Community benefit: a first and second generation approach

Seven years ago, leaders at Community Medical Center in Toms River, NJ, made a decision to forge a new direction in health care delivery--to look beyond just the physical health care needs of the community and also address nutrition, housing, social support, environment, and educational needs. Today, Community Medical Center serves as a national model for how a community benefit initiative can work. In this article, the authors talk about the rationale behind the hospital's community benefit initiative, the evolution of the process over first and second generations, and points of learning for hospitals wishing to take the lead in improving the health status of their communities.