DENVER (October 27, 2009)- Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children announces today the establishment of a foundation, Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation. The Foundation also announces Patricia L. Peterson, as Executive Director for the new non-profit.
"I am thrilled to open Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation," said Pat Peterson, executive director. "We are driven to provide excellent care, while continuing to expand our services to meet the growing healthcare needs of the Rocky Mountain region. The addition of the Foundation to Denver will bring much needed support to our community friends in need."
Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation is a certified 501 © (3) organization that launched earlier this year to enhance the quality of life for patients and families of Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children (RMHC). There are many unmet needs of pediatric patients and their families, by which several generous people have asked for ways they can help patients and families in the hospital, as well as and medical staff as it improves the care of children.
Peterson started with Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation in August. "Pat will be working with all HealthONE hospitals to determine the best way for the Foundation to support the mission for our patients," said Mimi Roberson, president and CEO of Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center and RMHC. "She is incredibly passionate and motivated to help patients and families, a great compliment to our team at RMHC."
Peterson is a registered nurse and attorney, and most recently worked with Memorial Health System in Colorado Springs for nearly 10 years. She was in-house counsel for Memorial, and later accepted the position of President and CEO of the Memorial Health System Foundation.
Donations to the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation will directly help other people.Contributions will go to
families who need assistance while their children are hospitalized; to
nurses and staff for education to improve medical care for children; and to our
community.Donations will not go toward building projects or HealthONE business initiatives.
"Unlike other foundations in Denver, Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation will not fund buildings or Foundation or hospital staffing, said Roberson. "The Foundation will focus on enhancing the quality of life for pediatric patients in the Rocky Mountain region and their families and support the mission of the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children."
Specific programs that may be supported by the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation include:
- Assistance to needy families with one or more children who are receiving medical treatment in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, New Mexico and Montana (this does not include paying for medical treatment)
- Educational programs around issues affecting children, and offered for children, their parents and their healthcare providers
- Community based medical research and programs conducted for the benefit of children age 18 and younger that leads to effective treatment and prevention approaches
- Community based organizations who help the Foundation meet its mission
- Employee Assistance Fund for employees of HCA-HealthONE LLC and its affiliates who are in need of assistance as a result of a catastrophic event
The Foundation board of directors include Chair, Debra Roads, RN, NP, Pediatric & Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at RMHC; Secretary, Margie Mauldin, President Executive Forum; Treasurer, Jim Conley, President Colorado Business Bank Tech Center; Member, Bob Heykoop, Vice President AXA-Advisors; Member, Reggie Washington, MD, Chief Medical Officer of RMHC; and Ex-Officio Member, Mimi Roberson, CEO of Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center and RMHC.
About the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation: Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation is a 501(C) (3) organization funding families who need assistance while their children are hospitalized or undergoing treatment, nurses, physicians and staff for education to improve medical care for children, and to the Rocky Mountain region community. Requests for grants will be accepted beginning in late 2010. For donations to meet these future requests, contact Executive Director Patricia Peterson, 303-839-6829
Pat.Peterson@RMChildren.org HealthONE's Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children Family of Hospitals
Through a rigorous affiliation process, hospitals throughout the Denver community agree to provide consistent, high-quality, and experienced pediatric care by adhering to a comprehensive set of guidelines and requirements, thus creating the "Rocky Mountain Hospital
for Children (RMHC) Family of Care." Children will experience the same clinical and service excellence wherever the RMHC name is attached to a hospital's pediatric service.
RMHC at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center is the site of HealthONE's anchor pediatric facility for specialized services, including high-risk obstetrics and neonatology, with a $150 million expansion project slated to open in September, 2010. HealthONE hospitals provided pediatric care to nearly 100,000 children - from newborns to teens - in 2008 through inpatient, outpatient and emergency services.
www.RockyMountainHospitalforChildren.com