INTEGRIS Hospital Foundation: Money Back to Community

In November of 2023 the local hospital became part of INTEGRIS Health, Oklahoma’s largest not-for-profit and Oklahoma-owned health care system. One of the most important aspects of this change is moving from a for-profit system to the not-for-profit mission. The significance of the transfer is the focus allowing our community to come together and invest in the future of health care in Ponca City.

INTEGRIS Health has an overall foundation, and Shelley Arrott, CEO/President of Ponca City Chamber of Commerce, serves on that cooperate foundation representing Ponca City. Maybe more important to us, Arrott will chair the local branch of the Foundation, which consists of seven council members who live in, and care about, Ponca City and our health care access.

There will be local fundraising that will begin in 2027 as they move toward meeting the goals of their mission statement: “To strengthen the health and well-being of our community by investing in the critical health care needs that help INTEGRIS Health Ponca City Hospital provide exceptional care close to home, for generations to come.”

As Arrott explains, the economic impact is significant. At a recent Community Development meeting, she shared, “Research cited by the American Hospital Association indicates approximately $75 million in new patient revenue would be needed to produce the same net income impact as $1 million in charitable giving.” Donors can impact health care in the Ponca City area in a significant way. She continues, “I think the bigger point for our community is that philanthropy can have a tremendous impact on a hospital’s ability to invest in equipment, services and patient care.”

All donations raised by the local council will go into their own Ponca City branch account to be used for local hospital needs. The foundation received its first philanthropic milestone gift of $10,000 from the Renfro Family Foundation. The council has met with new hospital CEO Mark Dooley to discuss needs as they develop strategies to help the hospital meet health needs of citizens. Foundation Council members are Arrott, Ryan Austin, Lee Evans, Brian Hermanson, Jason Johnson, Brenda Renfro and Tim Williams. All are individuals who care greatly about, and serve, our community in multiple ways. Now, through this new endeavor, they will focus on building the foundation, educating the community, developing relationships and identifying critical health care needs.

According to the American Hospital Association, Nov. 20 is National Rural Health Day, a time to “recognize the many ways rural hospitals advance health in their communities, as well as raise awareness about the challenges they face as they seek to preserve access to high-quality, affordable care.” All important goals since nearly 1 in 5 Americans rely on rural health care, and the hospitals support 1 in 12 rural jobs in the U.S.

Watch for more information about the Foundation and their plans as they develop them. As Arrott, chair, says, “We have an opportunity to think differently about health care in Ponca City. The transition to INTEGRIS Health brought us into a not-for-profit health system whose mission is centered on serving communities. The Foundation Council is about bringing our community together around that mission. We want people to understand that when we invest in our hospital, we are investing in the health of our families, our workforce and our community for generations to come.”