Foundations
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from U.S. foundations.
Featured Stories
UN FOUNDATION APPOINTS DR. AHMED OGWELL OUMA AS VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL HEALTH STRATEGY
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The United Nations Foundation issued the following news release on March 27, 2024:
The United Nations Foundation today announced that Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma has been selected to serve as its next Vice President of Global Health Strategy. Ogwell will spearhead one of the UN Foundation's largest portfolios spanning global health policy, advocacy, convening, and grantmaking, in support of the United Nations and its health-related causes.
"We are delighted to welcome Ahmed to the Foundation," said Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of UN Foundation. "Recent years have made
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WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The United Nations Foundation issued the following news release on March 27, 2024:
The United Nations Foundation today announced that Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma has been selected to serve as its next Vice President of Global Health Strategy. Ogwell will spearhead one of the UN Foundation's largest portfolios spanning global health policy, advocacy, convening, and grantmaking, in support of the United Nations and its health-related causes.
"We are delighted to welcome Ahmed to the Foundation," said Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of UN Foundation. "Recent years have madeabundantly clear how interconnected we are as a global community and just how essential international cooperation and institutional innovation are to address the world's greatest public health challenges. Ahmed's wealth of experience with health diplomacy, policy, institution-building, and delivery will be invaluable to the Foundation's work of strengthening multilateral solutions to tackle global health challenges."
Ogwell brings 28 years of experience in public health at national, regional, and global levels to the UN Foundation. He most recently served as Acting Deputy Director-General at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), after a long tenure that also included serving as Acting Director and the founding Deputy Director, during a period of significant growth and transformation for the Continent's public health agency. At Africa CDC, he led the development of a new Statute for the agency, as well as driving its vision of Africa's New Public Health Order (https://africacdc.org/news-item/call-to-action-africas-new-public-health-order/). He managed the institution's response to COVID-19 and a range of other health threats. Prior to joining Africa CDC, Ogwell held distinguished roles at the World Health Organization and with Kenya's Ministry of Health in health policy and health diplomacy, working on issues ranging from noncommunicable diseases to health emergencies.
"The UN Foundation has long been a catalytic player in the global health community, spearheading innovative new platforms and partnerships to advance international cooperation on health," said Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma. "I look forward to joining the Foundation at this pivotal moment for global health, as we work toward a future where everyone can realize their right to good health and well-being."
The UN Foundation has prioritized global health since its establishment in 1998. This has included bringing the UN and partners together through new platforms for collective action, such as the Measles & Rubella Partnership; designing novel, pooled financing instruments, including the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which ultimately raised over $250 million; and building impactful campaigns to strengthen constituencies for the UN's work on sexual and reproductive health and rights, immunization, and malaria.
In recent years, the UN Foundation has sharpened its global health policy analysis and influence to motivate smart, effective collective-action solutions to some of the world's biggest health challenges -- from Universal Health Coverage to health services access for displaced populations, to antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic preparedness and response.
Ogwell will be based in the Foundation's Washington, D.C. office.
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About The UN Foundation
For 25 years, the UN Foundation has built novel innovations and partnerships to support the United Nations and help solve global problems at scale. As an independent charitable organization, the Foundation was created to work closely with the United Nations to address humanity's greatest challenges and drive global progress.
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Original text here: https://unfoundation.org/media/un-foundation-appoints-dr-ahmed-ogwell-ouma-as-vice-president-of-global-health-strategy/
New Foundation Study Offers In-Depth Examination of Surging Growth Opportunities in Climate Finance
WASHINGTON, March 27 (TNSres) -- The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
An accelerated shift in government policy, corporate policy, and capital deployment strategy are precipitating enormous investment that is driving global growth in climate finance to an estimated $9 trillion by 2030. A new study, "Climate Finance: A Massive Commercial Opportunity for Equipment Finance," released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (Foundation) provides an overview of the climate finance opportunity by industry and asset type, reviews the
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WASHINGTON, March 27 (TNSres) -- The Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
An accelerated shift in government policy, corporate policy, and capital deployment strategy are precipitating enormous investment that is driving global growth in climate finance to an estimated $9 trillion by 2030. A new study, "Climate Finance: A Massive Commercial Opportunity for Equipment Finance," released by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (Foundation) provides an overview of the climate finance opportunity by industry and asset type, reviews thecurrent nature of financing by equipment finance companies, and provides a roadmap for industry participants to chart their course in climate finance.
The comprehensive study was commissioned by the Foundation and prepared by The Alta Group. It utilizes a multipronged approach, including a compilation of available market data, a survey of members of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's Climate Finance Working Group, and in-depth interviews with participants in climate finance across the equipment finance industry.
