AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and Pharmacy of Grace Announce Significant Donation to Support Affordable Medication Access

KANSAS CITY, Kan., June 10, 2024 — AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and Pharmacy of Grace proudly announced their partnership to help uninsured and underinsured people afford their medication every month on a long-term basis. AdventHealth Shawnee Mission has generously given $35,000 to Pharmacy of Grace, this funding will support patients’ need to have consistent access to life-saving medications that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

“When patients cannot afford their medication, they skip doses or find other ways to stretch their medications, which is incredibly dangerous. Ultimately, that patient might end up back in the hospital because they are not managing their disease,” said John Yost, Co-Founder of Pharmacy of Grace. "This partnership with AdventHealth will help Pharmacy of Grace reach many more patients."

This donation also signifies AdventHealth Shawnee Mission’s broader charitable reach to benefit the communities of Johnson and Wyandotte Counties.

“This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to providing affordable and accessible care to the people in need of one-time or long-term medication support,” said Ronnie Chanvitayapongs, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. “This donation reflects the mission we have in caring for our patients, but it also reflects our commitment to caring for our community as a whole, ensuring everyone has the ability to afford their medications and continue their treatment.”

Access to prescription medication is critical, but non-adherence is a major issue. Nationally, 20-30% of prescriptions are never filled, and 50% of those filled for chronic conditions are not taken as prescribed. Pharmacy of Grace tackles this problem by making medications affordable (on a sliding scale basis for patients who qualify for the Grace Meds program) and through its one-on-one counseling offered to every patient to ensure they understand what the medicine is for and how to take it correctly.

Pharmacy of Grace is grateful for AdventHealth's support and belief in the mission. Together, hope is being offered to patients who have struggled to reach their health goals when they cannot afford their medications.

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About Pharmacy of Grace

Pharmacy of Grace is a 501c(3) nonprofit in Wyandotte County, Kansas. Its location in Kansas City, Kansas near I-635 and Minnesota Avenue is an area of tremendous social and healthcare need, with 30-40% of residents uninsured and the highest number of people living in poverty in the Kansas City Metro. The Pharmacy of Grace mission is to improve access to prescription medication for uninsured and underinsured individuals and as people are able to afford their medication, they will improve their overall health and quality of life. Learn more at PharmacyofGrace.org

About AdventHealth in Kansas City

With a sacred mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, AdventHealth is a connected system of care for every stage of life and health. A focus on whole-person health and commitment to caring for the body, mind and spirit unify the system's nearly 50 hospital campuses and hundreds of care sites in diverse markets throughout almost a dozen states. AdventHealth in Kansas City includes AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Merriam, KS; AdventHealth Prairie Star; AdventHealth South Overland Park, AdventHealth College Boulevard, AdventHealth Centra Care and AdventHealth Medical Group. Visit AdventHealthKC.com for more information.