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Make the right financial investments in the right areas

Under the Medtronic Foundation’s strategy, funding decisions are driven by one goal: scalable and sustainable impact. For organizations seeking to drive sustainable, mission-driven corporate philanthropy, it is about much more than just providing financial support, Bhatt said.

It isn’t passive grant-making; it’s really active partnerships where the partner and the funder are coming together to not only hear about the great successes but learn from the things that may not be working.

Driven by this strategic approach to partnerships, the Medtronic Foundation is working to strengthen existing health systems — versus working outside of them — and investing in health workers who play a pivotal role in ensuring that underserved populations are linked to quality, affordable care.

Jessica Daly, director of global health at the Medtronic Foundation, said front-line health workers can be key in connecting the dots between clinics and patients’ homes. “So much in health care delivery and innovation is about strengthening systems and improving outcomes overall, but often those services and systems are fragmented for the underserved,” she said.

Having trained more than 3,500 community health workers, or CHWs, across multiple countries, the Medtronic Foundation has seen how investing in CHWs can help boost health outcomes. In two Brazilian towns, for example, the organization reported that after interventions, more than half of patients with high blood pressure and nearly two-thirds with diabetes were effectively managing their conditions.

Today, the Medtronic Foundation continues to invest in health workers through partnerships with global health organizations that are providing personal protective equipment, supporting surge capacity, and ensuring health facilities have the necessary resources to respond to COVID-19.

3,637

60%

frontline health workers trained and equipped

of the trained professionals

in screening, diagnosis, linkage to care, clinical management and supportive supervision

were community health workers