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Sisters of Charity Hospital
Buffalo, NY 14214
(click a facility name to update Individual Facility Details panel)
Bed count | 413 | Medicare provider number | 330078 | Member of the Council of Teaching Hospitals | YES | Children's hospital | NO |
Sisters of Charity HospitalDisplay data for year:
(as % of functional expenses, which all tax-exempt organizations report on Form 990 Schedule H)
(as % of total functional expenses)
Community Benefit Expenditures: 2021
All tax-exempt organizations file a Form 990 with the IRS for every tax year. If the tax-exempt organization operates one or more hospital facilities during the tax year, the organization must attach a Schedule H to Form 990. On Part I of Schedule H, the organization records the expenditures it made during the tax year for various types of community benefits; 9 types are shown on this web tool. By default, this web tool presents community benefit expenditures as a percentage of the organization’s functional expenses, which it reports on Form 990, Part IX, Line 25, Column A. (The more commonly heard term, ‘total operating expenses’, which organizations report to CMS, is generally about 90% of the ‘functional expenses’). The user may change the default to see the dollar expenditures.
Operating expenses $ 396,206,022 Total amount spent on community benefits as % of operating expenses$ 67,552,086 17.05 %- Amount spent in the following IRS community benefit categories:
Financial Assistance at cost as % of operating expenses$ 3,249,579 0.82 %Medicaid as % of operating expenses$ 40,355,312 10.19 %Costs of other means-tested government programs as % of operating expenses$ 0 0 %Health professions education as % of operating expenses$ 2,943,139 0.74 %Subsidized health services as % of operating expenses$ 20,479,991 5.17 %Research as % of operating expenses$ 225,168 0.06 %Community health improvement services and community benefit operations*
as % of operating expensesNote: these two community benefit categories are reported together on the Schedule H, part I, line 7e.$ 187,078 0.05 %Cash and in-kind contributions for community benefit* as % of operating expenses$ 111,819 0.03 %Community building*
as % of operating expenses$ 7,344 0.00 %- * = CBI denoted preventative categories
- Community building activities details:
Did tax-exempt hospital report community building activities? YES Number of activities or programs (optional) 0 Physical improvements and housing 0 Economic development 0 Community support 0 Environmental improvements 0 Leadership development and training for community members 0 Coalition building 0 Community health improvement advocacy 0 Workforce development 0 Other 0 Persons served (optional) 0 Physical improvements and housing 0 Economic development 0 Community support 0 Environmental improvements 0 Leadership development and training for community members 0 Coalition building 0 Community health improvement advocacy 0 Workforce development 0 Other 0 Community building expense
as % of operating expenses$ 7,344 0.00 %Physical improvements and housing as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Economic development as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Community support as % of community building expenses$ 5,369 73.11 %Environmental improvements as % of community building expenses$ 1,975 26.89 %Leadership development and training for community members as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Coalition building as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Community health improvement advocacy as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Workforce development as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Other as % of community building expenses$ 0 0 %Direct offsetting revenue $ 0 Physical improvements and housing $ 0 Economic development $ 0 Community support $ 0 Environmental improvements $ 0 Leadership development and training for community members $ 0 Coalition building $ 0 Community health improvement advocacy $ 0 Workforce development $ 0 Other $ 0
Other Useful Tax-exempt Hospital Information: 2021
In addition to community benefit and community building expenditures, the Schedule H worksheet includes sections on what percentage of bad debt can be attributable to patients eligible for financial assistance, and questions on the tax-exempt hospital's debt collection policy. When searching a specific tax-exempt hospital in this web tool, Section II provides information about bad debt and the financial assistance policy, and whether the state in which the tax-exempt hospital resides has expanded Medicaid coverage under the federal ACA.
