The GLMS Foundation supports the medical society and initiatives that improve the health and well - being of physicians and our community .
This year , the GLMS Foundation reorganized and established a new mission statement to help guide them moving forward . This new mission statement exemplifies the Foundation ' s commitment to supporting both GLMS and the health and well-being of all members of the Greater Louisville community .
At the start of the pandemic , we learned of vast PPE shortages in our area . We contacted local bourbon distilleries as they began transitioning their operations to create hand sanitizer during the pandemic and we were able to obtain large amounts of hand sanitizer to distribute to private practices in our community . At the same time , we also launched a drive asking for monetary donations to purchase additional PPE and we were able to match any donated funds . We are fortunate to have provided more than 500 liters of hand sanitizer , 62,000 exam gloves , 50,000 surgical masks , 320,000 antibacterial wipes and 1,000 face shields to more than 120 local physician practices .
Last fall , the GLMS Foundation celebrated the 10th Annual Doctor ’ s Cup Golf Scramble . This year looked a little different , with all participants in their own golf carts to adhere to social distancing guidelines but was still an excellent opportunity to gather and raise money to help further the education of the next generation of medical students . We provided $ 25,000 in medical student scholarships to five students this year , bringing our 10-year total to over $ 250,000 .
To work toward better overall health in our community , the GLMS Foundation launched two new committees this year . The Physician Wellness Committee will focus on caring for our providers and their mental and physical health . The Community Health and Wellness Committee will look at issues such as poverty , education , geography , access to healthy food , and more within our Greater Louisville community .
With an overwhelming year for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness , we stepped in to help with one facet of their service to our community . The GLMS Foundation assisted in delivering prescription medications to COVID-19 patients who were without transportation or could not leave their home due to quarantine restrictions . Our volunteers have delivered more than 200 prescriptions across the Greater Louisville area and we plan to continue this service as long as it ’ s needed .
This spring , as the COVID-19 vaccine became more widely available , the GLMS Foundation launched a public health campaign encouraging community members to get the vaccine once they were eligible . The campaign encouraged all residents , with a focus on Black , Latinx and older Kentuckians , to learn more about the vaccine . This campaign included two videos , one in English and one in Spanish , featuring a diverse group of local physicians and was published on social media and television . In total , we received nearly 150,000 views and had a 97 % video completion rate .
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