Improve Access: Quick Tips

  • Shop for emergency supplies during tax-free holidays. Learn about tax-free holidays and what items are exempt in your state.
  • Learn about the Emergency Prescription Assistance Programexternal icon. The program supports people who live in federally declared disaster areas and do not have health insurance. It provides them with medical equipment and supplies, vaccinations, and a refill of prescription medications.
  • Talk to your pharmacist and use Drugs@FDAexternal icon to look for a generic version of your brand-name prescription medication. Generic medications are safe and effective and can cost less.
  • Emergency planners: Take a whole community approachexternal icon to planning. Involve a variety of stakeholders, including community service, faith-based and disability support groups, in the process. Their viewpoints can help you better understand and meet people’s needs during an emergency.
  • Emergency planners: Use tools like Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response surveys and the HHS emPOWER Mapexternal icon. They can help you assess the needs of a community before an emergency.
  • Emergency planners: Think about the needs of children when designing exercises and planning for emergencies. Children are not just little adults. They have special health and safety needs during a response.
  • Health communicators: Take steps to create communication products and tools that people can use and understand. For example:
  • Health care professionals: Take the Blue Button Pledgeexternal iconto improve patient access to electronic health recordsexternal icon. Electronic health records can make it easier for patients to proofread and share their health information.
  • Health care professionals: Improve patient access to naloxone. Educate patients at risk for opioid overdoseand their loved ones about naloxone.
  • Talk to your doctor about telehealth for yourself and anyone you take care of.
  • Ask your pharmacist about prescription pickup and delivery services for yourself and anyone you take care of.
Page last reviewed: March 4, 2021, 10:55 am