Foundation of honesty, trust and solidarity

  Children did not ask to be born and all of them have right for all healthcare they need

Many people rarely perceive nonprofit foundation as something more than just money making idea which portrays itself as a “savior” dramatically exposing problems people and animals have publicly, drawing attention in order to collect funds. Private healthcare non-profit foundations became big business to earn the money and sometimes cash outflow goes to unnecessary things.

Do all people who donate money with the wish to help someone in need, know that they are paying all the costs that supposedly go with agreements between service provider, patient, and all people in between, often doubting where did that money really went?

The other question is “Does the money from donations needs to be spent on salaries to people who work in foundation and on other unrelated and mostly unnecessary costs?”

I firmly believe all money that comes from donations ought to be spent exclusively for the purposes that are stated prior to call for donations, and only for that ultimate goal: to help the patients get funding for their medical treatment abroad. Wages of employees in medical foundation should be financed from other sources than donations. Some funds can arrive from organizations that are willing to help charity foundation development and/or sustainability. Even better, employees of such-nonprofit medical foundation should be financed by the state itself.

This way it would be possible to work together towards common goals. Foundation would have its absolute autonomy and would be able to help the broken state to solve the problems related to medical treatment of people who are impossible to treat medically in domestic medical institutions, because of their complex medical condition.

A few years ago I published my opinion “How much we are really ready to help?” With intention to search for the way to help in realization of the idea I still have. The idea of unselfish helping was read / studied by many (common) people who offered to volunteer on part time basis in donation campaigns. Campaigns were publicized in media and public persons took active role in many of them. Meanwhile I entered certain circles of health industry and learned how foundations work and collect money for medical treatment, as well how organized it is. For me it became clear which kind of problems sick people in Serbia face on daily basis.

The idea itself may come across as ‘na?ve’ or ‘impossible for realization’, but it is based on the assessment of the omissions I have witnessed myself. This concept I am presenting would enable us to fight better and to solve problems of patients, especially those who cannot be properly treated in Serbia and I want to present details in public.

Goals of this new foundation would not be only tied to collecting donations:

· Working together and making a solidarity network of all of us who want to help those in need

· Education about diseases and treatments in a comprehensive way so everyone can easily understand

· Working on social inclusion of patients into the local community, mutual understanding, and psychological support

· Providing psychological support to patients, their families, and closest friends

· Contacts with health / medical institutions in foreign countries for purpose of medical diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare employees’ education

· Providing services related to traveling, staying abroad for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and re-entry to local communities

· Improving communication in healthcare with the aim to get a faster diagnosis and to send patients to treatment sooner

· Detection of problems, finding solutions to problems patients have during the treatment and with doctors and bureaucracy.

· This way trust can be build and wish to help somebody can be sustainable. For the material side, mere existence of a foundation which would work like this would be beneficial not only for medical treatments but also to patients and their internalization of disease. A support network can be created in the online as well as the offline world, according to preferences of patients and volunteers.

In order to get this foundation to work properly, it is necessary to win the donors’ trust, either firms or individuals, with communication which is clear and directed to all of them at the same time. One of the preconditions is total transparency in the organization’s finances and processes.

TRANSPARENCY would be achieved through:

1. INFORMATION about the patient

Every patient would get his / her own personal page on the foundation’s website, where it would be listed information from the list below:

· Fist name and last name

· Medical diagnosis accompanied by documentation from Serbian hospitals

· Information about the disease, necessary treatment, and prognosis for recovery with links to expert publications so everyone can get complete information

· Proposal of treatment made by the doctor and commission in Serbia

· Proposal of treatment made by the hospital abroad

· Contract signed by patient and assigned health center

· Invoices related to treatment

· Personal blog

Every patient would get the opportunity to represent himself in his own words and to provide information to public. Page would be updated regularly with facts about current treatment and the situation patient is in. All information would be made public with the consent of patient and his/her family.

The aim is to provide the opportunity for contacting the patient on behalf donor or anyone else who wants to support in other ways, even if support comes in words as wishes for getting better quickly.

It may seem intrusive, but in the moments of serious illness, support means a lot, even when it comes from unknown people. Besides, someone who already went through similar circumstances could provide adequate support and help to patient, because of previous personal experience. On the other hand every visitor of the site, and donor, could learn about disease and gain understanding how the disease is treated.

As every disease carries certain level of emotional tension, together we could learn how to better handle the illness. One can never know when we might have use knowledge obtained this way.

Contacting the patient would depend on his /her desire to be contacted and on his / her condition and capacity for it. However in cooperation with the closest circle, personal web page would be updated with recent events and condition (depending on the situation).

