Community Free Clinic Newsletter

Prescription for Success

Vol. 1.2 - February 2007

Dr. Garabed A. Fattal Community Free Clinic

The year 2007 continues to bring changes to our Community Free Clinic. One of the more significant changes is the disbanding of the Volunteer Physicians Service Committee (which has been the driving force behind the Community Free Clinic since the concept of a free clinic in Binghamton was first discussed over ten years ago) and the establishment of our clinic’s new Governing Committee. With guidance from these capable individuals, we expect our Free Clinic to continue to meet the increasing health needs of uninsured adults in this community. Membership in our new Governing Committee is comprised of:

Dr. Garabed A. Fattal (Chairman) - SUNY Upstate Med. Univ. Clinical Professor
Dr. Rajesh Davé – Dean, Clinical Campus, VP Medical Affairs/Medical Education, UHS
Dr. Stanley Erney - SUNY Upstate Med. Univ. Professor Emeritus, Family Practice
Ms. Claudia Edwards – Director, Broome County Health Department
Mr. Robert Gomulka - Chief Financial Officer, United Health Services
Mr. Wayne Mateer - Vice President Organizational Effectiveness, Lourdes Hospital
Mr. Michael Zuckerman, Esq. - Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, LLP

Volunteer Appreciation Night

Save the date. We will be holding a Volunteer Appreciation Night at the Binghamton Holiday Inn on Wednesday, April 18, 2007. It will be a time to meet and mingle with your fellow volunteers. We will be sending out more details next month.

Glucose Monitoring Systems

Since September of 2006, we have purchased all of our diabetes test strips through our membership in the National Association of Free Clinics. Bionime is now the only brand of glucose monitoring system that we will provide. We receive these monitors free of charge, and we purchase test strips at a cost of $24 per 100 strips. This represents a significant savings (as much as $50 to $60 for each 100 test strips) over other brands. To date, we have saved over $8,500 by purchasing these diabetic supplies through the NAFC.

We will no longer stock other brands of diabetic testing supplies. Please do not write external prescriptions for any other brand of test strips. If your patient is using another brand of glucose monitoring system, please give them a new Bionime monitor. All Free Clinic patients should be using the Bionime glucose monitoring system now.

Patient Assistance Program

We are off to a great start in 2007. The Brown Bag procedure is working. Everyone has been making a concerted effort to ensure our patients receive the drugs that are waiting for them in those little brown bags. During 2006, we had 52 patients enrolled in Patient Assistance Programs. This represented over 110 separate drug applications. The PAP drugs that we received during 2006 were valued in excess of $40,000. Since January 1, 2007, we have already received over $15,000 in drugs through the various pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs. This represents actual dollars the clinic did not have to spend to purchase these drugs.

Now that we have the Brown Bag procedure is place, the next step in achieving our cost savings goal is to get everyone’s participation with the Green Sheet blitz. The Green Sheet application is the easiest way for a patient to give us all the information we need to begin the patient assistance program sign-up process. From the time our patients first appear at the front window, until they walk out the door with their prescriptions in hand, everyone working at the clinic can help us achieve our goal of enrolling 50 additional PAP patients in 2007.

Current Drug Abundance

Please remember to check with the pharmacist for the most current Drug Abundance list. This list will change frequently, as the availability of donated drugs varies. Please check this list each clinic session, and consider prescribing these medications when appropriate for your patient.

Newsletter Suggestions

Do you have an idea for our next newsletter, or something you would like more information about? Would you like to contribute some news or a brief message to your clinic teammates? Please send your comments, suggestions, and/or news items via email halterb@upstate.edu or fax to the Clinical Campus (772-3536)