Regina Alexander BMT Social Worker

Social Services for Bone Marrow Transplant Patients As a bone marrow transplant patient, there are both medical and non-medical challenges you and your family will face. Some of the non-medical (or social) issues are: arranging lodging for the time you are here in Birmingham, assisting with financial concerns, and helping you cope with the emotional stresses of being a transplant patient or caregiver. The social worker is here to assist you with these and other social concerns that may arise. Lodging There are several different places that lodging may be arranged for patients from out of town. The Townhouse is an apartment building about two blocks from the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Within this building, the 7th floor is set aside for the Baptist Medical Ministry, and is called the Baptist Lodge. These are efficiency apartments for patients and/or family members of patients, and are available for $12 per night. They are furnished, and have a small kitchen area so that you may cook in the apartment. The hospital auxiliary has a floor as well, called the Auxiliary Lodge. These are efficiency apartments as well, and are $16 per night. Apartments in both of these lodges are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They each have a waiting list, and the social worker can place your name on the waiting list for you. Once you get one of these rooms, you may keep it as long as needed, as long as the patient is required to stay in Birmingham. The other floors in the Townhouse are run by the Townhouse managers, and begin at $35 per night for a studio apartment. The social worker can also place you on the waiting list for one of these apartments. Children under the age of 17 years are not allowed to stay in any of the rooms at the Townhouse, unless the child is the patient. The Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge is lodging that is operated by the American Cancer Society. It is about a mile away from the hospital, and is free of charge. It has 33 rooms, and is available for cancer patients who are here from out of town for treatment. Children are allowed at the Hope Lodge. These rooms do not have their own kitchens. Instead, a large community kitchen and dining room is available. There is a shuttle that runs between the Hope Lodge and the hospital, so transportation to clinic visits is available, if needed. The Hope Lodge is run on a reservation basis. The social worker can refer you for lodging at the Hope Lodge, and if a room is available on the days you need one, a reservation will be made. The Church of Christ Apartments are about 1-2 miles away from the hospital. There are one bedroom and two bedroom apartments, which are available at no charge. There is a limited number available, so there is a waiting list for them as well. There is no transportation provided, so patients staying there must have their own transportation for clinic visits. The Family Place is a group of three apartments run by the Alabama Power Company. These also are available at no charge. They operate on reservations, and limit the length of stay to seven days. Patients/family members staying here also need their own transportation, though it is less than a mile from the apartments to the hospital. For patients whose insurance provides coverage of lodging expenses, there are also apartments and hotels in town for which long-term rates are available. Some companies will bill the insurance directly. One of these companies is Premier Living Suites, which has apartments in different complexes in town. Some of these are within a few blocks of the hospital. The social worker is able to provide information about these companies for you. In addition, The Marriott makes some of their rooms available at long-term rates. Financial Issues Undergoing a bone marrow transplant raises financial concerns for most patients. In addition to the medical costs themselves, there are expenses for lodging, food, transportation, and other miscellaneous things. Each patient needs to check with his or her insurance company about what medical costs are covered, and what costs will be the patient’s responsibility. Some insurance companies also cover a set amount for lodging, meals, and transportation related to medical treatment. Many insurance policies do not. Your insurance case manager can help you understand your coverage. Some patients have separate cancer policies that provide a set amount of money per day that the patient is in the hospital, as well as a set amount for certain procedures. Depending upon a patient’s financial situation, there is assistance available to help with some of these expenses. The social worker can help you determine if you would be eligible for any of this assistance. Some of the agencies that give financial assistance include: The American Cancer Society The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Traveler’s Aid Bone Marrow Transplant Angels of Alabama Foundation Pharmaceutical companies (for medicines)