Twenty-four uninsured patients received free hand surgery through Hand Day, an annual community outreach event hosted by Kettering Health and its partners. The event is designed to connect Dayton-area residents with needed surgical care at no cost.

Surgeries took place Oct. 4 at the Kettering Health Hand Center of Excellence on the campus of Kettering Health Washington Township. In total, 46 procedures were performed. Orthopedic Associates of SW Ohio treated 10 patients and completed 15 procedures, while teams at the Hand Center of Excellence cared for 14 patients and performed 31 procedures.

Hand Day is made possible through a partnership among Kettering Health, Orthopedic Associates of SW Ohio, TeamHealth and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand’s Touching Hands humanitarian program. The annual event provides free consultations, surgery and follow-up care for uninsured patients with a variety of hand conditions.

The program reflects Kettering Health’s commitment to improving the lives of people in the communities it serves by helping ensure financial barriers do not prevent patients from receiving needed care.