Back to Home Page
736 Battlefield Blvd., North • Chesapeake, VA • Directions

Community Benefit

Chesapeake Regional Medical Center’s mission is to improve the quality of life in its community. The organization fulfils its mission by providing high-quality, compassionate, cost-effective and safe healthcare services.

It also fulfils its mission through community benefit services. These services aim to improve the health and quality of life of the community through such outreach activities as community health education, partnership programs, assistance efforts and volunteer activities, especially to help the underserved. Through support groups and volunteer events, the organization‘s employees give of their time and efforts to make the Hampton Roads’ region safer, stronger and healthier.

Charity care

During fiscal year 2006, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center allocated $12.4 million of its $200 million budget to charity care. The organization financially supports three programs through the Chesapeake Hospital Authority allocations. Those are the Chesapeake Care Free Clinic, Chesapeake Health Adult Medical Program and Chesapeake Health Department’s Breast Care Program. CRMC supports these programs with about $600,000 annually.

CRMC also works in partnership with the state through the Virginia Indigent Trust Fund to provide charity care for those patients who qualify, based on federal poverty guidelines. CRMC provides $6 million annually.

Addressing a need

The Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation was established to support CRMC by helping it respond to the evolving healthcare needs of the community and to promote, maintain and restore the health of its residents. Governed by a volunteer board, the foundation raises funds to support cancer services, diabetes education, hospice, dementia care and many other programs. Through special events, direct mail solicitation, tribute giving and planned gifts, the foundation has supported such projects as:

  • The HealthMobile is a mobile van that goes to underserved areas within the community, offering free health screenings. Last year, the HealthMobile served about 68,000 people.

  • The foundation provides financial assistance for patients who need help in paying for drugs, hospice services, funeral expenses and other medical bills, as well as rent, power food and patient transportation. The foundation spent approximately $100,000 in fiscal year to address this need.

  • The foundation commits about $250,000 per year for nursing scholarships and another $1,000 for a student pursuing a healthcare career. In addition to the foundation’s scholarships, the Chesapeake Hospital Authority and Chesapeake General Hospital Auxiliary sponsor another dozen or so scholarships for high school students aiming for a career in healthcare.

  • The foundation works with various community groups to sponsor programs aimed at serving community needs. In fiscal year 2006, the foundation supported the Chesapeake Fire Department’s Friends and Family Mass CPR training event, training more than 150 people in CPR in one day. Several camps for children with diabetes are held each year at CRMC, thanks to the funding by the foundation and the local Lions Club. A healthcare camp for middle schools was held in partnership with the Virginia Health Department. And horticulture therapy sessions for cancer patients were funded by the foundation in partnership with the Norfolk Botanical Garden.

Partnerships

  • Chesapeake Public Schools – In 2006, CRMC “adopted” B.M. Williams Primary School. In 2006, some 85 employees spent countless hours reading to children, helping with career day, paying for Accelerated Reader tests and participating in other projects. The organization also works with the schools in other projects. It has donated defibrillators to the schools and $9,000 of weight training equipment to Hickory Middle School to combat childhood obesity.

  • American Heart Association - CRMC was the official 2007 regional presenting sponsor of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign and will be for 2008, as well. As such, CRMC held several events to build awareness of the national program and offer women opportunities to take action to reduce their risk of heart disease, including health screenings.

  • American Cancer Society – An ACS cancer patient navigator works on site at the organization’s Sidney M. Oman Cancer Treatment Center to support cancer patients. This program is the only one like it in the state.

  • March of Dimes and CHIP/Healthy Family
Health Education
  • Health screenings - Dozens of health screenings for the public are held annually at the Lifestyle Center. Last year, CRMC hosted free screenings for skin cancer, heart disease, blood pressure and high cholesterol, giving hundreds of community members access to their health status.

  • Diabetes University - Continued diabetes education is available through our Diabetes University. A multidisciplinary team of health care professionals teaches the three-part program, open to all diabetes patients and their families.

  • Support groups - CRMC offers a wide range of support groups for both patients and caregivers including ones for Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, bariatric surgery and cancer.

Staff members volunteer their time to worthy causes

  • Paint Your Heart Out - A program which galvanizes community volunteers across the area on one spring day each year to help qualifying residents who need help in sprucing up their homes. CRMC has sponsored a team for many years.

  • Dismal Swamp Stomp - CRMC was the presenting sponsor for the second annual Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and the inaugural Children's Half Mile Fun Run in Chesapeake. Approximately 1,300 runners participated in the event, which also featured a health and fitness expo.

  • American Cancer Society Relay For Life - In 2006, the CRMC employee team raised $31,182 to aid in cancer research.

  • United Way Day of Caring - For years, dozens of employees donate a day to sprucing up the Chesapeake Care Free Clinic.