Hospital sends supplies to Dominican Republic

Cottage teams with Loyola students

Thursday, May 25, 2006

By MIKE LANDIS

The Register-Mail

GALESBURG - The pharmacy department at Galesburg Cottage Hospital has teamed up with students from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine to extend a helping hand to the Dominican Republic.

Two Cottage Hospital employees - Pharmacy Director Jennifer Gerdes and Director of Radiology Pat Engelhaupt - were contacted by Loyola medical school students nearly seven weeks ago and agreed to help with an effort to send pharmaceutical and medical supplies to the Dominican Republic.

"We collected more than $9,000 worth of pharmacy supplies and medications to be distributed in the Dominican Republic next month," said Gerdes.

"I couldn't be happier that Cottage is able to help a country where even simple over-the-counter medications like aspirin and Tylenol are in such short supply," said Cory Countryman, Cottage Hospital CEO.

Gerdes said the hospital's clinics, materials management department and pharmacy staff combed through inventory to find usable products that might otherwise be destroyed.

"In health care, we see so many good, useful products go to waste," said Gerdes. "It is nice to know that they are being used by people that can benefit from them rather than simply destroying good products."

Gerdes said the Dominican Republic effort also provides a great opportunity for medical students to experience different cultures and medical environments.

"We are fortunate to have such an advanced health care system and a project like this reminds us of how much we have," said Gerdes.