When the stock market crashed and the economy began its downward spiral last fall, Samuel J. Daisley, DO ’86, noticed a decline in office visits in his two-office family practice in the rural Pennsylvania/Ohio border towns of Andover, Ohio, and Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. Knowing that many of his patients had lost their jobs, he was concerned that they were not seeking the care they needed because they couldn’t afford to pay. He and his office partner, Mark Stabile, Jr., DO ’02, decided to address the problem head on. They sent a news release to the local newspaper and enclosed a flyer with patient bills with a simple message: We understand the economic situation and we know that many people are struggling financially. If you need to see a doctor but can’t afford to pay for an office visit, we will arrange a payment plan or see you for free. Their patients got the message. During the first half of 2009, their practice was busier than ever. “People know that if they’re in a pinch financially, we are more than happy to help them,” says Dr. Daisley. “We would rather provide treatment free of charge than see patients get sicker. “Some patients can’t afford all their medications, so they pick and choose which ones to take,” he continues. “Since most people understand how important blood pressure medication is, they often cut back on other medications like inhalers or acid reflux prescriptions. We emphasize that they should not cut out any medications, and we are happy to provide them with enough samples to hold them over for a month or two.” Recently, Drs. Daisley and Stabile went the extra mile for their patients. To commemorate Dr. Daisley’s 20th year in practice, they established two annual $1,000 college scholarships to help patient families with tuition expenses. “It’s important to give back as much as possible, especially during hard times,” says Dr. Daisley.
In the old mill town of Falls River, Massachusetts, where unemployment is very high, patients are not showing up for their appointments at the National Health Service Corps clinic because they’re worried about the $10 co-pays, says Andrew McMarlin, DO ’03. “If they are genuinely having trouble making their co-pays, we will write them off,” he says, noting that patients often don’t go to specialists as recommended because of even higher co-pays.
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