Stories of Impact

In 2015-2016, the Foundation contributed $15,000 toward diabetes supplies and patient education. According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans – 9.4 percent of the U.S. population – have diabetes. Rates of diagnosed diabetes are higher among African Americans and Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites and other groups. At Lincoln Community Health Center, 87% of patients are from racial or ethnic minorities, and the two highest diagnoses are for hypertension and diabetes.

“Lincoln sees so many patients with diabetes,” says Joan Chaplin, Manager for Care Coordination at Lincoln. “There is an increasing demand for diabetic supplies and education programs so that our patients can take better care of themselves and avoid costly medical complications resulting from their diabetes.”

“We know how prevalent diabetes is in our community, especially among African Americans and Hispanics,” says Carolyn E. Henderson, Board Chairperson of the Lincoln Community Health Center Foundation. “We are grateful to donors who share our mission to enhance the quality of health in Durham, and provide needed resources to patients at Lincoln.”

In 2013, the Foundation contributed $50,000 to Lincoln Community Health Center to help expand the Center’s Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. Electronic health, or medical records, enable providers to capture patient data and treatment recommendations at the time of the visit. These records also allow different physicians who see the same patient to share information. For example, many Lincoln patients are also seen at Duke Medical Center or Duke Regional Hospital. All three use the same EHR system.

“Use of Electronic Health Records has greatly improved efficiencies in capturing and sharing patient information, resulting in better overall medical care,” says William Seagroves, Chief Financial Officer at Lincoln. “We are grateful for the financial support provided by the Foundation each year.”

“It is important that Lincoln Community Health Center continues to use leading edge technology in patient treatment,” says Carolyn E. Henderson, Board Chairperson of the Lincoln Community Health Center Foundation. “We could not financially help the Center without the generous support of our many donors, sponsors, and other community partners.”