Bon Secours launches new pharmacy programs to ensure patients’ ability to access much-needed medications
July 11, 2024
Bon Secours St. Francis is debuting a new Harness Health retail pharmacy at its downtown hospital this week, allowing the health system to also launch two new programs that will make getting prescribed medications much easier for the patients that need them.
“The goal is to increase patient satisfaction while also reducing readmission rates. When patients don’t get the medications prescribed by their doctor, they’re more likely to develop complications and end up back in the hospital instead of making a full recovery,” explained Ginger Schworm Berrie, MBA, RPh, Director of Retail Pharmacy for Harness Health.
The first program being launched, called Meds to Beds, will allow certified pharmacy technicians to deliver prescriptions directly to patients at the bedside prior to discharge so they can skip that trip to the pharmacy before going home. Many studies have shown this added convenience helps improve medication adherence, eliminates potential errors, and ensures a smoother transition from inpatient to outpatient care. After a brief pilot, Meds to Beds will expand in phases until it is available to all patients getting ready to leave the hospital.
“This program will guarantee patients go home with everything they need – including an understanding of their medication and how to take it,” said Berrie.
In addition to the Meds to Beds program, the hospital will be collaborating with Medications of Hope to roll out a medication assistance program to provide medications free of charge to those who qualify. Medications of Hope is a nonprofit medication distributor that represents a nationwide collective effort of nonprofit pharmacies and clinics, driven by the generosity of pharmaceutical manufacturers who donate all of the medication(s).
Through this partnership, Bon Secours will dispense important medications to low-income, chronically ill patients. Any member of the community who doesn’t have insurance and are at or below 300% of the poverty level is eligible to enroll. The program covers drugs most commonly needed for chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
“We know patients who have put off their care or skipped out on buying medications that are imperative to their treatment because they fear they can’t afford it. This program will help us remove that barrier, offer equitable access to healthcare, and increase positive patient outcomes – all things that are a driving force in our mission to improve the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need,” explained Myia Lindsey, Pharm D, Harness Health pharmacy supervisor at Bon Secours.
The Harness Health Pharmacy at Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown Hospital will be open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s one of three in the Upstate – the others being located inside the Bon Secours St. Francis Cancer Center (104 Innovation Drive, Greenville) and the health system’s Simpsonville medical campus (3970 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville). Each location provides comprehensive pharmacy services including prescription refills, vaccinations, as well as personalized assistance navigating insurance benefits to help each patient find affordable access to the medications essential to their well-being.
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System also offers other programs to help patients with medication if they do not qualify for Medications of Hope. For more information on the pharmacy programs offered at Bon Secours, visit bonsecours.com.
About Bon Secours
Bon Secours St. Francis is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH), one of the 20 largest health systems in the United States and the fifth-largest Catholic health system in the country. The ministry’s quality, compassionate care is provided by more than 60,000 associates serving communities in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as throughout Ireland. Bon Secours Mercy Health provides care for patients more than 11 million times annually through its network of more than 1,200 care sites, which includes 49 hospitals. In 2023, BSMH provided more than $600 million dollars in community investments across five states, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to health care for our patients in need. Locally, Bon Secours St. Francis provides compassionate medical care to thousands of area residents through Bon Secours St. Francis Downtown and Bon Secours St. Francis Eastside, as well as a network of primary and specialty care practices, and ambulatory care sites across the Greenville region. The mission of Bon Secours St. Francis is to extend the compassionate ministry of Jesus by improving the health and well-being of our communities and bring good help to those in need, especially people who are poor, dying and underserved. For more information, visit BonSecours.com.
