News Seton Charity Care and Community Benefit Towers at $431 Million

A message from Sr. Helen Brewer, DC, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Seton Family of Hospitals

AUSTIN, TX - (July 22, 2010) - Among Central Texas health care organizations, the Seton Family of Hospitals stands out as a nonprofit, mission-driven community service organization. Seton recently reported to the State of Texas that in Fiscal Year 2009 it provided $249 million in charity care and $182 million in community benefit, totaling $431 million.

In June, the Austin American-Statesman featured the St. David's Foundation, a philanthropic organization affiliated with St. David's Healthcare. Seton applauds the Foundation's generosity.

It's important to point out that, for all the surface similarities, the Seton and St. David's healthcare systems are fundamentally different. St. David's is a for-profit business funded by operations and investors.

Seton is a non-profit organization grounded in a centuries-old tradition of service. Its "investors" are the Daughters of Charity, generous community donors and a talented team of dedicated staff. Seton uses almost all of its income to fund operations, including hospitals, community clinics and ancillary services. Collectively, these operations help improve the health and well-being of patients, especially those who are poor or vulnerable. Seton applies to aligned grant-making foundations such as the Austin Community Foundation and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for funds to further its mission.

Seton also utilizes four fundraising foundations, which raise money and community awareness to support Seton's health care mission. The foundations, with a combined total endowment of more than $70 million, provide:

•capital for facilities and equipment to care for patients
•programs to improve health and well-being
•endowments to generate income for specific healthcare programs
•research and education
•support for other strategic initiatives.

When Seton supports outside entities--principally primary care organizations like the Lone Star Circle of Care--it helps provide a "medical home" for patients who would otherwise have little access to care.

The combination of a mission-centered patron, donors who are also our friends and neighbors, and a workforce that constantly innovates to meet the needs of one million Central Texans is powerful.

Seton in the Community (Fiscal Year 2008)

Here are some examples of how Seton improves the health of those it serves.

Seton Nurse Triage Call Center
25,000 of 75,000 callers directed in home-based self-care or to a next-day primary care appointment

Community Health Centers
31,017 outpatient medical visits
1,012 musicians served as part of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians
23,808 social service encounters
32,877 lab tests
6,265 prescriptions
9,104 immunizations
4,283 unfunded patients' managed care

AISD Student Health Services
83,000 public school students served
6,371 immunizations

Mobile Primary Care Vans
695 children immunized
3,613 rural pediatric visits

Safe Kids Austin
951 car seat inspections
388 car seats to families
1,200 bicycle helmets to children