Of the tax-exempt hospital’s overall operating expenses, amount reported as bad debt
as % of operating expenses$ 0 0 %Is the tax-exempt hospital considered a "sole community hospital" under the Medicare program? NO - Information about the tax-exempt hospital's Financial Assistance Policy and Debt Collection Policy
The Financial Assistance Policy section of Schedule H has changed over the years. The questions listed below reflect the questions on the 2009-2011 Schedule H forms and the answers tax-exempt hospitals provided for those years. The Financial Assistance Policy requirements were changed under the ACA. In the future, as the Community Benefit Insight web site is populated with 2021 data and subsequent years, the web tool will also be updated to reflect the new wording and requirements. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this section, we encourage you to contact your tax-exempt hospital directly.
Does the organization have a written financial assistance (charity care) policy? YES Did the tax-exempt hospital rely upon Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) to determine when to provide free or discounted care for patients? YES Amount of the tax-exempt hospital’s bad debt (at cost) attributed to patients eligible under the organization’s financial assistance (charity care) policy
as % of operating expenses$ 0 0 %- Did the tax-exempt hospital, or an authorized third party, take any of the following collection activities before determining whether the patient was eligible for financial assistance:
Reported to credit agency Not available Under the ACA, states have the choice to expand Medicaid eligibility for their residents up to 138% of the federal poverty guidelines. The Medicaid expansion provision of the ACA did not go into effect until January 2014, so data in this web tool will not reflect each state's current Medicaid eligibility threshold. For up to date information, please visit the Terms and Glossary under the Resources tab.
After enactment of the ACA, has the state in which this tax-exempt hospital is located expanded Medicaid? YES The federal poverty guidelines (FPG) are set by the government and used to determine eligibility for many federal financial assistance programs. Tax-exempt hospitals often use FPG guidelines in their Financial Assistance policies to determine which patients will qualify for free or discounted care.
If not, is the state's Medicaid threshold for working parents at or below 76% of the federal poverty guidelines? Not available In addition to the federal requirements, some states have laws stipulating community benefit requirements as a result of tax-exemption. The laws vary from state to state and may require the tax-exempt hospitals to submit community benefit reports. Data on this web tool captures whether or not a state had a mandatory community benefit reporting law as of 2011. For more information, please see Community Benefit State Law Profiles Comparison at The Hilltop Institute.
Does the state in which the tax-exempt hospital is located have a mandatory community benefit reporting statute? YES
Community Health Needs Assessment Activities: 2021
The ACA requires all 501(c)(3) tax-exempt hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years, starting with the hospital's tax year beginning after March 23, 2012. The 2011 Schedule H included an optional section of questions on the CHNA process. This web tool includes responses for those hospitals voluntary reporting this information. The web tool will be updated to reflect changes in these questions on the 2012 and subsequent Schedule H forms.
Did the tax-exempt hospital report that they had conducted a CHNA? YES Did the CHNA define the community served by the tax-exempt hospital? YES Did the CHNA consider input from individuals that represent the broad interests of the community served by the tax-exempt hospital? YES Did the tax-exempt hospital make the CHNA widely available (i.e. post online)? YES Did the tax-exempt hospital adopt an implementation strategy to address the community needs identified by the CHNA? YES
Supplemental Information: 2021
- Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
Description of the organization's program service accomplishments for each of its three largest program services, as measured by expenses. Section 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations are required to report the amount of grants and allocations to others, the total expenses, and revenue, if any, for each program service reported.
