American Hospital Association: ProMedica Awarded the 2019 Foster G. McGaw Prize

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The American Hospital Association issued the following news release:

ProMedica health system is the 2019 winner of the Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. ProMedica is being honored for its leadership role in building programs that address the health needs in its community and its sincere commitment to improving their well-being. The health system will receive $100,000 toward programs that further these goals during the AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C. on April 20.

The Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by the Baxter International Foundation, the American Hospital Association and its non-profit affiliate Health Research & Educational Trust. Each year, the prize is given to a health care organization that has shown exemplary commitment to establishing and facilitating programs that improve the overall health and well-being of its community.

ProMedica is a not-for-profit health system serving urban, suburban and rural communities in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The hospital plays an active role in measuring and prioritizing the health needs of its community, including participation in a nationally-recognized community health assessment process in partnership with several other health-related organizations.

"We are excited to see how the people of ProMedica, from frontline staff and volunteers, to senior executives and the board, are passionate in their commitment to 'walk-the-talk' as champions for community partnerships that yield measurable health gains and superior health care," said Jim Rice, Ph.D., interim chair of the Foster McGaw Award Committee. "They strengthen communities to enhance health and well-being across a large region, and help other communities to follow their lead."

"Promoting community wellness is an important focus area for Baxter, which is why we helped found the Foster G. McGaw Prize nearly 35 years ago," said Veronica Arroyave, executive director of the Baxter Foundation. "We're proud to recognize and support organizations that exemplify this commitment and are making a real impact in their communities -- and congratulate ProMedica for their leadership in doing so."

"ProMedica is thrilled and humbled to receive the Foster G. McGaw Award in recognition of the tremendous commitment our caregivers make to addressing clinical care and the deep appreciation they have for addressing the social determinants of health. To achieve our mission, we believe it is critically important to invest significantly in our communities, and our investments are in line with our view of how to improve health and well-being," said Randy Oostra, D.M., FACHE, president and CEO of ProMedica. "We are grateful to the review committee that took the time to come and visit to learn more, and we look forward to learning from our fellow finalists, as we all continue our important work."

Based on its annual community health needs assessments, ProMedica identified five community-service initiatives to ensure that it offers exceptional care for patients and meets the growing needs of area residents:

* Teen Peers Educating Peers (Teen PEP): Established at ProMedica's Toledo Children's Hospital in 1995, Teen PEP is a school-based abuse prevention program focused on rape, sexual violence, dating violence and bullying prevention for teens. The program's goal is to reduce incidences of sexual violence and increase healthy relationships in each of the schools it serves.

* Kaitlyn's Cottage: Opened in June 2012 at ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital, Kaitlyn's Cottage is a rustic cottage for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities to receive day, evening and overnight respite care. Although it is not a medical facility, Kaitlyn's Cottage is staffed by qualified professionals and denies no one respite support based on their inability to pay.

* Lenawee Health Network: Established in 2011 by ProMedica Bixby Hospital, the Lenawee Health Network (LHN) is a platform to foster agency collaboration to meet the rural county's health needs. Comprised of a multi-sector network of 25 nonprofit agencies, LHN conducts Community Health Assessments (CHA) and implements Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP) every three years.

* Food Insecurity Screening and the ProMedica Food Clinic: ProMedica began a pilot project in 2014 to screen patients for food insecurity through the Hunger Vital Sign screening tool. This process has since been expanded to all ProMedica ambulatory and inpatient settings. Discharged patients who screen positive for food insecurity receive a one-day supply of food and a community resource guide listing other local food programs. In 2015, ProMedica also opened its first Food Clinic. Patients deemed food insecure are referred by their primary care provider to pick up supplemental healthy foods at the clinic based on their patient diagnoses.

* First Steps and Toledo Healthy Tomorrows: Since 2018, Toledo Healthy Tomorrows and Northwest Ohio Pathways HUB have partnered together to provide care coordination to pregnant women considered high risk of having poor birth outcomes in Northwest Ohio. ProMedica is a leading participant in the program, and in 2015 it developed a screening and referral process for providers to identify at-risk women as early as possible and connect them to the service.

2019 Finalists

Three Foster G. McGaw finalists are also recognized for their significant community health programs and will each receive $10,000. These finalists include:

* UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., previously recognized as a 2017 Foster G. McGaw finalist, for its staff and diverse community partners who enthusiastically embraced new levels of social well-being by deploying unique and innovative initiatives such as gun buybacks, youth mental health groups and community gardens.

* Texas Health Resources in Arlington, Texas for innovating their Community Health Needs Assessments, supporting their community-focused nurses, engaging the interfaith community, and making substantial investments in community partnerships which creatively leverage wisdom about the Social Determinants of Health to better serve its communities and ensure smarter allocation of health care resources.

* Freeman Health System in Joplin, Mo. for leveraging their board, executive leaders, staff and financial resources to collaborate with community partners and health workforce champions in order to inspire and coordinate initiatives for community well-being, health protection, and promotion initiatives that extend beyond excellent clinical care.

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About the Foster G. McGaw Prize

The Foster G. McGaw Prize recognizes healthcare organizations that are committed to community service through a range of programs that demonstrate a passion and continuous commitment to making communities healthier and more vital. The prize, first awarded in 1986, inspires hospitals, health systems and communities to assess and implement programs that improve their communities. For more information, visit www.aha.org/foster.

About the American Hospital Association

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners - including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers - and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.

About Baxter and Baxter International Foundation

Every day, Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people who depend on our products, and in the communities where our employees live and work. The Foundation helps advance Baxter's mission to save and sustain lives by partnering with organizations around the world to increase access to healthcare for the underserved, develop the next generation of innovators who will lead the way in advancing healthcare and to create a positive, long-lasting impact in communities globally. For more information, please visit our Corporate Responsibility page.

About ProMedica

ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. It serves communities in 28 states. The organization offers acute and ambulatory care, an insurance company with a dental plan, and post-acute and academic business lines. The organization has more than 56,000 employees, 13 hospitals, 2,100+ physicians and advanced practice providers with privileges, 900+ healthcare providers employed by ProMedica Physicians, a health plan, and nearly 400 assisted living facilities, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, memory care communities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health care agencies. Driven by its mission to improve your health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. For more information about ProMedica, please visit www.promedica.org/aboutus.