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French Hospital Medical Center Receives $7,500 Grant from Bank of America

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Funds will support medically-fragile homeless patients in San Luis Obispo County.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – September 25, 2017 – French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital, recently received a $7,500 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Grant funds will be used to support the Homeless Patient Support Program (HPSP) to provide one-time financial assistance and case-managed follow-up for medically fragile homeless patients. 

The HPSP provides shelter for additional recovery time, a stay at a sober living facility (if medical conditions are substance-abuse related), transportation upon discharge, medication, and basic survival supplies. With the increasing number of homeless patients seen at FHMC, the demand for these services has grown in recent years. Medically fragile homeless patients face unique challenges while trying to recuperate with extremely limited resources. The HPSP ensures that immediate health-related needs can be met when homeless patients are discharged from FHMC. 

In prior years, FHMC served an average of 300 homeless patients annually. In 2013 and 2014, FHMC saw growth to 500 patients annually. This growth trend has continued with over 700 homeless patients seen in 2015 and more than 900 homeless patients in 2016. This is the fourth grant from Bank of America for the Homeless Patient Support Program.

“We are extremely grateful to Bank of America for their continuous support and generosity,” says Alan Iftiniuk, FHMC President and CEO. “Thanks to their support, our Homeless Patient Support Program continues to enhance access to health care services for some of San Luis Obispo County’s most vulnerable community members.”

Over the past nine years, Bank of America has supported FHMC with more than $97,000 in grant funds. These grants have helped provide mentoring for student nurses, free mammograms for underserved women, cancer support groups for Spanish speaking patients, health education classes to community members, cardiovascular health education, and now increased support for homeless patients.

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.SupportFrenchHospital.org or call the FHMCF office at (805) 542-6496.

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About French Hospital Medical Center

French Hospital Medical Center, located in San Luis Obispo, California, is rated one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the nation and one of the Top 50 Cardiac Hospitals in the nation by Thomson Reuters.  The Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center provides the latest innovative cardiac and imaging technology on the Central Coast. The hospital’s current modernization and redesign project is an example of the commitment to meet the growing needs of the community with lifesaving advancements in medicine coupled with excellent, compassionate care.

The hospital is home to the unique Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families.  French is a Dignity Health member of the Central Coast which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA and Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA. Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities.

 

Publish date: 

Monday, September 25, 2017