In these economically trying times, many jobless Americans scramble to provide healthcare for their children. It might be wise to consider the potential that health technology has in reducing medical costs. According to findings from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, children’s health care technology has the potential to save up to ten percent of the country’s annual spending on health care.
The Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation recently made a charitable gift to the Children’s Memorial Foundation that could help serve sick children and save their parents money in medical bills. The foundation committed $16 million to help establish a new emergency care center at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, equipped with state-of-the-art healthcare technology.
Patrick M. Magoon, president and CEO of Children’s Memorial Medical Center, says, "The Griffins’ gift will be instrumental in helping us create one of the most sophisticated, technologically advanced pediatric emergency care centers in the nation."
The soon-to-be-formed Kenneth and Anne Griffin Emergency Care Center will improve patient response times through its rapid, technological tools, and it will increase the hospital’s overall care capacity. The funds will more than double the current number of examination rooms and major hospital beds.
The new facility will be supported by the latest technology, including dedicated diagnostic radiology suites and a CT scanner. The AHRQ says tools like these could improve patient safety.
Chicago mayor Richard Daley says this donation emphasizes the civic-mindedness of the city. "By working together, this gift is a wonderful example of what our residents and business leaders can accomplish for future generations," he says.
This is the fifth largest donation the Children’s Memorial Hospital has ever received, and hospital officials feel it came at a good moment. It is estimated that the new emergency care center will benefit more than 65,000 children and their families this year. 