Those Who Assist

PRMC is blessed with volunteers who provide thousands of hours of service. The PRMC Volunteers gave 38,900 hours of service in 2007, the equivalent of 17 full- time employees. The PRMC Volunteers are an important part of the PRMC family and help provide medical care with kindness and compassion.

There is another group of volunteers that run the PRMC Rx Assist program. The Rx Assist volunteers gave 1033 hours of labor in 2007. The 2007 Rx Assist volunteers include: Jeanette Gaider, Shirley Straight, Julia Mae Hembree, Phyllis Routon, Jan Meyer, and Harlan Rittgers. PRMC and the Foundation are grateful for their service.

The Rx program started in 2000 under Colleen Winkel, Social Services Department Director, and volunteer John Chitwood. It was an extension of the Kansas Department on Aging SHICK program. The volunteers shared office space with the Social Services Department. Applications for assistance were filled out manually and kept in cardboard file boxes. In 2002, the PHF received a grant from the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to computerize the program.

In the beginning the Rx Assist volunteers helped seniors and low income families get prescription drug assistance from pharmaceutical companies. It is a challenging business since every company had specific medicines that were “discounted” and each company had their own guidelines. So knowing the specific guidelines for all of the companies was difficult. Now with annually, updated computer software purchased by the Foundation all this information is available and allows applicants to file their application/s electronically. It has streamlined the entire process.

From 2003 to 2006 the program provided around $50,000 a month in prescription drug assistance for seniors and low-income families. Now that seniors receive prescription drug assistance from Medicare, it provides assistance for low income families. In 2007 it provided an average of $6,236 per month for these families. The Rx Assist volunteers also assist seniors with enrollment in Medicare Part D. The volunteers help seniors decide which option is best for them.

PRMC is one of the few hospitals in Kansas that does not receive tax support for its operations. In spite of this PRMC, the Pratt Health Foundation and its volunteers work together to provide compassionate medical care.

. . . equipping PRMC to be “Simply the Best”

2008 Spring Fund Drive: A New Record

The Spring Fund drive was started in 2003 as a part of the “Simply the Best” Capital Campaign. Prior to the 2003 Campaign appeals were made for specific pieces of medical equipment when they were needed.

In 2006, the Foundation began asking people to match the challenge gifts of PHF Champions and the response has been tremendous. The first matching gift came from Jud and Bobbe Stanion. The gift income was used to help purchase new Radiology equipment and a Point of Care system. The PRMC/PHF family responded with a record setting $33,727.

In 2007, Dr. and Mrs. Dan Suiter sponsored the match gift. Contributions were used to complete the Capital Campaign equipment goals. A benevolent constituency gave a total of $41,800, another record year. But 2007 was noteworthy for some additional reasons. First, gifts came from 310 donors which was almost doubled the number of contributions received. Secondly, 95 of the 310 donors were new donors. Both were record setting responses.

In 2008, the Foundation Board of Directors provided the matching gift challenge. Once again 200 generous, friends of the Pratt Health Foundation responded with $42,638 in gifts and pledges, another new record setting response. PRMC will use 100% of the Spring Fund drive contributions for PRMC capital needs at a time when income from services rendered continues its downward trend due to governmental and third party write-offs. We also have 30 new friends, many responding out of thankfulness for the great PRMC care they received.

An Estate Planning Tidbit

Many individuals choose not to establish a Charitable Remainder Trust because of the cost of developing the document. But failing to plan is actually more costly in the end.

Another fact that is often overlooked is the danger of appointing a child as a financial fiduciary. A fiduciary must answer three questions to adequately function in that role. First, does the fiduciary have the ability to perform the function? Do they know what timely tasks need to be done? Can they do the job objectively? Secondly, does the fiduciary have the time needed to do the job? And, thirdly, can the fiduciary do the job and maintain the family harmony? There are many legal decisions that must be made that are not popular. It might be best to maintain the harmony than to worry about the money.

The Foundation offers no-cost, no-obligation estate planning services for anyone that needs them. Call the Foundation office for more information or to schedule an appointment.

A publication of the Pratt Health Foundation (PHF)
203 S. Main * Pratt, Kansas 67124
( PHF and PRMC are 501(c)3 charitable healthcare organizations.)