N E W S R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2016
Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild Pledges $500,000 for “Smart” IV Pumps
Gift is the largest in the organization’s 68-year history
Photo caption: From left, Amy Raimo, Executive Director, Foundation and Vice President for Community Engagement, Saratoga Hospital; Angelo G. Calbone, President and Chief Executive Officer, Saratoga Hospital; and Barbara King, Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild President.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY, November 29, 2016— Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild has pledged $500,000—the auxiliary organization’s largest gift ever—to help bring “smart” intravenous (IV) pumps to all Saratoga Hospital facilities.
The gift also is the most significant to date for the hospital’s newest fundraising initiative, which seeks more than $1 million to buy and set up 270 smart pumps and related software.
In presenting the pledge, Guild President Barbara King cited the benefit to virtually everyone who turns to Saratoga Hospital for care. “That this project will touch every patient who comes through the doors of a Saratoga Hospital site every day is praiseworthy and extraordinary,” she said.
IV pumps have long been used to deliver lifesaving fluids, from blood products to advanced antibiotics, insulin, and chemotherapy. New “smart” pumps include technology designed to ensure that patients receive the right medication at the right dose and the right time. The result is enhanced safety and better outcomes.
“The Guild’s pledge is the latest example of our volunteers’ amazing contributions to Saratoga Hospital and those we serve,” said Amy Raimo, executive director of Saratoga Hospital Foundation and vice president for community engagement.
“The Guild consistently takes the lead and sets an example in supporting our programs and serving our patients and visitors,” she added. “There is no better, more committed partner—to the hospital or the community.”
Since its founding in 1948, the Guild has donated more than $3 million to Saratoga Hospital. Guild gifts have helped build the hospital’s new Surgical Pavilion and Marylou Whitney and Desmond DelGiacco, MD, Intensive Care Unit; Alfred Z. Solomon Emergency Center; Saratoga Community Health Center; and more. Guild donations have helped purchase an electronic medical records system and state-of-the-art equipment. The Guild also has pledged $100,000 to the hospital’s permanent endowment to support healthcare in Saratoga County for generations to come.
Equally important, Guild volunteers donate tens of thousands of hours each year to help improve the patient experience and support those in need in the Saratoga community.
“Everything we do flows from the mission and vision of the hospital—the compassion, customer service, and commitment to excellence in healthcare in our region,” said Betsy St.Pierre, associate director of volunteer services at Saratoga Hospital. “Our volunteers provide support, kindness, and encouragement, and that decreases avoidable suffering.
“They’re making a big difference in the Hospital and the Saratoga region,” she said.
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About Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild: Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild, the auxiliary organization for Saratoga Hospital, was founded in 1948 to assist with “any project” that would “help the hospital in the community.” Today’s Guild boasts about 250 volunteers who, combined, donate more than 50,000 hours of service to Saratoga Hospital each year. Through its fundraisers and retail establishments, the Guild has contributed millions of dollars to support hospital programs and projects. In recognition of its extraordinary contributions to Saratoga Hospital and the community, the Guild has twice been honored with the Healthcare Association of New York State Auxiliary of the Year Award. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org/about-us/volunteering/volunteer-guild/ .
About Saratoga Hospital: Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region’s leading healthcare provider. The only acute-care facility in Saratoga County, the hospital has a medical staff of more than 450 physicians and other credentialed providers, offering care in a broad range of medical specialties. In keeping with its emphasis on quality, Saratoga Hospital was the first in the Capital Region to earn Magnet Designation for nursing excellence. Hospital facilities include: Saratoga Hospital main campus, Mollie Wilmot Radiation Oncology Center, Saratoga Community Health Center, Saratoga Hospital Center for Breast Care, Saratoga Hospital Center for Sleep Disorders, Saratoga Surgery Center, Wilton Medical Arts, practice offices and services at the Saratoga Medical Park at Malta, six primary care offices and five regional therapy centers across Saratoga County. Saratoga Hospital Medical Group, the hospital’s multispecialty physician practice, includes physicians in the following specialties: cardiology, dentistry, endocrinology, ENT, family medicine, hematology/oncology, internal medicine, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, occupational medicine, oncology, pain management, palliative care, physiatry, podiatry, primary care, psychiatry, pulmonary medicine, sleep disorders, surgery, and urology. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Hopper
Director, Marketing and Communications
518.583.8679
phopper@saratogahospital.org