Amery Regional Medical Center Inc

“Amrc's articles of incorporation and bylaws were amended to remove references to rh-wisconsin, inc. As a corporate member and make other changes to indentify group health, inc. As the sole corporate member.”

“The corporate members of amery is group health, inc.”

“Amery's board of directors is comprised of not more than 13 persons appointed as follows: - 7 community representatives appointed by group health, inc., from recommendations by the executive committee of the board of directors. - 3 representatives appointed by group health, inc. - 3 health care providers nominated by the physician group staffing armc's primary care clinic and appointed by group health, inc. - the president and chief medical officer of amery sit in ex-officio capacities, without the right to vote.”

“The hospital's corporate member group health, inc., approves the following actions of the board of directors: - amendment of articles or bylaws - dissolution - change in fundamental nature or purpose - sale, lease, exchange, mortage, pledge, or disposition of all or substantially all assets - merger or consolidation with any other organization or entity - annual capital budgets, operating budgets, and strategic plans - unbudgeted contracts with or expenditures to unalliliated organizations - establishment of new entities or signficant relationships with other entities - guaranteeing debts or other person or entity - borrowing or lending funds - transfer or contribution of assets to another entity - appointment of the president and the board chair”

“Amery's 990 return has a comprehensive review process that is followed before it is presented to the governing body of amery. The review process includes a layered review by the tax department of group health, inc. (ghi), the management team of amery, ghi's internal legal department and amerys outside independent accountants. Each one of those areas has an opportunity to review, ask questions and make comments back to the tax department of ghi before the form 990 is completed and presented to the governing body of amery. Amery makes available to the governing body (board of directors) a copy of the 990 for review and comment prior to the filing of the 990 return.”

“The amery board monitors potential conflicts of interest on the part of its board members, principal officers, members of committees with board delegated powers, and key employees ("covered persons") by maintaining a conflict of interest policy. Under the policy, covered persons annually are provided with a copy of the policy and asked to complete a questionnaire identifying any potential conflicts of interests. The general counsel of healthpartners reviews the questionnaire responses and develops a report detailing any potentially material conflicts for the president and chair of the board. A verbal summary is also given to the full board or appropriate committee ending with a reminder to covered persons of the policy's mandate that each person is obligated to disclose any new potential conflicts as they may arise throughout the year. Board agendas and executive decisions are monitored in relation to this policy. If a disclosed conflict of interest impacts an agenda item or decision, the covered person would be excluded from voting and may be excluded from receiving information and/or participating in deliberations, depending on the circumstances.”

“Amery's president and its officers are employed by regions hospital (regions), lakeview memorial hospital association, inc (lakeview) or by group health, inc. (ghi), all of which are related organizations, or by amery. Ghi, regions, lakeview and amery have an annual process to review the market comparability of the total compensation of amery's president and other officers. Every three years, the independent compensation committee of the ghi board of directors (the "committee"), retains an external compensation expert to conduct an extensive market comparability review for all officers of the organization. The review includes all components of total compensation: base salary, annual incentives, benefits and perquisites. The market survey results are presented to, reviewed by and approved by the appropriate committee. Based on this data, either the executive committee of regions, the compensation committee of ghi, lakeview's executive committee, or the amery executive committee (the "committees") determine minimum and maximum total compensation ranges for each employed officer. In interim years, ghi's human resources staff, under the committees' direction, updates changes in the salary structure based on the same independent studies performed by the compensation consultant for the committee. For certain positions full independent reviews are performed to set salary ranges based on the competitive market data specific to those positions. The committees review and approve each year's compensation results. In all cases, the committees' members complete an annual conflict of interest survey to assure the committees members' independence and this is updated at any meeting at which decisions are being made. Staff (other than the secretary to the board) is not in the room during deliberations or vote including executive sessions, and contemporaneous minutes are kept. With amery's board of directors input, the st croix valley executive leader conducts the annual performance review and, with amery's board approval, determines the compensation of the amery president. Amery's board has delegated to the president the accountability to conduct annual performance reviews and determine the compensation of all armc-employed officers within the compensation ranges determined by the committee. Any exceptions to compensation in excess of the approved ranges are approved by the amery's executive committee. Total compensation is appropriately documented on the form 990 and on the employee's w-2.”

“Amery's 990 returns are made available to any person who requests the information from amery or healthpartners, inc.”

“Amery makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements available to the public upon request.”

“Directors and officers of armc are employed and compensated by group health, inc., regions hospital, lakeview memorial hospital association or armc. Reported average hours worked are based on their total compensation from all related organizations.”

