Current priorities
Saints Healthcare Foundation works with the leadership of St. Francis and St. Gertrude’s to identify current and emerging fundraising priorities. The Foundation Board then assesses and adopts priorities for fundraising.
Donors can make gifts to help address needs that are always present, including:
- Charity and Mission-Related Care Fund, which supports free care for the poor, uninsured and underinsured; free public health initiatives like traffic safety programs and health screenings; and spiritual care services.
- Patient Education and Support Fund, which provides funds for support groups, educational resources and educational counseling, such as for the newly diagnosed diabetic patient who must learn to effectively manage their nutrition, the cancer patient in need of a community support group or a heart surgery patient who must learn new healthy living behaviors to manage chronic heart disease.
- Healthcare Education and Training Fund, which supports scholarships to attract young people into healthcare careers and to enable existing health care workers to advance in their careers or remain on the cutting edge of their disciplines.
The Foundation also raises funds for emerging technologies, service and facility enhancements and health care programs that help provide the best possible health care close to home. Current priorities include:
- St. Gertrude’s received a grant to provide ceiling lifts to enable one-third of its patients to be moved without employee lifting. These lifts increase mobility and safety for patients and prevent injuries for employees. Donations will enable St. Gertrude's to purchase ceiling lifts for 49 patient rooms that still do not have them. The cost for each lift is nearly $10,000.
- St. Gertrude’s is the market leader in serving patients as they recover from severe illness or conditions like total hip replacement surgeries, which make them unable to care for themselves upon discharge from the hospital. Currently 70 people are turned away each month because of a shortage of beds. Donations to the Rehabilitation Center Fund will expand and enhance the rehabilitation facility, equipment and services so more patients can be served.
- St. Francis’ Family Birth Place recently expanded the number of medical professionals delivering babies and is proud to be serving more families in our rapidly growing community. The Family Birth Place has not been updated since opening the facility in 1998. As dona-tions permit, the family waiting room, child play space, pre-labor triage room, infant and pediatric security technologies, lactation education room and 17 patient rooms will be upgraded with the goal of raising $500,000.
- Patient visits to St. Francis’ Cancer Center have increased 100 percent since 2002. St. Francis has recently invested aggressively in imaging and treatment technologies, plastic surgeons and medical oncologists to expand and enhance services for cancer patients. With breast cancer being its most common cancer diagnosis, St. Francis is committed to expanding its Breast Program by replicating digital mammography technology recently added in Shakopee within the Chaska community and acquire technology to close a gap in breast biopsy services that presently patients must find outside our community. Donations will also support free screening, education and support services. Donations of $600,000 will be combined with a $450,000 commitment from St. Francis to make these important services possible.