Helping patients help themselves

Rich Sagall

RICH SAGALL, MD

Fam Pract Manag. 2005;12(8):24

I read with interest the article by Dr. Lisa McTavish and Susie Gray, “Helping Needy Patients Get Needed Medications” [June 2005]. They raise a number of good points and give much good advice.

I want to point out that there are resources that patients can use to learn more about patient assistance programs. Most patients who get the information can complete most of the paperwork themselves, thus saving the physician’s office time and effort. NeedyMeds (www.needymeds.com), a non-profit organization of which I am president, is one such source. We provide information on pharmaceutical patient assistance programs, state programs, local programs and other types of assistance. Our data is updated on a regular basis, and it’s free.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Send your comments to fpmedit@aafp.org. Submission of a letter will be construed as granting AAFP permission to publish the letter in any of its publications in any form. We cannot respond to all letters we receive. Those chosen for publication will be edited for length and style.

Continue Reading

More in FPM

More in PubMed

This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP. See permissions for copyright questions and/or permission requests.