4A (Expenses $ 138393421 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 138677574) Inpatient Services:48,974 Acute Care Patient Days15,073 Newborn Patient Days24,472 Skilled Nursing Patient Days3,154 I/P Surgeries
4B (Expenses $ 155917509 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 145583735) Outpatient Services:35,929 ED Visits net of Admits241,455 Referred Ambulatory Visits9,240 Operating Room4,849 G.I. Laboratory205 Interventional Radiology (IXR)
4C (Expenses $ 45845711 including grants of $ 0) (Revenue $ 47554656) Primary Care Clinics:52,277 Clinic/Primary Care Center Visits482,013 Substance Abuse Visits
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Facility Information
Part V, Section A: "Sisters of Charity Hospital continuedAudiology O/P Chemical Dependence - Rehabilitation O/PClinic Part Time Services Clinical Laboratory ServiceCoronary Care Dental O/P Emergency Department Intensive CareLevel III Perinatal Care MaternityMedical Services - Other Medical SpecialtiesMedical Services - Primary Care Medical Social Services Medical/Surgical Neonatal Continuing Care Neonatal Intensive Care Neonatal Intermediate Care Nuclear Medicine - Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine - Therapeutic Physical Medical Rehabilitation Podiatry O/P Primary Stroke Center Radiology - Diagnostic Renal Dialysis - AcuteTherapy - Occupational O/P Therapy - Physical O/P Therapy - Speech Language PathologyTherapy - Vocational Rehabilitation O/P ""Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Campus continued Clinic Part Time ServicesClinical Laboratory ServicesCoronary Care Emergency Department Intensive CareMedical Services - Other Medical SpecialtiesMedical Services - Primary Care Medical Social Services Medical/Surgical Nuclear Medicine - Diagnostic Radiology - Diagnostic Renal Dialysis - Acute Therapy - Speech Language Pathology"
Part V, Section B Facility Reporting Group A
Group A-Facility 2 -- Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Part V, Section B, line 5: """The Hospital, as part of Catholic Health utilized a variety of sources to develop the health needs assessment to ensure the inclusion of persons who represent the broad interest of the community and have special expertise in, or knowledge of, public health issues and concerns: * Disseminating and promoting the completion of a fifty-seven question survey developed by the Erie County Department of Health to the community at large including Catholic Health's own staff. * Two focus groups including representation from a broad range of health care and social service organizations in Erie County * Western New York Community Health Needs Assessment (December 2014) jointly sponsored by the two Performing Provider Systems in the region linked the Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP). * 50 patient interviews (verbal survey) targeting individuals utilizing services at Catholic Health clinics operating within federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA)Focus group participants: Catholic Charities Brylin Hospitals Erie County DOH P2 Collaborative of WNY City of Buffalo community Physician representation Erie County Department of Health Community Meeting Participants Catholic Health American Cancer Society Cazenovia Recovery Systems Friends of Night People Buffalo Fire Department Northwest Community Center Mid Erie Counseling and Treatment Center American Heart Association Meals on Wheels Evergreen Services Pride Center of Western New York United WayFor more information about our CHNA, go to https://www.chsbuffalo.org/mission/social-responsibility-community-benefit"""
Group A-Facility 2 -- Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Part V, Section B, line 6a: Sisters Hospital was conducted with Sisters St. Joseph Campus
Group A-Facility 2 -- Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Part V, Section B, line 6b: Sisters Hospital was conducted with Mercy Hospital and Kenmore Mercy Hospital and Mount St. Mary's Hospital as well as the Erie County Department of Health.
