Case for Giving
This Valley Is Vital: Our Case for Giving
"Angie was consistently competent, caring, and kind. She is truly a star. She along with two other employees in the department, Joan and Luis, made a big difference in the quality of care that my father received. They greeted him with a smile, treated him with respect, and gave him good medical care — truly a winning combination!"
- One of our Patient’s daughters
For over 110,000 members of our community, and around 70,000 who received critical care in our Emergency Department this year, our enduring goal is to be there for them with the same compassionate care that Angie, Joan and Luis delivered for this patient’s father. And while that may seem simple, the complexity of healthcare in the disadvantaged neighborhoods of the San Fernando Valley we call home creates an unrelenting need for careful strategic planning, focused action, and generous benefactors to make it all possible. Your support allows it to truly function as one— a solid foundation upon which we stand and improve the health of the community so that it remains vital today and for generations to come.
No Greater Gift Than Care
We love what we do because there is no greater gift to give someone than care. As the business of hospital care has changed, we have remained financially solvent, but without the generosity of others, we cannot maintain the commitment we began 60 years ago in caring for the needs of the San Fernando Valley. Patients and their families are counting on us. Join us in keeping Valley Presbyterian Hospital a vital part of the community.
Our Approach to Vitality
As an independent community hospital, we must be highly attuned to the needs of our community. After all, their vitality can be dependent on ours. To provide the right and appropriately scaled services, we engage our patient community and their families for both immediate and long-term feedback. Patient satisfaction scores, care provision metrics, and community advisory groups, help shape our understanding of where we are successful and where we need to improve. Every three years, we compile data gathered over the previous period to understand what medical services are in greater demand, what community challenges need to be overcome, and how best to prioritize our efforts to deliver.
The Drivers of Financial Pressure on the Hospital
Since Valley Presbyterian Hospital opened its doors in 1958, providing the San Fernando Valley with its first full-service hospital, hospital care has dramatically changed. Many area hospitals have downsized or closed, reducing the number of available beds and straining the facilities that have remained open. To meet the demand, our 350-bed facility now serves double the number of patients it started with and has one of the Valley’s busiest Emergency Departments.
Our population is among the more disadvantaged in Los Angeles County. For nearly half of our patient population, living on a low income is an everyday reality. Worse still, 28% of our children and 15% of our seniors live below the poverty line. When it comes to health insurance, the statistics reveal other critical challenges. The uninsured rate in our service area is 21%, five points higher than in the Valley at large. Of those with coverage, the payer mix predominantly relies on state and federally provided programs, both of which pay up to 15% less than actual costs incurred.
Research we conduct within our service area shows that our patient community tends to go without a primary care physician, the first line of preventative or early care. They have much less access to healthcare, yet given their socio-economic status, are much higher risk candidates for serious and costly-to-treat diseases like diabetes, obesity, mental health issues, and substance abuse.
When added up, these drivers burden the hospital’s fiscal health and place financial pressure on its services. Through careful planning and focused spending, the hospital has met those challenges. However, as hospital care continues to change, we need outside support for building infrastructure and maintaining the services that are so vital to our community. Please read our Funding Priorities to learn more about initiatives that need philanthropic support.
For more information, please contact: foundation@valleypres.org or 818.902.7928
