Nebraska Methodist Hospital Foundation

Programs: Nebraska methodist hospital foundation raises, protects and distributes funds that improve health care for the community. Works of the heart are programs supported by methodist hospital foundation that are divided into three areas: cancer care, charitable care, and community service. More than 43,000 individuals each year are touched by the distributions from works of the heart programs. Thousands more benefit indirectly through research, community health awareness and training for health care professionals. The foundation supports nebraska methodist hospital's methodist estabrook cancer center as it seeks to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer in our community. Methodist estabrook cancer center is at the center of the hospital's coordinated effort in helping its patients through the delicate balancing act of dealing with physical symptoms and emotional stress and uncertainty of the disease. Harper's hope is a comprehensive cancer survivor program at nebraska methodist hospital funded by the methodist hospital foundation. The program offers services to help improve the quality of life for those who have survived cancer. Main program components include social work, behavioral health/counseling, nutrition services, physical wellness and cancer prevention/hereditary risk assessment. These resources helped nearly 7,100 patients and their family members live with, through, and beyond the cancer diagnosis. Other areas of cancer care support include oncology research, the lung and thoracic oncology clinic and cancer center library. Charitable care programs provided funding for approximately 3,400 patients unable to afford care. The foundation works closely with medical social workers and the hospital business office to provide financial assistance to patients genuinely unable to afford health care services. The foundation also funds a limited supply of prescription medication until a long-term solution is determined. In 2016, the foundation donated capital of $14,418,129 to nebraska methodist hospital for use in constructing a new surgical center and for expansion of the nicu at methodist womens hospital.

the foundation provides educational assistance. It supports nebraska methodist college - the josie harper campus as it seeks to provide excellence in healthcare education. In addition the nebraska methodist college online institute received funding during 2016. More than 1,700 students and health care professionals received assistance for healthcare-related educational training/continuing education. In 2016, the foundation donated capital of $36,248 to nebraska methodist college for use in technology improvements.

the foundation is committed to being a good neighbor to the omaha community going beyond the walls of nebraska methodist hospital. The community counseling program was established to address the need for an effective youth intervention program. Methodist hospital and methodist foundation have established a unique collaboration with the omaha public schools and several area churches where free, confidential counseling is made available. Methodist hospital foundation provides the funding for the team of experienced, licensed, masters-level counselors. Schools provide the space for counselors to meet with students. Churches provide space for counselors to meet with students' families or other members of the community in a comfortable, neighborhood setting. While the full benefit to individuals, families and schools served may be impossible to measure, the cost of similar services in the omaha metropolitan area averages over $100 per hour. An estimated 16,500 individuals were served through this program in 2016.

the foundation also supports community service programs including the methodist health ministry, the renaissance health clinic, the heidi wilke sane/sart survivor program, and methodist center for diabetes and nutritional health along with other programs to meet community healthcare needs.