A gift to the Franciscan Health Foundation’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Fund from the Michigan City Rotary Club will help the hospital to remotely monitor discharged patients, assisting their recovery.
The $5,070 donation will cover the cost of 200 pulse oximeters, which will be part of COVID kits sent home with patients who are discharged from the hospital. The kits allow physicians to remotely monitor the vital signs of patients, ensuring that they’re recovering well at home or providing a signal that additional treatment may be needed.
“This (gift) will help us advance our remote patient monitoring efforts greatly,” said Franciscan Health Michigan City President and CEO Dean Mazzoni.
Michigan City Rotary Club President Jim Welborne said the club’s original plan was to donate $3,000 to the fund. The Rotary board decided to cover the full cost of the pulse oximeters in appreciation for the care Franciscan Health Michigan City has provided to the community during the pandemic.
Welborne said when he heard that the remote monitoring equipment could prevent people from going back to the hospital, he knew it was a worthwhile cause. “If we have one patient that doesn’t get worse or doesn’t die, it’s worth it,” he said.
Rotary’s slogan for this year is “People of Action,” Welborne said, reflected in donations like this and activities members do, like bell ringing for the Salvation Army. “I’m proud of the members of the club who are giving their time, talent and treasure to help the community,” he said.
