Mission: To improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve.
Programs: Salem health is one of the largest of oregon's 59 acute care hospitals and operates the busiest emergency department in oregon. There are 467 practitioners, representing 54 different specialties. More than 514 volunteers provide non-medical support for the hospital. Statistics for the 12 month period ended 6/30/17: births - 3,498, diagnostic imaging procedures - 188,318, ed visits - 111,041, inpatient admissions - 25,907, laboratory procedures - 1,369,633, surgeries - 13,378.The primary service area is marion and polk counties with approximately 500,000 residents.
salem health provides healthcare to people in our community regardless of their ability to pay. In the 12 month period ended 6/30/17, the cost of services provided as a community benefit totaled $86.3 million. This figure consisted of $8.4 million in costs to provide charity care to individuals who cannot afford to pay; $39.1 million in underpayment by medicaid as the amount paid was less than the cost to provide the services; and $38.8 million in underpayment by medicare as the amount paid was less than the cost to provide the services. Salem health does not pursue legal action for non-payment of bills against charity care patients who have demonstrated that they have neither sufficient income nor assets to meet their financial obligations.
salem health actively participates in community health improvement services. In the 12 month period ended 6/30/17, salem health gave $11.9 million for unfunded or underfunded health services, including improving access to care through physician recruiting, community health education and prevention programs. The hospital has an active speakers bureau providing free health lectures to community groups. Health screenings, support groups and education classes are offered on an on-going basis. In fy 2017, salem health provided more than $1 million in cash and in-kind donations to community health programs such as medassist and project access, psychiatric crisis center and the salem free clinic.