Watertown Regional Medical Center Publishes 2020 Community Benefit Report

Report highlights hospital’s continued impact on Watertown and the surrounding communities in a historic year

(Watertown, WI) – Watertown Regional Medical Center recently published its community benefit report for the 2020 calendar year. The annual report showcases the broad scope of the hospital’s contributions to Watertown and the surrounding communities in Dodge and Jefferson counties and illustrates the many ways the organization contributes to the physical and economic health of the communities it serves – an investment which became even more essential in a historic year like 2020.

“Our mission of Making Communities Healthier has always been central to the integral role we play in Watertown and the surrounding communities,” said Richard Keddington, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Watertown Regional Medical Center. “But as the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact our region, our mission became even more critical. As part of LifePoint Health – a national healthcare network that provided quality care for more than 20,000 COVID-19 patients in 2020, including those in our own communities – Watertown Regional Medical Center was able to continue our legacy of quality care and community leadership, protect and enhance the health of our neighbors and continue creating places where people – like you – choose to come for care. We achieved this despite the challenges of the past year thanks to the hard work and commitment of our wonderful team of providers, employees, and the support of those we serve.”

Watertown Regional Medical Center’s 2020 community benefit report showcases its continued focus on meeting the region’s evolving healthcare needs through welcoming new providers, adding and expanding service lines and continually investing in its facilities and care technology.

In 2020 alone, Watertown Regional Medical Center added 28 employed and affiliated providers in cardiology, anesthesiology, emergency care, family medicine, hematology, OB/GYN, behavioral health, radiology, and more; and made more than $1.4 million in capital improvements, including new defibrillators, and other enhancements.

Additionally, a donation of more than $5 million in health services to those in need demonstrates the hospital’s ongoing commitment to ensuring access to care for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

Watertown Regional Medical Center is also dedicated to creating places where physicians want to practice and employees want to work. In 2020, the hospital distributed a payroll of $48,832,380 in salaries, wages and benefits for its more than 700 employees, and provided more than $185,541 in professional development and tuition assistance to help its staff grow professionally and expand their expertise and experience to continue finding newer and better ways to care for patients.

This year’s annual report also highlights how Watertown Regional Medical Center’s role as a leader in the communities it serves extends far beyond the physical walls of its facilities in tangible and meaningful ways. Last year, the organization paid nearly $5.5 million in taxes, including state and local taxes, demonstrating its dedication to fiscal responsibility, being a good community partner and supporting the economic health of Watertown and the surrounding communities. Additionally, the hospital is proud to be able to continue to support local activities and organizations in myriad ways, including Dementia Friendly Dodge, Lake Mills EMS, Marquardt Village, Meals on Wheels, Project Search, Watertown Area Cares Clinic, Watertown Chamber of Commerce, Watertown Family Center, Watertown Food Pantry, Watertown High School, Watertown Park & Rec, Watertown YMCA, and Watertown Youth Baseball.

“We are grateful to call Watertown, along with the surrounding communities in Dodge and Jefferson counties home and are proud to contribute to the economic and physical well-being in all the ways that we do,” said Keddington. “We are also incredibly thankful for and encouraged by the support our communities have shown us over the course of this historic year. As we look to the future, we are inspired to further enhance how we serve our neighbors today and in the bright days and years ahead.”

Watertown Regional Medical Center’s complete 2020 community benefit report is available by going to watertownregional.com/community-impact.

About Watertown Regional Medical Center

Watertown Regional Medical Center (WRMC) has been providing the residents of Dodge and Jefferson counties with excellent healthcare for over 100 years. By placing patients’ needs first, WRMC’s services have grown to include Emergency and Urgent Care, Primary Care, Women’s Health, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Heart and Vascular, Neurology, Pulmonology, Ophthalmology, Mental & Behavioral Health and many other services. For more information and to see a complete list of the services offered, visit www.watertownregional.com.