Healthcare Organizations Vs Secular Organizations In Healthcare
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Over recent years there has been developing attentiveness about the success and value of faith-based organizations in term of delivering healthcare services to the public. As with any healthcare system there are always pros and cons, however faith-based hospitals seem to offer more than that of secular organizations, especially in terms of providing individualized patient care to the underprivileged and giving back to the community. Before looking at their contributions to our American Healthcare System, it is imperative to first comprehend the differentiation between faith-based and secular organizations, specifically looking at organizations such as Hospital Corporation of America (secular), SCL Health (faith-based), and OhioHealth (faith-based).…show more content… In order to contend with expensive modern innovations in technology and the escalating expenses many hospitals have opted to move towards a more secular for-profit organization, decreasing the amount of faith based organizations. This swift hasn’t decreased the quality of care, for these hospitals still care above improving the lives of their patients, but it has moved these hospitals focus away from individualized patient care and providing benefits for the community. Unlike faith-based hospitals, secular organizations invest most of their money in improving their facilities rather than in community donations. For example, Hospital Corporation of America (one of the largest for-profit healthcare organizations in the world), “typically invests about $1.5 billion annually to keep facilities modern and up-to-date technologically and to expand and add services where…show more content… These smaller faith based organizations have a stronger focus on caring for their patients’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs along with being a major contributor to their communities. For example, “In fiscal year 2013, OhioHealth reinvested nearly $260 million in the communities we serve. Our Community Benefit increased $27.5 million over the previous year and included $120 million in charity care and $94 million in unreimbursed Medicaid costs. The total does not include millions of dollars in free care provided by the 3,600 affiliated and employed physicians practicing at neighborhood clinics throughout central Ohio.” (OhioHealth, 2013) Not only do FBOs contribute a substantial sum of money to their communities but also some facilities, such as SCL Health, provide certain amenities, such as educational programs and health screens, for the underprivileged. OhioHealth even provides sliding scale fees (discounted care for families between 200 & 400 percent of the Federal poverty line), charity care (free care for those earning less than 200 percent of the Federal poverty line), and hardship policies (families with unique circumstances). (OhioHealth, 2015) Through all this financial assistance and influences within society it is evident that faith based organizations