The Cenla Medication Access Program is a program that has been working for four years to help improve health care in rural Central Louisiana.  CMAP provides prescription medications to over 16,000 people who cannot afford them, and also provides medication education about the importance of appropriate medication usage. CMAP was recognized as the 2005 National Rural Health Program of the Year. 

Emergency room visits dropped among CMAP patients

Recently, several findings of the Cenla Medication Access Program were presented at the 2005 APHA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.  One talk focused on the reduction in hospital admissions and emergency department visits for participants of  CMAP.  Data showed that CMAP participants were admitted less often, and visited the emergency room less frequently in the six months after joining the program, compared to the six months before joining the program. 

In the other talk, diabetic participants' blood sugar levels were discussed.  Analysis of hospital chart data indicated that diabetic participants had significantly lower blood glucose levels in the six months after joining the program, compared to the six months before joining the program.  The data from both talks suggest that the CMAP is helping to improve the health of its participants.