5 Wonderful Organizations Working To Improve Health

The medical system is complex, made up of a large network of care providers, service organizations, and insurance companies. Luckily, many initiatives exist to make the process of getting necessary medical assistance as straightforward and compassionate as possible. In no particular order, this list looks at nonprofits and companies changing the business of healthcare for the better.

Coming in at #1, we have DispatchHealth, a company offering on-demand healthcare for people of all ages in the comfort of their own homes. By providing this service, it hopes to help reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations, improve clinical outcomes, and decrease burdensome costs for the overall medical system.

Founded by Dr. Mark Prather and Kevin Riddleberger, DispatchHealth has locations all over the United States, in cities such as Denver, Colorado, Olympia, Washington, and Dallas, Texas. When a patient requests a visit, two medical professionals, a DispatchHealth medical technician and a figure such as a physician assistant or nurse practitioner, are sent to their home. These helpers are equipped to treat a range of maladies like asthma attacks, shingles, and nosebleeds.

The #2 entry is Massachusetts General Hospital. This center offers diagnostic and therapeutic care in nearly every specialty and sub-specialty of medicine and surgery. In addition, it houses one of the most extensive hospital-based research programs in the country, where philanthropists, academics, foundations, governments, and the local community collaborate to prevent disease and find cures to improve the lives of patients.

The hospital's children's care department is the oldest provider of pediatric services in Boston. It is home to a proton beam facility, which allows the on-site medical team to provide advanced therapy for children with cancerous brain tumors and other illnesses.

Next up, at #3, we have the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, a dementia-specific service provider based in Dublin with volunteer branches across the country. A national non-profit organization, it works to advocate, empower, and champion the rights of people living with related neurological symptoms.

The organization's advisers work with people who have dementia, as well as with their families and other caregivers, in order to provide essential health information and advice. The advisers connect dementia-stricken individuals to critical supports and services, and also teach communities how to become more accommodating to those with illnesses.

For #4, we present Centering Healthcare Institute, based in Boston, Massachusetts. This nonprofit works closely with healthcare providers from all sectors to try and change the medical system for the better. It does this by empowering patients, strengthening patient-provider relationships, and building communities.

The organization believes that by involving patients in their own health assessments, they become more engaged in their own well-being and the care of their children. Centering Healthcare develops activities and discussions to help patients be more informed, confident, and empowered in their medical decisions.

Rounding out our list at #5 is the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, it is dedicated to nurturing patient-caregiver relationships in order to strengthen the human connection in medical care. The nonprofit's program is used by many hospitals across the United States, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere.

In partnership with the Point of Care Foundation, over 190 hospitals and healthcare organizations conduct the Schwartz Rounds program. This program provides a regularly scheduled time for a diversity of caregivers to share their experiences, learn from each other, and focus on the human dimension of medicine.