Among the in-depth research and analysis in the study are:
* Executive summary intended to be a stand-alone document summarizing all the content in the paper.
* Overview of the global climate finance market.
* Review of participation In climate finance across the industry today and examination of key segments, including solar finance, energy efficiency, electric vehicles (EV), energy storage, and green hydrogen.
* Information and resources to aid in the analysis of market considerations.
* Asset management and risk considerations.
* Current headwinds and tailwinds in climate finance.
"Taking advantage of the sizable opportunities of providing climate finance involves the application of best practices and the mitigation of both traditional and emerging risks," said Valerie Gerard, Foundation Research Committee Chair and Co-CEO of The Alta Group. "This study aims to accelerate the equipment finance industry's understanding of climate finance, and offers a roadmap for equipment finance companies to develop their own strategic and tactical plans toward successfully participating in this market."
Download the full report at https://tinyurl.com/ELFFClimateFin.
All Foundation studies are available for free download from the Foundation's online library at http://store.leasefoundation.org/.
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ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization that propels the equipment finance sector--and its people--forward through industry-specific knowledge, intelligence, and student talent development programs that contribute to industry innovation, individual careers, and the advancement of the equipment leasing and finance industry. The Foundation is funded through charitable individual and corporate donations. Learn more at http://www.leasefoundation.org.
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Original text here: https://www.leasefoundation.org/news_item/new-foundation-study-offers-in-depth-examination-of-surging-growth-opportunities-in-climate-finance/
Health Foundation: Improving Healthy Life Expectancy is a Mountain That the Next Government Must Climb
LONDON, England, March 27 -- The Health Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
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Responding to the latest Office for National Statistics data on healthy life expectancy, Kathryn Marszalek, Senior Analytical Manager at the Health Foundation, said:
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'Two years ago, as part of the levelling up agenda, the government pledged to increase healthy life expectancy by 5 years by 2035 and narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy between the places where it is highest and lowest. Today's data release highlights the mountain still left to climb to meet these goals.
'Healthy
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LONDON, England, March 27 -- The Health Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
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Responding to the latest Office for National Statistics data on healthy life expectancy, Kathryn Marszalek, Senior Analytical Manager at the Health Foundation, said:
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'Two years ago, as part of the levelling up agenda, the government pledged to increase healthy life expectancy by 5 years by 2035 and narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy between the places where it is highest and lowest. Today's data release highlights the mountain still left to climb to meet these goals.
'Healthylife expectancy at birth for females in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen. A similar trend is seen for healthy life expectancy at birth for males, with the exception of Northern Ireland, where it has increased marginally. This overall reduction is likely driven by falling life expectancy during the pandemic but follows a decade during which improvements in healthy life expectancy have flatlined.
'It is also clear that inequalities remain stark. For men, the gap between the English regions with the highest and lowest healthy life expectancy has widened by 1.1 years since 2017-19 - a boy born today in the North East is expected to spend almost 7 fewer years in good health than a boy born in the South East. And whilst the gap between regions has reduced for women by just over 1 year, this is a product of a significant reduction in healthy life expectancy in the South East alongside a more modest reduction in the North East, rather than any improvement.
'Moreover, healthy life expectancy has decreased for men of all ages, with over half a year reduction for those under 50 years of age. This demonstrates that not only is healthy life expectancy reducing across the country, but that this is happening unequally across geographies, sexes, and age groups.
'Increasing the number of years people can live in good health requires action across the building blocks of health. Secure jobs, adequate incomes, decent housing, and high-quality education all shape our health. Reducing health inequalities is achievable but needs a long-term cross-government approach, with all departments working together to prioritise good health.'
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Original text here: https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/improving-healthy-life-expectancy-is-a-mountain-that-the-next-government-must-climb
ACF President and CEO John T. Petures Jr. Announces Q2 2025 Retirement
AKRON, Ohio, March 27 -- Akron Community Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
Akron Community Foundation President and CEO John T. Petures Jr. announces his retirement, planned for the second quarter of 2025, concluding 17 years of dedicated leadership and unwavering commitment to the foundation and the community it serves, and more than 45 years of nonprofit service in all. The foundation's board of directors expresses its deep gratitude for Petures' extraordinary contributions and achievements during his tenure.
