NHH Auxiliary Aims to Complete $1 Million Pledge to NHH in 100th Year

• March 30, 2022
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MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

March 30, 2022

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY – As Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) Auxiliary gears up to celebrate its 100th year anniversary in 2023, they are also striving towards another important milestone. This dedicated team of volunteers is looking to complete a pledge of $1 million in support of NHH’s new digital clinical information system (CIS) – the largest commitment they’ve ever made to a single project.

The Epic CIS was introduced in early December 2021 at seven partner hospital organizations, representing 14 hospitals in Central East Ontario, including NHH. In addition to increasing clinicians’ access to real-time information to help to improve patient outcomes and providing access to standardized tools and processes that will reduce duplication, streamline processes, and improve results, the new CIS also provides a single, unified personal health record for each patient.

“We first heard of this project in 2015 and we were excited by the possibilities,” says Selena Forsyth, NHH Auxiliary Chair. “With an understanding of the benefits the new CIS would bring to our community, the Auxiliary Executive at the time decided to help make this project a reality.”

The Auxiliary committed to directing a portion of their fundraising efforts towards the CIS, with plans to contribute $500,000 over a five-year period, and subsequently decided to increase this to $1 million over a ten-year period. The organization is ahead of this goal, with just over $800 thousand already contributed to the hospital and plans for the remainder to be complete in 2023.

The NHH Auxiliary's mission is to provide effective and compassionate assistance to visitors, staff, and patients, in an environment that promotes the dignity and wellbeing of all. With approximately 255 members of all ages, the NHH Auxiliary contributes thousands of hours of service to the hospital each year, by supporting patient care in 15 different areas throughout NHH, creating and selling handcrafted items, and operating two retail operations – The Little Treasure Shop, located inside the hospital, and Petticoat Lane, located on Munroe Street in Cobourg.

Many volunteer roles within the hospital itself have been paused and adjusted at times throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to respond to the evolving protocols necessary for infection prevention and control, and the two retail operations have similarly adjusted operations in response to public health guidelines. Despite challenges faced, this volunteer-based organization remains dedicated to supporting NHH and in 2023, will celebrate its 100th year of helping to support quality health care in west Northumberland

“The volunteers and leaders of the NHH Auxiliary have helped shape NHH into the place it is today, and we cannot thank them enough for their ongoing dedication,” says Susan Walsh, NHH President and CEO. “We have truly missed having their presence in the hospital at various times throughout the past two years, but their commitment to, and support of, this hospital and the patients and families we serve has remained steadfast. Our clinical transformation was a massive undertaking, and we are grateful to have partners like the Auxiliary and NHH Foundation standing alongside us in bringing this modern system to our community.”

In addition to support from NHH Auxiliary, funding for the Epic CIS is a key pillar of NHH Foundation’s upcoming fundraising campaign – set to be the largest capital campaign in the hospital and Northumberland County’s history.

“Keeping our hospital well-equipped with advanced technology requires ongoing investment,” says Rhonda Cunningham, Executive Director of NHH Foundation. “The Auxiliary has demonstrated time and time again throughout their history the difference a committed service organization can make. This gift is one of sweat equity and it is through the team’s dedication and hard work they are well on their way to meeting their goal – and in a milestone year nonetheless! We’re hopeful other community organizations will be inspired by this mighty group of volunteers and will join us in ensuring our exceptional community continues to have access to exceptional care.”

For more information on how you can support NHH, visit www.nhhfoundation.ca. For information on ways to get involved with NHH Auxiliary, visit www.nhh.ca/Volunteers/NHHAuxiliary. For information on hospital services and supports, visit www.nhh.ca

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