by Mark D. Weinstein, Executive Director of Public Relations
Cedarville University will operate its first Limited Liability Company (LLC), Cedar Care, LLC, beginning in January 2016. This new venture will allow the school of pharmacy, in collaboration with Ohio Pharmacy Counseling Services LTD, to create a management call center that will aid people as they use prescription drugs.
“Cedarville University is one of the first universities to look at its process and determine a way to help people solve an important medical need,” said Dan Orleck, president, CEO and founder of Ohio Pharmacy Counseling Services. “This (the LLC) will be about providing patients with important information that will help them better understand the health issue they are dealing with, and how to properly use medications to improve both length and quality of life.”
Marc Sweeney, Pharm.D., dean of Cedarville University’s school of pharmacy, and Orleck believe a large population of the United States currently overly medicates. The call center staff, which is expected to address this problem, will partner with the Ohio Pharmacy Consulting Services LTD to secure patient information from insurance companies.
“Students will be proactively assisting patients in understanding how best to take their medications,” said Sweeney, who was inspired by Northwest Ohio Medical University’s LLC to start the Cedarville initiative. “Since up to 50 percent of people in the United States take their medications incorrectly, this program will help reduce that problem—and also identify other drug-related problems.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.
“Cedarville University is one of the first universities to look at its process and determine a way to help people solve an important medical need,” said Dan Orleck, president, CEO and founder of Ohio Pharmacy Counseling Services. “This (the LLC) will be about providing patients with important information that will help them better understand the health issue they are dealing with, and how to properly use medications to improve both length and quality of life.”
Marc Sweeney, Pharm.D., dean of Cedarville University’s school of pharmacy, and Orleck believe a large population of the United States currently overly medicates. The call center staff, which is expected to address this problem, will partner with the Ohio Pharmacy Consulting Services LTD to secure patient information from insurance companies.
The call center will allow third- and fourth-year professional pharmacy students to answer pharmacy-related questions for patients nationwide. The patients’ insurance will cover the costs for the consultation and the Center is expected to serve up to 15,000 patients annually. Philip Thornton, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacy practice, will lead the Center. Jeff Huston, instructor of pharmacy practice, will oversee the students.
“Students will be proactively assisting patients in understanding how best to take their medications,” said Sweeney, who was inspired by Northwest Ohio Medical University’s LLC to start the Cedarville initiative. “Since up to 50 percent of people in the United States take their medications incorrectly, this program will help reduce that problem—and also identify other drug-related problems.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.