Visitor Restrictions Revised at TCMH Facilities
July 20, 2020
Medicaid Expansion- Lifeline for Rural Hospitals
July 24, 2020
The physical exhaustion from illness and spending any length of time in a hospital bed is real and the last thing patients should have to deal with is making a stop on the way home to pick up their prescriptions. The good news for Texas County Memorial Hospital patients is that a new program called “Meds-to-Beds” just launched, and will make the hassle of getting those much-needed prescriptions, a little bit easier.
Patients who are admitted to the county hospital now have the option of choosing a convenient prescription delivery service that not only offers bedside consultation with a TCMH pharmacist, but patients will have their medications in-hand when they leave the hospital to go home.
The Meds-to-Beds program is something that TCMH pharmacist, Jessica Gettys, has been working on implementing since she first joined the hospital.
“I saw an opportunity to start a program like this when I first came to TCMH,” Gettys said. “Since TCMH already had an affiliate retail pharmacy, it provided a wonderful opportunity to enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients as well as improve their access to medications.”
Gettys mentioned that she has previously experienced the positive impact that a program like this can have on transitions of care for hospitalized patients.
“Transitioning from the hospital setting back to home is a critical time for our patients,” Gettys explained. “Part of making sure that our patients have good outcomes long-term is ensuring that they not only receive their medications, but that they fully understand how, and why, they should take them.”
Gettys explained that the new program has had steady participation since it first rolled out and she is anticipating that more patients will participate as awareness of the program continues to grow.
“There is much to be said about the convenience that a program like this allows,” Gettys said. “Our patients will be able to receive their medications before they’re even discharged from the hospital, eliminating the need for that extra stop on the way home.”
Gettys reported that the timing of the new program has been perfect.
“During this global pandemic TCMH has been continuously looking for new ways to protect our community,” Gettys explained. “Hutcheson Pharmacy already offers the advantage of easy medication pick-up through their drive-thru, greatly reducing the potential for exposure. The Meds-to-Beds program is helpful because it provides an additional option for our inpatient population, and gives them another way to receive their medications safely and conveniently before they head home.”
“We want all of our patients to be set up for a great outcome once they are discharged from the hospital,” Gettys said. “With the Meds-to-Beds program in place, we hope to make each patient’s road to recovery go a little smoother.”
For more information or for any questions related to the Meds-to-Beds program, please call Hutcheson Pharmacy at (417) 967-4139.