Vecinos clinic receives tech upgrade through donations to Fund for WCU
Patients and providers in the Vecinos health care clinic in 甜瓜视频app鈥檚 Health and Human Sciences Building benefit from upgraded technology purchased with funding from the 1889 Impact Grants Program.
By Bill Studenc
Health care providers in the primary care clinic area of 甜瓜视频app鈥檚 Health and Human Sciences Building are now able to take advantage of upgraded technology to help meet the needs of the patients they serve.
The installation last year of new data cable to support Wi-Fi access points and services in the clinic was made possible with $2,500 in funding from the 1889 Impact Grants Program through contributions from donors to the Fund for WCU.
The technology improvements will benefit uninsured and underinsured patients who utilize the clinic in HHS operated by Vecinos, a local nonprofit agency that provides health care and other resources to migrant farmworkers in the community.
The project has resulted in continual access to electronic health record and patient management systems. Without the security of a stable IP address, electronic health records and patient management systems were inaccessible, and staff were unable to streamline patient and employee experiences, complicating the check-in process for every patient at every visit, said Marianne Martinez, executive director of Vecinos.
鈥淏eing able to fully utilize Vecinos鈥� patient records system is critical to positive volunteer and student internship experiences as well as patient and employee experiences,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淲CU volunteers and interns are critical parts of delivering services, and having consistent access to the internet to document and record interactions continues to be an essential part of high-quality health care.鈥�
Launched in 2021, the 1889 Impact Grants Program is designed to provide a consistent source of funding for colleges and other units at WCU in support of initiatives that enhance the engagement of alumni and community stakeholders with the philanthropic activities of the university.
Funding for the program comes from annual contributions to the Fund for WCU, including leadership gifts from members of the 1889 Club, which recognizes donors for gifts made on an annual basis to the Fund for WCU. The club, among four giving societies established by the Division of Advancement to celebrate the impact of philanthropy on the institution, is named in honor of the year of WCU鈥檚 founding.
Campus partners requested more than $176,000 in 1889 Impact Grants through 23 campuswide grant applications for the 2023-2024 academic year, and the Division of Advancement allocated
$47,000 overall for 12 projects, a slight increase from the $43,500 in grant funding awarded last year.
The WCU Foundation Board Executive Committee reviews all submissions and selects the awardees in the fall of each year. In addition to the 1889 Impact Grants Program, the Fund for WCU provides first-year access scholarships to new incoming freshmen and transfer students and supports ongoing donor stewardship efforts. To learn more about the 1889 Impact Grants Program, visit the Fund for WCU website.