2. CONTRACT AGREEMENTS WITH “CLIENT” (patient)

3. CONTRACT AGREEMENTS WITH EMPLOYEES OF FOUNDATION

4. CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH STATE (or with organization which would provide salaries to employees)

The foundation can be lead by several people full time. Employees should be able to claim the expenses of transportation, phone calls and everything else which is accompanied with the assignments they have.

The government should have certain role in supporting sustainability of the foundation and should have certain commitments towards the foundation, because it would help the government to solve unsettled problems related to medical treatment abroad.

Aside from this investment to monthly salaries, the government could:

· Provide an office space (not expensive or large) and pay the rent for it

· Provide administrative support to foundation related to bookkeeping, accountant, paying website administration, and tech support (Some people offered free of charge website administration as their sign of goodwill, and depending on frequency and needs maybe some of them would volunteer, which would be their donation in work instead of money).

· Provide, enable, and ease cooperation related to the functioning of the foundation in terms of close cooperation between all instances that can help improve the performance in the entire health care system, by pointing out to the irregularities or omissions which are hard for patients to face and handle themselves

· Regular monthly payments to the foundation’s bank account

· Companies that donate to the foundation could have tax write-offs

5. TRANSPARENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING

The foundation’s bank account would be completely transparent so that everyone can see records of transactions.

? This includes being able to see records of all deposits and withdrawals on the account.

? Transactions would published on the foundation’s website, next to the name of the patient on whose behalf they are made (how, where, and when the money paid) .

? Invoices would regularly be published within 24 hours as evidence that there are no fraudulent transactions (eg. a glimpse of one of the 19–03 to 25–03 , and a glimpse of two of the 24–03 to 30–03, and so on).

? The names of the donors would not be published publicly unless they indicate otherwise.

There should be special contract agreements between banks and the foundation. Hopefully, the banks would agree to waive transaction fees and not take any commissions.

6.CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH HOSPITALS ABROAD

Hospitals Abroad

The foundation would make contacts with the more famous and powerful centers in the world which could give a second opinion and, if necessary, take care of the further treatment.

The foundation would negotiate the contract with these centers for treatment of specific diseases abroad regarding:

? Treatment plan

? Laboratory analysis

? Second Opinion

? Looking for the best quality?—?price guarantee.

? Standard rate for contractors would be used to reduce the sum of money needed for the treatment.

? Contracts with hospitals should be transparent, if the hospital agrees with those terms. If that would not be the case, hospitals will provide official statement justifying their decision.

Negotiations should be conducted with various hospital centers about the conditions of cooperation and contacts would be made between doctors from Serbia, and centers abroad, for exchange of knowledge and experiences, as well as for the purpose of better monitoring of the patient’s condition after leaving the hospital.

Sometimes patient will stay in Serbia. With quality and concrete cooperation through contacts, conditions will be met so that patient’s condition is monitored in Serbia, but consultations and expertise will be provided by doctors from abroad.

All centers that establish cooperation with the foundation will have the opportunity to be listed on our website. For centers, it would be free advertising, and this would affect the conditions of the contracts, in terms of lowering their prices or providing a second opinion free of charge. This way, alongside with medical treatment under the best possible conditions, the opportunity would arise for our medical care staff to cooperate with colleagues from abroad, and to have our doctors complete training and education at these centers.

7. Cooperationwith the Diaspora, and donors

In addition to linking with foreign hospital centers, Serbian diaspora would be able to provide assistance.

The moment patients arrive to foreign hospital, they usually stay alone by themselves so they would have use of Diaspora’s support, and to know who and where they can turn to, except to the embassy.

The diaspora, in cooperation with the embassies, other national organizations, and associations as well as the church, would be able to help with:

? Fundraising.

? Identifying the most favorable accommodation with good quality-price guarantee.

? Providing the necessary assistance in the form of advice and initial orientation in a given country.

? Regular visits to the patient and his family, in accordance with their personal preferences.

8.IDENTITY of volunteers and donors

Volunteers

The volunteers are all those who in any way participate in helping the patients, whether to organize and participate in the fundraising campaign, or in visits to the hospital and direct contact with patients. Also volunteers could provide free professional help (i.e., psychologist, physician, nurse, home help, etc). The foundation would keep records of volunteers on the website or in any other way in accordance with their preferences.

· Register of volunteers would consist of publicly accessible information in accordance with preferences of volunteers.

· We would create a forum where volunteers could coordinate their activities and discuss ways of cooperating. Forum threads and other content would be visible only to registered members.

· Campaigns would be publicized regularly as well as acknowledgement to individuals who made the effort to help someone.

· Visits to patients when at their convenience could be organized within volunteers’ network.

· We would keep posted all the volunteers about urgent actions that should be taken, so they would have opportunity to organize their time accordingly.

