Kylie Futrell (right), clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Mississippi, meets with a patient to complete an intake assessment. Futrell is using a $20,000 grant from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation to support a new community healthcare initiative that provides medical, social, environmental and behavioral support for patients in rural areas. Photo by Sage McNamara/UM School of Pharmacy
Initiative aims to address chronic disease management in underserved Mississippi communities
University of Mississippi pharmacy professor Kylie Futrell is leading a partnership working to improve access to healthcare services in rural Mississippi communities, while helping residents manage their chronic health conditions.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation awarded Futrell, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice, $20,000 to support the new community-based healthcare initiative. The goal is to promote whole-person care through medical, social, environmental and behavioral support.
The joint project with the Delta Health Alliance, Leland Medical Clinic and the university’s Department of Public Health will use licensed social workers to evaluate patient needs, assist them in accessing medications and connect them with healthcare programs and other social services. The program works with patients who have chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD.
“We are excited to see the impact this program can have on the health of rural Mississippians,” Futrell said. “Our goal is to improve their health by removing barriers to care and resources.”
Rather than focusing solely on treating patients when they get sick, healthcare workers will assess living conditions and other factors to create personalized care plans that address medical and nonmedical needs. Ole Miss pharmacy and public health students will help provide services and education to patients, as well as collect and analyze data.
Using this approach, the team will help patients stay involved in their own care, make it easier for them to get medications and improve their overall health and well-being.
“We believe that assessing rural patients in their home environments will allow us to develop individualized care plans created specifically for them,” Futrell said. “Through our partnerships, we will work to coordinate services or resources to provide chronic disease management plans centered around whole-person care.”
The project focuses on a medically underserved rural population where chronic disease management can be difficult. Patients in this region face unique barriers that frequently make it hard to get routine care and access medications.
“This program helps build new bridges between pharmacists and the community, and our students will gain invaluable experiences by helping treat and support our patients in rural areas,” said Adam Pate, chair and clinical professor of pharmacy practice at the School of Pharmacy.
A key strength of the initiative is its partnerships with community-based organizations that have established relationships with residents.
The Delta Health Alliance works throughout the region and operates several community clinics, including the Leland Medical Clinic. The alliance connects patients with a broad range of services, including mental health providers, dental practitioners and physical therapists.
Managing chronic diseases requires more than medical visits, said Hilary Meier, the alliance’s vice president of health who oversees the Leland clinic.
“This partnership allows us to address the real-life challenges our patients face every day, from transportation and food access to medication affordability, so we can help them achieve better health outcomes,” Meier said. “By identifying and addressing social and environmental barriers, we can develop personalized care plans that support long-term disease control and overall well-being.”
Instead of requiring patients to travel to healthcare facilities outside their communities, providers can schedule home visits or telehealth meetings. This approach reduces transportation barriers while helping medical professionals better understand the environmental and social challenges their patients face.
“While the project has similarities to old-school home visits by physicians, this is different because we’re not just going to patients’ houses to provide services,” Futrell said. “We’re evaluating their environments to determine what resources we can connect them to.
“I’m not aware of any programs using this type of health model, which utilizes social workers and community health workers to initiate a whole-person care treatment plan.”
For example, a social worker using this model to evaluate a patient with diabetes might visit the home to see if there is a working refrigerator, find out what foods the patient eats and determine whether the surrounding area has safe spaces to exercise. The social worker can use this information to connect the patient with program partners to develop a diabetes regimen that does not require refrigeration, provide nutrition counseling and connect them with a free or low-cost exercise facility.
“This grant strengthens our ability to connect patients with the resources, education and support they need to live healthier lives while bringing together organizations that share a commitment to improving health across our communities,” Meier said.
By combining pharmacy services, public health expertise and community partnerships, organizers hope to create a sustainable model that other communities can use to help residents manage chronic conditions.
“We hope this will demonstrate a new model for chronic disease management that recognizes health is influenced by more than medical care alone,” Futrell said. “We want to show that when clinical services are combined with community support and an understanding of patients’ daily realities, better outcomes are possible.”
by James Dowd
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