Patients with serious illnesses need support. A good medical team, family, support groups and financial assistance are the pillars of success of patients’ treatments.
- Support groups provide counseling on how to manage the medical conditions, how to deal with social and behavioral factors and may also provide financial support.
- Family support is a much needed support since patient sees family the most. Love, care and attention is all these patients need to live longer and healthier.
- Financial support- This is a huge barrier when it comes to adherence to treatments. But in today’s world of communication and technology, it’s not that hard to find help of any sort. That’s how your pharmacist can be so helpful.
Once a patient is seen by a doctor, tests ordered and prescriptions written, it then comes down to execution part. In majority of cases, patients who do not have support from family or friends tend to become non-compliant or non-adherent. In some cases, procedures and medications are unaffordable. Even if patients are insured, the copays and coinsurances are not affordable sometimes. Your pharmacist can be of huge help to find financial support for your prescriptions. Support groups can help you find financial help with procedures, transportation, accommodation, etc. The following are some of the resources:
- American Cancer Society (ACS)
- Patient assistance network (PAN)
- Ronald McDonald Foundation
- Lymphoma Leukemia Society (LLS)
- Patient advocate foundation
- American Diabetes Association
- Joslin Diabetes Center
- Diabetes Research Institute
- American Liver Foundation
- Hepatitis B foundation
- Healthwell FOundation
Useful Apps to download:
- Glucocious for Diabetes:
IOS link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glucocious/id1252928129?mt=8
Android link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glucocious.Glucocious
- Avella for Hepatitis C
- Avella for Oncology
Over the Counter 