Passionate about helping people obtain the medications they need and educating them on how to use their medications appropriately, Dr. Kristin Ball Motley founded Health Care Solutions of Delaware Valley LLC in 2010. Since opening, HCS has helped people save over $500K on prescription drug costs, and has evolved into a full-service health and wellness company.
A recipient of countless awards including the 2014 recipient of the Innovative Pharmacist of the Year Award from the Delaware Pharmacists Society, the 2014 Champion of Health Literacy Award from the Delaware County Health Literacy Council, and the 2016 Humanitarian Award from the Delaware County Chapter of the National Congress of Black Women and the 2016 President’s Award from the NAACP Chester Branch, Dr. Motley is dedicated to her community.
Rolling out had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ball Motley to discuss her motivation behind starting her health care company, entrepreneurship, and community success.
What was your motivation behind starting Health Care Solutions of Delaware Valley LLC?
My mom called me one day and told me that my grandmother’s blood pressure and cholesterol were through the roof because she wasn’t taking her medications. I reached out to my grandmother, and she told me that a few of her medications were too expensive. She also said that she didn’t feel like she needed to take them because she felt fine. In another case, my friend’s mother had open heart surgery. When she was discharged from the hospital, I found out that she could not afford to pick up her prescriptions from the pharmacy. Those two instances reminded me that people need help understanding the importance of taking their medications, and they need help saving money on prescription medications. I started my company to help people in those situations.
When did you decide that starting your own business was the journey you wanted to take?
I never wanted to own a business. As a pharmacist, I feel that healthcare providers don’t do enough to help people avoid chronic health conditions and stay healthy. I wanted to provide services to facilitate patients’ access to free medications, and to provide the education and motivation necessary for them to reverse and prevent diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and strokes.
What does community success look like to you and how is HCS LLC a part of this?
Community success is when those living and working together look out for one another. It’s when individuals, businesses, and other stakeholders collaborate and pour in resources to make sure we all succeed. Since I started HCS, we’ve been a great community partner. My team and I donate money, time, and talent to many initiatives. From prepping Thanksgiving meals for the homeless to donating toys for less fortunate children to providing free health screenings and education at community events, we are committed to making an impact. In fact, HCS was recently recognized as a 2018 Small Business Champion by SCORE for our community efforts.
Where can we access trustworthy medical resources and information specific to African American health?
When patients tell me their doctor is not listening to them or rushes through their appointments, I encourage them to find a new provider. The best way to find a good provider is to ask family and friends. Referrals work for mechanics and beauticians and work great for healthcare providers too. When seeking quick health information, I generally discourage people from using the internet because it’s hard to determine if the website can be trusted. However, there are some reputable websites where people can find information that they can trust. One example is MedlinePlus.gov which also includes specific content on African American health.
What key pieces of advice do you have for young women of color interested in an entrepreneurial path in the health care industry?
I would suggest they find a mentor. Entrepreneurship is not as easy as it may look. I have a number of mentors who have helped my company grow. SCORE is a great resource for entrepreneurs because they provide amazing business mentors. SCORE is nationwide, and there is no cost because they are funded by the Small Business Administration. More information about SCORE is available at score.org. Once a mentor has been identified, one should be ready to put in the hard work that it takes to start and run a business. Lastly, it’s important to take risks, be ready for failures and to quickly learn from them.
