French Hospital Receives $10,000 Grant from Bank of America

French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital, recently received a $10,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.

Grant funds will be used to support the Homeless Patient Support Program (HPSP) to provide one-time financial assistance and case-managed follow-up for medically fragile homeless patients.

The HPSP provides shelter for additional recovery time, a stay at a sober living facility (if medical conditions are substance-abuse related), transportation upon discharge, medication, and basic survival supplies. With the increasing number of homeless patients seen at FHMC, the demand for these services has grown in recent years. Medically fragile homeless patients face unique challenges while trying to recuperate with extremely limited resources. The HPSP ensures that immediate health-related needs can be met when homeless patients are discharged from FHMC.

In prior years, FHMC served an average of 300 homeless patients annually. In 2013 and 2014, FHMC saw growth to 500 patients annually. This growth trend continued in 2015, in which 767 homeless patients were seen for a total of 1713 hospital visits, more than double the number from 2010. 

“We are extremely grateful to Bank of America for their continuous support and generosity,” says Alan Iftiniuk, FHMC President and CEO. “These outreach programs continue to enhance access to health care services for all community members here in San Luis Obispo County.”

Over the past eight years, Bank of America has supported FHMC with more than $90,000 in grant funds. These grants have helped provide mentoring for student nurses, free mammograms for underserved women, cancer support groups for Spanish speaking patients, health education classes to community members, cardiovascular health education, and now increased support for homeless patients.

For more information or to make a donation, call the FHMC Foundation at (805) 542-6496.

About French Hospital Medical Center

French Hospital Medical Center, located in San Luis Obispo, California, has been named one of the Nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by Truven Health Analytics, and is rated among the top hospitals in the nation for cardiac, orthopedic and GI services. French Hospital has achieved prestigious designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. The Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center provides the latest innovative cardiac and imaging technology. The hospital is home to the unique Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families. In addition, an expansion and modernization project is underway at French Hospital, including the new Copeland Health Education Pavilion, which provides the community access to comprehensive health care education resources free of charge.   French is a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.  Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities.