Delivering comfort, removing barriers and providing healing

Meds to Beds program provides patients with convenient access to medication

Every day, our pharmacists grab their mortars and pestles, don their white coats and help work their medicinal magic throughout both Cook Children’s Medical Centers. Among this team are dedicated pharmacy technicians who take 12,000 steps (five miles!) daily, know every secret passageway and deliver prescribed medication right to the bedside of our patients who are preparing to go home.

In 2018, Ozioma Olowu, PharmD, BCPPS, assistant vice president of Cook Children’s Pharmacy, wanted to remove more of our patients’ barriers to accessing our on-site pharmacy. In her research, Ozioma found that across health care, over 50% of patients were not filling their prescriptions before leaving the hospital. This could be due to many things, including language differences, the cost of medications or health literacy.

“I understand what it’s like being a parent with a child in the hospital,” said Ozioma. “The last thing you want to do is stop at another pharmacy on the way home. As a pharmacy department, we want to ensure patients have what they need to heal.”

In spring 2019, Cook Children’s Pharmacy started the Meds to Beds program. This is an easy and convenient way for families to fill prescribed medications once their child is ready to go home. All the family has to do is tell their nurse or case manager they’d like to fill their prescriptions on-site and provide their prescription insurance plan information. The pharmacy staff then handles all authorizations, coordinates with insurance providers and arranges delivery to the child’s room.

“The most rewarding part of the day is walking into the room and the kids running and hugging us,” said Stephanie Martinez, pharmacy technician. “They know once they see us, they can go home.”

The Pharmacy department works closely with Case Management and our Cook Children’s social workers.

“Families are so surprised to hear about our Meds to Beds program,” said Vivian Gonzalez, pharmacy technician. “So often, they don’t know we also can offer financial assistance for families facing a high-cost burden for medication.”

By partnering with Case Management, the Pharmacy can help a family who can’t afford their child’s medication. Offering this assistance to a family provides much-needed relief.

“It’s important for our donors to know their gift is so helpful in supporting our patients,” said Ozioma. “Having programs like Meds to Beds and financial assistance for medication allows us to remove barriers for our patients. We couldn’t do that without the generosity of our donors.”