Bringing Life-saving Angiography Services to Alameda County Medical Center
The Challenge: Maintaining and Improving Health in Alameda County
 Serving a population with a high portion of uninsured and underinsured individuals, Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) strives to provide the highest quality care possible. It faces the challenges of decreasing resources, increasing need for its services and a growing number of complex and costly conditions. The designated trauma center for northern Alameda County, ACMC serves 2,400 trauma cases annually. Its patients have high rates of heart disease and vascular problems. When not diagnosed and treated early, these conditions are extremely costly, both financially and in their impact on productivity and quality of life.
Meeting the Challenge: The Heart-to-Heart Campaign
 ACMC lacks the equipment it needs to screen, diagnose and treat these patients as quickly as possible to ensure optimal outcomes. Patients who need these services must instead either undergo more costly invasive procedures or wait to be transferred to other area hospitals. For uninsured patients, the transfer application can take weeks to be approved, potentially delaying life-saving treatment. The goal of the Alameda County Health Care Foundation’s Heart-to-Heart Campaign is to purchase state-of-the-art angiography equipment that will enable early screening, diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from trauma and those who have heart conditions or vascular problems.
 What is angiography?
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Like an x-ray or MRI, angiography helps doctors figure out what’s going on inside our bodies when we are ill or injured.
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It shows the heart, veins, arteries and other tissues and organs in much greater detail than is possible with other imaging methods.
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It allows doctors to quickly and thoroughly screen, diagnose and treat patients who suffer from trauma or who have heart disease or vascular problems (such as a blood clot, aneurysm or a blocked artery.)
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It supports immediate treatment (“cardiac cath” or angioplasty) of heart disease and other vascular problems.
How does it save lives, improve outcomes and reduce costs?
Angiography:
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Helps prevent conditions from becoming more severe or life-threatening.
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Replaces costly invasive surgical procedures that otherwise would be required.
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Decreases wait times, reduces discomfort, lowers risk and speeds recovery.
 As a result, patients have better outcomes and costs are reduced.
How will angiography benefit our community?
What can you do?
 We need your support. Working together, heart-to-heart, we can support ACMC in saving lives and improving the quality of life for all in our community. To date, we have raised $1,906,400 (72%) towards the $2,664,000 cost of the angiography equipment. Of the funds raised to date, $1,000,000 is a challenge grant from a major foundation contingent on our raising the remaining $757,600.
We only have a few more months to meet this goal.
You can make a difference!
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Make a tax-deductible donation to the Heart-to-Heart Campaign.
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Ask people you know to donate to the Campaign, such as:
- Medical professionals;
- Community leaders;
- Leaders of local:
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Faith-based organizations,
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Civic and social organizations,
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Businesses and corporations, and
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Philanthropic and community foundations.
- Host a house party on behalf of the Campaign; invite your friends to join you in making a difference.
What difference will your donation make?
 For the office worker who suffers sudden chest pains and the young person who experiences trauma in a car accident, time is of the essence. Quick and accurate screening, diagnosis and treatment can mean the difference between full recovery and long-term disability, and even between life and death. Similarly, for the mother with diabetes and the grandfather who has heart disease, effective treatment can mean the difference between health and debilitating chronic illness. By helping bring state-of-the-art angiography equipment to ACMC, you will make a positive difference in the lives of your fellow community members.
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Capital Campaign