“Corporate structure, purpose, governance: amery regional medical center, inc. (armc), a state licensed 25-bed, level iv critical access hospital (cah), is a wisconsin non-stock corporation recognized as exempt from federal income tax under internal revenue code ("irc") section 501(c)(3) and is part of the family of healthpartners organizations (healthpartners). Founded in 1957, healthpartners is an integrated health care organization, providing health care services and health plan financing and administration. Healthpartners' mission is to improve health and well-being in partnership with our members, patients, and community. Healthpartners seeks to transform health care through a relentless focus on the triple aim - providing exceptional experience for the individual, improving the health of the population, and maintaining affordability. Healthpartners, inc. (hpi) is a minnesota nonprofit corporation and licensed health maintenance organization (hmo) recognized as exempt from federal income tax under internal revenue code (irc) section 501(c)(4) and is the parent entity of healthpartners. Healthpartners includes an array of tax-exempt and taxable organizations. A complete listing of all organizations within healthpartners, and the relationship between them, can be found on schedule r within this 990 return. Detailed information about the community benefit activities and accomplishments of each tax-exempt organization can be found in the individual form 990 return for that organization. Hpi is the parent entity of group health, inc. (ghi), which is a minnesota nonprofit corporation recognized as exempt from federal income tax under irc section 501(c)(3) and the sole corporate member of armc. Charity care: charity care is defined as the cost of care delivered to patients who are willing, but unable to pay for the services they receive. This includes patients whose charges are forgiven or reduced because of inability to pay; patients who are unable to pay the balance left by any payer; and patients for whom unusual circumstances, or special financial hardship, warrant special consideration. Armc provided $1,668,660 in free or discounted care to low income and uninsured patients in 2024. Government-sponsored means-tested health care: armc provided inpatient and outpatient care, including emergency department services to medicaid patients. Payments received for these services were below the cost of care provided. The expense to cover unreimbursed medicaid costs for patients totaled $48,838. Community benefit services: 1. Community health improvement services: $120,030 armc is committed to community health improvement services, which include a range of activities carried out to improve community health beyond patient care. Below are highlights of such activities that fall within the categories of community health education, community-based clinical services, health care support services and social and environmental improvement. In 2024, the make it ok community initiative continued to raise awareness, challenge stigma, connect people to resources, and encourage open conversations about mental health, including substance use disorder. In march, armc celebrated the launch of our redesigned website featuring a new look, new experience, updated content, and tailored resources designed to help everyone feel welcomed, seen, heard, and included. Explore at makeitok.org. Armc outreach remained strong, with in-person and virtual community connections through events, activities, partnerships, and training new ambassadors, locally and nationally. In may, during mental health month, thousands of listeners were through interviews with the radio station ks95 and the well wisconsin radio podcast. Armc also debuted our community e-newsletter, which now goes out bi-monthly. Highlights of make it ok in 2024: 73,000+ website visitors 18,000+ reached through radio and podcast interviews 6,000+ engaged at 30 in-person community events 995 ambassador e-”

“2. Health professions education: $274,271 in 2024, armc continued its commitment to training the next generation of health professionals by serving as a clinical training site for students across a variety of disciplines. Students gained hands-on experience in real-world care settings under the supervision of experienced clinicians. Clinical training was provided in the fields of nursing, medical assistant, certified registered nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, pharmacy, physical therapy, phlebotomy, resident physicians. 3. Subsidized health services: $2,351,285 armc is committed to providing needed services, even at a financial loss because they are needed in the community and would otherwise not be available in sufficient amounts. In 2024, subsidized health services included: emergency and trauma, primary care at rural health clinics in amery, clear lake and luck, wi and behavioral health. 4. Cash and in-kind contributions: $128,278 armc supported local nonprofit organizations and community groups through charitable donations and sponsorships in 2024. Beneficiaries included halos of the st. Croix valley, northwoods homeless shelter, the salvation army of polk county, and interfaith caregivers. These contributions enhance local resources and promote community well-being in the amery area. In-kind donations include staff hours spent in support of local community boards or committee work such as: kinship of polk county, regional trauma advisory council, st. Croix valley injury prevention, partners for recovery, mental health task force of polk county and state trauma advisory council. To help address community food insecurity, armc provides the amery area food shelf with rent-free space and utilities, a contribution valued at over $74,000. 5. Community building activities: $61,048 armc provides leadership and participates in several strategic community collaborations and initiatives, including: polk county economic development corp, polk county public health, polk united, amery economic development corp, mental health task force, northwest wisconsin healthcare emergency readiness, polk county i-team and partners for recovery. Armc also continues to prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship through a variety of initiatives: 41 tons of materials were reused or recycled, keeping them out of the landfill; more than $21,000 was saved through the greening the or program; 1 ton of cafeteria food waste was composted; 0.26 tons of equipment were donated for reuse; and 39 tons of recyclable materials were processed. The medication take back program collected 599 pounds of unused medications, helping prevent accidental poisoning or misuse and protecting local water supplies. 6. Community benefit operations: $16,371 staff time is allocated to the training, management and reporting of community benefits to best capture armc's commitment to community health improvement. In 2024, armc also allocated funding to support planning efforts for the next community health needs assessment (chna). This included fees paid to healthpartners center for evaluation and survey research (cesr), who provides technical support, data collection and facilitation for chna-related activities. 7. Organization awards and achievements armc is proud of its continued state and national award-winning traditions of exceptional care and performance in all areas. Here are a few of the highlights from 2024: top 100 critical access hospital in the country from the chartis center for rural health; 2024 performance leadership award winner in the "quality and "outcomes" categories from the chartis group; tree campus healthcare award from the arbor day foundation; top 25 environmental excellence award, circle of excellence award in water and greening the operating room recognition award from practice greenhealth; named a performer by the wisconsin hospital association in the following category: patient safety all patients & patients with surgery; named "best h”