Community Outreach

As a nonprofit hospital, Alton Memorial Hospital gives back to the community in a variety of ways -- from outreach for the medically underserved to programs that promote wellness and prevention to all ages. Our mission drives this support for the community -- and, most importantly, it's the right thing to do.

• Parish Nurse Program --Alton Memorial Hospital's Parish Nurse program was developed to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the whole person. Parish nurses minister to eight area congregations and offer health screenings, classes on health care issues, support groups for issues within the parish, guide parishioners to appropriate resources, communicate needs and information, and tend to spiritual and emotional needs. Our parish nurses are registered nurses, who are also health educators, personal health counselors, support group facilitators, and a referral source within the congregation and church staff members.
  
  
• Charity Care  -- Important to our mission is meeting the health care needs of all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. In 2007, Alton Memorial Hospital provided more than $4.8 million in care for those who could not afford to pay.
  
  
• Improving Women's Health -- The Women's Health Center, our clinic dedicated to meeting the health care needs of medically underserved women, saw more than 5,000 patient visits.
  
  
• Caring for Children in Need -- The hospital's partnership with Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation focused on improving care for underserved children in our community. Our Foundation contributed $30,000 to maintain well-child services and to educate area residents about the Illinois KidCare insurance program.
  
  
• Insurance Counseling -- Alton Memorial Hospital and OASIS provided insurance counseling to nearly 500 people last year. This free community service can be scheduled by calling toll-free 800.392.0936.

Wellness Programs
In addition to caring for people when they are ill, we place great emphasis on maintaining good health and preventing disease in the first place. We present numerous wellness programs to help keep area residents healthy.

• Community Education -- We provide a variety of health and cancer screenings, lectures, classes, health fairs, car seat safety checks and other wellness programs to help thousands in our community stay safe and well.
  
  
• Healthy Partnerships -- Alton Memorial Hospital proudly partners with various organizations to enhance health and wellness in the River Bend. Last year we joined forces with the YWCA of Alton to promote affordable wellness classes. We are designated an Illinois Poison Center satellite education center to provide area schools, organizations and businesses with a valuable resource to prevent poisonings. We also join forces with the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, American Lung Association, Arthritis Foundation and American Diabetes Association to improve health on many fronts.
  
  
• Parish Nursing -- We bring health care to many residents' places of worship through our parish nurse program. Our parish nurses make more than 20,000 contacts each year in their eight churches. Funding from Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation makes it possible for us to provide this valuable service.