Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health opened two new retail pharmacies Sept. 14 at its hospitals in La Grange, Ky., and New Albany, Ind., WDRB, a local Fox station, reported.
Each pharmacy offers a Meds to Beds program, in which medications are delivered to the patient's bedside prior to their discharge from the hospital, with the option for pharmacist counseling on any new or changed prescriptions. Several studies have found these types of programs to be effective in helping prevent patients from having to be readmitted to the hospital by ensuring they have their medications, Baptist Health said.
The La Grange pharmacy was constructed on the ground floor adjacent to the inpatient pharmacy. It will also fill prescriptions for employees and the public and provide select immunization services.
"For Baptist Health La Grange, the retail pharmacy is not just about convenience for our patients, it is also about improving the transition of care from hospital to home," said Sandy Keith, the hospital's quality director. "Bridging this gap is an essential piece in preventing readmissions and to ensure best patient outcomes."