Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2020
LANSING, MI – As the holidays approach, Sparrow – through the generosity of a matching challenge grant from the Dart Foundation and support from donors like PNC Bank – is providing every inpatient room with an iPad so patients can communicate with their loved ones.
The new equipment, which is being installed in over 600 rooms, will allow patients to stay in touch with their family and friends while visitor restrictions are in place during the pandemic. Sparrow leaders said they were mindful of how important the love and support of family and friends is to a patient’s recovery but they are also mindful of the continued need for social distancing and to limit who is allowed in our hospitals.
Using Sparrow innovation and technology, the iPads will be installed in every inpatient room in each of Sparrow’s six hospitals, allowing video conferencing and use of our MyChart Bedside program.
Sparrow officials lauded the outstanding community donors who made the project possible, led by $255,000 matching gift challenge grant from the Dart Foundation.
“Their investments in programs and equipment and technology are really raising the bar on the level of care we provide every single day,” said Michelle Reynaert, Vice President, Sparrow Foundation.
The Dart Foundation, which has donated over $1.3 million to the Sparrow Foundation since 1994, made a conscious decision earlier this year to focus on COVID-related initiatives, including telehealth.
“The Dart Foundation is pleased to provide funding support to launch telehealth technology throughout the Sparrow Hospital System,” said Emily L. Matthews, Dart Foundation Executive Director. “It’s crucial that our local hospitals have the equipment they need to best serve our community, particularly with the many challenges presented by the current pandemic.”
In addition to the Dart Foundation’s role, PNC Bank contributed $25,000 toward the project.
"As a member of Sparrow Health System’s board, I’m proud of the entire hospital staff, especially during this challenging time,” said Tim Salisbury, PNC regional president for Mid-Michigan. “PNC was happy to play a role in supporting the cost of placing iPads in every hospital room to facilitate staff and family communications with patients while limiting potential virus spread.”
Sparrow has made tremendous technological strides in recent years, with its Electronic Medical Record system, MyChart Bedside (allowing patients to check lab results, vital signs and other information from their bed), and MySparrow (for test results, messaging physicians, and much more).
The Sparrow Foundation is the hub of philanthropy serving the not-for-profit mission of Sparrow Health System in caring for the health of our community. Learn more at SparrowFoundation.org or email foundation@sparrow.org.
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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. Johns, as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.