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Rehab/skilled
Each of our rehabilitation/skilled care centers partners with a long-term care pharmacy to provide daily delivery and 24/7 coverage for our residents’ medication needs. These pharmacies dispense medication in “blister” or “bubble” packs that help staff administer safely to our residents.
Residents with us for a rehabilitation stay under Medicare A or many Managed Care programs have their medications covered as part of their stay.
For those with us for long-term care, medications are most often paid for under Medicare Part D plans with the same co-pays and deductibles that you would see if getting medications at home.
At each of our centers, we also work closely with a consultant pharmacist. The consultant’s role is to review each resident’s medical record each month and, based on this review, make recommendations to nursing and medical staff on changes to the medication regimen to ensure safe and effective use of each medication prescribed.
Additionally, these consultants serve on various committees, review the administration of medication to residents, and inspect medication storage areas to help ensure safe and effective use of medication at our centers.
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Assisted living
Assisted living communities at the Good Samaritan Society are increasingly choosing to partner with long-term care pharmacies for medication service. The advantage of this model is that our residents get daily delivery of medication that is appropriately packaged for staff to administer.
Some communities and individual residents choose to continue service with their local retail pharmacy. Under this model, the local pharmacy agrees to package medications appropriately and arrangements are made either for delivery to the assisted living community or for a family member to pick up.
Requirements vary by state, but many of our communities also employ the services of a consultant pharmacist. These consultants typically review a resident’s medical record to ensure a safe and effective medication plan.
They also assist in many other ways: observing the administration of medication to residents, inspecting medication storage areas for appropriate conditions, and serving on various committees.
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Hospice
Our hospice agencies typically partner with a Hospice Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) to ensure timely, appropriate medication management for those whom we serve.
In hospice, a PBM typically reviews medications to ensure each is appropriate to the plan of care.
Once reviewed, medications are provided either directly from the PBM through mail order; or, if needed more quickly, by a local pharmacy partnered with the PBM.
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Home health
While the Good Samaritan Society does not contract or partner with specific pharmacies for care of our home health patients, our nursing support staff does play an important role in managing medications.
Depending on an individual’s needs, support may involve directly administering medications or assisting patients and family members on appropriate use of medications.