A Powerful Partnership to Support Clinics Providing Access to Quality Care
Collaboration ensures equitable access to technology for clinics across the country serving underinsured and uninsured individuals and families
MedShare, in partnership with BD and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), is proud to announce the donation of 92 new portable ultrasound machines to free and safety-net clinics in 30 states across the United States. This donation will dramatically enhance access to vital diagnostic imaging services for underserved populations, particularly in rural and low-income communities.
In addition to the equipment donation, the MedShare biomedical support team will provide essential technical training through NAFC to clinic staff on proper installation, use, and ongoing maintenance of the ultrasound machines. This training is a critical sustainability measure, ensuring that clinics—many of which lack the resources and technical expertise to care for biomedical equipment—can fully integrate these tools into their healthcare offerings.
The ultrasound machines will significantly improve patient care, especially in areas such as OBGYN services and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) care. For OBGYN patients, ultrasounds are vital for early detection and management of pregnancy complications, gynecological conditions, and reproductive health issues. In PAD care, ultrasound technology plays a crucial role in diagnosing vascular diseases, enabling early intervention that can prevent severe outcomes like limb amputation or cardiovascular events.
Through extensive collaboration and research with BD and NAFC, many of the unique barriers faced by free and charitable healthcare providers in delivering comprehensive care were identified. By placing point-of-care ultrasounds in these clinics, we are not only helping to improve healthcare delivery but also empowering local practitioners with tools to perform earlier diagnoses, increase care utilization, and ultimately reduce the reliance on emergency rooms.
This initiative marks a significant step toward transforming healthcare access for the most vulnerable communities in the U.S. These ultrasound machines will be game-changers, enabling clinics to provide more timely, effective care, and ultimately improving health outcomes in underserved populations.
We are thrilled to support the tireless work of NAFC’s member clinics and the providers who are delivering essential care to underserved patients across the country. Together, we are making a tangible impact and ensuring that high-quality healthcare is within reach for all.
About BD
Creating a healthier, more equitable world is inherently woven into our Purpose of advancing the world of health™, as well as our business strategy to identify gaps and provide innovative solutions for challenges that are not currently – or efficiently – being addressed.
We are actively working to advance health access by meeting health systems where they are today to help maximize their ability to provide quality patient care. We are leveraging our capabilities and expertise, establishing public-private partnerships and creating scalable programs that help strengthen health systems. This strategy is reliant on:
Our technology and innovation: BD leverages the global reach of our products, research, solutions, and expertise to help ensure health systems, healthcare workers, and patients have access to life-saving technologies, regardless of geography, demographics, or socioeconomic status.
Our public-private partnerships: BD partners with governments and global humanitarian organizations to help support and advocate for health systems that serve under-represented populations around the world and help create an enabling environment to increase healthcare access.
Our investment in health system strengthening: BD makes investments that build, strengthen, and maintain critical competencies and resources that are needed to improve the delivery of care within under-resourced settings.
About NAFC
The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) is the only nonprofit 501c(3) organization whose mission is solely focused on the issues and needs of medically underserved people throughout the U.S. and the more than 1,400 Free and Charitable Clinics and Charitable Pharmacies that serve them. NAFC programs provide a wide range of support to our members and in turn patients through funding, education and training, advocacy, standards, disaster relief, and more.
