BILH opens on-site pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center in Dorchester

Newswise — BOSTON – Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) today announced the opening of an on-site pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center in Dorchester. The new BILH Pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center will expand access to convenient medications for the health center’s approximately 11,000 patients other members of the Bowdoin-Geneva community.

“Beth Israel Lahey Health is committed to delivering exceptional, patient-centered care, including convenient access to prescription medication,” said Jess De Jesus, BILH’s chief pharmacy officer. “The BILH Pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center will be a significant addition to the important resources the health center has provided in the community for decades. With an on-site pharmacy, care teams and pharmacists can work closely together on innovative approaches to medication management that will help our patients and the community live healthier lives.”

“We are excited to bring this new resource to the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood as the health center enters our 50th year of service,” said Samantha Taylor, executive director of the Bowdoin Street Health Center. “Our on-site pharmacy will allow us to continue our commitment to the community by providing medications to our patients in a culturally-competent environment.”

Integration of the pharmacy and clinical care teams will help facilitate optimal medication management and adherence by distributing prescriptions and instructions in a patient’s preferred language and having pharmacists available on-site to address patient questions. The pharmacy also provides enhanced services such as “blister packs” mailed to patients to more easily manage complex drug regimens and will partner with patients to expand enrollment in and eligibility for patient co-pay assistance programs.

Since 1972, Bowdoin Street Health Center has provided culturally appropriate adult and pediatric primary care, management of chronic diseases, and behavioral health services to a diverse patient population. The health center is an active participant of the Dorchester community, partnering with local organizations and the City of Boston on programming to prevent violence; improve access to affordable and healthy foods; enhance parks and public spaces; engage youth in leadership training; and promote wellness through exercise and stress reduction. In recognition of this work and to partner in expanding access to affordable medications, the Yawkey Foundation and Lizbeth and George Krupp each recently gifted $1 million to support the opening of the pharmacy.

“Access to high-quality health care, especially among the underserved, was an issue of great importance to Tom Yawkey and Jean Yawkey during their lifetimes,” said Maureen H. Bleday, chief executive officer and trustee of the Yawkey Foundation.  “Bowdoin Street Health Center has been dedicated to enhancing the well-being of residents in the Bowdoin-Geneva community for 50 years, and Yawkey Foundation is honored to partner with them to remove barriers by enabling patients to leave clinical visits with medications in hand, which will be a critical step toward improving positive health outcomes.”

“The new pharmacy will provide immediate access to medications for the health center’s patient population and reaffirms the Krupp family's commitment to building healthy, thriving communities," said Lizbeth and George Krupp.

The BILH Pharmacy at Bowdoin Street Health Center is located at 230 Bowdoin Street in Dorchester and is open Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, and Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, please visit our Pharmacy page.

About Beth Israel Lahey Health Beth Israel Lahey Health is a new health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,800 physicians and 36,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through ground breaking research and education.

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