IMPACT REPORT2018/2019

BLUE RIDGEHEALTH

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEODear Friends,

This year marks a year of challenges and growth for Blue Ridge Health. Thanks to generous support from thoughtful donors like you, over the years we have grown into an organization our founders could never have imagined when they opened a seasonal clinic for migrant farmworkers nearly 60 years ago…a bold and unique undertaking at that time.

Today we continue the legacy of community health innovation as we embrace opportunities to address gaps in health care and face emerging issues that impact the residents of the communities we serve. Blue Ridge Health is now one of the largest primary care providers in Western North Carolina, on pace to serve over 40,000 unique patients.

Across the counties comprising WNC, most have shortages of medical, dental and/or behavioral health providers. This is why we seek out, and are increasingly sought after, to train clinical learners – the providers of tomorrow who help fill the gaps which exist today. Being the region’s only Teaching Health Center is key to the effort to train and retain the next generation of family practice doctors in our area.

While we work to address shortages of providers in WNC, we also work to address gaps in education and the pursuit of health among families in our region. Having opened seven school-based health centers in the last year, we are now working with students in six of the eight counties we serve. As other districts realize the impact these centers have on students and families we will be working with more schools to provide solutions that are right for them and right for their families.

I invite you to review this report and learn about the work we do every day to improve health and lives in our communities. I would like to thank our patients, board, donors, communities and dedicated healthcare professionals for your insights, guidance and support throughout these exciting years of growth and development.

We are an organization open to opportunities. As Jonas Salk once said, “The reward for work done well is the opportunity to do more.” We will continue to challenge ourselves and provide the best possible care for our patients. I am enthusiastic about our progress and welcome the opportunity to work with all of you to continue to fulfill our mission to provide healthcare that is accessible and affordable for all.

Richard Hudspeth, MDChief Executive Officer

Renèe Kumor, Board ChairAuthor and Community VolunteerHenderson County

Joshua Kennedy, Vice ChairDirector, Polk County ConsolidatedHuman Services Agency

Cheryl Harbin, SecretaryRetired EducatorPolk County

Matthew Gruebmeyer, TreasurerDirector, Student ServicesHenderson County Public Schools

Bob BednarekRetired Hospital CEOBuncombe County

Larry BurchfieldRetired ContractorHaywood County

Lee LuebbeRetired Public ServantHenderson County

Juan RamirezAgriculture Crew LeaderHenderson County

Linda WeldonRetired Public Health NurseBuncombe County

Melanie WilkinsonMarketing Manager – WRGC and WBHNJackson County

Claudia YepezEducatorBuncombe County

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MAJOR IMPACTS OF DONOR AND FUNDER INVESTMENTS

4 stayed with BRH, 3 are working for other Community Health Centers, 14 are working in medically under-served communities.

Residents Graduated MAHEC/BRH Teaching Health Center since 2013.26

HIRED 19 NEW providers in 2018-2019

RECEIVED A $650,000 GRANT to open a new primary care location,

school based health center and mobile

dental in Swain County.

PROVIDING PEDIATRIC DENTISTRYin Polk County at the request of

community leaders.

FULLERTON FOUNDATION AWARDED $50,000for the purchase of two bedside, point-

of-care ultrasounds.

BRH HAYWOOD PHARMACY OPENS with help of funding from the Good

Samaritan Clinic of Haywood County.

More than doubled the number of SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS TO 11.

Providing crisis counseling services for STUDENTS IN HENDERSON AND POLK COUNTIES.

BRH MOBILE DENTAL BUS HITS THE ROAD IN 2019.

2019 HRSA HEALTH CENTERQUALITY LEADER AWARD

The First Teaching Health Center in WNCTeaching Health Centers were created in 2011 to establish new primary care

medical residency programs. The first Teaching Health Center in WNC came

about from a collaboration between Blue Ridge Health, Pardee Hospital

and Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). While other medical

residency programs base their training out of hospitals, our Teaching Health

Center focuses on training in a community-based primary care setting. This

model of training is committed to preparing primary care providers to serve the

needs of rural communities in often low-income and marginalized areas.