"Under John's leadership for the past 17 years, Akron
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AKRON, Ohio, March 27 -- Akron Community Foundation issued the following news release on March 26, 2024:
Akron Community Foundation President and CEO John T. Petures Jr. announces his retirement, planned for the second quarter of 2025, concluding 17 years of dedicated leadership and unwavering commitment to the foundation and the community it serves, and more than 45 years of nonprofit service in all. The foundation's board of directors expresses its deep gratitude for Petures' extraordinary contributions and achievements during his tenure.
"Under John's leadership for the past 17 years, AkronCommunity Foundation has not only seen significant asset growth, but - in large measure due to his vision and innovation - the foundation has been positioned to be our community's champion and generator of enduring philanthropy," said Marty Hauser, board chair of the community foundation. "Beyond those accomplishments, I know I speak for our board, former board and staff when I say that John will also be missed for his thoughtful approach to leadership and the positive culture he's built at the foundation. He is known for empowering and trusting his staff, and then ensuring they receive the credit they deserve for their work, and always understanding that family comes first. We sincerely appreciate the years he's devoted to the foundation."
Since joining the organization in May 2008, Petures and his staff team have nearly tripled foundation assets and funds. From a low of approximately $100 million in assets during the Great Recession in 2008, the foundation has since grown to nearly $300 million today and is in the top 10% of community foundations by asset size nationwide. The number of charitable funds under management has grown from approximately 300 to nearly 900, and the foundation has received an average of nearly $15 million in contributions annually over the past decade.
Grantmaking into the community has also increased considerably during Petures' tenure. Part of this increase is from the introduction of new grant processes such as capital, which provides funding for nonprofits in need of renovation or repair of their facilities or to purchase equipment, and proactive, which has provided funding for some of the most pressing needs throughout Summit County related to drugs and addiction; diversity, equity and inclusion; housing; and more. Since 2008, the foundation has contributed nearly $160 million in grants to nonprofits - roughly 70% of the foundation's all-time grantmaking of $236 million, with an average of more than $12 million in grants annually for the past decade.
Much of this growth and the accomplishments achieved during Petures' leadership can be attributed to the foundation's adoption and execution of strategic plans that have driven changes to policies and procedures, as well as the implementation of new programs and services.
"When opportunity and vision meet, and at that intersection you find compassionate, committed philanthropists, board members and staff, it can lift the community. This is what I've seen happen this past decade and a half through the work and mission of Akron Community Foundation and the extraordinary generosity of its family of donors and fundholders," said Petures. "Congratulations goes to our community for this success story."
Petures has also worked persistently to make the foundation a more open, welcoming and inclusive organization for its fundholders, donors, professional advisor partners and grantees, as well as the staff and board who serve the community. The number of staff members has doubled since Petures took the helm of the foundation, with seven current staff members being promoted to more senior roles, and its staff and board have become increasingly more diverse, with more representation from women and people of color.
Petures and his team have attracted an increased number of fundholders due in part to revised policies, like allowing successor advisors for donor-advised funds and allowing donors' professional advisors to continue managing their assets if they meet and adhere to specific criteria. He has also helped usher in new ways of proactively connecting these fundholders to opportunities in the community by introducing special publications, creating Community Issues Sessions where fundholders and other community members are invited to learn about pressing local issues, and establishing a grant co-investment opportunity that allows fundholders to see grant applications the foundation receives quarterly and make grants from their donor-advised funds to support those needs.
Under Petures' leadership, the foundation has also worked to enhance its communication with and support of local nonprofits, beyond simply providing funding. Twice a year, the foundation hosts listening sessions, which have helped inform changes to internal processes and procedures that reduce barriers to entry and have provided insights into trainings, materials and support services that will help organizations in their day-to-day work.
Other notable accomplishments during Petures' tenure include: the renovation of the foundation's headquarters at 345 W. Cedar St. following a 2014 fire, as well as the expansion of the same building in 2019 to accommodate its growing staff; the creation of new mission, vision and value statements that have been embraced across the organization; the 2019 launch of The Center for Family Philanthropy and its Institute for Emerging Philanthropists, which teaches strategic charitable giving to multiple generations; the establishment of the Black Giving Collective Fund in 2023, an affiliate fund created by the Black community to benefit the Black community in Greater Akron; new affiliate funds for both the City of Green and Bath Township; a partnership with Summit County to distribute more than $5 million to nonprofits through CARES Act funding; a partnership with Akron Public Schools for their Middle School Academies, which includes curriculum to teach sixth through eighth grade students about nonprofits and philanthropy; and most recently, the transition of nearly $1.7 million in assets from four of Akron Community Foundation's funds to establish the standalone Medina County Community Foundation.
