September 2010 Patient Advocate News

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PATIENTADVOCATENEWS Patient Advocates,

EDITOR’SNOTE

SEPOCT2010

News and information about patient assistance programs and other health care assistance

There’s a chill in the air and Halloween is just around the corner. The holiday season is not far behind. On the minds of so many Americans this month, in particular on October 12, were the 33 Chilean miners who spent 69 days trapped in the San Jose mine but who were rescued thanks to the joint efforts of individuals and groups from around the world. Companies based in Chile, the U.S., Japan, Australia, South Africa and Canada all worked together to provide supplies, equipment and support required for a successful rescue operation. Just within the U.S., companies from Kansas, Maryland and Pennsylvania—and even NASA—selflessly contributed goods and expertise for the cause. Can you imagine how successful a U.S. health care system rescue mission would be if our government and health care industries worked together the way those companies did for the miners? Vikki Sloviter - Editor

I received an email earlier this year from Jane Cook, Program Director for PrescriptionEase, an Ohio patient advocacy group that helps residents apply for prescription assistance programs that was so passionate that I just had to interview her for this publication. Vikki: As you mentioned in your email to me, PrescriptionEase is a service of the Mount Carmel Health System. Tell us about the history and mission of PE and how it fits in the world of assistance programs. Jane: I was hired over six years ago to start up a new community Medications Assistance Program (MAP) for Mount Carmel Health System (MCHS), working then only part time —off a small Mount Carmel Foundation grant —to serve all four Mount Carmel hospitals in Columbus, Ohio. Now six years later, I am full time, still only completely supported financially by a Mount Carmel Foundation grant and have hired another full-time staff person two years ago, Lisa Hoffman. We specialize in identifying pharmaceutical assistance program opportunities for

prescription drugs and ensuring ongoing medication availability for our needy Mount Carmel patients. What exactly is PrescriptionEase? Is it a medication assistance program, or an advocacy organization? What specific services does it provide, and what are its patient demographics? I feel we are both. We are Mount Carmelʼs community medication assistance program, as well as Mount Carmelʼs “medications” advocate in our four hospital communities. We work with other community health organizations and programs to promote the awareness of such assistance initiatives and to advocate for better medication resources (Continued on next page)


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