“There are not enough doctors here to meet the need. Unless we intentionally train and retain providers, the shortage will become more

evident.” stated Dr. MaryShell Zaffino, Chief Medical Officer. “Research shows that residents who train in rural community health centers not

only tend to spend their careers caring for vulnerable populations, but are also more likely to stay in the region of their residency.”

Dr. Jessica Pior is a shining success story. After completing her three year residency at Blue Ridge Health, Jessica elected to stay with the

organization. “Over the three years of my residency, I came to really appreciate the model of community health and saw it as a system that

I trusted with my career. Plus, Blue Ridge Health partners with local hospitals, which allows me to practice full scope family medicine while

also helping patients in need.”

RNs in Primary Care Residency/Fellowship ProgramWestern Carolina University partnered with Blue Ridge Health to develop an innovative residency and fellowship program to prepare

Registered Nurses to practice in primary care settings. Nurses accepted into the program are paired with highly trained nurse preceptors

and assigned to our clinics. During the 120-hour practicum, nurses develop skills in care coordination and transition management. Dr.

Richard Hudspeth, CEO of Blue Ridge Health explains one of the values of the program, “We know from experience and literature that when

patients are discharged from the hospital to primary care or other step down services these transitions are some of the most vulnerable

times for the patients. Nurses are an invaluable component to making these transitions successful.” Once trained and placed in a primary

care setting these nurses will assist patients in navigating the maze of specialists, medications, and follow-up appointments, while engaging

with the entire healthcare team on the patient’s behalf.

2018-2019 PATIENT CARE PROFILE

147,170Total Medical Visits

17,393Total Dental Visits

28,938Total Behavioral Health Visits

9820Total School Based Health Center Visits

158Total Babies Delivered

Patients by AgeChildren <18 9,577 Adults 18-64 24,531 Geriatric 64+ 4,125

Patients Reported Race/EthnicityAsian 0.65%African American 5.47%Hispanic/Latino 29.05%Caucasian 62.44%More than one race 2.39%

Special Populations ServedAgricultural Workers or Dependents 2,655Homeless 597Veterans 760

Prescriptions Filledfor Uninsured and

Underinsured Patients

DR. JESSICA PIOR

54,895

CLINICAL LEARNERS

Are You 70½?If so, you can make a Tax-Free gift directly from your IRA to Blue Ridge Health. Your gift will never count as income but will always make a difference.

What accounts can I transfer from?Your gift must come directly from your IRA – either Roth or Traditional. This opportunity does not apply to other retirement plans.

How much can I transfer?Any amount up to $100,000 per year.

How do I make an Charitable Gift from my IRA?Simply contact your IRA provider to make your gift to Blue Ridge Health directly. You may need to provide them with our Tax ID number, which is 56-0794933. Please make sure to contact Kathryn McConnell, Director of Philanthropy, once you make your gift through your IRA provider, as some do not list the donor’s name along with the check.

IT’S ICING ON THE CAKE

PHILANTHROPY

The lasting impact of bequests - both large and small - can help shape access to healthcare for many in WNC. For some, a charitable bequest is the easiest and best way to make a future gift to Blue Ridge Health. By means of your will or other estate plan, you can name Blue Ridge Health as the beneficiary of a portion of your estate, or of particular assets in your estate. Many of the most powerful gifts with enduring impacts are bequests and estate gifts.

Giving by bequest costs nothing now, yet it may give you a great deal of satisfaction to know that your legacy will live on through the impact of your gift.

If you are considering this gifting option, our professional staff can consult with you and your professional advisors to create a bequest gift that will match your passion. Contact Kathryn McConnell, Director of Philanthropy, at kmcconnell@brchs.com or call 828-233-2209 to discuss your options.

A BEQUEST COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARITABLE GIFT YOU EVER MAKE.

