OhioHealth Donates $50,000 to Haitian Relief Efforts and Coordination of Medical Volunteers is Underway

    COLUMBUS, OH, January 22, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- OhioHealth, a not-for-profit family of hospitals in Columbus, Ohio, announced it made an initial and immediate gift of $50,000 to support relief efforts in Haiti. In addition, the health system is coordinating medical volunteers to aid in the Haiti relief efforts.

OhioHealth's donation is directed to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which is on the ground in Haiti and coordinating with other relief agencies to provide medical and humanitarian aid in response to the earthquake crisis. OhioHealth, a faith-based family of leading healthcare providers, is an extension ministry of the United Methodist Church.

"The horrible tragedy in Haiti cries out for a caring, compassionate response," says Rev. Keith Vesper, vice president, Mission and Ministry for OhioHealth. "As an extension of our charitable mission and faith-based health ministry, OhioHealth has chosen to provide monetary support; agencies tell us this is most urgently and immediately needed. Our hope is that this initial $50,000 donation can help provide some measure of relief to the Haitian people who are suffering so greatly. And hopefully, it will encourage other organizations to give as well."

While the need for medical support is great, it is not possible to send the majority of volunteers at this time. However, Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are now deploying Disaster Medical Assistance Teams and are requesting specific specialties. OhioHealth is working with its associates and medical staff who have expressed a desire to volunteer for medical missions to Haiti so that they can be ready to go when the agencies are able to use the additional volunteers.

"We're not at all surprised that many OhioHealth physicians and associates want to volunteer their time and expertise to the Haitian relief effort," said Dave Blom, president and CEO of OhioHealth. "Right now, we're telling people to be patient until conditions on the ground improve to the point that additional volunteers can travel and work effectively and safely in Haiti. Until then, we are encouraging our associates and physician partners to consider making personal donations to the relief agency of their choice."

"The need for volunteer help will extend far into the weeks and months to come," added Blom. "We're proud to know that members of the OhioHealth family want to be part of the ongoing, collective effort to provide comfort and aid to the Haitian people."

For more information about OhioHealth and their aid to the Haitian disaster, please visit www.ohiohealth.com.

About OhioHealth
OhioHealth, named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and 2010 is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization serving and supported by the community. Based in Columbus, Ohio, it is a family of 18 hospitals, 23 health and surgery centers, home-health providers, medical equipment and health service suppliers throughout a 40-county area. OhioHealth hospitals in central Ohio are Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Doctors Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital and Dublin Methodist Hospital. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.ohiohealth.com.

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