Lee Health’s recently published Community Benefit Report for last fiscal year highlights almost $179 million in benefits for the Southwest Florida community by the health system.

The report utilizes a nationally recognized standard that determines a monetary value for Lee Health’s commitment and the financial investments it makes to help strengthen health and human services in the community.

Each year, Lee Health invests a significant amount of time, talent, monetary funds and other resources into the community benefit initiative, including specific programs and activities that provide treatment or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs.

During fiscal year 2023, Lee Health was able to show a steadily increasing commitment to Southwest Florida by contributing $179 million in community benefits, compared to $165 million in 2022 and $160 million in 2021.

“Lee Health has an unwavering commitment to our friends and neighbors to provide access to healthcare, preventive medicine, important health and wellness information, doing all we can to better our community,” said Chris Simoneau, chief development, marketing and communications officer for Lee Health. “Our presence goes well beyond medical care. We contribute significantly through local partnerships with organizations also committed to the growth and wellness of Southwest Florida and by creating a variety of educational programs with the goal of optimal health for all.”

Key highlights of the 2023 report include:

• The Golisano Children’s Hospital’s Child Advocacy team, which promotes children’s health and safety and focuses on injury prevention, child safety, and mental health awareness and navigation, which includes Kids’ Minds Matter, worked 23,667 staff hours, served 58,313 patients and contributed $660,812 in community benefit

• After Hurricane Ian, the 24/7 Lee TeleHealth platform was available free of charge for more than half of the year. In total during 2023, it served 2,476 patients and contributed $170,844

• The Lee Health Trauma Center Injury Prevention team, which provides community-based services, education and training on prevention of violence, bullying, substance abuse, vehicle crashes, sports injuries, falls, mentor programs and support groups, worked 673 staff hours, saw 7,832 patients and provided $75,213 in community benefit

• The Neighborhood Liaison Program, started last spring, amplifies diverse voices, and identifying needs and social gaps to promote equity and community engagement focused on improving access to healthcare

• Family Medicine and Internal Medicine Residency Programs sponsored by the Florida State College of Medicine in partnership with Lee Health created a total of $11.9 million in community benefit

• Lee Health and the Minnesota Twins announced a 10-year partnership, including naming rights for the club’s Fort Myers complex, which is now called the Lee Health Sports Complex, where Lee Health plans to host various health fairs throughout the year with free health screenings, including EKGs for children, dermatology and blood pressure screenings, and information on strokes, injury prevention, nutrition and other healthy lifestyle habits.

During the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Lee Health also helped provide services and support to team members and the community, showing dedication by providing quality care and unlimited support despite the devastating storm and its challenges.

In general, community benefit programs or activities provide treatment and/or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs. They are not provided for marketing purposes, nor are they the cost of doing business.

Programs or activities must meet at least one of the following criteria to qualify as a community benefit:

• Generates a low or negative margin

• Responds to needs of special populations, such as persons living in poverty and other disenfranchised persons

• Supplies services or programs that would likely be discontinued — or would need to be provided by another not-for-profit or government provider — if the decision was made on a purely financial basis

• Responds to public health needs

• Involves education or research that improves overall community health

Additionally, qualifying activities and programs are further categorized by the IRS:

• Community Health Improvement Services

• Health Professions Education

• Subsidized Health Services (Prepared by Financial Services)

• Research

• Financial And In-Kind Contributions

• Community-Building Activities

• Community Benefit Operations

The full 2023 Community Benefit Report can be found by visiting leehealth.org/about-us/community-affairs/community-benefits. Reports can be accessed dating as far back as 2011.

About Lee Health

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Health care services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at LeeHealth.org.

Source: Lee Health