improvement Partners, combined with the expertise in programs and services of each Sharp hospital, form the basis for community benefits planning at Sharp HealthCare.

Addressing the Community's Needs
In fiscal year 2010, Sharp provided $335.9 million in unreimbursed community benefits programs and services. This translates to one of every seven dollars of Sharp's net revenue being spent in direct support of the community. Highlights of Sharp’s contribution to the needs of the community include:

Additionally, many of Sharp's nearly 15,000 employees individually volunteer their time and expertise to a wide variety of community initiatives and organizations.

Benefits for the Broader Community
More than $3.5 million was contributed to provide the following services:

  • Collaboration with local schools to promote interest in health care careers
  • Community flu vaccination clinics and health screenings 
  • Participation in community health fairs and events addressing the unique needs of San Diegans
  • Participation of Sharp leadership and staff in numerous community organizations, committees and coalitions to improve the health of the community 

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Benefits for Vulnerable Populations
Nearly $2.8 million helped serve the San Diego community by providing:

  • A fund for medications, transportation and other needs to assist patients who cannot afford to pay
  • Community-wide efforts to ensure the safety of seniors in their homes
  • Contribution of time to Habitat for Humanity, Stand Down for Homeless Veterans and the San Diego Food Bank through Sharp Lends a Hand
  • Financial and in-kind support for community clinics to improve health services 
  • Funds to provide paid leave time to Sharp HealthCare employees for volunteer humanitarian service through the Sharp Humanitarian Service Program
  • Programming to increase health care access for Safety Net patients in the South Bay
  • Transportation for patients to and from medical appointments 

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Health Research, Education and Training Programs
More than $4.2 million helped provide:

  • Education and training programs for medical, nursing and other health care professionals 
  • Financial support of the Sharp Human Patient Simulation Center at San Diego State University to provide specialized education for nursing students
  • Sponsorship of health-related programs, classes, professors and clinical experience at SDSU; University of California, San Diego; Southwestern College; The University of Oklahoma College of Nursing; and other academic institutions 

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Unreimbursed Medical Care Services
More than $325.3 million was contributed in the following ways:
  • Financial support for onsite workers to process Medi-Cal eligibility forms
  • Uncompensated care for patients who are unable to pay for services 
  • Unreimbursed costs of public programs such as Medi-Cal and Medicare  

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For More Information
To learn more about the influence Sharp employees have in the community, read our Sharp HealthCare Community Benefits Plan and Report, Fiscal Year 2010. To learn more about Sharp's involvement in the community, visit www.sharp.com/community.