According to a recent assessment, Dallas County Hospital provides more than $1.5 million in uncompensated care and health benefits to the community each year.

An Iowa Hospital Association report shows that Dallas County Hospital provided more than $1.3 million in uncompensated care in 2013, along with $215,000 in free or discounted community benefits specifically implemented to help local residents.

Community benefits are described as activities that are design to improve health status and increase access to healthcare, such as health screenings, support groups, counseling, immunizations, nutritional services and transportation programs.

The uncompensated care figure includes both charity care and bad debt.

According to the Iowa Hospital Association, the state’s 118 community hospitals provided nearly $1.3 billion in community benefits in 2013.