About our new telepharmacy in Bunker Hill

We've been fielding questions about our new remote telepharmacy opening October 3rd in Bunker Hill, so it's time now for a little discussion about what a telepharmacy actually is.

 According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, telepharmacies have been authorized in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. In 2010, the Illinois legislature telepharmacy regulations were included in a rewrite of the state’s pharmacy laws that is done every decade. Economic conditions usually dictate the placement and numbers of independent pharmacies, often resulting in a loss of much needed services. Since some patients who might have to travel long distances on the day they receive their prescriptions from their physicians, they may hold off on filling those scrips until they can travel again to a town with a pharmacy.

Enter the concept of telepharmacies, through which pharmaceutical care is delivered via telecommunications by a pharmacist working away from the clinic. Telepharmacies began to be formed in the United States shortly after the turn of the century. The Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis said in a 2011 paper that the growth of telepharmacies corresponded with changes in Medicare reimbursement and the recession of 2007-08.

Let's take a look at how this works.
A telepharmacy, or remote-dispensing site, operates like a traditional pharmacy except the pharmacist reviews and verifies prescriptions from a remote location. In our case, patients who come in can speak to our pharmacists in either Carlinville or Gillespie (depending on which location is available for the quickest response).
 
1) A prescription arrives at the pharmacy.
After arriving at the pharmacy, prescriptions will enter through the pharmacy management system (PMS) in our Bunker Hill store. Our highly advanced software integrates with our PMS for a seamless, real-time experience. Our licensed technicians prepare it for dispensing by the pharmacist.

2) The prescription is filled.
For the prescription to be verified, our technicians send images of the script, medication labels, pills, and the medication bottle with the lot number and expiration date in view to the remote pharmacist. These images, along with the patient’s profile, are securely stored for review before, during or after verification.

3) The pharmacist verifies the prescription.
Pharmacists will review the patient’s medication profile for drug interactions and other potential problems. After the pharmacist reviews the images they can either approve or reject the submission. If rejected, the pharmacist leaves notes for the technician regarding the discrepancy. If approved, the technician is notified and the medication is packaged.

4) Live video patient counseling. 
 When you pick up your medications, you’re presented with an option to speak to a pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. The remote pharmacist has all necessary patient information, including medication history, readily available during counseling. Our consultation room is a private area where you can discuss any concerns with the responding pharmacist over a live, technologically secure HIPAA-compliant video connection.

So, Bunker Hill, to wrap up, you can expect the same high-quality service you've come to know with us. In a more convenient location. Open 6 days each week. We may be popping in from time-to-time before our opening on October 3rd, so if the door is open, stop in and say Hi!