Lankenau Social Services Patient Assistance Fund

Your support makes a difference and saves lives. Today we highlight Lankenau’s Social Services Patient Assistance Fund and how your gifts help patients and their families facing financial challenges. Your philanthropy helps to cover various expenses such as:

• Medications, IV antibiotics and diabetic supplies
• Hospital beds, wheelchairs, wound care kits, ostomy and other medical supplies
• Nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy visits
• Car seats for newborns
• Pharmacy gift cards
• Transportation services and bus passes for oncology or radiology appointments
• Assistance in cases of people experiencing homelessness or substance use disorder
• Co-Payment assistance & skilled nursing placement for the underinsured

Jeny Wakefield, MSS, LSW, care coordination manager, shares these stories of how your gifts to Lankenau’s Social Services Patient Assistance Fund are changing lives:

• Housing/Rehabilitation Placement for the People Experiencing Homelessness: A woman with a complex history of homelessness, substance use and other challenges was provided IV antibiotic therapy to transition safely from the hospital to a community living situation. She needed 20 more days of antibiotics beyond her hospital stay, so we facilitated her transfer to a rehabilitation center and completion of her lifesaving treatment. Your philanthropy ensured she received the high-quality, timely care she needed in the moment and beyond.
• Hemodialysis Coverage: A man with insurance limitations presented to Lankenau needing hemodialysis. His Managed Medicaid plan restricted him from additional referrals to out-of-network dialysis locations. We assisted him in changing his insurance plan to one with more options, allowing us to make provisions with a local dialysis provider to fund the sessions and avoid the struggle he had between vital medical treatment and his eagerness to return to work. By covering his treatment costs, your gifts helped to avert a catastrophic life change, and offered him job security.
• Substance, Mental Health & Medical Treatment: A female found wandering, disoriented and inadequately clothed was brought to our emergency department. She tested positive for illegal substances. Doctors performed a bilateral, below-the-knee amputation due to frostbite from walking barefoot and an arm amputation due to substance use. It was clear she would not return to live with her family and would require long-term care. We worked with Behavioral Health and financial services to secure medical insurance for her, successfully arranged two weeks of rehabilitation, and eventually transitioned her to a nursing facility for ongoing 24/7 care, strategically chosen near her family to facilitate visits and relationship rebuilding.
• Durable Medical Equipment: A 50-year-old female presented to our emergency department with pain in her extremities while visiting from abroad for her daughter’s college graduation. She was found to have a septic knee requiring surgical intervention and six weeks of IV antibiotic therapy. With no funds for nursing home or home care services, we assisted with the coverage for her IV therapy at home and arranged home care nursing and infusion support. After two months of therapy and nursing care, she was able to safely return home. Her family expressed deep gratitude for the interventions your gifts provided in an urgent situation.
• Walgreens gift cards allow us to offer essential supplies and life-saving medications, often in scenarios where patients are choosing between accessing the medical care they need or paying other necessary bills.