The Iowa Hospital Association recently completed a statewide survey that found Iowa hospitals provided community benefits in 2011 valued at more than $1.4 billion, including nearly $600 million in charity care. Community benefits are activities designed to improve health status and provide greater access to health care.

Along with uncompensated care (which is made up of both charity care and bad debt), community benefits include such services and programs as health screenings, support groups, counseling, immunizations, nutritional services and transportation programs.

The total value of these services, as reported in the survey, was nearly $148 million. All 118 of Iowa’s community hospitals participated in the survey.