Patients leaving Lakewood Ranch Medical Center can pick up their prescriptions without leaving their hospital beds.
The medical center has partnered with Publix Pharmacy on a Meds to Beds program that delivers medications directly to patients' rooms before discharge, according to a hospital announcement dated Sept. 1. The program eliminates the post-discharge pharmacy trip that can delay treatment and contribute to preventable readmissions.
CEO Says Early Access Aids Recovery
"When patients have their medications before they leave the hospital, they are more likely to begin treatment as directed and continue their recovery safely at home," CEO Jason Madsen said in a statement.
Pharmacists Coordinate With Patients and Prescribers
Under the program, Publix pharmacists coordinate with patients before they leave, walking them through their prescriptions and answering questions about dosages and potential side effects. Pharmacists can also work with prescribers to find medication alternatives that better fit a patient's insurance coverage or budget, according to the announcement. The hospital said the approach is meant to reduce barriers to filling prescriptions and support continuity of care after patients go home.
First Bedside Delivery Completed This Month
Pharmacy Director Steve Drackett helped deliver the program's first bedside order alongside Publix pharmacists identified only as Rebekah and David, as reported by Pulse of Manatee. The delivery went to a patient preparing to leave the hospital.
New Service Follows Hospital's Recent Expansion
The launch adds another service line to a hospital in expansion mode. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, completed a $120 million, five-story tower in April that increased its bed count from 120 to 180, the East County Observer reported.
Madsen told the Observer in a July 30 profile that the hospital's plan is to "provide 80% to 90% of what a community needs" close to home as the area's population continues to grow. The Meds to Beds partnership fits that strategy by keeping one more step of the care process inside the building.
No Program Data Released Yet
The hospital has not released readmission rate data or projected patient volume for the program.
