Faces of 340B

Nancy Cruz, PHARMACY COMPLIANCE MANAGER, BAYSTATE HEALTH, MA

Patients often need help with their medications, and there is no better person to provide this assistance than pharmacy experts who can offer one-on-one education. That’s why Baystate Health, a four-hospital health system in Western Massachusetts, embeds discharge liaisons in its academic medical center as well as pharmacists in its inner-city clinics. These professionals provide support that includes conducting medication reconciliation, promoting medication adherence, and teaching patients how to administer injectable drugs. Baystate Health relies on 340B savings to provide this patient assistance as well as financial help for patients who can’t afford their care, says Nancy Cruz, the pharmacy compliance manager for the system. The result is less burden on other system care providers and healthier patients who require fewer hospital admissions.