Whether you are in charge of a hospital or clinic, having an onsite pharmacy can make a considerable difference in the lives of your patients. Making medications more affordable and accessible can help patients remain more compliant with their treatments.
Access
A major issue for some patients or those who live in certain areas is access to a pharmacy. Generally, access is an issue for people living in rural areas or patients in lower socioeconomic levels. Making the pharmacy available in the same building or on the grounds of the medical facility will make it easier for these people to access their much-needed medications. As a prescriber, you can simply send an electronic prescription to the pharmacy and in some instances, the medication might be ready by the time the patient reaches the pharmacy.
Other access issues can come with specialty or compounded medications. Not all areas have a compounding pharmacy or regular retail pharmacies may not carry certain medications because they are rarely used. If you have a pharmacy on the grounds, it is easier to plan for patients who have special medication needs so their medications are regularly available or available within a reasonable time frame.
Medication Costs
Medication costs are a major hindrance, especially for people who are underinsured or those without insurance. An onsite pharmacy often makes medications less expensive both for patients. If you offer medical care for people who are underinsured or uninsured, you can work on a sliding scale for medications, which is based on the patient's income. This is an option that is not available for people who have their prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies. Since the cost of each medication is already known, this information can be available to prescribers within your network. Prescribers can use this information when writing prescriptions for patients and select the lowest-priced option among medications within the same group.
Additional Supplies
There are many supplies that may be necessary for a person to take their medication regularly and these items may be difficult to obtain from a retail pharmacy. For example, retail pharmacies are often hesitant to give patients needles for injectable medications because of concerns about them being diverted for recreational drug use. When the pharmacy is on the grounds, it's easier for providers to make sure needles are available to the patient for injectable medications. It is also faster if the pharmacist needs extra confirmation from the provider that needles are necessary and which ones they need.
Diabetics often require many supplies to manage their condition, such as a blood glucose monitor, lancets, alcohol wipes, and test strips. These items are expensive in the event a person is uninsured or all the items are not fully covered by insurance. Much like prescriptions, these supplies can be readily available at a reasonable price to people who would otherwise have to go without important treatments.
Having an onsite pharmacy can have benefits for both patients and the medical facility. At minimum, patients can have more access to affordable medications to increase their compliance with treatments.
For more information, contact a pharmacy such as Northwest Community Health Center.
