Information provided by Susan Landry, PharmD. at Trinity Mercy Primary Care Center Pharmacy in Detroit, MI. 

In addition to the Dispensary of Hope inventory, we are able to provide our patients with sample over-the-counter (OTC) medications and products. Patients who qualify for OTC samples include uninsured patients, patients who do not qualify for Dispensary of Hope, patients who participate in Prescription Assistance Programs (PAP), and Medicare patients with prescription plans that do not cover OTC products. 

We are able to provide our customers with OTC sample products after we have tried to run their insurance and find that their insurance has lapsed or they have no insurance at all. These samples help our clinic alleviate costs for OTC meds where we would end up eating the cost ourselves. 

With the help of our providers, we are able to sign up and order many OTC samples directly through the manufacturers' website and/or via phone calls. They are tracked as any samples would be (signed in, signed out, etc.) but are handled through the pharmacy instead of through the office. We try to provide as many OTC samples to as many patients as we can alleviating some of the cost and time burden. Available OTC samples include Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Miralax, Zyrtec, Claritin, Baby aspirin, Prilosec, and more. 

This program is a win-win situation for the patient as well as our clinic, and it allows us to serve our patients with the medications they need. For a list of all OTC samples available, click here! 

To learn more about this patient resource, as well as others, don't forget to register for our webinar on December 4th! You can see the entire series of webinars here. 

* Important Note: When implementing programs like this, it is important to investigate state regulations as well as the federal Prescription Drug Marketing Act's sections on sample donations. 

by Britni Thibodeau, PharmD Candidate 2020

Belmont University College of Pharmacy

Quick Facts:

September is Pain Awareness Month, bringing to light the many patients suffering with various types of inflammatory and musculoskeletal disorders. Not all pain can be pinpointed to an exact location, so it is often an obstacle healthcare providers must overcome to accurately diagnose and treat these patients safely and effectively. Current tools available to categorize and/or rate pain are also incredibly subjective, forcing providers to rely almost entirely on patient-reported descriptors and discomfort level in combination with using sound clinical judgement. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed a three-step '"ladder" approach for the appropriate treatment of pain in adults. The WHO guideline recommends at the onset of pain the use of nonopioids first (NSAIDS, acetaminophen); then, mild opioids, if necessary (codeine); and, finally, medium to strong opioids (morphine). 2  Incorporating a tiered approach into addressing patient symptoms of pain may better control pain management and minimize unnecessary and careless prescribing patterns. In addition, this step-by-step approach can lead to a decrease in the misuse of prescription pain medicine by only prescribing them after trial failures of available over-the-counter (OTC) and non-opioid products. 

To read more and for references, click  HERE  ! 

* Don't forget to take our eHope Survey, asking the question on large bottle sizes! This survey closes on September 27th. 

*Dr. Hillary Blackburn, our Director of Pharmaceutical Services, will begin a new Webinar series this October. These webinars will review our most recent Charitable Formulary and any updates you need to know! Register for the series by clicking HERE. 

* Mark your Calendar  - Quarterly Numbers are due on October 10th! 

Ascension Wisconsin Visit

Earlier this month Account Manager, Kasey Gregory, had the opportunity to join Paul Mollo, PharmD, Ascension's National Director of Medication Outcomes Disparity, to visit several locations in Wisconsin! 

(Kasey Gregory and Paul Mollo, PharmD, pictured below) 

Partnering with the Dispensary of Hope since early 2017, Ascension Wisconsin has ten locations that participate in the Dispensary of Hope program. Visiting five of their ten locations, the team was able to see the best practices and upcoming plans for the system-wide effort to reduce medication disparity. One of the biggest take-aways was the use of technology to connect scarce resources to the communities in need. Kasey and Paul also joined in the community's Medical Mission at Home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Through the use of Dispensary of Hope medication, as well as other sources, the pharmacy was able to fill 176 prescriptions for patients needing assistance. Dr. Mollo says, " It was amazing to see the innovative ways that Ascension Wisconsin's pharmacy team has deployed cost effective ways to reach more patients with lifesaving medications at affordable prices using the Dispensary of Hope as well as other services to face the growing issue of medication disparity in the communities they serve". 

Pictured L to R: Steve Shuda, RPh, Kasey Gregory, Kris Cyr, PharmD, and Mike Torhorst, RPh

Don't forget about the Dispensary of Hope Resources page ! We have compiled a wealth of resources to help you with your Dispensary of Hope and Charitable Programs. Click HERE to visit the Resource Library!