Via Christi Health System announced this week it is planning this fall to launch an electronic pharmacy program that is aimed at giving rural counties better access to medications.
Via Christi, the state's largest health care provider, says its e-Pharmacy incentive will address a statewide pharmacist shortage and bolster patient safety.
"Some Kansas counties do not have a pharmacy or pharmacists and many counties only have one pharmacist," said Jim Garrelts, director of pharmacy at the Via Christi Wichita Health Network in a statement. "This shortage of pharmacists likely contributes to a higher risk of adverse medication events, medication errors and substantial inconvenience."
Six Kansas counties presently have no pharmacist and 31 have only one pharmacist or pharmacy. According to the Pharmacy Manpower Project, by 2020, the national supply of pharmacists is likely to fall short of demand by 157,000 nationwide.
The Kansas Legislature recently earmarked money to increase enrollment in the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, but the first graduates will not complete their schooling until 2014.
The e-Pharmacy program will utilize a remote order entry system under which licensed pharmacists, working outside of regular hours, such as evenings and overnight, will review scanned or faxed medication orders and patient records. The pharmacists then review and profile the accuracy of the order and authorize the hospital pharmacy system to dispense the drug. The licensed pharmacist also checks for allergies, drug interactions, correct dosage and the patient's pharmaceutical history before authorizing the dispensing of a medication.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants to reward doctors for successfully adopting electronic prescribing practices. It says e-Pharmacies improves the quality of care, lowers administrative costs and has the potential to eliminate thousands of medication errors every year.
The e-Pharmacy services are being developed in conjunction with hospital pharmacy leaders at Via Christi Health System medical centers and Salina Regional Health Center, which is affiliated with Via Christi. The program is set to begin October among Via Christi's network hospitals, Mercy Regional Health Center in Manhattan and in Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg and also will be offered to hospitals outside of the health system.
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