Group A-Facility 2 -- Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Part V, Section B, line 11: "Through the needs assessment, numerous areas were identified as important and clearly impact the health of the community. Catholic Health identified the ""significant"" needs as the New York State Department of Health Prevention Agenda priorities. Within the ""priorities"", Catholic Health will address numerous health needs as described in the publicly available CHNA report. One priority area was prioritized lower and not addressed in the implementation plan: Promote a Healthy and Safe Environment. Contributing to this lower priority was lack of available funds and potential for less impact upon the community. Although, should opportunity arise, with resources available to effectively address this need, Catholic Health will reconsider for incorporation in the future.Other needs were identified as part of the Community Health Needs Assessments conducted by Erie County Department of Health, the local DSRIP PPS organizations, and Catholic Health. However, a number of those needs were not incorporated into CH's individual 2019-2021 Community Health Implementation Plans for each of its acute care operations for one or more of the following reasons:* Was not deemed as impactful on the overall health of the community as compare to other identified need* Is being targeted or addressed by other entities within the community* Requires resources that CH does not currently have available without compromising other important initiatives. But, should community circumstances change or additional resources become available, CH will consider incorporating other initiatives into its plan.Among those additional needs not addressed in the 2019-2021 CHIP are:* Need for greater integration of primary care and behavioral health services (being addressed by local PPS organizations via NYS DSRIP *)* Need to address childhood obesity through improved nutrition especially in urban ""food deserts and increased exercise programming for children* Continued need to improve access to smoking cessation programs (Roswell Park Cancer Institute leading efforts of local PPS organizations as part of the NYS DSRIP program)* Need to improve educational services to parents in urban areas with regard to asthma management and dangers of lead poisoning* Slowing the rate of HIV infection especially within minority communities (NYS Prep program with local support from Evergreen)The 2019 Erie County Community Health Needs Assessment began by first re-evaluating the needs prioritized in the previous cycle (2016) and the impact of the projects corresponding to those needs that were selected for implementation. Catholic Health's understanding of the communities it serves was then updated by soliciting new input from the public and several community organizations as outlined in the Process and Methods section of this report. This assessment represents a collaborative effort across Catholic Health's facilities as well as with external organizations to identify the health needs of the community and to develop a strategy for addressing them. The systematic process used helped identify significant health needs across Catholic Health's Erie County service area including vulnerable and under-represented populations. Part V, Line 7a page 8: https://www.chsbuffalo.org/mission/social-responsibility-community-benefitPart V, line 10a, page 8: https://www.chsbuffalo.org/mission/social-responsibility-community-benefit"
Group A-Facility 2 -- Sisters of Charity Hospital - St. Joseph Part V, Section B, line 16j: Includes information in both English and Spanish on all signage and brochures for financial assistance.
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Supplemental Information
Part I, Line 6a: Sisters Hospital Community Benefit Report is contained in the annual report prepared by the Catholic Health System.
Part I, Line 7: Costing is a full step down methodology of cost from non-revenue producing departments to revenue producing departments', with assignment of cost to individual charge items based on volume and charge amount. All patient accounts are cost with the same methodology regardless of patient type (inpatient, outpatient, emergency room, etc.) or insurance coverage (Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, uninsured, etc.).
Part II, Community Building Activities: Community Building Activities for Sisters Hospital included Community Support - for $5,369 and Environmental improvements - for $1,975
Part III, Line 2: The Hospital did not report bad debt on their financial statements, as they adopted ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers in 2018. Upon adoption, the majority of what was previously classified as provision for bad debts and presented as a reduction to net patient service revenue on the statement of operations and changes in net assets is treated as an implicit price concession that reduces the transacton price, which is reported as net patient service revenue.
Part III, Line 3: The Hospital did not report bad debt on their financial statements, as they adopted ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers in 2018. Upon adoption, the majority of what was previously classified as provision for bad debts and presented as a reduction to net patient service revenue on the statement of operations and changes in net assets is treated as an implicit price concession that reduces the transacton price, which is reported as net patient service revenue.
Part III, Line 4: The hospital does not have a footnote that describes bad debt in the financial statements.
Part III, Line 8: Sisters Hospital does not treat Medicare shortfall as a community benefit, as serving Medicare patients is not a differentiating feature of tax-exempt healthcare organizations. The existing community benefit framework allows community benefit programs that serve the Medicare population to be counted in other community benefit categories.
Part III, Line 9b: The hospital's collection policies contain provisions on the collection practices to be followed for patients who are known to qualify for financial assistance. The hospital has implemented billing and collection practices for patient payment obligations that are fair, consistent, and compliant with state and federal regulations and no extraordinary collection practices are followed.
