Alexandria, VA., June 27, 2018 – In an effort to improve evidence-based care in Free and Charitable Clinics using point-of-care testing results, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX) in conjunction with Heart to Heart International (HHI) and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) today announced six grants to select clinics in the United States.

Point of Care, Enhancing Clinical Effectiveness (PoCECE) is a multi-year initiative that provides grants to clinics that care for underserved and vulnerable populations throughout the U.S. The grants are used to equip the clinics with essential diagnostic point-of-care testing to help evaluate their patients on-site in a timely manner.

PoCECE, funded by BD, a leading global medical technology company, and implemented by HHI in conjunction with the NAFC, provides awards to Free and Charitable Clinics with a desire to use point-of-care testing to diagnose and set treatment protocols with the goal of improving patient outcomes.

“Large numbers of patients seen at Free and Charitable Clinics have chronic diseases that can and should be tracked with laboratory testing,” says Judy Hastert, HHI manager of Laboratory Programs. “Through the support provided by our partners at BD and NAFC, HHI’s laboratory experts will support these safety-net clinics through the setup process and the first year of operation of the point-of-care laboratory. This program identifies the best of what Free and Charitable Clinics are currently doing to address the burden of chronic disease care and allows them to use point-of-care testing to measure progress of patient outcomes and guide evidence-based treatment.”

“In an effort to help ensure medical care is offered to all individuals, especially those who may not otherwise have continual access to health services, we are honored to work with HHI and NAFC to provide grants to these exceptional clinics,” said Jennifer Farrington, senior director of Social Investing at BD and vice president of the BD Foundation. “Our hope is that with this award, these clinics can further the significant work they are performing within their communities and continue to make a positive impact.”

“Throughout the U.S., more than 2 million medically underserved people receive health care at one of 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics,” says Nicole Lamoureux, NAFC president and CEO. “The NAFC is grateful to work with BD and HHI to support clinics that continue to provide high-quality care while operating with limited resources. This program will allow grantees the ability to enhance their on-site diagnostic capabilities and, in turn, expedite the diagnosis of chronic diseases, monitor treatment protocols and improve health outcomes for their patients.”

The Free and Charitable Clinics that will receive the 2018 PoCECE grant are:

• Ubi Caritas Health Ministries - Beaumont, Texas
• HealthFinders Collaborative, Inc. - Faribault, Minnesota
• Hope Health Clinic - LaGrange, Kentucky
• St. Vincent de Paul Medical & Dental Clinic - Phoenix, Arizona
• Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services - Goochland, Virginia
• Clinic with a Heart - Lincoln, Nebraska.

Each grant consists of a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment-waived point-of-care test system consisting of instruments, reagents and quality control to perform the following tests: Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, CO2, Glucose, BUN, Creatinine, Ionized Calcium, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, Macroscopic Urinalysis, Microalbumin, INR, Hemoglobin A1c, Strep A, HIV, Monotest, Pregnancy, Flu A & B, RSV. The grants also include technical support consisting of standard operating procedures, equipment setup and configuration, competency training and documentation.

Previous grant recipients from the inaugural year of this program in 2017 were:

• Downtown Clinic, Laramie, Wyoming
• Community Health Services of Union County, Monroe, North Carolina
• Free Clinic of Franklin County, Rocky Mount, Virginia.

About Heart to Heart International

Heart to Heart International is an international health organization. Since its founding in 1992, HHI has delivered medical aid and supplies worth $1.3 billion to more than 150 countries, including the United States. HHI responds to crises and natural disasters both domestically and internationally by supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers. HHI broadens access to healthcare with medical education opportunities and laboratory standards training in the U.S. and in Haiti, and also works with U.S. safety- net clinics to increase their capacity by providing medical equipment, supplies and volunteers that are vital to operations.

The organization is a Charity Navigator 4-Star charity seven years in a row, a BBB Accredited Charity, and is on the "Philanthropy 400". HHI is also a founding member of the Partnership for Quality Medical Donations (PQMD) and is a member of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).

For more information on programs and ways to get involved, visit hearttoheart.org & find HHI on Facebook.

About the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of the medically underserved throughout the nation and the more than 1,200 Free and Charitable Clinics that serve them. Founded in 2001 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., the NAFC is working to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care and strives to be a national voice promoting quality health care for all. The NAFC has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a Four Star Ranking with Charity Navigator.

For more information about the NAFC, please visit www.nafcclinics.org. Follow the NAFC on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NAFClinics and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NAFCClinics.

Troy Kirkpatrick