In 2010, the need for social services that help underinsured Barnes-Jewish Hospital patients focus on healing instead of worrying about the financial burdens of a hospital stay has increased significantly.

For example, in 2009 the hospital’s Case Management department spent nearly $12,000 each month to provide medication at discharge to patients who had no means for covering the cost. In 2010, that number has risen by 25 percent to $15,000 each month.

“The economic fallout of 2008 is really starting to hit now as more people lose insurance,” says Jim Hoerchler, manager of social work, who has been a social worker at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for 18 years. “Charitable gifts to the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation give us the privilege to make a profound difference in patients’ lives.”

Services offered through social service gifts include providing safe transportation for patients who otherwise would not have a ride home, providing discharge medication for patients who are unable to afford the cost, and providing a place to stay for out-of-town patients who have no income to pay for lodging while they are in treatment.

If you are interested in honoring someone you love through a gift to social services during a time when the need is more significant than ever, please consider making a tribute gift to one of these areas of patient care:

General Patient Care
AIDS Patient Care
Lodging for Patient Care
Cancer Patient Care
Heart Patient Care
Transplant Patient Care
Hospice Patient Care

To give now please visit our donation page. To hear more about the growing need for social service support today, please see Jim Hoerchler, manager of social work at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, speak in a short video on our social services page.