Part VI, Line 2: In addition to its CHNA, Sisters Hospital as part of Catholic Health utilizes multiple methods to assess the health care needs of the communities it serves, including:* Evaluations administered by Sisters Hospital in coordination with the Catholic Health Community Education Department after each class, workshop, or program it sponsors seeking input on other programs or topics of interest participants would like to see. Based on this feedback, program planners meet with leadership to develop programs or workshops that match community interest/need;* Input from physician community during doctor to doctor education programs. Based on this feedback, program planners meet with leadership to develop physician continuing education programs that address gaps in care or other pressing community health needs. * Patient, resident and caregiver satisfaction surveys conducted in our hospitals, health centers, and nursing homes and among our home care patients, help alert us to health care needs among our patient population; * Physician and leadership participation in community boards, coalitions and forums to define the health needs of patient populations and seek community solutions; * Surveys conducted among high risk, high need Medicaid populations through our collaborative Health Home Program help alert us to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral health issues; * Participation in NYS Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP) with Community Partners of WNY initiatives that look at transforming the care of the Medicaid population; * Information management obtains from administrative data and payer mix to assist in evaluating the health needs and trends of the community; and* Input from Catholic Health Board including Board Committee (e.g. Mission Integration Committee).
Part VI, Line 3: "Catholic Health's Sisters Hospital inform and educate patients and persons who may be billed for medical services about their eligibility for assistance under federal, state, or local government programs or our own Healthcare Assistance Program (HAP) in a variety of ways. For example, Sisters Hospital, like our other Catholic Health facilities, has posters and brochures available, which include eligibility and contact information for the Patient Financial Services Team. This information is available in admissions areas, emergency rooms, primary care and outpatient rehabilitation centers, the Administrative and Regional Training Center (ARTC) and other areas throughout Catholic Health where eligible patients and family members are likely to be present. This information is also on the website https://www.chsbuffalo.org/billing-insurance/financial-assistance and includes general information, our policy and application and is translated in Spanish and Arabic. In addition, information on financial assistance is included on our website.Sisters Hospital also provides information about financial assistance and Healthcare Assistance program (HAP) contact information to patients as part of the intake process and during or within 90 days of their discharge from the hospital via patient statements or outreach. To further assist patients, all patient bills include the following language: ""If you need financial assistance: Catholic Health offers a healthcare assistance program to help those in need. For more details please visit www.chsbuffalo.org/financial assistance, or call our Patient Financial Services Team at (716) 601-3600. For free, confidential assistance in applying for financial assistance, patients can also call our Patient Financial Services team at 716-601-3600. A counselor will work with them to see if they qualify for free or low-cost insurance or other financial assistance. For patients who do not have insurance and need care at a Catholic Health hospital, a registration clerk can put the patient in touch with one of our Certified Application Counselors. Interpreting services are also available for patients who do not speak English. We offer case management services, and our Certified Application Counselors who discuss with patients the availability of various government benefits, such as Medicaid or other state and federal programs, and assist patients and families with eligibility and applications when necessary."
Part VI, Line 7, Reports Filed With States NY
Part VI, Line 4: Catholic Health is a not-for-profit integrated healthcare delivery system that operates three acute care operations in Erie County and one in Niagara County. For all intents and purposes, the primary service area for Catholic Health's Erie County based acute care operations is Erie County. In fact, Erie County residents account for approximately 80% of all inpatient volume.Sisters Hospital is located in Erie County, which consists of a mix of urban, suburban and rural populations, with about one-third of the population residing in the City of Buffalo. Buffalo is New York State's second largest city, surrounded by a ring of older suburbs. Beyond the first ring suburbs are newer suburban communities and established rural communities. The current population of Erie County is over nine hundred thousand.Erie County is less racially and ethnically diverse than New York State or the rest of the country, and the Non-White populations are concentrated in and immediately around the City of Buffalo. All of the 11 zip codes in Erie County that have a Non-White population of 50% or more are in Buffalo.
