The Cardinal Health Foundation announced it will award 38 grants to help non-profit healthcare institutions across the country improve the effectiveness, efficiency and excellence of patient care. In total, the Foundation will award $764,555. Boston Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital are two of the recipients.

The Cardinal Health E3 Grant Program awarded funding of up to $35,000 per grant to health care providers in 22 states. This is the seventh year for the E3 Grant Program and the Cardinal Health Foundation has awarded more than $7 million in funding to 249 hospitals, health systems or other health-related organizations across the country.

This year's E3 Grant Program called for proposals that addressed one of three areas: projects that will improve medication safety, particularly as patients move from hospital environments to the home and other health care settings; projects that, in partnership with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), improve operating room safety and test a protocol for assessing risk and implementing changes in the operating room to reduce pressure ulcers during surgery; or projects that result in the implementation of best practices in the care of babies born addicted to opiates.

"After six years of providing support to health care providers, we are so pleased to continue offering these grants to organizations that are working to implement best practices and improve the effectiveness, excellence and efficiency of patient care," said Dianne Radigan, vice president of Community Relations. "Cardinal Health has a vested interest in helping health care providers save days, dollars and lives by working collaboratively to improve the quality of care nationwide. We congratulate this year's winners and commend each organization for their work to achieve meaningful, long-term improvements."

The Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and international programs that improve health care quality and build healthy communities. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage employee service to the community and works through international agencies to donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of disaster. To learn more, visit cardinalhealth.com/community.