Norfolk General Hospital Foundation prioritizes its fundraising for diagnostic equipment

Norfolk General Hospital staff (from left) Jennifer Simmons, ultrasound technologist; Andrea Bilger, senior registered technologist of diagnostic Imaging; Karen Buschell, registered technologist of diagnostic imaging; Nicky Tulpin- Porter, diagnostic imaging; and Melissa Parker, registered technologist of Diagnostic Imaging, welcome new equipment at NGH.

Alex Hunt 

Advocate Contributor

The Norfolk General Hospital Foundation is reminding the community that hospital equipment is not government-funded and relies on donations.

Sarah Muntz-Flowerday, Executive Director at NGH Foundation, said there is a need for diagnostic equipment.

“While specific equipment hasn’t been finalized, fundraising will focus on diagnostic imagery, including ultrasounds,” said Muntz-Flowerday.

“People still do not realize that the government does not buy our equipment; we have to self-fund for everything that needs to be replaced.”

Muntz-Flowerday said that equipment vendors will only service a piece of equipment once the contract expires. Replacement is to ensure that hospitals are treating patients with the best tools provided. 

“We get the maximum life we can out of our equipment. We have the best maintenance staff, but it gets to a point where the equipment becomes unreliable.”

Muntz-Flowerday said that there’s a plan to expand the Foundation’s brand and raise awareness on the importance of fundraising for hospital equipment. As a non-profit, the Foundation can find it difficult to raise funds on its own. 

A piece of equipment can run for over 20 years, while others can only last seven. Equipment replacement costs can range in the thousands. 

“Everyone always needs and wants more items than we can fund each year. It’s an ongoing need,” said Muntz-Flowerday. “We’re fundraising to educate the public about the fact that everything is so technologically advanced, and the life of this equipment is not as long as they think it might be.”

HEART OF HEALTHCARE GALA

NGH Foundation plans to host its annual Heart of Healthcare Gala on April 25, a fundraiser that brings the community together to support local healthcare initiatives. The event will feature live music from Saturday Night Superstars, a silent auction, and a photo booth. 

“The problem with fundraising for hospitals is that everything is so technologically advanced,” said Muntz-Flowerday. “Funds for them, they get the equipment, and before you even blink, it’s already obsolete. That’s because it’s all cutting-edge technology, and it moves faster than we can keep up with.”