“We have chosen to make a legacy gift to Blue Ridge Health because

health is by far the most important issue for everyone. In addition, our

experience with agriculture workers, most of whom could never afford

to pay for the proper care for themselves and their children, and our personal

support of the work done by Blue Ridge Health, led us to create a charitable bequest. Our

legacy gift will carry the name of our family far into the future. We could not be prouder of

the impact Blue Ridge Health is making on all those they serve in Western North Carolina.”

ANONYMOUS DONORS

You Can’t Put a Price on Peace of MindBalancing work and family is a challenge for most of us; when health care is added to the mix, life can become overwhelming. This is exactly

what happened to Michelle when her third grade daughter, Scarlet, started having episodes of nausea, cold sweats and passing out at school.

Each time an episode occurred Michelle was called away from work to pick up Scarlet and missed the rest of the day’s work. At one point she

used all three weeks of her PTO picking up Scarlet from school and going to doctors appointments. Until one day while Scarlet was at BRH-

Rainbow Pediatrics for an appointment and she had one of the episodes in front of Dr. Horowitz who immediately sent her to the Emergency

Department for cardiac tests. She was later diagnosed with a rare condition – Ectopic Aortic Tachycardia.

Scarlet is now in 5th Grade at Apple Valley Middle School where Blue Ridge Health has a School Based Health Center. Now, when Scarlet starts

to feel an attack coming on she goes to the SBHC where they are familiar with her case; they calm her down, conference with Michelle, and

many times, Scarlet is able to return to class and Michelle is able to stay at work. In Michelle’s words, “You just can’t put a price on peace of

mind.”

PASSION FOR OUTREACH AND QUALITY Blue Ridge Health was built on the vision and values that migrant and seasonal farmworkers are a vital part of the fabric of our region. Over the

years, while the ethnic make-up of this workforce has changed, Blue Ridge Health has strived to meet these patients where they are—whether

it’s in the field, the packing house, at the soccer field or in the housing camp.

Daniel Benavides has been working as an Outreach Specialist for over 26 years. In Daniel’s youth, he

watched members of his family join the migrant stream that ran from deep south Texas harvesting

fruits and tomatoes and marched northward to end the season in October and then head back

to Texas. As he grew to be a young man Daniel became a staunch advocate for farmworker

rights and in 1993 found a way to fulfill his passion right here at Blue Ridge Health. Over

the years, Daniel has become known by generations of seasonal workers who have

cycled in and out of the service area of Blue Ridge Health, often coming to the

clinic looking for their devoted friend and ally.

SCHOOL BASED HEALTHHALLWAYS TO HEALTH

Access to health care for children can be complicated. School Based Health Centers make seeing a medical provider as simple as walking

down the hallway. When a health center is located inside of the school, the benefits to the student are huge. They provide students with easy

access to quality healthcare that is safe and convenient. That means students don’t have to miss as much classtime to get to an appointment,

and parents don’t have to take time off of work to take their child to the doctor.

Blue Ridge Health currently operates 11 School Based Health Centers across Henderson, Polk, Rutherford, Buncombe, and Jackson counties

with other counties waiting in the wings. These centers are providing services such as physicals, care for strains and sprains, and acute

illnesses like the cold and flu. They also help with prescriptions, counseling, mobile dental services, and medical visits for chronic conditions

such as asthma and diabetes.

Having a clinic at the school where children feel safe and learn to trust the clinical staff opens the door to help address many sensitive issues

like depression, thoughts of suicide, nutrition challenges and risk prevention.

Impacts of School Based Health Centers:• Keeps children healthy

• Improves students’ attendance

• Lowers the dropout rate

• Shown to improve classroom behavior

Community Impacts: • Builds a generation of healthier adults

• Students exhibit fewer behavioral health issues

• Reduces inappropriate emergency room use

• Keeps children in school and parents at work

School Based Health Centers can be the bridge many children need to promote and encourage the kind of healthy behaviors we know make

a huge difference in leading to successful adulthood.

WITH YOUR HELP:In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Blue Ridge Health provided $20,593,950 in Charity Care services to patients in our communities who would otherwise be unable to access care.

