Profiles

Turning Over Every Stone

Often giving 110%, Arleigh Johnson is the Indigent Drug Program Coordinator at Gloucester Matthews Free Clinic. In that capacity, she “unturns every stone” to help the clinic’s patients get the medicines they need.

She helps them apply for free meds from the brand name pharmaceutical companies’ Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs), seeks out alternatives for those who aren’t eligible, and has recently taken on the additional job of transitioning her senior clients to the new Medicare drug plan.

Arleigh also screens patients, works in the clinic pharmacy, and stays late to help with the evening clinic. Last year, Arleigh helped complete 3,616 PAP applications, which generated nearly $1 million in free medications for her patients.

“I know that I was only one of hundreds of patients she was working on,” one patient said, “but Arleigh always took the time to make me feel like I was the only one.”

In recognition of her outstanding efforts, Arleigh was awarded VHCF’s 2006 You “Rx” ceptional Award.