Monday, April 24, 2006

Funding to benefit rural pharmacies

The Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care announced it awarded grants totaling $180,000 to preserve access to prescription medications and pharmacy services in several communities in greater Minnesota.

Funding comes from the Rural Pharmacy Planning and Transition Grant Program, which was enacted by the 2005 Minnesota Legislature as par of the Rural Pharmacy Preservation Act.

Grants awarded in the area went to:

¥ Cass Lake Indian Hospital, Cass Lake, $10,000 for a telepharmacy project serving remote areas of the Leech Lake Reservation.

¥ Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, Crosby, $35,000 for a multi-site telepharmacy project to provide after-hours access to a pharmacist for participating hospitals.

The state reported maintaining access to pharmacy services is particularly important because the rural population tens to be older and have more chronic health conditions.

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care will begin accepting applications for 2007 grants early next year. For more information, go online to www.health.state.mn.us.

Source

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