Infirmary Health

Infirmary Health System (ihs) provides centralized management and administrative services to four not-for-profit hospitals, a skilled nursing facility, a charitable foundation, and a network of more than twenty medical clinics. Ihs is focused on achieving economies of scale for its supported facilities by providing centralized, coordinated services, allowing the facilities to offer state-of-the-art medical services at the lowest possible cost. Centralized and coordinated services include accounting, accounts payable, human resources, information technology, purchasing, business office, and maintenance, among many other support services. The services are provided to System facilities at a level of knowledge and experience that, in many cases, would not otherwise be available or affordable. Ihs has spearheaded efforts to improve the availability of healthcare services in rural areas of southwest Alabama. Recruitment of physicians to the rural community of bay minette, Alabama has remained a focus, resulting in several physicians relocating to the area. Capital investment in the facilities in bay minette continue to provide benefit to the community, with over 16,000 emergency services, over 1,900 surgical cases, 174 newborn deliveries, and 44,584 adjusted patient days being provided. As a result of an assessment of community Health needs, ihs supported the initiation of geriatric psychiatric services at its facility in bay minette, the only one of its kind in baldwin county. Studies to determine additional healthcare needs of the community are ongoing. In response to a community need, ihs built and now operates the e.a. Roberts alzheimer center, a day care center for the provision of care to patients suffering from alzheimer's disease or senile dementia. This low- cost facility, the first of its kind in the region, provides much needed assistance and relief to family members for these patients. Because ihs and its employees are actively involved in supporting numerous local community benefit organizations, Health fairs, and Health advocacy organizations, ihs created, ihelp - a program to centralize, track and identify community service including volunteer, in-kind and financial resources to make an impact on the Health and well-being of our region. Ihs established a community department with a budget and purchased software to track employee involvement and community requests. Campaigns for united way, the american cancer society, the american heart association, march of dimes, and many other national organizations are actively supported by the organization and its employees. The ihs leadership team serves on more than 100 boards and plays an active role with ihelp by leading, supporting, encouraging and participating in all volunteer projects. Ihelp supports more than 40 organizations and non- profit organizations through teams, fundraising, Health and wellness fairs and in-kind donations. Blood drives are conducted quarterly on Infirmary Health's campuses, where in fy23, Infirmary Health staff participated in the american heart association's annual mobile county and baldwin county heart walks. Cardiac rehabilitation patients also participated by registering for the walks. Additionally, through Infirmary Health's 10,000 sponsorship to aha, north baldwin Infirmary donated cpr training kits to baldwin county high school, and mobile Infirmary donated cpr training kits to the boys & girls club of south Alabama. The kits provide hands-on learning experiences and everything needed to train 10 students at once in cpr. In february 2023, Infirmary Health raised awareness for heart month. In addition to publishing educational information across its website and social media channels, Infirmary Health hosted its annual free heart screenings titled "go red gulf coast." Each of the Infirmary fitness centers hosted a screening in partnership with the local fox affiliate, and more than 200 participants received free blood pressure and glucose level checks. Infirmary Health staff each volunteered three hours on the day of the event conducted the checks. Infirmary Health supports its local american cancer society (acs) chapter with numerous fundraisers and events through volunteer, in-kind, and financial contributions such as making strides against breast cancer, chili cook-off, pink pearls support group, and numerous other acs events throughout the year. In october 2022, Infirmary Health participated as the survivor sponsor in acs's annual making strides against breast cancer walk. In addition to participating in the walk, Infirmary Health employees purchased t-shirts, honor flags for their loved ones and buttons. The fundraising efforts generated 2,500 for acs. In march 2023, Infirmary Health raised money for acs's colon cancer awareness event, chili cook off. Each hospital sold t-shirts and tickets to the event. In total, 650 shirts were sold, and 2,390 was given back to acs. Infirmary Health and Infirmary cancer care rolled out its mobile cancer screening unit in february 2019. The mobile screening unit helps address the need for access to care in rural communities. In fy2023, the unit traveled to many outlying areas of mobile and baldwin counties, including tillman's corner, eight mile, grove hill, lillian and others. In total, the unit attended more than 20 events and provided free screening and education to nearly 1,900 individuals. Prostate cancer awareness month falls each september, and in 2022, Infirmary cancer care brought back free prostate psa screenings for the community. The events were held in partnership with the local fox affiliate at each Infirmary fitness centers. More than 300 men over the age of 65 were invited to receive a free psa test. Those whose psa registered as abnormal were followed up with by a nurse navigator from Infirmary cancer care. In march 2023, for colon cancer awareness month, Infirmary cancer care, in partnership with Infirmary fitness centers, hosted free "colon on campus with coffee" events for the community. The events utilized the mobile screening unit and a giant inflatable colon that participants were able to walk through to gain education on the signs and symptoms of colon cancer. At these events, more than 300 individuals were educated and 70 free colon cancer screening tests were provided. To provide free education to adolescent girls in the communities, Infirmary Health hosted two "the talk: for girls only" events in mobile and baldwin counties. The events were held in september 2022 and targeted towards girls ages 8 - 13 in mobile and 14 - 18 in baldwin county. Infirmary Health affiliate physicians spoke at the event and provided free education regarding puberty, menstrual cycles, sex education and other topics. In mobile, more than 90 girls and their support persons attended the event. Infirmary Health hosts its annual "turkey toss" for employees in november, giving each employee a turkey for the holidays. Remaining turkeys were donated to feed the homeless and low income families in mobile and baldwin counties through various organizations such as: feeding the gulf coast (formerly bay area food bank), home of grace, wilmer hall, l'arche mobile, penelope house, wings of life, prodisee pantry, fairhope united methodist church and first hope (first baptist church of fairhope). Those who donated their turkey provided a meal for a family that might not, have otherwise, had anything to eat this holiday season. In support of its desire to lead by example, ihs has initiated a wellness program for its employees, providing encouragement and incentives for employees to live a healthy lifestyle. The program includes Health assessments that provide each participating employee with key Health metrics. Plans for improving Health are formulated for each employee based upon their individual assessment results. Ihs actively supports the efforts of the Infirmary foundation, a non- private foundation formed to provide financial support for the mobile Infirmary association, a not-for-profit hospital in mobile, Alabama. The Infirmary foundation provides financial support for investment in state- of-the-art technology, allowing the mobile Infirmary association to provide the latest in advanced treatment options for its patients. The Infirmary foundation, recognizing the shortage of qualified healthcare providers in the community, also invests in the education of future healthcare providers by offering scholarship opportunities for college students in the field of healthcare, and by providing funding support for System employees who further their education in the field of nursing. The ihs board, management and staff are committed to enhancing the healthcare status and related quality of life of the residents in the areas we serve along the central gulf coast region. By bringing efficiency through the coordination of services, eliminating redundancy and reducing cost, focusing on specific community needs, encouraging he