In April 2011 the MetroWest Free Medical Program in Sudbury received a $25,000 grant from the Foundation to support the expansion of services offered to include routine chronic disease screening; and to increase health education activities designed to address health literacy.
In FY 2011 the organization’s biggest accomplishment was the addition of three new “stations” of services – cardiovascular risk factor screening, pharmacy education, and discharge nurse education – to the flow of operations in this volunteer-run program. At the Sudbury site of the clinic there were 1,429 patient visits during the grant period. As of the first 3 months of 2012, more than 98 percent of patients receiving prescription medications are meeting with a pharmacist for education and about two-thirds of patients are receiving addition health education from the discharge nurse prior to leaving the clinic visit.
Not all patients are interested/willing to have their cholesterol tested, however about 50 percent of those who are screened and 75 percent of those with two or more risk factors are being tested during their visit. Health and nutrition education is provided to those patients with elevated cholesterol levels. This grant has helped shift the philosophy of the organization from merely providing care for ailments that patients brought in to addressing risk factors, chronic disease, and the health literacy and educational needs of a diverse group of patients.
“The Mass Medical Society and Alliance Charitable Foundation allows the
MetroWest Free Medical Program to be a place where generous medical
volunteers can truly have an impact on healthcare needs in our
community. With support for medical supplies, health education and
coordination, our program has been able to grow and expand to offer a
variety of services to address both acute and chronic disease and,
increasingly, offer prevention and health education activities.”
- Kim
Prendergast, Executive Director, MetroWest Free Medical Program
Past Grants
