Seniors in assisted living setups require more stringent care than other people. At least, this rings true for the majority of the residents of these communities. Besides consistent care and assistance from caregivers, they also need to receive the proper medications for their respective ailments. As a direct solution to this, many communities opt to partner with or put up their own assisted living pharmacy.
That being said, is a Senior Pharmacy really any different from conventional pharmacies available to the general public? What exactly are the advantages of senior care pharmacy services that make them stand apart? More importantly, will they make life safer and easier for eldercare facility residents? Let’s find out the answer to these questions by acknowledging 8 proven advantages of an independent pharmacy for these kinds of communities.
There will always be ready access to necessary medications in the long term:
Assisted living communities undoubtedly require more ready access to a plethora of different types of medication for their more vulnerable residents. Rarely does a senior without chronic disease or a serious ailment avail of assisted living services.
Also, some of these conditions need to be treated over time with various special medications that may not always be readily available in a pharmacy that serves the general public. These prescribed medications should also be as safe as possible and tailored to the specific needs of the patient. Hence, we come to the second point.
Ensures a steady and timely supply of safe medications:
We have to emphasize the word “trusted” when referring to these pharmacy services for assisted living facilities. Not only are they able to dedicate their services to ensure that the community won’t run out of vital medications, but they also develop a close relationship with it, to the point that residents’ and caregivers’ doubts would be non-existent.
One way that pharmacies like Bay Life Compounding ensure the safety of the medications we dispense is through our electronic MAR system. If you’re not already aware of it, this system is designed to mitigate the risk of dispensing the wrong kind of medication. Our solution is set up in such a way that medication delivery can be sped up while maintaining accountability and accuracy all throughout the entire process.
It builds trust and peace of mind among current and prospective residents:
Of course, as a ready advantage of having a trustworthy pharmacy within your community, expect most residents to regard your community in a more positive light. An assisted living community that is serviced by a dedicated and independent pharmacy will undoubtedly leave a great impression on families inquiring about its amenities and additional services.
After all, it would readily transmit to them the fact that the community would be able to effectively respond to any patient’s medical needs in case of an emergency. Wouldn’t you feel infinitely safer residing in a community where there will be minimal to zero instances of medical shortages?
They don’t limit themselves to supplying pharmaceutical solutions:
As much as we readily associate pharmacies with medicine, certain assisted living pharmacies actually offer more than the needed medications of residents. Some go to the limit to provide DMEs (Durable Medical Equipment) and other medical supplies that aren’t directly connected to drug therapies and other pharmaceutical solutions.
They deliver better customer support and service:
It wouldn’t even be a surprise if the pharmacists themselves would be open to answering the queries of residents and their families. Some communities even encourage their pharmacists to actively reach out and conduct educational seminars to share vital information about the latest in drug therapies or safer ways to administer them, for example.
They are more likely to harness and benefit from present-day technologies:
It wouldn’t be a surprise, for instance, if a pharmacist in an independent pharmacy would be available 24/7 thanks to telemedicine. Any inquiries about proper administration or the availability of a given prescription could be immediately relayed and responded to in no time thanks to pharmacists who are required to be always on stand-by to cater to the queries of physicians and residents.
Paves the way to a better quality of care for the entire community:
Taken as a whole, the benefits imparted by an independent pharmacy would only lead to a better quality of care. It’s so much about having medications always readily available as having options for residents and their respective caregivers to choose from. Some even readily offer compounding services that would be able to offer ready therapeutic and pharmaceutical solutions that are customized and tailored to a senior’s needs.
With the help of advanced tech and even some software that takes advantage of automation, errors in medications can be effectively eliminated. Caregivers would also be able to double-check and verify any kind of medication because of the open communication lines and overall better accessibility of the pharmacists working for the community.
Could lead to better cost savings for the community and residents:
Assisted living pharmacies, after all, would be more willing to reduce the costs of their medications, especially if they would be receiving long-term patronage from the residents they are serving.
On the other hand, there is no shortage of patients that complain that they are being prescribed and receiving too many medications for their illnesses. A pharmacist working in an assisted living setup would have better opportunities to closely collaborate with these patients and advise them about how they would be able to minimize and optimize the medications that they are taking over time.
Bay Life Compounding Pharmacy:
What we’re sure of from the facts stated above is that the high level of care warranted by assisted living communities only underscores the value of having a trusted pharmacy within their respective vicinities. It’s hard to rain praises on assisted living facilities that, though they may have the best amenities and caregivers in the area, don’t actually have a dedicated pharmacy that solely serves their residents. You don’t need to look further than the facts we stated above to know why.
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