Community Report
We're dedicated to quality & serving the community
Among Ellis Medicine's honors:
- A New York State designated Primary Stroke Center and recipient of the Gold/Gold Plus Award from the American Stroke Association (2007-2015).
- A fully accredited Center of Excellence by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatic Surgery.
- A Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Care, Cardiac Care and for Knee & Hip Replacement as awarded by BlueCross BlueShield of Northeastern New York.
- 2013 MassExcellence Gold Baldrige Award winner, recognized for our dedication and work to create a culture and systems where innovation and performance excellence become the accepted norm.
- 5 Rings Award by IntelliCentrics, Inc. in recognition for excellence in vendor credentialing and creating a culture of vigilance, making hospitals safer for employees and patients.
- 2013 “Corporation of the Year” designated by the Chamber of Schenectady County.
2014 Community Service & Quality Report
Community Health Needs Assessment, Community Service Plan, and Implementation Strategy
Pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, every three years not-for-profit hospitals such as Ellis Medicine are required by IRS regulations to develop and make available to the public a Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy. Additionally, as a not-for-profit hospital in New York State, Ellis Medicine, working in conjunction with Schenectady County Public Health Services (SCPHS) and other community partners, is required by the state Department of Health to compile a Community Service Plan on the same three-year cycle to address identified health priorities in our service area.
Ellis works with the Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI) to identify health needs in Schenectady County and across the entire Capital Region, and with the Schenectady Coalition for a Healthy Community (SCHC) to develop community-wide responses to those needs. In 2013, the innovative “UMatter Schenectady” health needs survey was conducted door-to-door in all neighborhoods of the City of Schenectady. In 2016, this was followed by an extensive evaluation of public health data as well as a telephone survey covering the entire County.
Here are links to documents including the Community Health Needs Assessments, Community Service Plans, and Implementation Strategies:
If you have comments on any of the documents, please click
here.
More Quality Measures
There are many factors that should be considered when choosing a hospital, including accreditation by a nationally recognized agency like the The Joint Commission, reputation, experience and qualifications of physicians, and the range of services provided, among others.
There are also various hospital report cards that can provide quality information. These report cards are intended to improve the overall quality of care and help people make informed healthcare decisions.
Many different report cards exist, making the process of evaluating healthcare organizations challenging with conflicting information and different ratings. In an effort to be consistent, Ellis Medicine reports its quality measures to:
- The Joint Commission Quality Check
- Department of Health Hospital-Acquired Infection Report
- Department of Health Hospital Profile Quality Section
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare
- Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
Read more on hospital report cards with the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) Report on Report Cards.
In addition to sampling hospital report cards you should also talk with friends and neighbors about their hospital experiences and consult with your doctor in order to make a well-informed decision that you can be comfortable with.
If you have any questions about Ellis Medicine’s quality of care or about a score Ellis received on a hospital report card, please contact Ellis’ Quality Services Department at 518.243.4972.
Financial Information
As a not-for-profit organization, Ellis Medicine is dedicated to being a good steward of its resources. To this end, Ellis Medicine, which is overseen by a volunteer board of trustees, strives to be as transparent as possible in its operations. In addition to the financial summary in our annual community report, we invite you to view the following financial information:
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2023)
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2022)
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2021)
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2020)
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2019)
Ellis Medicine Consolidated Financial Statement (2018)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2022) and Form 990-T (2022)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2021) and Form 990-T (2021)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2020) and Form 990-T (2020)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2019) and Form 990-T (2019)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2018) and Form 990-T (2018).
Ellis Medicine Form 990(2016)
Ellis Medicine Form 990 (2017)
Ellis Medicine’s Commitment to Reducing Health Disparities
At Ellis Medicine, we are dedicated to identifying and reducing health disparities within our community. We recognize the critical importance of addressing disparities based on race, ethnicity, preferred language for health care, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Our initiatives aim to ensure equitable health care for all, improving outcomes and enhancing the overall patient experience.
Identifying Disparities
One of our significant efforts has been focused on understanding and addressing disparities in perinatal care. Ellis Medicine’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee has been actively working to identify how individual and systemic racism impacts birth outcomes. Our objective is to improve both the experience of care and perinatal outcomes for Black birthing people in our community.
To measure and track our progress, we monitor key performance indicators for obstetric patients, stratified by race and gender identity. This includes evaluating the NTSV (nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex) cesarean rate and breastfeeding rates. Additionally, we collect patient experience data through Patient Reported Experience Measure (PREM) surveys to ensure continuous feedback from our patients.
Efforts to Enhance Equity in Perinatal Care
Ellis Medicine, through its Bellevue Woman’s Center, has undertaken several initiatives to promote equity in perinatal care. These include:
- Reviewing Policies: Our DEI Committee actively reviews policies to ensure they address equitable care (a process consistent with efforts throughout all of Ellis Medicine).
- Antiracism Training: Ellis provides ongoing antiracism education and training for staff—including cultural competency and implicit bias training—to foster an inclusive environment.
- Data Collection and Analysis: We collect and analyze perinatal data stratified by race and ethnicity to develop targeted actions aimed at reducing disparities.
- Patient Experience Surveys: We have implemented the PREM survey, offered to every birthing person before discharge, to gather valuable feedback on their care experience.
Impact of Our Efforts
While this project is ongoing, we have thus far seen a positive return on PREM surveys with good results. Parallel work by Ellis’ DEI Committee addresses policy, job description, and job evaluation tool requirements. In addition, we continue to monitor patient outcomes and review C-section rates and hypertensive readmissions for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color patients within this specialty.
It's important to note that a review of NTSV cesarean rates between 2016 and 2020 shows that Ellis’ Bellevue Woman’s Center has a lower rate among our patients, particularly among Black women, compared to other cohorts.
Addressing Mental Health Disparities
Mental health disparities are another critical area of focus. Data shows a disproportionate rate of psychiatric inpatient admissions for Black or African American patients compared to white patients in Schenectady County.
The city of Schenectady is also a federal Health Resources & Services Administration-designated Health Professional Shortage Area for mental health providers that serve the Medicaid population.
Our initiatives, meanwhile, include improving the handoff process from inpatient psychiatric care to outpatient primary care providers, and increasing the visibility of our walk-in Living Room crisis diversion program in primary care practices. In addition, we now provide access to tele-mental health services in our primary care offices for patients who lack the necessary equipment at home.
We have also hired a "Bridger" to assist patients in meeting their social determinants of health needs as they transition back into the community after an inpatient psychiatric stay. This role is crucial in ensuring that patients receive the necessary support to manage their mental health—and their care—effectively. We additionally ensure all patients have an appointment with an outpatient mental health provider within five days of discharge, which is vital for continuity of care.
Impacts of our efforts
The changes implemented in our mental health services have improved patient care continuity and support. More ongoing, long-term analysis is needed to confirm the impact of these efforts on improving mental health outcomes. However, it should be noted that feedback from our patients has been instrumental in refining our approaches and ensuring that we meet the needs of our diverse patient population.
Future Directions
We are committed to continuing our efforts to reduce health disparities and promote equity in health care. Our ongoing projects include expanding telehealth services, enhancing community outreach, and continuously training our staff on cultural competency and implicit bias. We also plan to adopt successful initiatives on a larger scale and ensure their sustainability through robust implementation plans.
At Ellis Medicine, we believe that every patient deserves equitable, high-quality care. By addressing disparities and fostering an inclusive environment, we strive to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of our community.
To learn more about Ellis Medicine, please call 518.243.3333.