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ECU Health, ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital, ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital and Access East have partnered together to continue the work of the Access East Health Assist Uninsured Network. Health Assist is a network of community-based organizations and clinical providers working to increase access to primary care, specialty care and supportive services for the uninsured and underinsured.

Due to Medicaid expansion, there are now residents who are eligible for health insurance; however, some will remain in the “coverage gap” for various reasons. Funding from The Duke Endowment has allowed Health Assist to strengthen their infrastructure and expand services throughout eastern and northeastern North Carolina.

Health Assist provides various programs including:

Medication Assistance Program (MAP) – Helps people acquire medicines they cannot afford.

MEND – Runs two free health clinics in Pitt County and refers patients to other lower-cost eastern North Carolina healthcare services, including specialists.

Colonoscopy Project – Offers free testing and treatment through their partners at Carolina Digestive Diseases.

Diabetes Supply Initiative – Provides patients who qualify with diabetes-treatment supplies, at no cost.

Farmworker Program – Helps eastern North Carolina H-2A farmworkers and their families with health needs, including CPR training, and skin-cancer testing.

The following is a patient success story of how the Health Assist works to help those in need.

A phone call was received from ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital that a patient was admitted due to having a blood sugar level above 800. The patient was experiencing Diabetic Ketoacidosis (a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when the body does not have enough insulin to process blood sugar) and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Communication took place between a Nurse Case Manager at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital and a Health Assist Social Work Case Manager to ensure efficient and effective care coordination.

The patient was originally seen at a local free health clinic to receive access to care due to being uninsured. At the free clinic, the patient was enrolled in the Health Assist program. Upon enrollment, the patient received access to over $500 worth of medications from the ECU Health Pharmacy, which was delivered to the patient post discharge. The patient received a blood pressure cuff, glucometer, strips, lancets, and alcohol wipes and was connected to a primary care provider at a Federally Qualified Health Center for ongoing care, an Ophthalmologist for an eye exam, and a Podiatrist for proper foot care, due to being diabetic. The patient was also linked to Health Assist’s regional Medication Assistance Coordinator for the purpose of being connected to available prescription assistance programs to ensure the proper access to needed medications.

Overall, the patient received more than $1,000 worth of services, supplies and the tools needed to prevent a future emergency room visit. The patient is currently being followed by a case manager with the Health Assist program.

For more information about the Health Assist Uninsured Network, contact Shantell Cheek, Director of Uninsured Programs, at 252-847-2224 or email Shantell.Cheek@AccessEast.org.