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NEW YORK — Genoa Healthcare has opened its 500th pharmacy in the United States serving patients with mental health, substance use disorders and other complex, chronic health conditions.
Partnering with community mental health clinics, Genoa provides pharmacy services to patients in the same facility where they receive their care, making it easier to obtain needed medications and leading to improved health outcomes. Co-locating Genoa pharmacies in local care facilities allows Genoa to build relationships with individual patients and their care managers, resulting in more than 90% medication adherence, compared to 50% or less through most retail pharmacies.
“For two decades, Genoa Healthcare has been dedicated to supporting patients with serious mental illness, substance use disorders and other complex conditions,” said Genoa Healthcare chief executive officer Mark Peterson. “The opening of this new pharmacy, in partnership with Catholic Charities, marks an important milestone in Genoa’s continued commitment to expanding access to mental health pharmacy services and improving outcomes for the people we serve.”
Genoa Healthcare’s 500th pharmacy, located within the Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Center in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., will serve approximately 2,000 patients, many of whom suffer from one or more serious mental health conditions such as clinical depression, schizophrenia, bipolar and/or addiction issues. It is the seventh Genoa pharmacy in New York State and the first integrated pharmacy in New York City, staffed by Genoa pharmacists and technicians providing customized pharmacy services to individuals often insured through Medicaid, Medicare or both.
“Many of our patients have complex medication regimens that require continuous support and intervention. Being down the hall makes it easier to coordinate their care, synchronize medications and improve adherence,” said New York Genoa pharmacist Lauren Sullivan, PharmD. “This type of integrated pharmacy has reduced emergency room visits by 18%, hospitalizations by 40% and significantly reduces the total cost of care for this patient population.”
“Our mission at Catholic Charities is to help the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Reverend Monsignor Alfred LoPinto, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, Brooklyn and Queens and affiliated agencies. “Partnering with Genoa Healthcare to open a pharmacy within our center in Queens will provide a higher level of support and service for those who need it most.”
