Homestead Hospital

Fundraising at a Glance

The Perinatal Department at Homestead Hospital had a busy year caring for 1,092 patients in its Obstetrical Emergency Department triage area, delivering 860 babies and treating 129 babies in its special care nursery. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, upgrades were made for new neonatal IV “smart pumps,” allowing communication from the IV pump to the pharmacy and the hospital’s medical documentation system. These upgrades ensure that accurate medication orders are given, adding an extra layer of vigilance for patient safety. Philanthropic funds also enabled the department to purchase two bilirubin bank lights and one bilirubin blanket, which are used for photo therapy for babies suffering from jaundice, a yellow pigment of red blood cells that causes a slight yellowing of the skin. Other purchases made possible through donor support included seven stainless steel delivery room tables for the hospital’s labor and delivery rooms; detailed discharge instruction books for patients; and three new, state-of-the-art vital sign instruments for the mother-baby area.

Looking to the Future

Homestead Hospital dedicated acres of vacant land adjacent to the hospital for its Grow2Heal Garden. The garden is a bold, innovative way to respond to the community’s food desert classification, offering a program of preventive health through fresh, nutritious foods. Through Grow2Heal, the hospital developed a “Grow Your Lunch” program designed for K-12 students, giving them access to fresh produce and teaching them the value of harvesting and preparing wholesome meals that they eat on-site. Homestead Hospital plans to expand the garden, increasing the availability of fresh produce to the hospital’s patients, staff and visitors. This expansion will activate a “Farmacy” — a produce distribution program for patients diagnosed with chronic health conditions associated with living within a food desert, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. These patients are “prescribed” fresh produce from the Grow2Heal Garden, continuing the hospital’s innovative efforts in preventive health through nutrition.