FINANCIALS

Insurance and Patient Payments $17,394,157 60%Federal Grants and Contracts $9,205,278 31%Donations and Private Grants $2,564,483 9% Total Operating Revenue $29,163,918

Revenue Sources

31%

9%

60%

Operating Expenses

Personnel $19,280,898 66%Supplies and Equipment $3,617,971 13%Other Program Expenses $3,540,260 12%Facilities, Rent and Repairs $2,564,483 9%

Total Operating Expenses $29,078,042

66%

9%

13%

12%

Affordable Healthcare for All

Blue Ridge Health is a medical home for anyone in

our community who wants to pursue a healthy life.

We accept all insurances for all services, including

all private insurance, medicaid and medicare. No

insurance? No problem. Cost of care is adjusted

based on a patients ability to pay. No one is turned

away for an inability to pay.

Patient Payer Mix

52%

20%

19%

9%52% - Uninsured20% - Medicaid19% - Private Insurance 9% - Medicare & Other Public Insurance

GOING IS GIVINGFor every insured patient visit as many as six uninsured patients can be seen at Blue Ridge Health. Make Blue Ridge Health your primary care medical home today!

PHARMACYBRH-Chimney Rock Road - 828.692.3106BRH-North Justice Street - 828.692.7057BRH-Haywood - 828.565.1492

Pharmacy Delivery in: Polk & Rutherford CountiesHaywood & Jackson Counties

25 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS, CLOSE TO HOMETHAT'S HEALTHCARE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES IN MIND.

Jackson

RutherfordHaywood

Polk

Henderson

Transylvania

Buncombe

240

26

26

40

40

Swain

BUNCOMBE COUNTYBRH-Buncombe - 828.698.2979

BRH-Givens Gerber Park - 828.233.2225

HAYWOOD COUNTYBRH-Haywood - 828.246.6372

HENDERSON COUNTYBRH-Chimney Rock Road - 828.692.4289BRH-North Justice Street (HFHC) - 828.696.1234BRH-7th Avenue - 828.696.8263BRH-Rainbow Pediatrics - 828.698.8135BRH-Stokes Dental Center - 828.692.4289

JACKSON COUNTYBRH-Jackson - 828.477.4334

POLK COUNTYBRH-Polk - 828.894.2222BRH-Collins Dental Center - 828.894.3120

RUTHERFORD COUNTYBRH-Rutherford - 828.288.2881BRH-Lake Lure - 828.325.4400

SWAIN COUNTYBRH-Swain - 828.341.1060

TRANSYLVANIA COUNTYBRH-Transylvania - 828.833.5550

SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS828.233.2280Buncombe BRH-IC Imagine

BRH-Franklin School of Innovation

Henderson BRH-Bruce Drysdale Elementary

BRH-Hillandale Elementary

BRH-Sugarloaf Elementary

BRH-Apple Valley Middle

BRH-North Henderson High

BRH-Edneyville Elementary - Coming Soon!

Jackson BRH-Fairview Elementary

BRH-Smoky Mountain High

Polk BRH-Polk Middle

Rutherford BRH-Lake Lure Classical Academy

Swain BRH-Swain Middle

“Great things are done when men and mountains meet,” wrote William Blake in the early 1800s. That

statement certainly holds true for Barry Beavers, the artist who provided the photograph for the cover

of this report. Barry has also been providing counseling and behavioral health services for close to 40

years. With his many educational degrees, licenses and credentials including a Diplomate in Clinical

Social Work, spending only a few minutes with Barry will calm your soul.

Barry uses nature, early morning walks, 5k runs, his passion for hikes to local fire towers, and

photography to settle his soul. His photographic equipment consists of his smart phone, a recently

purchased tripod and a Lens Ball to capture the peace and beauty all around him.

“It’s the beauty within us that makes it possible for us to recognize the beauty around us. The question is

not what you look at but what you see.”

- HENRY DAVID THOREAU BARRY BEAVERS, DCSW