b'14 CONCORD HOSPITAL TRUSTEMBRACING PATIENTS |Navigating Forward FundIn her oce at Concord Hospital,Launched more than fi ve yearsWhile requests to help people come Diane Davis has a folder where sheago, the Navigating Forwardfrom the individuals as well as from saves notes of thanks. The hand- Fund off ers support to dozens ofstaffthroughout the medical group, written letters from grateful patientspatients each year, with gifts aimedDavis also makes sure resources, such expressing appreciation for help withat ensuring adherence to medicalas gas and grocery gift cards, are small but meaningful expenses to easerecommendations and follow-upreadily available to meet immediate their lives during health challenges. plans for patient welfare. In a varietyneeds. One of the nurse navigators also of ways, the Fund provides assistancefacilitates opportunities for patients The note-writers are the benefi ciaries ofby facilitating out-of-pocket expenses,to borrow gently used equipment, the Concord Hospital Trusts Navigatingsuch as transportation, food, andcompletely eliminating the worryForward Fund, which Davis managesmedications. While one patient mayof expense.with help from her team of nursereceive a $50 gift card to a grocery navigators, social workers, and full-timestore, another might request helpDavis praises her teamand other Community Health Coordinator Gwenwith the purchase of a shower chair.Concord Hospital Medical Group Whitney-Gill. One recent thank youOne patient recently got fi nancial aidcolleaguesfor its phenomenal acknowledged the Funds donation ofto purchase an air purifi er to alleviateadvocacy of the Fund and the over-the-counter colonoscopy suppliessymptoms of chronic obstructivepatients it serves. She speaks of most for patients with limited English- pulmonary disease. of the assistance as low-cost but speaking skills and limited funds,high-impact that makes a world of facilitating their preparation forSometimes, Davis says, patients arediff erence in individual quality of life.the procedure. too proud to share with a provider that they may need help, but whenThese are people who need a little The Fund was set up specifi cally tothe provider or team picks up on thatextra help thats not necessarily health address social needs or barriers outsidepossibility, they often get in touch with-related, but has signifi cant impact of the health system that otherwiseDavis to see if help is available from theon their health, Davis says. The would be an obstacle for a personNavigating Forward Fund. Navigating Forward Fund embraces following up with their own health,the people it helps by recognizing explains Davis, director of navigation &We see in our Community Healththeir complex needs and providing community health at Concord Hospital.Needs Assessment that the demand isthe necessary support to improve their Its about basic needs, so were reallytremendous, Davis says. Being ablewell-being.trying to think about what we couldto impact one person at a time, and do to impact a patient that would thenknowing full-well that this is a huge result in a more positive outcome forsupport, is a wonderful feeling.their clinical care.'