Working for Your Health: Community health center scrambling after Leslie’s closure

As news of the closure of Leslie’s Pharmacy reverberates across the Island community, local agencies are scrambling to assist vulnerable patients who relied on the longtime pharmacists for advice and prescriptions.  

Leslie’s, a Vineyard Haven staple for decades, was more than just a respected Island institution for its long-standing service to the community; it was the only contract pharmacy for Island Health Care, the Island’s only community health center. 

Many lower income residents on the Island qualify for a state subsidized health plan called Health Safety Net. Although the safety net  is not classified as insurance, it pays for medically necessary services at other locations such as community health centers and acute care hospitals in Massachusetts.  

Island Health Care established a contractual relationship with Leslie’s several years ago, enabling patients on the Health Safety Net to have their prescriptions filled. Because of this coup, some patients have saved hundreds, even thousands, of dollars each month. 

Lucy Hackney, COO of Island Health Care, said that the collaboration with Leslie’s is the only one like it in the state, noting that it was a true success story protecting the most vulnerable. 

“Island Health Care has hundreds of patients on Health Safety Net and about 170 of them regularly used Leslie’s Pharmacy in order to afford needed medications,” Hackney said. “Patients were unable to use other pharmacies for their prescriptions because Leslie’s was the only one affiliated with the Health Safety Net program.”  

The unfortunate reality is that pharmacy closures are associated with poor health outcomes, with lower income people disproportionately affected. When a segment of the population is unable to access medication, whether it be for financial reasons or proximity to the pharmacy, barriers fall in the way of achieving or maintaining good health. The overall health of the  community diminishes.  

“Before IHC began collaborating with Leslie’s, patients would forgo their meds because they couldn’t afford them,” Ms. Hackney said. “Afterwards, patients became more compliant.” 

To assist their Health Safety Net patients, the staff at the Island’s community health center arranged for patients to receive a final refill before the pharmacy’s closure, which has bought some time for consumers. But the question remains on whether it will be enough time before a new system is put into place. 

Island Health Care is working with its partners like the Community Pharmacy Cooperative, a national non-profit helping to improve health center pharmacy services, to create a plan. They are also reaching out to drug manufacturers in hopes that some will offer coupons to offset the cost of medicines. 

And Hackney remains optimistic that the community health center will be able to develop a plan for a new partnership.  

“We are collaborating with other island healthcare providers and state HSN officials to discuss solutions,” Hackney said. 

She advises patients affected by Leslie’s closure to call the Island Health Care office at 508-939-9358 where they will be directed to a community health worker.

It isn’t just officials at Island Health Care that are concerned. Cathy Wozniak, executive director of Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard, is worried about the loss. “Pharmacies are overloaded and were given no time to hire more help, leaving them prone to making errors,” Wozniak said.  

To better serve their patients, Hospice is considering using a mail order service, adding more to costs. 

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital pharmacist Dave Caron also worries about the vulnerability of other, family-owned pharmacies.  

“It can be difficult for them to compete against big box stores,” Mr. Caron said. “It would be valuable to have a community-wide conversation about developing a succession plan. Conroy’s and Vineyard Scripts have been around for a long time and it would be concerning that additional closures could lead to access issues.” 

Health Safety Net patients currently have the option of traveling off Island to be seen at other community health centers and to then pick up their prescriptions at off-island pharmacies.  But this is not feasible for most because of the cost to get off Island and because of physical restrictions. Caron hopes to work with other community health organizations in finding a pathway to assist those who have been left without a lifeline to their needed medications.  

During a potential void in service, Martha’s Vineyard Health Care Access, an agency of Dukes County which connects residents with health benefits, is available to offer limited assistance to those bound by financial hardship. 

Assistant director Rocy Turner suggests that anyone needing assistance contact their office. 

“If a person qualifies, MV Health Care Access will send a voucher to the patient’s pharmacy which will cover the cost of the prescription,” Turner said. “Although only a short-term solution, it will help patients remain on their medications while a larger solution is being pursued.”

According to Hackney, “the state has been very understanding of why this is such an important and time-sensitive issue, and they seem to be on board to do what they can to help us figure out a collaborative, on-Island solution.” 

Aside from the void that Leslie’s closure has created among its customers, it resonates deeply among its professional associates. “Pharmacy is my passion,” Caron said. “It’s heartbreaking to lose this vital component to our community’s well-being.”

Other Island health news

Influenza is a very serious health risk, and can be fatal. The Centers for Disease Control reported estimates of influenza disease burden in the U.S. for the 2023 – 24 season (Oct. 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024). Influenza virus infection likely resulted in between 34 million and 75 million symptomatic illnesses, 15 million to 33 million medical visits, 380,000 to 900,000 hospitalizations, and 17,000 to 100,000 deaths. Older adults accounted for 51 percent of hospitalizations, and 68 percent of deaths. When getting vaccinated against influenza, adults should also consider receiving a COVID booster and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) immunization. The Centers for Disease Control support the safety of receiving the COVID and flu vaccines simultaneously.

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is offering the flu vaccine to existing MVH patients for the upcoming fall/winter 2024 – 25 season. This will not be a walk-in clinic. Flu vaccine clinics will start the week of Sept. 16. New appointments will be available for scheduling through Patient Gateway each Monday morning. However, if you have difficulty with online scheduling, you may call 508-684-4500 for assistance. Patients 12 years and older wishing to receive a COVID vaccine during their flu vaccine appointment should add this request to the scheduling comment. All appointments should be made under each individual; duplicate appointments will be considered as an error and deleted from the schedule.

To schedule through Patient Gateway:

• Open the Gateway App, and select the “Visit” button.
• Click on “Schedule an Appointment.”
• Scroll to the bottom and choose “Flu Shot” as the reason.
• The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital location will appear only if appointments are available.
• Select the MVH location, and choose a suitable date and time.

If you have an existing appointment at your primary-care office, you can receive your flu vaccine then. Simply inform the medical staff that you would like the vaccine during your visit.

Pharmacies on the Vineyard also have both flu and COVID vaccines, should you wish to receive your vaccines through a pharmacy.

Victoria Haeselbarth is an outreach worker at Edgartown Council on Aging.