A recent disbursement from Moore Regional Hospital (MRH) Foundation will allow First-Health Mobile Health Services to provide a new screening that will identify individuals who are at risk of sudden life-threatening health issues.

FirstHealth Community Health Services will use the $50,000 disbursement to purchase ultrasound equipment that will be used to screen patients for stroke, abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral artery disease.

"The screenings are easy to perform and are proven to detect patients at risk who may otherwise go unnoticed until a life-threatening event occurs," says Barbara Bennett, administrative director of FirstHealth Commun-ity Health Services. "These screenings will allow for early intervention and prevention of these life-threatening health issues."

To be offered on a FirstHealth Mobile Health Services van, the screenings will be available throughout the FirstHealth service area to individuals who might not otherwise have access to them. Reduced costs for the screenings will be available to individuals who qualify for financial assistance.

The MRH Found-ation's Grant Review Committee approved a total of $61,000 in disbursements during its recent fall meeting.

Of that amount, $6,000 was awarded to the 2-C Nursing Unit at Moore Regional Hospital and $5,000 went to the FirstHealth Dental Care Centers.

The 2-C disbursement will allow members of the unit's staff to attend programs on pain management at the 2007 Pain and Orthopaedic Con-gress.

"After attending the sessions, members of our nursing and ancillary staff will be better able to educate patients about their pain control," says Evelyn Dimps-Williams, a registered nurse and assistant director of 2-C.

The Dental Care Centers disbursement will provide urgent specialty services to needy children.

"This will ensure that the children who come to us for services have access to critical dental specialty services that are beyond the scope of the general services that we routinely provide at the Dental Care Centers," says Dr. Sharon Nicholson Harrell, the director of the centers.

During 2006, MRH Foundation approved $5,741,050 in grants supporting Moore Regional Hospital programs and services. That includes $5.5 million of a $22.5 million commitment to the Stepping Stones Campaign that will build a Heart Hospital, Hospitality House and Hospice Residence on the hospital campus.

Other 2006 disbursements are as follows:

-- $19,000 to oncology services/pharmacy to purchase a pathology digital imaging system.

-- $9,050 to send cardiovascular-thoracic (CVT) nurses to the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition.

-- $10,000 to the Kids in Crisis program that provides medical services to school children with identified needs.

-- $55,000 in matching funds to the MRH Esophageal Center for the purchase of a digital strobe with distal-chip nasolaryngoscope.

-- $37,500 to the open-heart surgery program for a technological system used in complex procedures.

-- $35,000 to MRH Clinical Performance for medication and other medical expense assistance for patients in the Community Congestive Heart Failure Project.

-- $20,000 to MRH Clinical Performance for medication and supply assistance for patients in the Community Diabetes Project.

-- $4,000 to sponsor Emergency Department nurses at the Emergency Nurses Association National Conference.

-- $50,000 to the Cancer CARE Fund to cover Fiscal Year 2007 expenses for ongoing support to patients with medical expense needs.

-- $1,500 to MRH Guest Services for patient and family housing and meal subsidies.