Part VI, Line 5: "One of the fundamental reasons for the creation of Catholic Health was to ensure the continued viability of faith-based health care to meet the needs of residents in Erie County and the surrounding communities. The Mission statement of the Sisters Hospital, as part of Catholic Health - We are called to reveal the healing love of Jesus to those in need further articulates why we exist. Integral to this effort is caring for the needs of those who are poor and disadvantaged. The services provided by Sisters Hospital are in response to identified community needs, and reflect the Hospitals's emphasis on caring for the underserved. The Hospital collaborates with other charitable organizations and social service agencies (i.e. Catholic Charities, Spectrum Human Services, Evergreen Health Services, Erie County Department of Health, etc.), to maximize its ability to provide needed services to the residents of our region.The governing Board of Directors of Sisters Hospital is comprised of community representatives from universities, legal communities, and business leaders. Religious orders are represented, as well as active and retired medical staff members. The Sisters Hospital medical staff is considered an ""open"" medical staff, as any physician can apply for privileges. Each application is reviewed by a vigorous credentialing verification process. The hospitals have robust health professional education programs. Mercy Hospital and Sisters Hospital are physician teaching facilities. All sites participate in teaching programs for other allied health professionals. Our six emergency departments are open to all people regardless of their ability to pay. Our primary care centers are strategically located in areas deemed economically disadvantaged or where other medical services are lacking. Each year, Sisters Hospital, as part of Catholic Health touches tens of thousands of area residents through its community health education programs, health screenings, clinical and support services, and community service activities. Most of these program are free to encourage participation by people from all walks of life. Catholic Health will continue to meet community needs by providing charity care to the uninsured and underinsured, traditional Medicaid services, and community benefit programs, including collaborative community health improvement initiatives, health professional education programs, volunteering and community service activities, and cash and in-kind contributions to community organizations that serve the poor and disadvantaged. In 2021, the Catholic Health System provided more than $210 million in charity care and community benefit activities to help make our community a healthier place, especially for the poor and underserved. These activities included: - Spearheading Project Homeless Connect An outreach initiative to link homeless individuals and families with medical and other support services; - Supporting charitable and educational organizations, like the Global Health Ministry, United Way, Harvest House, St. Luke's Mission of Mercy, The CRIB Maternity Group Home in Niagara Falls, MY (part of Family & Children Services of Niagara), Care and Share Food Pantry, and the Project Connect Niagara that help the poor and vulnerable in our community; -Hosting numerous health education and screening programs to help people learn their health risks and take steps to improve their health; - Offering a Healthcare Assistance Program to ensure that people without insurance or financial means get the care they need; - Providing health and wellness information in places of worship through our Faith Community Nursing program; - Helping refugees access quality medical care through our Primary Care and School Based Health Centers, including the Mercy Comprehensive Care Center in Buffalo's Old First Ward; - Providing free care and services to those in need, like our ""Cribs for Kids"" program, which helps families provide a safe sleeping environment for their newborns; - Supporting children and families in need through our Reach Out and Read Program; Backpack Program for Kids; and Bridget Closet (clothes for the needy); - Sponsoring programs at the Mercy Comprehensive Care Center, which serve the local community, including refugees from Burma, Somalia, the Middle East, and Nepal ; - Providing services through our Social Work Department, which link patients with necessary services including: ESL (English as a Second Language), job opportunities, substance abuse treatment, health care navigators, senior services, insurance information, parenting assistance and more; and - Supporting nationally recognized ""green"" initiatives to remain good stewards of our natural resources and protect the environment.Additional initiatives that the hospital participates in as part of CHS provide benefit to the community including: Advanced Directive / MOLST education, Community Health Fairs , Footprints on the Heart(perinatal bereavement) , McGowan Grant for Health Care Tabling Events , Marian Building & Springville, OB/GYN Clinics, Medicaid Enrollment Assistance, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Program in Mercy, NICU Cuddler Program, Open Access Scheduling, Osteoporosis Screening, Prenatal-perinatal Network of WNY, Quest Fit Testing, Refugee Programs, Transitional contact to Catholic Charities from Primary Care Sites, and Transportation Assistance."