Beyond his work at the foundation, Petures has served numerous organizations in and around Greater Akron through board and committee service, including the Greater Akron Chamber, Candid, the Fund for Our Economic Future, Akron Roundtable and Summit County Foundations Coalition. He has also been named to numerous lists of top leaders throughout Ohio by outlets like Cleveland Magazine, Inside Business and Ohio Business Magazine. During his 45-year career, he has helped generate donations and been a senior member of development teams that have raised well over $1 billion dollars for the benefit of the communities where he has lived, worked and raised his family.
Upon his retirement, Petures looks forward to traveling with his wife, Cindy, and spending more time with their three children and five grandchildren.
The process to select Petures' successor has begun, and current board Vice Chair Jim Pickard has been chosen to lead the search committee. Additional information about the search process, committee members and deadlines will be released once a search firm has been selected later this summer.
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About Akron Community Foundation
For 68 years, Akron Community Foundation has been our community's champion and generator of enduring philanthropy. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the community foundation. It is a philanthropic endowment of approximately $290 million with a growing family of more than 870 funds established by charitable people and organizations from all walks of life. The community foundation and its funds welcome gifts of all kinds, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, life insurance and retirement assets, just to name a few. To date, the community foundation's funds have awarded nearly $236 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. For more information about Akron Community Foundation or to learn more about creating your own charitable fund, call 330-376-8522 or visit akroncf.org.
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Original text here: https://www.akroncf.org/acf-president-and-ceo-john-t-petures-jr-announces-q2-2025-retirement/
Thurgood Marshall College Fund Team Members Focused on Strategic Planning and Realignment in All-Staff Meeting
WASHINGTON, March 26 -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund issued the following news release on March 25, 2024:
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) employees convened for an all-staff meeting recently to discuss strategic planning and realignment for the organization.
Aisha T. Brown, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at TMCF, led the strategic plan initiative and provided an overview of Tyton Partners' findings and recommendations. Brown also identified pain points within the organization while identifying ways to move forward collectively over the next five years. One point
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WASHINGTON, March 26 -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund issued the following news release on March 25, 2024:
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) employees convened for an all-staff meeting recently to discuss strategic planning and realignment for the organization.
Aisha T. Brown, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at TMCF, led the strategic plan initiative and provided an overview of Tyton Partners' findings and recommendations. Brown also identified pain points within the organization while identifying ways to move forward collectively over the next five years. One pointidentified was TMCF's opportunity to improve translating information vertically and laterally throughout the organization. Intentional efforts to improve the process are already underway.
Dr. Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of TMCF, reviewed the mission, vision, brand and strategic goals and showed appreciation for all employees. He also spoke about the TMCF culture and achieving organization-wide goals.
"Our purpose here, today, is about transparency, collaboration and continuous performance improvement to advance our mission and meet or exceed strategic goals," Williams said. "We must focus on the right KPIs, and the entire organization must understand our mission, strategy and see ourselves aligning with our new strategic direction."
Team members throughout the organization were recognized and new team members were presented with a welcome gift.
"I just want to say thank you to all of you for allowing me to be the president of this great organization and to be able to live out a dream of knowing that we are doing something that is going to leave a legacy behind us," Williams said.
Each member of the leadership team discussed key performance indicators (KPI) opportunities within their area. All organization team members had the opportunity to review and add input to other team's KPIs. Cathy Shaw, Tyton Partners, worked to ensure all team members understood organization KPIs.
Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of TMCF, concluded the meeting by encouraging team members to carry forth the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall and continue to be a voice of change, access and opportunity for member schools and their students.
"You are so fabulous, so talented. To see the minds and the hearts and passion in this room moves me to no end," Payne said. "We aren't just taking education and corporate America to a higher level: we're taking this country to a higher level. I want Fanny Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers and all those icons who lost life and limbs for freedom to know what we did to advance educational access and opportunity."
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Original text here: https://www.tmcf.org/events-media/tmcf-in-the-media/thurgood-marshall-college-fund-team-members-focused-on-strategic-planning-and-realignment-in-all-staff-meeting/
Health Foundation: Spike in Nurses Looking to Move Abroad Underlines Need to Improve Retention
LONDON, England, March 26 (TNSres) -- The Health Foundation issued the following news release on March 25, 2024:
New research, published today by the Health Foundation's REAL Centre, shows a dramatic increase in the number of nurses requesting a Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS) from the Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2022/23, which other countries require for nurses to prove that they are UK-registered.
Applications for CCPSs signal interest in moving to practise nursing abroad. We have no definitive evidence as to whether these applications result in nurses leaving.
