Medicine for the World: A Guide for Medication Acquisition for Charitable Care Settings
Location
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-5-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
4-5-2024 11:30 AM
Poster Number
46
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
Emily Flores
Faculty Sponsor's Department
Pharmacy Practice
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Poster Presentation
Presentation Category
Health
Abstract or Artist's Statement
Objective: Charitable care is provided through ongoing free/indigent care clinics, as well as through short-term outreach events, within the United States (US) and in low-resource settings abroad by many individuals and teams each year. Charitable care settings, both stateside and abroad, need equitable access to medications and supplies, which can be challenging in low-resource settings. Obtaining necessary items locally is preferred and beneficial, but not always feasible. To fill this gap, nonprofit organizations exist to help health professionals obtain the resources needed to provide charitable care. The purpose of this research is to develop “Medicine for the World,” a guidance document to assist health professionals through the process of sourcing medications for charitable care, and to support healthcare teams in the development of rural/medically underserved and global outreach initiatives. Methods: To develop Medicine for the World, researchers are currently conducting a two-stage literature and resource analysis. Stage one focuses on considerations for obtaining medications for charitable care abroad. This includes a review of recommendations for determining local availability and universal requirements for transporting medications abroad. Stage two focuses on the process of obtaining medications and supplies from nonprofit organizations. Researchers will review and evaluate organizations based on qualifying outreach types (US and/or abroad), ordering process, frequency of ordering, medication source(s), expanse of medications and supplies offered, expiration date considerations, and shipping considerations. Results: Findings from both stages will be reported in descriptive tables. These tables will be compiled into a single document that will be published on a universally available online platform. Conclusions: Medicine for the World will provide clear instructions on opportunities to obtain medications and supplies through local resources and nonprofit organizations for charitable care settings. Healthcare teams, whether embedded in the community or academic settings, are uniquely equipped to sponsor and provide charitable care, and with increasing interest in global experiences among healthcare professionals, Medicine for the World may be utilized, both stateside or abroad, to assist with equitable access to medications and supplies as healthcare providers work to expand these efforts.
Medicine for the World: A Guide for Medication Acquisition for Charitable Care Settings
D.P. Culp Center Ballroom
Objective: Charitable care is provided through ongoing free/indigent care clinics, as well as through short-term outreach events, within the United States (US) and in low-resource settings abroad by many individuals and teams each year. Charitable care settings, both stateside and abroad, need equitable access to medications and supplies, which can be challenging in low-resource settings. Obtaining necessary items locally is preferred and beneficial, but not always feasible. To fill this gap, nonprofit organizations exist to help health professionals obtain the resources needed to provide charitable care. The purpose of this research is to develop “Medicine for the World,” a guidance document to assist health professionals through the process of sourcing medications for charitable care, and to support healthcare teams in the development of rural/medically underserved and global outreach initiatives. Methods: To develop Medicine for the World, researchers are currently conducting a two-stage literature and resource analysis. Stage one focuses on considerations for obtaining medications for charitable care abroad. This includes a review of recommendations for determining local availability and universal requirements for transporting medications abroad. Stage two focuses on the process of obtaining medications and supplies from nonprofit organizations. Researchers will review and evaluate organizations based on qualifying outreach types (US and/or abroad), ordering process, frequency of ordering, medication source(s), expanse of medications and supplies offered, expiration date considerations, and shipping considerations. Results: Findings from both stages will be reported in descriptive tables. These tables will be compiled into a single document that will be published on a universally available online platform. Conclusions: Medicine for the World will provide clear instructions on opportunities to obtain medications and supplies through local resources and nonprofit organizations for charitable care settings. Healthcare teams, whether embedded in the community or academic settings, are uniquely equipped to sponsor and provide charitable care, and with increasing interest in global experiences among healthcare professionals, Medicine for the World may be utilized, both stateside or abroad, to assist with equitable access to medications and supplies as healthcare providers work to expand these efforts.