Mary Mihalyo

STEUBENVILLE — A local pharmacist hopes to “expand utilization” of palliative care in Jefferson County and increase patients’ quality of life from her new position as an adviser to the Ohio Department of Health director.

Steubenville resident Mary Mihalyo, doctor of pharmacy, was appointed Dec. 10 to the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Council. Bringing her own expertise, Mihalyo joins a diverse, 20-person group of professionals with experience in the provision of palliative care.

Established in 2019, the council advises the ODH director on the “on standards, guidelines, models of care and the integration of palliative care into Ohio’s health care systems,” according to ODH’s website. Palliative care is medical care intended to reduce patient’s suffering and improve quality of life.

“This appointment is exciting to me, as I sincerely hope that, from a public health perspective, residents of Jefferson County will benefit from the information and experience gained,” Mihalyo stated. “Community-based palliative care is an essential component of complete community-based public health. Like most communities in Ohio, as well as nationwide, Jefferson County residents could benefit from an expanded focus on opportunities to expand interdisciplinary palliative care programs.”

The ODH defines palliative care as “specialized care for a patient of any age who has been diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening illness that is provided at any stage of the illness by an interdisciplinary team working in consultation with other health care professionals, including those who may be seeking to cure the illness.”

Palliative care aims to do any of the following, ODH says: “Relieve the symptoms, stress and suffering resulting from the illness; improve the quality of life of the patient and the patient’s family; address the patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs and facilitate patient autonomy, access to information and medical decision making.”

Mihalyo, who founded Steubenville’s A&B Pharmacy with her husband, is the former CEO of Delta Care Rx LLC. She now serves as chief clinical officer for the company, which has been rebranded as Dragonfly Health.

The Jefferson County native’s experience with palliative care began in 1999, when she began working as a consultant hospice and palliative care clinical pharmacist for Valley Hospice. Her professional work, since then, has focused on serving hospice and palliative care patients locally and nationally as part of interdisciplinary teams.

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work in the discipline of end-of-life care, as it has had a tremendous impact on me personally and professionally,” Mihalyo said Thursday

The PCQLIC’s membership represents the various elements of palliative care, with constituents including medical, nursing, social work, psychology, psychiatry, exercise physiology, pharmacology and spiritual care representatives, as well as a patient and family representative, according to ODH.

“I am the sole pharmacist member of the council at this time,” Mihalyo said. “So, I bring the assistance and perspective of pharmaceutical care to the council, which generally consists of physicians, nurses, health care administrators and many other health care stakeholders.”

The ODH states that council members are expected to actively consult with and advise the director on palliative care initiatives in the state, identify standards of practice, pinpoint initiatives at the state or national level integrating palliative care into the healthcare system and developing its practice and lay out patient identification guidelines for health care providers.

Because palliative care seeks to improve patients’ quality of life and reduce suffering, Mihalyo said reaching more Jefferson County residents through its provision would increase the county’s quality of life as a whole.

“The local provision of palliative care already exists. I believe that a collaborative relationship among providers that is supported by (the Jefferson County General Health District) would allow for expanded utilization. We may be able to form a local palliative care coalition and help providers work together in securing much needed grant monies allowing residents of the county to significantly benefit.”

Since Dec. 16, 2023, Mihalyo has served on the Jefferson County Board of Health, which oversees the county’s public health department.

Mihalyo has applied to return to her seat and serve her first full term, after being appointed initially to fill an unexpired term. The District Advisory Council — a group of county and municipal elected officials that convenes to appoint health board members — will vote to fill the seat during its meeting Wednesday in the second-floor community room of the Jefferson County Tower Building, 500 Market St., Steubenville, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Mihalyo said the experience and knowledge she gains from the PCQLIC will allow her to “share recommendations regarding the local provision of palliative care for residents of our county.” She has her sights set on the opportunity to expand services where needed and increase residents’ access, when they desire to take advantage of those services.

“I anticipate opportunities to network with other members of the council and hope to identify a variety of opportunities for consideration by the JCGHD. I firmly believe that there is much support that JCGHD and ODH may be able to provide to local hospitals, nursing homes, hospice and home health care organizations and other obligated medical providers in the provision of palliative care. If reappointed, I will serve as the messenger, (and) the JCGHD team will make the decisions.”