Studies show that 30 to 40 percent of prescriptions called into a pharmacy are either never picked up by the patient, or the patient never starts the medication.
This can be dangerous for recently discharged patients because the prescriptions help with at-home recovery and ultimately lower readmission rates. To simplify the process of obtaining prescriptions, the Lancaster General Hospital Convenience Pharmacy team, led by Stacie Johnson, Convenience Pharmacy pharmacist looked at how to more easily get necessary prescriptions into the hands of patients.
After careful review of other hospital-based pharmaceutical distribution programs and discussion with key stakeholders at LG Health, including inpatient pharmacists, nurses, physicians and medical history specialists, the team introduced the Meds on the Move program.
Meds on the Move provides bedside delivery of prescriptions to patients preparing for a hospital discharge. The program, which is first introduced to patients during their intake screening, is designed to help patients and families get the prescriptions they need without having to stop at the pharmacy on their way home. This approach ultimately improves the overall patient experience and the quality of care received at the hospital and within the first 30 days at home.
At the time of discharge, a Meds on the Move technician visits the patient, enabling the pharmacy team to follow up, answer any questions and collect insurance and payment information. Once the physician or nurse releases the order to the Convenience Pharmacy, the Meds on the Move team prepares the prescription, processes payment and co-payment, and delivers the prescription to the patient.
While preparing to implement the pilot program on 5 East and 5 West, commonly used discharge medication information was gathered through Epic to ensure the pharmacy had the proper supply of medications. Additionally, the program was introduced to clinical staff through huddles, allowing clinicians to meet the Meds on the Move team and ask questions.
“By starting with a pilot program, the Meds on the Move staff collaborated with other teams to troubleshoot any obstacles prior to implementing the program hospital-wide,” Johnson said. “For example, we were able to identify areas of improvement that would help meet the needs of the nurses and physicians, to avoid unneeded disruptions.”
After a yearlong pilot, the program expanded to 5 North in September 2017 and eventually throughout all of LGH in November 2017, with the exception of observation.
As the pilot expanded, so did patient participation, from 37 patients in October. 2017 to 3255 patients in 2018.
“While we continue to have opportunities for growth, our staff has become more integrated into the overall patient experience. Not only do we interact with patients, we have been able to troubleshoot insurance or pharmacy issues prior to discharge and help patients who need assistance connecting with a case manager,” said Johnson. “It is great to know that we are able to help patients recover, even after they leave our care.”