Truman Medical Center
Charitable Foundation
by Denise Rhoades

The quality of mercy is not strained,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

From Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, this verse welcomes and reminds patients and visitors that while medicine and market trends may change, the mission of Truman Medical Center is literally carved in stone. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this modern regional referral center has a long tradition of caring for patients regardless of their ability to pay.

From a small frame building, which was two blocks outside the city limits at its 1870 inception, to a major medical complex, the Truman Health System tangibly expresses Kansas City's commitment to provide healthcare to all its citizens.

Truman Medical Center on Hospital Hill descends from the city's first public health facility -- General Hospital. Its counterpart, Truman Medical Center East, was acquired by the corporation in 1973. With over a hundred years of growth, Truman Medical Center on Hospital Hill and Truman East have complementary missions of care and education. Both hospitals provide patients with medical attention, while serving as teaching hospitals for the UMKC School of Medicine.

As the largest health-care provider for the medically indigent population of Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, TMC admitted 21,500 patients and handled over 400,000 visits last year. Of those, 73,000 were emergency room patients. This ratio represents a current trend in the medical community. Fifteen years ago, roughly two-thirds of hospital patients were admitted. Today, a majority receive outpatient care. A significant increase in the need for emergency room facilities and staff created logistical obstacles for many hospitals. Trends in medicine also precipitated a challenge for Truman Medical Centers. Their fund-raising campaign objectives were threefold: capital and equipment, endowment for medical education, and patient care programs. Together, they totaled $20 million in need.

Specifically, TMC recognized a pressing need for growth in the areas of acute and outpatient care. Clinics for specialized care including sickle cell, diabetes, cardiology, HIV, oral and maxillofacial surgery, neurology, oncology, podiatry, urology, and orthopedics, were becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. In addition, market-driven improvements to labor and delivery required changes to meet the increased expectations of maternity patients. As a hospital with a dual mission to serve the underserved and support medical education, TMC was faced with a bold, yet clarion call to bring these needs to the attention of Kansas City's philanthropic community.

"We had a little concern about the capacity of giving available in this community to support a $20 million campaign. Truman had never undertaken a fund raising venture in this fashion before. However, once we settled on that campaign figure, I did not doubt that we would achieve our goal," said Ned Holland, Truman board member for 26 years and current president of the Charitable Medical Foundation.

TMC's Foundation Executive Director, Mark Litzler, explained."The hospital had fostered years of goodwill. Investments of care and concern in the lives of the underserved resulted in some valuable returns. Truman Medical Center had accumulated a strong portfolio of credibility and good standing in the community. This capital campaign was really the first time we had asked for money in a big way. As a consequence, the community responded in a big way."

TMC started the campaign process by asking the firm of Hartsook and Associates, based in Wichita, Kansas to provide a feasibility study. Six consulting firms were interviewed and Bob Hartsook was brought in to oversee the campaign process.

"What Bob does is ignite people to think bigger than they thought they could. He has the ability to energize board members and staff. They are persuaded and encouraged to accomplish more -- and they do," offered Litzler. "One campaign goal was to develop the idea of philanthropy as a viable way to accomplish our financial goals. Our board and doctors had never thought in those terms before. This campaign changed that dramatically. The whole expectation and philosophy of philanthropy as a fiscal opportunity was new; and the results have been of great benefit."

TMC's $20 million campaign included three major components: renovations and equipment for both hospitals ($7.2 million for intensive care additions with 42-bed facilities and critical care surgery, and labor and delivery wings); programmatic patient care ($4 million); and endowment ($8.8 million, including chaired positions to attract physicians of national stature). With these goals in mind, the feasibility study was completed in the fall of 1997 and the campaign began the first of the year, 1998.

The campaign's objectives were supported by fourteen gifts of $500,000 or more. The following highlights the major gifts received by TMC: $1.5 million, Hall Family Foundation; $1.4 million, Dr. Paul and Marilee Williams; $1.1 million, Schutte Foundation; Sosland Foundation; $1 million, Miller Foundation; $2,000,000, Peggy Sue Neal estate; $800,000, Mabee Foundation, Kresge Foundation; $500,000, H & R Block Foundation, Speas Foundation, Dr. Harry and Kay Wall, Harry and Sharon Kuba and an anonymous board member. The bi-annual Truman Gala--a black-tie dinner in May 2000 marked the official completion of TMC's successful campaign. Through the efforts of the campaign, the following endowed chairs were established: The Schutte Chair in Women's Health; The Sosland Chair in Trauma Services; and The Williams Chair in Community and Family Medicine.

Their success is made more impressive in its diversity of giving. Often in a campaign of this magnitude, a large percentage of money comes from a relatively small group of foundations, corporations and individuals. TMC's campaign was truly community supported. There were 37 gifts of over $100,000 and only fourteen gifts were a half million or more, with a top gift of $2 million. This campaign benefited from significant giving in the middle tier. Campaigns tend to reflect a pyramid of philanthropy. This one created a circle of giving.

"It was steady work for everyone over the two-year period," said Litzler. "Of course Ned Holland was there from the beginning. Don Alexander, chairman of the corporate and foundations gift committee, was tireless in his pursuit. He was able to open a lot of doors for the hospital. Four or five of our top gifts were among the biggest these foundations had ever given. We had some unusual public relations issues going on at the same time, but Bob helped us navigate and stay on track. The hospital is in better shape today because of the campaign -- and not just financially. We had 4 CEOs in 3 years. Even with this 'inoperable' condition we succeeded in reaching the $20 million mark. Conventional wisdom is that the CEO will help close some significant gifts. Our strength was a clear mission that the community could understand, believe in and support."

Although the facilities have changed over the corporation's history, its philosophy and mission have not. TMC's campaign was one more positive step toward providing the best medical care and education possible, despite the cost.

Said Holland, "When we started, we didn't even know, what we didn't know about fund raising. Bob Hartsook brought guidance, experience and structure to the campaign. Without his help we would never have succeeded in the way we did. We learned a great deal over the last three years. The twenty million is great for Truman Medical Center, but better still is the increased profile and philanthropic capacity we now have in the community."

Denise Rhoades is a free-lance writer living in Newton, Kansas. Denise has worked on several projects for Hartsook and Associates and regularly writes campaign case statements and articles for Hartsook clients.