Most Hospitals Do Care about Philanthropy

To the Editor:

Henry Goldstein’s experience at Millennium Medical Center (“Hospitals Need an Extra Dose of Philanthropy,” February 11) would have been the same at the Cleveland Clinic. We are a health-care organization first and last. A patient would never be approached by a fund raiser at the bedside. Our mission is “care of the sick, investigation of their problems, and further education of those who serve.”

This mission is carried out each day thanks in large measure to the generosity of our donors. It is true, as Mr. Goldstein states, that the managed-care environment has put strains on health-care institutions. But this does not mean that philanthropy is ignored in favor of strictly bottom-line issues.

Over the past 10 years, the Cleveland Clinic has been fortunate to significantly increase philanthropic support from donors at all economic levels to finance charity care, community health programs, physician and nurse education, and basic research. Cleveland Clinic staff members and employees have pledged $11-million in support of the institution’s “Securing the 21st Century” capital campaign, a $225-million fund-raising effort.

Hospitals in general do care about philanthropy. The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy represents more than 1,600 hospitals and health-care organizations across North America. It is a vital organization, eager to learn the best practices in fund raising in order to pursue the mission of providing health care. Non-profit hospitals are indeed working diligently to be fiscally responsible organizations while also serving those who cannot pay for all or some of their health care.

William Grimberg
Chairman
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland