Ludington Hospital foundation funds prescription dispensing machine for patients

Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital has unveiled a new on-site system for dispensing prescription medications as soon as a doctor prescribes them.

Hospital officials said the key immediate use will be to give emergency patients the option to obtain their initial order of common “acute” prescriptions, such as one-time courses of antibiotics and pain medications, right in the hospital after being treated. This will be especially useful late at night when pharmacies are not available.

This new system is fully funded by the local hospital foundation and provided by the InstyMeds company, based in Minneapolis. It was installed earlier this week and was used for the first time by an emergency patient the same evening.

Ed Makowicki, pharmacy director for the Ludington Hospital, said the primary goals are, “To have more patients actually fill and fully use their prescribed medications, and to supplement local pharmacies by allowing emergency patients to immediately obtain prescriptions at night when pharmacies are closed—typically after 10 p.m. The nearest 24-hour pharmacy is some 50 miles away.”

Makowicki said research he has studied indicates that, overall about 30% of prescriptions are not filled and that the percentage is even higher for prescriptions for conditions treated in emergency rooms. This, he said, is a significant contributing factor in re-visits to the hospital for the same ailment.

“Sadly, many patients do not follow through and go get their prescriptions filled,” he said. “We hope to counteract that by making it extremely convenient to get medications on the spot. When people have to wait for a pharmacy to open they often decide to rely just on the doctor’s initial treatment. Following through on the antibiotic, pain or other medication is a crucial part of the treatment.”

The hospital will be dispensing medications primarily for treatment of short-term illnesses. Makowicki sees the hospital system as complementing the essential work of local pharmacies, not competing with them.

“This may actually increase business for pharmacies by encouraging more people to use their prescriptions,” he added. “Most prescriptions will still be filled by pharmacies, including long-term refillable prescriptions for chronic conditions.”

Kaley Petersen, director of the Spectrum Health Ludington Foundation, said the foundation board was enthusiastically behind the project.

“This is one of the first programs funded under the endowment created within the local hospital foundation as a result of joining the Spectrum Health system,” Petersen said.

“We think our InstyMeds system will significantly contribute to treatment and quick recovery of emergency patients. We obviously provide medications for patients who are admitted to the hospital. But those who are treated and released often want to get home as soon as possible and often don’t make the extra trip to fill their prescription. Immediately filling prescriptions for such patients is a vital extension of our physicians’ treatment.”

Petersen said the foundation board has pledged to cover all costs, approximately $1,200 per month for a three-year contract with InstyMeds. Revenues from the system will go back to the foundation to defray expenses. If the system ever produces revenues that exceed the cost, those funds can be used to expand the InstyMeds program or support other patient-care programs underwritten by the foundation.

A key feature is the phone attached to the dispenser. Picking it up will instantly connect the patient to a team of technicians and pharmacists in Minnesota who can answer questions and take information for those with prescription insurance coverage. The phone cannot be used for other calls.

Makowicki added that the machine will initially be stocked with 50-60 common medications specified by hospital physicians. Capacity is sufficient to add other medications doctors later decide would be useful.

The equipment is located in an alcove near the hospital’s emergency entrance. This, Petersen said, will protect patient privacy and confidentiality, especially for those who use the phone to confer with the InstyMeds staff.

How it works:

Emergency physician

Uses system’s prescription-writing software after diagnosing and treating patient
Provides patient with medication education information and voucher with a security code

Patient

Enters code and birth date on InstyMeds machine touch screen (codes expire if not used within 48 hours)
Inserts credit or debit card to pay prescription cost or co-pay
Uses attached phone to ask questions or submit insurance information

Machine

Selects, labels and dispenses bottle of prescribed medication
System can dispense one to three medications per patient
Any discrepancies, such as incorrectly applied labels, will send the container to the reject bin and the prescription will be done over
Process typically takes 2-3 minutes