The Hospital built on its long history of helping those in need throughout the region. Yale New Haven provided over $477 million in total uncompensated care last year, more than $46 million more than last year. This included more than $285 million in Medicaid shortfalls and free and charity care, plus nearly $171 million in bad debt and Medicare shortfalls.
Nearly $88 million dollars were invested in community benefit programs and more than 3,000 people attended YNHH-sponsored community health education-related activities. YNHH assisted more than 1,000 patients with prescription medications and almost 3,500 patients with public transportation needs. In addition, 2,896 people attended support groups and more than 390 people participated in bereavement services.
Yale New Haven Hospital continued its legacy of serving the community’s most at-risk members throughout the year. To help meet the long-term healthcare needs of the homeless, YNHH collaborated with New Haven’s Columbus House shelter to form the Medical Respite Care program, a 12-bed unit providing services to medically fragile patients transferred after discharge from YNHH.
Another collaborative effort serving vulnerable individuals was the Transitions Clinic – a partnership with the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, providing a medical home for people recently released from prison and with chronic diseases.
In 2014, the Connecticut Hospital Association awarded YNHH the Community Service Award for its partnership with Project Access-New Haven where YNHH provides assistance to uninsured and underinsured patients. As part of a Community Health Improvement Plan, YNHH led the launch of Get Healthy CT, a coalition dedicated to preventing and reducing obesity. Additionally, through the Hospital’s annual campaign with the United Way of Greater New Haven, employees raised just shy of $250,000, a 5 percent increase over the previous year’s contributions.