Donors

Donors are people that help with the patients’ treatments through micro-donations or services. In accordance to personal preferences, identities of the donors would be publicized on the website in the section related to campaigns, as well as in published reports from the bank account of the foundation. Donors’ names would not be publicized if they do not give permission beforehand.

It is important to develop and foster open communication, ideas, and workload among volunteers. Trust among all participants would be built with transparency, clear goals, and concrete actions which would be taken, so that volunteers feel motivated to work in the future and spread these ideas. Any doubt regarding some action to fund raising and volunteers, still could be addressed to the foundation, and timely reply would follow. However, actions undertaken by this groups would be published on website, and status of every campaign would be easy to check. Through direct contact between patients, donors, and volunteers, several goals would be achieved:

Patients would get:

· Emotional support

· Feelings, fears, and frustrations would be relieved, which would empower patients for further events

· Smiles on regular basis, comments of all those interested in how patients feel and how to support them

Campaign participants and volunteers would get:

· medical education for donors and volunteers

· raising level of empathy in humans, and awareness of what patients face during the illness and treatment

· know –how of how to efficiently help, because the influence of the environment is significant

· cooperation and relationship with each other through the struggle and helping people in need

In accordance with the patient, volunteers could visit them and help when needed, as well as provide insights about sights and scenes every country has. This way staying abroad for medical treatment would be easier for patients and their families. And their energy levels needed for real struggle would be preserved by removing unnecessary stressful events and activities.

9. ACTIONS

Text messages and Telecoms / ISPs

? Campaigns via SMS messages from unique registered number of foundation, assigned by telecom / ISP

? With providers, the foundation would have arranged a 24/7 SMS service for micro-donations with all the money, or at least as large a percentage as possible, going to the foundation.

Banks, payments, and fees / taxes

? Bank account would be used to for monthly automatic payment to account of the foundation.

? The foundation would sign a contract agreement with the bank which offers the most favorable benefits, i.e. not taking any commissions for money transfers since the purpose of micro-donations is humanitarian and not for profit. In addition to the funds solely intended for treatments, certain amount of money would normally be kept on a foundation’s bank account before the time comes for payments to assigned foreign hospitals.

? For payments in foreign currency, and payments from the Serbian Diaspora, we would search for the best feasible option; some revenue is expected to come from campaigns targeting Diaspora outside the Serbia.

? Businesses should be able to receive tax write-offs for donations.

The role of Media

? Press releases should be published free of charge in media outlets. This kind of action would be considered as a sign of goodwill and as a donation on behalf of media which contribute in spreading the calls for help.

? Expected benefit of free advertising and voluntarily providing media coverage about patients in need, is revenue generation in increased sales / subscriptions.

? In addition to paper-based and online media, various radio and TV stations will be engaged. The foundation is not reluctant to call for investigating the work of the foundation, condition of patients, or level of transparency in fundraising. The foundation will gladly accept free advertisements in any media. Emphasis in cooperation with media is that it should be voluntarily. This way media would be in the position to lead by example.

In the Netherlands Radio 3FM is helping to Red Cross NL. Every year, just before the Christmas, 3 DJs teamed up under the Serious request label lock themselves in glass cabin in the main city square. They sleep there, host their radio shows, invite guests, rest, shower, drink, but they do not get any food. The reason for such a move is solidarity with cause for fundraising campaign, and that cause varies from one year to another. Funds collected this way are shared between a few organizations which are connected to the cause. In 2012, the mission was aiding the newborn babies so that organization “Battle for babies” from Serbia received some funding from this side too, and at the same time had worldwide promotion.

How does fundraising work? Funds are collected by asking for a song via SMS. The Netherlands is engaged in Christmas campaigns, whether in an organized fashion or privately, people get the chance to show their creativity by trying to collect money for this big yearly event. When it is over, they go to the glass cabin and talk about how they made it happen, and how much money was collected. Children are regular attendees at this event and they often give all their savings or they sell things so that they can donate to the cause.

Types of media used in this campaign are radio, internet, tv and social media. Even Google Hangouts is used for hosting radio talks with guests and fans. In front of the glass cabin, all the time there is audience that closely monitors all events, and the guests who come and go. Guests are well known public figures that amuse everybody with their performance, singing, and jokes. The cause is discussed regularly so that everyone, if they want to, can learn more about a given issue. The action takes place during the year, where everyone can chip in with ideas. Here you can look at photos from last year. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Volunteers, donations, and actions

? Actions should take place in consultation with volunteers and occasionally campaigns would be carried out at the same time in all cities in Serbia (or another country). These kinds of events would get media coverage and media should participate in this voluntarily, because articles they make would increase their readership.

? Any fundraising will get great attention regardless of the amount of money collected. Everyone’s work would be praised, publicized, and supported by the foundation.

