Georgetown Memorial Hospital awarded $500,000 grant from Duke Endowment

June 16, 2014 - PRLog -- Georgetown Memorial Hospital (GMH) has received a $500,000 grant from The Duke Endowment to expand a nationally recognized community care network for low-income, uninsured residents in Georgetown County.

The funds will be used by the Georgetown Community Care Network to increase qualified individuals’ access to medical homes, affordable medications, specialty care providers and transportation to medical appointments.

GMH is a member of the Georgetown Hospital System (GHS).

Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Georgetown Hospital System, said the two-year grant is confirmation of the outstanding work done by GCCN and recognition of the need for a program that brings together public and private organizations for the good of the community.

“Georgetown Community Care Network is integral to our hospital system’s efforts to provide access to quality, affordable health care,” Bailey said. “And in just a short amount of time, GCCN has transformed the lives of many residents in our community by helping them obtain much-needed care.

“This generous grant from The Duke Endowment will enable GCCN and our partners to build on those successes for the good of our entire county. On behalf of GCCN and the patients we serve, I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to The Duke Endowment for this incredible gift.”

The grant is The Duke Endowment’s second to GCCN, which was established in 2011 with a $500,000 grant from the endowment, and one of 27 totaling more than $2.3 million to Georgetown Memorial Hospitalsince 1997.

GCCN is made up of 36 faith communities, human service providers, health educators, state agencies and primary care and specialty care providers. Since its inception, GCCN has helped more than 300 individuals gain access to services.

GCCN director Linda Bonesteel said the grant is an investment in Georgetown County’s future.

“Our partners have worked tirelessly to help people obtain essential services and medications,” Bonesteel said. “We are proud of our achievements, but we have much more to do, and this grant from The Duke Endowment will definitely help us move forward and continue having an impact on the lives of people on our community.”

In February, GCCN was among only five programs in the nation selected as a “Program of Promise” in the 2013 Hospital Charitable Service Awards for its efforts to improve access to health care for the region’s medically underserved population. Sponsored by Jackson Healthcare, the Program of Promise award honors hospital-sponsored programs with a clear vision for addressing underserved community health needs and recognizes them as models for other programs.

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Georgetown Hospital System is a private, not-for-profit organization. The system consists of Georgetown Memorial Hospital, Waccamaw Community Hospital and several facilities throughout Horry and Georgetown counties. For more information about Georgetown Hospital System, please visit our website at www.georgetownhospitalsystem.org.

Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $3 billion in grants. The endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.