“Now, more than ever…” This is one of many phrases that has become all too commonplace over the past several years as we’ve all faced unimaginable challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. For the WakeMed Foundation, though, the phrase rings very true. As WakeMed continues to serve our growing community while continuing to respond to the COVID-19 pandmic, the WakeMed Foundation truly needs the support of our generous donors — now, more than ever.

Wake County and our surrounding region continues to grow by leaps and bounds. This means the needs of our patients and their families, and the demand for health care services here in our community are greater than ever before. WakeMed continues to meet these demands by expanding care and services for our community’s many routine, urgent and emergent needs.

Each year, our generous community donors help fund many critical WakeMed programs that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Below is a small snapshot of some of our major funding opportunities for the upcoming year based on many areas of greatest need throughout WakeMed.

Please help us reach our goal of raising $1.6 million to support the following programs.

Funding Opportunity #1: The Center for Community Health

This year, almost one in five people in the US are living with a mental health condition. Since we know that mental and physical health are intrinsically linked, it can be difficult to treat one without effectively addressing the other.

The Center for Community Health is a 4,000+-square-foot facility located adjacent to the WakeMed Raleigh Campus that is being transformed to offer an integrated care model where both physical and behavioral health conditions will be treated under one roof. This proven model has been repeatedly shown to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs.

Funding Opportunity #2: Using Artificial Intelligence to Identify Suicide Risk

Every 11 minutes, someone dies by suicide in the U.S. With mental health concerns at an all-time high, many adults and teens are struggling.

WakeMed aims to identify patients at-risk for suicide by using artificial intelligence (AI) technology through a partnership with Clarigent Health, a digital mental health company. Using an app called Clairity, select patients will participate in a mental health interview securely recorded via smartphone or laptop. Clairity’s unique technology analyzes thousands of markers in patients’ speech to identify vocal biomarkers linked to mental health risks. It is designed to detect what the human ear misses to flag people with mental health risks. Including depression and suicidality.

Funding Opportunity #3: Supporting Our Tiniest Patients & Their Families

Currently, the Cary Hospital Special Care Nursery features open treatment bays for our critically-ill infants, rather than a private/single room design. The WakeMed Foundation is supporting the conversion to private rooms, which supports better patient outcomes and a shorter hospital stay for our tiny patients. The single room design encourages greater family presence, decreases light and noise stimulation for the infant — all of which can help prevent infection, improve breastfeeding rates and support healthy development.

We know that babies cared for in single-family rooms gain weight faster, require fewer medical procedures, and experience less pain and stress.

Funding Opportunity #4: WakeMed Back & Spine Health

Back or spine pain is the most common reason for missed work and is the third most frequent reason patients seek care from their health care provider. Yet, with 200+ diagnostic and treatment options, patients often receive fragmented care, and are ultimately left without long-term relief or resolution of symptoms. This leads to higher health care utilization and costs and leaves many patients living in chronic pain.

The WakeMed Foundation is supporting the establishment of the WakeMed Back & Spine Health program, a comprehensive care pathway and clinic designed to streamline diagnosis and treatment for the thousands of patients battling back pain each year. In its first year, we estimate supporting more than 14,000 new patients with exceptional back and spine care, while reducing unnecessary ED visits, surgeries and imaging studies — resulting in better outcomes, lower costs, and improved patient satisfaction.

Funding Opportunity #5: Supporting Frontline Health Care Workers

The delivery of exceptional health care requires exceptional people at every level — from leaders and frontline health care workers to those who work behind the scenes and everyone in between. The events of the past two years have put a significant strain on health care workers, including the thousands of WakeMed nurses who provide exceptional care.

That’s why the WakeMed Foundation is committed to investing in these skilled caregivers by fostering leadership development, advanced training programs, and by funding the equipment and supplies needed to support these frontline heroes in delivering exceptional patient care today and in the future.

Support WakeMed’s Annual Community Campaign Today!

Your donation can make a huge difference for our patients, their families and our community. To donate, click here.