The Gifford Medical Center Auxiliary is turning Thrift Shop earnings into major support for the community’s local hospital.
The Auxiliary has funded more than $19,000 worth of “wish list” equipment requests spanning multiple departments at the hospital and greatly benefiting patient care.
Funded were:
- Lending library books for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
- Multiple pieces of equipment, from IV poles to portable oxygen saturation monitors to cardiac chairs for the inpatient hospital units
- A handheld scanning device for the medical center’s Materials Management Department
- Pulse oximeters for primary care offices
- Play equipment and furniture for The Robin’s Nest Child Enrichment Center
- Lead shield aprons for the Sharon Health Center
- A changing table and digital scale for the Twin River Health Center
The Auxiliary historically has awarded “wish list” items to the hospital, meaning departments put their wishes in the form of funding requests to the Auxiliary. Auxiliary board members review the list and award what they can. This round the board fully funded the “wish list.”
Materials Management was granted a “wish list” item for the first time in memory. The scanning device is used to inventory supplies around the medical center, explained department supervisor James Shodunke Jr. It replaces a 15-year-old unit that didn’t meet the department’s needs, so staff had been taking notes with pen and paper.
As a staff member counts supplies around the medical center with the new device, which the department had been trialing, prints a report back in the materials holding area showing supply needs, meaning other staff members can immediately begin filling that supply order. The change in the busy department means a task that previously could have taken an hour and 15 minutes now takes less than 30 minutes.
“It greatly improves our efficiency and expedites the restocking process, which reduces interruptions in patient care,” Shodunke said.
Gifford’s inpatient unit received the bulk – $11,500 – of this round’s funding.
“The staff and nursing leadership of Howell Pavilion (Gifford’s inpatient unit) are very thankful for the extremely generous grants given by the Auxiliary. Many patients will benefit from the numerous requests, such as sturdier chairs for patient rooms, electronic vital sign monitoring system and alternative treatments for pain. The gifts will be a big help for both patients and staff. We would like to thank the Auxiliary for all of their hard work and support by granting our many requests,” said Alison White, vice president of patient care services.
Auxiliary board members Ruth Lutz, treasurer, and Nancy Gray, historian, walked around the medical center on Wednesday making in-person announcements to department staff that they had been funded.
Lutz was excited by the response from the departments. “They were so pleased,” she said.
Gray found the experience rewarding because of the inside look she got at the medical center and its many, diverse services.
But Lutz and Gray were quick to point out that it wasn’t they who were making the gift to the medical center, but rather the full Auxiliary and all who shop at the Thrift Shop. “We’re so fortunate to be able to do this because of what the Thrift Shop brings in,” Gray said.
