Katie Howe is a third-year PharmD candidate at the Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove.
Health care is for everyone. However, there are many who go without access to preventive medicine. Housing-insecure populations are much more likely to go without primary care services due to the instability in their life that inhibits access, but despite their increased need there are few service opportunities to help connect this population to such resources.
At the Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove, we recognized this problem and attempted to help address it. Our APhA–ASP Chapter partnered with the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) and local organizations to help make health care more accessible for these patients.
The services
We work with Morningstar Mission, a shelter for housing-insecure individuals located in Joliet, IL, a suburb of Chicago. It offers a variety of programs including women’s, children’s, and veterans’ programs as well as programs for those recovering from substance use disorder. In addition to its programs for residents, it also opens its doors daily to serve meals to those in need. APhA–ASP and AAPP partnered with Morningstar to expand their projects to include health screenings and education.
Our Chapter’s Operation Heart and Operation Diabetes teams work together to provide BP and blood glucose screenings to the patients. After measuring their glucose and BP, we have a conversation with patients about their target ranges, any feasible lifestyle modifications, and their next steps. AAPP also provides a booth to discuss mental health concerns, including the safe use of psychiatric and OTC medications. They also organize games and interactive booths for children so they can learn about health topics in a fun and engaging way.
We also work to tailor our services to what the program directors view as most beneficial for their specific population. For example, one way in which we had to change from our standard conduct was not wearing white coats during screenings as a way to alleviate patient anxiety and create a sense of equality among all members of the conversation.
Look forward to our visits
The students who volunteer with Morningstar Mission feel satisfied because it allows them to give back to the community as well as address underlying biases they might have. Hearing patients’ stories helps them build compassion and empathy, especially around factors such as poverty and substance use disorders. Meanwhile, patients at Morningstar Mission look forward to our visits every other month, which let them see how their blood pressure and blood glucose are trending over time. They are also provided with a safe place to ask questions about mental and physical health and receive information from reliable resources.
The future
After a year of implementation, the collaboration with Morningstar has been a great success. We are currently looking to increase the frequency of our visits. It’s also our goal to expand services to include further screenings such as A1C or cholesterol, and to reach an even larger population. Our hope as we move forward is to continue to foster a sense of empathy in students and a feeling in patients of empowerment regarding their health.