? We regularly see a variety of actions that people take for fundraising in order to help someone, and ideas are inexhaustible. So I believe we would be capable of collecting enough money even from small actions. Every idea and action would be welcomed and accepted by the foundation. It is not only important to collect lot of money in one action, but also try to do something.

These and similar actions could regularly take place in our country so that all can benefit from them. I believe and I am convinced there are a lot of ideas that could be used, and can awaken creativity in all of us. The creative and beautiful campaigns are also humane, and when they were organized for fundraising, it is cheerful, fun, and enjoyable. This kind of approach would emphasize the beauty of participation with individuals or groups. When people are happy, then it is easier for them to give money away, especially when they know that it will be going a good cause…

Through media promotion and volunteers, all participants would get well-deserved attention for their contributions. It is an invaluable and rewarding experience. In addition to openness and transparency towards donors and general public, it is important to do the right thing Patients and employees will feel good by cooperating and participating with the foundation’s activities. Concrete rewards would be guaranteed by contracts with all stakeholders.
 
 A large part of the foundation’s work is essentially the responsibility of the state and state funding, but with a collapsing state sector and a chaotic situation in healthcare, plus corruption, I believe this foundation is necessary to overcome these obstacles that patients are facing.

The foundation is not only important for fundraising, but also for organizational capacity and contacts… In addition, it is also important to assist the work of doctors and have proper communication.

After various consultations and discussions on the subject of the foundation, and after I published it on my blog, I realized that I need someone who will be one hundred percent involved in the managing of the foundation. A couple people who would lead the foundation and organize volunteers, plus doctors, and staff people would be payed monthly.

All expenses should be covered (transportation costs, phone calls, and everything else that follows). Monthly payment should be financed by “third party “so that all funds raised for treatment are spent exactly in accordance for previously stated purpose of donation.

Who can be that “third party”? Basically any organization able to sponsor development programs, and it would be good if some funds come from the government. The existence of such foundation would provide the opportunity to seek the second opinion in any country abroad. Significant part is in psychological help and support for patients.

Doctors and psychologists who want to help the sick would naturally be involved in the work of the foundation on a voluntary basis. Occasional participation of doctors and psychologists would be mutually beneficial in, if nothing else, then in gained insights that one can apply in a future work.

This formula can be used to start charity/foundations with different purposes, like for animal’s rights, or for homeless and poor. What is the most important is that basic functioning is honest and transparent by design so that it would prevent fraud.

The foundation would operate to the fullest extent of volunteering and service of all of us together. Working towards mutual goals would make possible the realization of various ideas in all fields as well as to develop personal creativity; also to educate all of us in developing a better mutual understanding of each other by working together towards helping those in need.

Together we can make a positive change!

                                          Ideas + Action = Changes

The foundation would be open to all those who in any way want to be involved in the work of the foundation.

We would discuss the proposed ideas for actions, give a lecture about the disease, and respond to all inquiries.

I still think that all funds for the sick should be made under the framework of such a fund that does not require redundancy, because a large part of the administrative work, could have been provided by the state with its already oversized administration.

If the state does not want to work on such a foundation, then support could be sought from foreign funds for the cost of monthly wages to employees.

I wrote preceding text in order to explain the basis and necessity for a foundation that is an independent and neutral organization that would have the support of all of us as individuals.

Our common goal is to help those in need with joint effort of businesses, government, healthcare staff, and citizenry.

I have faith that there are more than enough people to participate in this type of organization and in its regular work. I believe there are more than enough people to support and enable the work of this foundation. And no, I would not agree this is ‘na?ve’ because it is fair.

This was an attempt to describe how organizations can work in order to prevent fraud, and that is unfortunately a ‘brand’ of many foundations that raise funds for the ill people.

Several people should be involved in the work of the foundation. I would personally help to set up this foundation on its feet, because I already know all the necessary details and have contacts with foreign centers, and I would be able to negotiate terms of contracts and cooperation. I would do this on a voluntary basis in my free time and would be available to jump in when needed.

I would like to invite you to come up with ideas. If this idea is not good enough, it can be altered with better version. The goal is to help those who really need help. Don’t hesitate to ask me, feel free to explain, or find a solution to a problem! Let’s discuss it!

And to don’t forget :

“A healthy person has many wishes, but the sick person has only one.”?—?Indian Proverb

update :
I am sure that with collaborative work of the government, hospitals, health insurance and donateurs, all children can get all health care they need !
With a little correction of this basic idea and without transparency of private information about sick children, it will be possible to make in every country foundation like this, which will support and pay healthcare for children all over the world.

This article is already published on medium and blog and in Serbo -Croatian

#healthcare #foundation #nonprofit