Education
Technology
helping local pharmacy
Ruth Campbell
Staff Writer
Midland Reporter-Telegram
12/21/2006
What looks like a pill vending machine is
helping Service Drug of Midland fill its prescriptions more
accurately and freeing up pharmacists to better help customers.
Owners John and Kimberly Davis "went live" with
the Parata RDS machine Dec. 15. The robot filled 43 percent
of prescriptions that day and 60 percent Dec. 16.
The 12-square-foot machine holds 252 drugs
and could ultimately take care of 70 percent of orders filled
with 100 percent accuracy, Kimberly Davis said.
The device fills prescriptions in 20 seconds,
putting it directly into a vial so there is no chance of
cross-contamination. The cycle also includes labeling the
vial, filling, capping and sorting it by the patient's last
name. Each prescription is also barcoded for additional patient
safety.
 Read More Is
this link not working? Send us an email and let us know.
Physicians and patients rely on
Service Drug's compounding service
"What is compounding?" you may ask. Compounding combines
an ageless art with the latest medical knowledge and stateof-
the-art technology, allowing specially trained professionals to
prepare customized medications to meet each patient's specific needs.
Compounding is fundamental to the profession of pharmacy and
was a standard means of providing prescription medications before
drugs began to be produced in mass quantities by pharmaceutical
manufacturers. The demand for professional compounding has
increased as healthcare professionals and patients realize that the
limited number of strengths and dosage forms that are commercially
available do not meet the needs of many patients, and that these
patients often have a better response to a customized form that is
"just what the doctor ordered."
 Read More Is
this link not working? Send us an email and let us know.
Service Drug's compounding pharmacy greatly benefits pets
When Dr. Tom Green of Greenbelt Veterinary Hospital
needs certain doses or forms of medicine for the dogs and
cats his clinic treats, he turns to Service Drug of Midland.
Certain medicines that are only available for humans
can, in certain cases, be used for animals. The problem is
in the dose. "The dosing form for human medications that's
for a 150 pound person will NOT work for a three-pound
cat," Dr. Green points out.
Read More Is
this link not working? Send us an email and let us know.
Service Drug offers plan to combat high prescription prices
No one should ever have to choose between getting
a prescription filled and buying groceries or paying the
heating or electric bill," says John Davis, president of
Service Drug of Midland. "There is a simple and affordable
solution that will benefit most people, even if
they currently have prescription insurance coverage,"
he adds.
Many people have gone to the Internet to try to cut
prescription costs. Many of them are not aware of the
health risks associated with unmonitored use of prescription
medications. John cites a recent article in the Journal
of Hospital Pharmacy by Dr. Michael A. Vernonin, in
which Dr. Vernonin noted a recent increase in the number
of hospitalizations associated with patient use of medications
purchased on the Internet or imported illegally.
Anytime a patient self-medicates, without a visit to a
physician's office, says Dr. Vernonin, there is the risk of
drug-involved adverse effects. One reason is that many
of these imported medications do not undergo the same
rigorous safety inspections and quality control as that of
US made medications.
Read More Is
this link not working? Send us an email and let us know.
See Service Drug of Midland for
fast, personal service! We deliver! By John L. Davis, R. Ph., IAPC
Your time is important to you and it is important to
us. We know sometimes you are in a hurry and can't wait
30 minutes to four hours for your prescription. When
you come into our store we wait on you promptly. Most
prescriptions are filled within 10 minutes or less; that
is our goal.
We know you want medication information, so we
always have a friendly pharmacist available to answer
your questions and make recommendations. Read More Is
this link not working? Send us an email and let us know.
|
