Healthcare & Accessibility Grants Archive
We are proud to support nonprofit organizations across the nation. Below we've profiled some of the organizations we've invested in and the positive contributions they've made in technology for healthcare and accessibility.
Assistive Computing Resource Center
Imagine how difficult it would be to use a computer if you were visually impaired or otherwise physically challenged. Students, faculty and local residents with physical disabilities turn to California State University-San Bernardino's Assistive Computing Resource Center (ACRC) for adaptive computing solutions to help them lead independent, fulfilling lives. The ACRC offers general access to assistive workstations in its on-campus computer labs. Students use large monitors, speech-recognition software and other innovative technologies to complete assignments. ACRC staff also design personalized assistive computing solutions to meet individual goals at home and in the workplace. They recommend and install adaptive technologies, provide training and work with employers, healthcare providers and clients to make sure everything is operable. A Verizon Foundation grant helped the ACRC get off the ground. Today, its pioneering programs make it a focus of excellence in adaptive technologies for the entire California State University system.
New York Presbyterian Hospital - M3 Project
A cardiologist, stuck in a traffic jam in downtown Manhattan, accesses his patient's records, including the latest bedside statistics in real time, to actively participate in an emergency situation. This remote access is being used by a select group of physicians right now, thanks to a collaborative effort between the New York Presbyterian Hospital and Verizon, and funded in part by the Verizon Foundation. The M3, Mobile Medical Monitor - a small personal tablet computer - can access critical information, anywhere, anytime, automatically. The tablet is linked to the entire Hospital database, including the latest vitals from bedside monitors, to provide a comprehensive and up-to-the-minute view of the patient's health. Using the M3, the clinician can also generate a "care plan," automatically comparing the patient to all similar patients in the database, offering best care options and an opportunity for swifter recovery. According to the Institute of Medicine, up to 100,000 preventable deaths take place in American hospitals every year, frequently due to communication errors. The embryonic M3 has proven to be a successful real-time communications device - ensuring clinicians have the right information at the right time to prescribe the best care possible for each patient. This application, which saves lives and money at the same time, will be launched on a wider scale in the years to come, with continued support from Verizon.
