SAINT LOUIS, Mo. — Greater Health Pharmacy is making a difference for those living in pharmacy deserts, and now, this new program will make sure that people will get their prescriptions and fresh food delivered straight to their doors.
The pharmacy touts itself on being inclusive from who it serves to how it serves.
"Understanding that around 50,000 people live in pharmacy deserts, we wanted to create a robust delivery system that is able to reach a lot of our residents in the St. Louis area," said Marcus Howard, the founder of Greater Health Pharmacy.
So, it was a no-brainer that a pharmacy that delivers might also drop off food as medicine.
"We're able to distribute it to a lot of our patients who are experiencing hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes," Howard. said
Operation Food Search is now partnering with the pharmacy to get food boxes to patients each month.
"We pack the bags with nutrient dense foods," said Kristen Wild, the CEO of Operation Food Search. "Our nutrition specialists collaborate with the pharmacist from Greater Health to discuss what is good for those with chronic health conditions to help them manage their symptoms."
Wild said they also take suggestions. In the first couple of weeks, a patient asked for cabbage. So, now cabbage will likely be in the next box. The boxes are then delivered to pharmacy clients along with their life saving medication. The organizers said it's an innovative but common sense approach to solving problems for a wide range of community members.
"These patients are across lines of difference, whether it's across races, across genders across sexual orientation is cross country of origin," said Howard.
The pilot program is reaching people who've fallen through the cracks.
"We talk a lot about the last mile and how difficult it can be for food insecure individuals who don't have transportation or the resources to get a bus to a food outlet to get the food resources they need," Wild said.
"When people are getting these free items, some of our patients cry," Howard said. "They jump in excitement, because they've never experienced a health care provider that actually cares about the holistic journey for their health. And so we care not only to give them medication, but we want them to lead a more healthy lifestyle."
The best part is that it's free for pharmacy clients.
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