Grace Medical Home is proud to partner with organizations that strive to help the community and make a difference in the lives of those in need. And among those cherished partners is MetroMeds Pharmacy, located in downtown Orlando.
MetroMeds is a family-owned pharmacy that opened in 2012 initially as a retail pharmacy. Eventually, MetroMeds branched out into more of a specialty pharmacy and later began offering delivery services and vaccines. Before long, MetroMeds began its partnership with Grace in 2013, which has led to countless patients receiving the medication they need at a reduced or no cost.
Steven Estefan, Pharmacy Manager at MetroMeds, said the pharmacy learned about Grace and immediately thought a partnership would be a helpful way to give back to the community. One of the main ways MetroMeds supports Grace is by offering free generic medications to patients, as long as prescriptions come from Grace. If a patient needs a more expensive medication, the pharmacy looks for alternatives or discounts.
“Every time we call MetroMeds for medication stock checks and prices they are always very helpful,” said Janice Correa, Medication Storage Room Manager at Grace. “Steve always has an answer for us and tries to give our patients the lowest price. Their $3.99-9.99 medication list has many frequently used medications at an affordable price. We are very grateful that each time we contact them they are always ready to help us out.”
Steven Estefan, Pharmacy Manager at MetroMeds.
For Steven, there have been many highlights of the partnership, and they mostly have to do with Grace patients. In most cases, patients come to MetroMeds through a referral from Grace. But in one case, a visitor to MetroMeds was uninsured and Steven referred them to Grace. The visitor needed specialized care and a costly medication that required administration through an IV by a nurse. Steven connected the patient with Grace, who was able to help him. Coming to Grace was a turning point for the life of the patient, and Steven said this story was just one of many examples of the partnership effectively helping those in need.
“We work to be a helping hand through the process,” Steven said. “We’re really thankful for Grace and the help they do for people. The volunteers really want to help with their hearts, and that’s what has made the relationship grow.”
