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Kelsey-Seybold Doctors, Employees Spearhead Fundraiser to Support Community First Responders
Funds raised were used to secure 100,000 KN95 masks
Houston (May 19, 2020) – To meet community needs, Kelsey-Seybold doctors have spearheaded a fundraising drive to purchase essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for area first responders in the greater Houston area.
Kelsey-Seybold matched all donations, which came from Kelsey-Seybold physicians and employees and from friends in the Houston community. The Kelsey First Responders' Fund, established by the Kelsey Research Foundation, used the donations to source 100,000 KN95 masks to help answer the call for PPE to protect first responders.
"As a healthcare organization, we know the important role PPE plays to protect frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges we've all faced to secure masks and other equipment due to the surge in demand. We know first responders need to be prepared not only now, but also as we continue to fight this virus for the foreseeable future," said Tony Lin, M.D., CEO and Chairman of the Board of Managers. "Our first responders are on the front lines every day and it was incredibly important to our doctors and employees to show our first responders how much we value them and all they do to take care of our community."
Kelsey-Seybold is responding to local governmental agencies requesting PPE supplies for First Responders. Recipients of the KN95 masks delivered by Kelsey-Seybold physicians and employees to date include the City of Houston, City of Sugar Land, City of Pearland, City of Pasadena, Houston Port Authority, City of Conroe, and Fort Bend County, with deliveries to other governmental entities scheduled in the coming days.
"This campaign was very important and personal to me, and I was honored to help spearhead this campaign," said Anita Mehta, M.D., F.A.A.D., Chief of Dermatology, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. "I want to thank the doctors, employees, and friends of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic who stepped up and personally donated to the fundraiser. We appreciate so much the work our first responders do and the risks they take to care for our community – this is just one way we can show our support and gratitude for all they do."
"As COVID-19 continues to spread, the people who comprise our best defense to contain and mitigate this pandemic also face the highest risk of becoming infected," said Ashley Alexander, president and chief executive officer of Kelsey Research Foundation. "For more than 64 years, the Kelsey Research Foundation's mission has been to support and improve the quality of healthcare for all Houstonians. We are pleased and honored to partner with Kelsey-Seybold on this initiative to support area First Responders."
About Kelsey Research Foundation
Established in 1956, the Kelsey Research Foundation (KRF) - a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization - supports initiatives aimed at advancing medical research, education, and community outreach in support of the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Texas Medical Center, and Houston community.
In the early years, KRF made grants to institutions and research programs in the Texas Medical Center, including funding for the first electron microscope used in clinical medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, an intra-aortic balloon pump for the Texas Heart Institute, and support for diabetes research at Baylor College of Medicine, among many others. Today, KRF is focused on partnering with world-class physicians, hospitals, universities, clinics, research organizations, and corporations to develop life-changing clinical and health outcome research; support medical education; and create programs providing health education opportunities for the community.
KRF's mission remains: to advance medical science and improve the quality of patient care and health outcomes for all Houstonians.
About Kelsey-Seybold
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is Houston's premier multispecialty group practice, founded in 1949 by Dr. Mavis Kelsey in Houston's renowned Texas Medical Center. More than 850 physicians and allied health professionals practice at 40 locations in the Greater Houston area. Kelsey-Seybold offers quality medical care in 65+ medical specialties. The organization operates the largest freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Center in the state of Texas and offers state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam and Varian Edge radiation therapy technology at a nationally accredited Cancer Center. An accredited Sleep Center, comprehensive laboratory services, advanced imaging and diagnostics, 24 onsite Kelsey pharmacies and one specialty pharmacy, and MyKelseyOnline, a secure web portal, are part of its comprehensive offerings. Kelsey-Seybold partners with major insurers to offer value-based commercial health plans. KelseyCare Advantage, a Medicare Advantage plan offered to Houston-area beneficiaries and affiliated with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, has achieved the coveted 5-out-of-5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for eight consecutive years.
Kelsey-Seybold has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as the nation’s first accredited Accountable Care Organization and is home to a nationally accredited Breast Diagnostic Center and Endoscopy Center.
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 91. NPS is the global standard for measuring customer loyalty and satisfaction. An NPS score of 70 or higher is considered by industry experts to be "world class" and an indicator of overwhelming customer loyalty.