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new HIE, all the healthcare professionals involved in patient care can access their complete records quickly and easily. Through ‘Make It Happen,’ we were able to get a number of new The CurrentCare HIE integrates committees together that support each other and helped launch information from 209 data sources for several new statewide groups, including MedMates, a networking the more than 475,000 Rhode Islanders and professional development group focused on the healthcare and currently enrolled. 400 CurrentCare partners medical device industries. are engaged in enrolling more than 4,000 people every month, so the database keeps – Kathleen Malin Vice President of Technology and Operations Management for the RI Foundation growing exponentially. To date, 39.3 million transactions have been posted to patient records and 109 million transactions have been processed. More and more data provides an opportunity for better understanding of trends and outcomes plus the promise of new data-driven discoveries. — 2016 opportunities for helping to transform Rhode for the types of jobs found in Rhode Island, the Island. It distributes millions of dollars in Foundation takes a pragmatic approach to in health care by Providence Business News. Making it Happen for Rhode Island funding to the companies, individuals and putting existing resources to work with the Clearly the organization has a reputation to The Rhode Island Foundation is a critical force other agents of change that have demonstrated assets they need to succeed. uphold, and their forward-thinking work in powering Rhode Island’s ongoing efforts a feasible path to having a measurable impact is helping to make Rhode Island a leader in to revitalize its economy and bring economic in the Ocean State. high-quality, connected care. opportunity back to the state. Perhaps its most Today, there are 1,500 individual funds support each other and helped launch several recognizable contribution to the community available via the Rhode Island Foundation’s new statewide groups, including MedMates, appeared in 2012, when the Rhode Island support structure, impacting the healthcare, a networking and professional development Foundation organized the first-ever “Make research, education and arts industries, among group focused on the healthcare and medical It Happen” event. Over 300 participants met numerous others – and they’re far from done. device industries,” said Kathleen Malin, vice The Rhode Island Quality Institute was named Rhode Island’s 2014 most innovative company at the Rhode Island Convention Center to brainstorm ideas for a new economic course for the state, the impacts of which are still The Rhode Island Foundation plays a central being felt. role in the workforce development efforts Four years later, the conversation continues and the Rhode Island Foundation has made multiple investments in ideas and companies that have the best shot at generating new 40 | 2019 eCURRENT A Proven Funding Formula of the state, acting as a conduit for both investments and training opportunities that prepare workers and entrepreneurs for the next steps in their careers. From increasing access to capital and talent to training workers “Through ‘Make It Happen,’ we were able to get a number of new committees together that president of technology and operations management for the Rhode Island Foundation. The Foundation is quite effective at driving broader changes as well. For example, it is currently offering a $300,000 Innovation Fellowship grant ($100,000 per year for three years) to professionals with the next big idea that could change the world. The next iPhone? Stronger Together | 41