St. Margaret Foundation announces more than $721,000 in grants to help patient services, education, transportation

The St. Margaret Foundation announced Dec. 14 that it will award $721,688 in grants to benefit patient access and education and to improve patient experience.

The largest award — $309, 940 — will go to the Rod Rutkowski Bed Fund and to patient transportation through Care Management services. The Care Management shuttle provides patients who are being discharged with a ride to their residences. The grant enables shuttle service to expand to seven days a week, 12 hours a day and evenings.

The Rutkowski Bed Fund is an emergency fund to assist under-insured or uninsured patients for items that are not covered by insurance, such as equipment, prescriptions, transportation, interpreters, temporary nursing care, wheel chair ramps, and more.

“The reason we exist is because when you’re sick it’s difficult enough without having to worry if you have a ride to chemotherapy or treatment, or if you can pay for the expensive medicine, home oxygen, walkers, insulin, and other items you need that aren’t covered by insurance,” said Mary Lee Gannon, foundation president. “We are here to ease the burden.”

The foundation also is providing $110,000 for free senior shuttle services.

The foundation’s “Free Rides for Seniors” shuttle provides free rides to any senior living in Blawnox, lower Aspinwall and Sharpsburg in the area from Route 28 to the Allegheny River. The shuttle takes people to the grocery store, pharmacy, UPMC St. Margaret hospital and doctor’s offices, to visit friends, funeral homes, discount stores, and other necessary locations within its boundaries. This shuttle is in partnership with North Hills Community Outreach. Call 412-449-0151 to request a ride.

The “Free Rides for Seniors” Etna, Tarentum shuttle provides medical transportation to able-bodied seniors 60-plus living in Cheswick, Springdale, Tarentum, Brackenridge, Natrona Heights, Etna, Millvale, Oakmont and Verona. The shuttle stops at these senior living facilities: Amber Woods, Springdale Manor, Rachel Carson Hall, Golden Towers, Dalton’s Edge, Brackenridge Hall, Harrison High Rise, Etna Commons, Lloyd McBride Apartments, Alverno Apartments, Beechwood Commons I and II, and Munroe Towers. Transportation is provided to and from UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC Harmar Outpatient Center, UPMC Natrona Heights, UPMC Renaissance Family Practice, Dr. Singh and Associates and other UPMC doctors’ offices along the route. This shuttle is in partnership with North Hills Community Outreach. People can call 412-449-0151 to request a ride.

An $85,000 grant funds a free medical shuttle for the Alle-Kiski Valley: Residents of any age may receive free, non-emergency medical transportation service to and from St. Margaret’s hospital, UPMC primary care doctors’ offices and other UPMC diagnostic centers in Arnold, Brackenridge, Creighton, Lower Burrell, Natrona, Natrona Heights, New Kensington (includes Parnassus), Russellton, and Tarentum. This shuttle is in partnership with Family Services of Western Pennsylvania. People can call 724-889-0029 to request a ride.

A $45,000 grant helps fund complimentary valet services for patients with disabilities to improve accessibility to the hospital and medical arts buildings for medical treatment, care, and other hospital services. This service is available at Entrance C to UPMC St. Margaret. The valet services can assist with wheelchairs and walkers, and can coordinate assistance in getting patients to their appointment destination.

Other grants will provide support to the patient food pantry, provide an effective communication iPad for people with disabilities; robotic pets to ease anxiety for patients with dementia and other disabilities; an additional 20 sleep chairs for a total of 50 funded by the foundation so that family members can spend the night with their loved one; outdoor ramps for patients in wheel chairs to enter their homes, sleep sound machines; glasses; handheld games and other patient comfort items.