MIDWEST ROUNDUP
|
340B Program at
NorthShore Health Centers Offers
Prescription
Drug Discounts of Up to 60 Percent
NorthShore
Health Centers recently announced a new program in partnership with healthcare
technology company SUNRx that will help provide discounted prescription drugs to
low-income patients who may be struggling to afford medications.
“During tough
economic times, it becomes even more difficult for families to afford
prescription drugs,” said Janice Wilson, CEO of NorthShore, which provides
medical and dental care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. “It is
important that we do everything possible to ensure that our patients have access
to the medications they need.”
NorthShore
recently partnered with SUNRx to implement a 340B discount program for the
health center. Created by the federal government to expand access to affordable
medications, 340B programs discount medications up to 60 percent below retail
prices through qualified community health centers and hospitals. Despite the
need, many community health centers have limited 340B programs, or none at all,
due to the program’s complexity. SUNRx’s fully automated solution helps health
centers manage 340B programs, reduce paperwork and provide more effective
patient care.
NorthShore
will use SUNRx technology to offer prescription discounts through the health
center’s in-house pharmacy in Lake Station. Soon, NorthShore will also open a
pharmacy at the Scottsdale Health Center in Portage. Having pharmacies with
discounted medications at the health center allows patients to save time, money
and gas. NorthShore patients can also have prescriptions filled at the Fagan
Pharmacies on Highway 6 in South Haven (Valparaiso) and East 37th Avenue in
Hobart.
“Previously,
we had a limited drug discount program. But as the number of NorthShore patients
grew and the need for affordable medications became more pronounced, we needed a
more effective program,” said Wilson. “We will rely on SUNRx to help us ensure
that every eligible patient is able to fill a prescription at a price they can
afford.”
NorthShore
provides care to 25,000 patients and experiences more than 65,000 patient visits
each year. The health center’s patients are not unlike those nationwide who
struggle to afford medications. In a recent study by the Kaiser Foundation, more
than a quarter of Americans said they have not filled a prescription because of
the expense, and nearly one in five said they cut pills in half or skipped doses
in an attempt to save money.
Based in
Mount Laurel, N.J., SUNRx, Inc. provides automated solutions for federally
qualified health centers and disproportionate share hospitals for the
administration of government 340B discount drug pricing programs. Community
health centers nationwide rely on SUNRx to manage the complexities and risks
associated with administering 340B, including management of sliding fee scales,
formularies, reporting, payments, patient enrollment and eligibility, invoicing,
inventory, patient drug cards and regulatory compliance, including diversion
safeguards. For more information, contact SUNRx at 800-220-340B, or visit
www.340Bsimplified.com.
NorthShore
Health Centers is a community-based health and education center that provides
access to quality, culturally sensitive health and dental care services
regardless of ability to pay, in order to promote continuous comprehensive
health care in Northwest Indiana. For more information, call (219) 763-8112.
02/24/10 |

|
|
Missouri
Pharmacist Magazine Is Going Green
Beginning
with the first issue in March, the Missouri Pharmacist, official
publication of the Missouri Pharmacy Association (MPA) will be published
electronically, according to an article in the Fourth Quarter 2009 edition of
the publication.
The decision,
pointed out the article, will allow Missouri Pharmacist to “become a more
timely, comprehensive and interactive publication.” The electronic issues will
be emailed to all MPA members, and made available online immediately in the
“members only” section of www.morx.com.
02/24/10 |

|
MIDWEST PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
|
Walgreens
Reports Several Executive Changes
Walgreens
announced the following executive changes and promotions: Laura K. Merten,
currently Walgreens divisional vice president of health law, has been named
divisional vice president of compliance, loss prevention and profit sharing. She
replaces Chester G. Young, who retired at the end of January after 41
years with the company. Merten also will replace Young as the company’s chief
compliance officer while continuing her role as Walgreens privacy officer.
Merten joined
Walgreens as an attorney in the law department in 1988 and was promoted to
director of new business development in 2000. She was named the company’s
privacy officer in 2002 and promoted to director of Walgreens Health Services
legal division in 2004. She was promoted to her current position in 2007.
Young joined
Walgreens in 1968 as a marketing analyst. After several promotions, he was named
general auditor in 1988 and became a divisional vice president in 1995. He added
the title of chief compliance officer in 1999.
Replacing
Merten as divisional vice president of health law is Bryan A. Schneider,
currently Walgreens director of health care contracting and regulatory law.
Schneider joined Walgreens in 2000 as a senior attorney in corporate and
regulatory law. In 2005, he was promoted to Walgreens Health Services director
of government affairs. He was named to his current position in 2008.
Paul Eddy
has joined the company
as divisional vice president of pharmacy applications, reporting to chief
information officer Tim Theriault. He will support the needs of the
company’s pharmacy business and initiatives, including its Intercom Plus
pharmacy system.
Eddy
previously was senior vice president and director of technology strategy and
governance at PNC Financial Services. He also was senior vice president and
business information officer at National City Bank, a part of PNC, from 2004 to
2009.
03/04/10 |

|
|
Illinois Board
of Pharmacy
Sudhir
Manek, RPh, has been
elected chairperson of the Illinois Board of Pharmacy. Robert Anselmo,
RPh, was elected vice chairperson of the same board.
02/24/10 |

|
|
Oklahoma State
Board of Pharmacy
James
Spoon, DPh, was elected
president of the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy and William Osborn, DPh,
was elected vice president.
02/24/10 |

|
|
Kansas State
Board of Pharmacy
David
Schoech,
RPh, has been appointed a member of the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy. His
appointment will end April 30, 2013.02/24/10 |

|
|
Michigan Board
of Pharmacy
Dhafer
Almaklani, RPh, has
been appointed a member of the Michigan Board of Pharmacy. That appointment will
expire June 30, 2013.
Pamela
Bufe-Wyett has been
appointed a public member of the Michigan board. Her appointment will end June
30, 2013.
Ilene
Hartman-Abramson, PhD,
has been appointed a public member of the Michigan board. That appointment will
expire June 30, 2013.
Harvey
Schmidt, RPh, was
elected chairperson of the Michigan board and Suhair Farida, RPh, was
elected vice chairperson.
02/24/10 |

|
|
Ohio State
Board of Pharmacy
Brian
Joyce, RPh, has been
appointed a member of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. His appointment will end
June 29, 2013.
02/24/10 |

|
Site Map | Contact Us
|