CHI Franciscan - Highline

CHI FRANCISCAN HEALTH /// chifranciscan.org 12 THANKS TO A VERY GENEROUS bequest received 10 years ago, the Highline Medical Center Foundation has been able to cover basic costs for patients who cannot afford the transportation to their medical appointments or who, due to their illness, cannot work and need assistance with basic needs. These challenges include prescriptions, home medical equipment, such as oxygen or walkers, and occasional food or gas cards. That initial bequest funding is now gone, and we need your support to keep this fund alive. Located near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Highline Medical Center's service area is uncommonly diverse, with more than 80 nationalities represented. Unfortunately, residents face numerous barriers to getting the best quality medical care, including cultural, linguistic and economic challenges. Highline never turns patients away for their inability to pay, but patients may struggle with the costs of prescription medicine and home medical supplies, which are crucial to maintaining health and preventing return hospital visits. "A course of antibiotics can run as much as $300," says Susan Bean, CFRE, executive director of the Highline Medical Center Foundation. "For someone who has to take the bus to the emergency room, that can be prohibitively expensive." Using donations from hospital employees, foundation board members and the local community, hospital social workers can request support from this fund to help bridge the gap in their patients' care. The foundation board and staff rapidly respond to requests from social workers and coordinate with pharmacies and medical suppliers to keep our most at-risk community members healthy. A Helping Hand for Vulerble Ptiets For the past 10 years, the Highline Medical Center Foundation's Special Needs Fund has been helping nancially vulnerable patients with the follow-up care they need. SUSAN O'BRIEN, MD, longtime ER physician and member of the Highline Medical Foundation Board "You'd be surprised how many patients end up back in the emergency room again and again. It's crucial to have a support network that keeps people from slipping through the cracks." SUSAN O'BRIEN, MD SUSAN BEAN, CFRE ON A MISSION As an independent nonprofit organization, the Highline Medical Center Foundation exists to philanthropically support the hospital's mission of providing excellent, compassionate, safe and accessible health care to the communities we serve. The Special Needs Fund helps integrate underserved populations into this mission by eliminating the barriers that keep them on the margins of health care. Your gift can support our Special Needs Fund. You may support this program through a one-time gift or a bequest. Please go to chifranciscan.org/Highline- Foundation/Ways-to-Give or call (206) 901-8505 for more information.

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