The Health
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LONDON, England, March 26 (TNSres) -- The Health Foundation issued the following news release on March 25, 2024:
New research, published today by the Health Foundation's REAL Centre, shows a dramatic increase in the number of nurses requesting a Certificate of Current Professional Status (CCPS) from the Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2022/23, which other countries require for nurses to prove that they are UK-registered.
Applications for CCPSs signal interest in moving to practise nursing abroad. We have no definitive evidence as to whether these applications result in nurses leaving.
The HealthFoundation says this spike in applications, which indicates that more UK-registered nurses may be looking to move abroad, is likely to be the result of a combination of current conditions in the NHS and improved opportunities abroad. The Foundation is calling on policy makers to do more to understand why these nurses may be moving on and take action to retain them.
The research highlights that:
* In 2022/23, over 12,400 UK-registered nurses applied for a CCPS in order to register outside the UK, more than double the number the year before and 4 times more than in 2018/19.
* Overseas-trained nurses, who first qualified outside the UK and the EU, accounted for 7 in 10 of these applicants in 2022/23. The largest increase was for those with 3 years or fewer on the UK register, suggesting that for an increasing number of international nurses, the UK may be a stepping-stone prior to moving to other destinations.
* In 2022/23, more than 4 in 5 CCPS applications were for just three countries: Australia, New Zealand, and the US. Applications for the US increased ten-fold between 2021/22 and 2022/23 and coincided with the rolling over of unused visas from the pandemic period.
* UK nurses earn substantially less than many of their counterparts in these countries,* all of which have also recently announced measures to attract more nurses from overseas. Other factors leading to the spike in applications are likely to include working conditions and the impact of staffing shortages. Experiences on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic may have led more nurses to consider their options.
Elaine Kelly, Assistant Director at the Health Foundation's REAL Centre, said:
'There is a global shortage of nurses, and the UK operates in an international market. In recent years, the NHS has relied heavily on international nurses to plug workforce gaps, yet our research shows that nurses trained overseas are the largest group applying for professional certificates to enable them to practise abroad. If the NHS is to avoid becoming a stepping stone to careers elsewhere, it needs to be a more attractive place to work for all nurses, regardless of where they were trained.
'The current environment for nursing in the UK is very challenging - nurses have experienced a decade of real terms decline in pay, while the NHS staff survey shows that less than half feel their organisation values their work. Recently nurses have made their dissatisfaction with pay and conditions known by taking industrial action. Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that when other opportunities arise, many nurses are keen to explore them.
'Even if we are successful in meeting the ambitious targets to train more nurses in the UK, we can ill afford nurses leaving the profession at such high rates, whether that be for nursing jobs abroad or other opportunities within the UK.'
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Further information
*Once adjusted for purchasing power, OECD data indicate that a hospital nurse in the UK earns around USD $46,000 annually, compared to $57,000 in New Zealand, $71,000 in Australia and $84,900 in the US.
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About the REAL Centre
The Health Foundation's REAL Centre (Research and Economic Analysis for the Long term) provides independent analysis and research to support better long-term decision making in health and social care.
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Original text here: https://www.health.org.uk/news-and-comment/news/spike-in-nurses-looking-to-move-abroad-underlines-need-to-improve-retention
PAN Foundation: Pharmaceutical Commerce - PAP 2024 - Examining Patient Access and Affordability
WASHINGTON, March 25 (TNSres) -- The PAN Foundation issued the following news:
The PAN Foundation debuted the results of its inaugural "State of Patient Access" report at Patient Assistance & Access Programs on March 19, in a session moderated by Chief Mission Officer Amy Niles.
The report explores the various obstacles patients are facing when it comes to healthcare access, including how those challenges affect various communities.
Panelists from the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Rx4good, and OutCare Health joined the session to discuss the results.
Read more about the report and
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WASHINGTON, March 25 (TNSres) -- The PAN Foundation issued the following news:
The PAN Foundation debuted the results of its inaugural "State of Patient Access" report at Patient Assistance & Access Programs on March 19, in a session moderated by Chief Mission Officer Amy Niles.
The report explores the various obstacles patients are facing when it comes to healthcare access, including how those challenges affect various communities.
Panelists from the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Rx4good, and OutCare Health joined the session to discuss the results.
Read more about the report andthe discussion around it in this article for Pharmaceutical Commerce.
Read the complete Pharmaceutical Commerce Article (https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/pap-2024-examining-patient-access-and-affordability)
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REPORT: https://www.panfoundation.org/app/uploads/2024/03/PAN-Foundation-2024-State-of-Patient-Access-Report.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.panfoundation.org/pharmaceutical-commerce-pap-2024-examining-patient-access-and-affordability/