Why is There a COW in my Hospital Room?!

You read the title correctly, and it's true that in the unfortunate event that you have to stay in a hospital room you may have a COW in there with you. Now, I know what you're thinking, "how can this be sanitary? Or how will I be able to sleep with a cow mooing all the time?" Well rest assured that there will not be an actual living, breathing, cud chewing cow in your room.  The acronym COW stands for Computer On Wheels, and it's an essential component of the hospital's technology system for inputting information into the electronic medical record for a patient.

This is what a COW looks like.
The image can be found here. 

Last summer I was able to do one of my pharmacy school rotations at a hospital that utilized COWs. I observed how convenient it was for the nurse to have direct access to a patient's medical record right in the room, instead of having to go to a workstation outside the patient's room. This allowed the nurses, physicians and pharmacists to be more efficient when conducting different aspects of a patient's care.

The COW also comes into play when dispensing medication from the pharmacy. Each time a medication is administered to a patient the nurse uses his or her log in, then a series of barcodes are used to make sure the right patient is getting the right drug at the right time. The COW has a scanner and when each patient is admitted to the hospital he or she receives an individualized barcode. The medication also has a barcode or a QR code on it.  The nurse scans his or her personal barcode so there is a record of who administered the medication, then the nurse scans the patient's barcode, then scans the code on the medication. If all of these match, then the medication can be administered. If they don't match, then there has been an error at some point and the medication is not given until this error is resolved.

This picture shows the individually packaged medications hanging
in the dispensing robot. The arrows are pointing to the QR codes that
get scanned before the medication is given to the patient to ensure
it is the correct medication for that specific patient.

You may be thinking, "wow, that's a lot of checks to go through for medication to be administered." You would be correct in thinking this. There are several checks that must be done before a patient can be given a medication.  Take comfort in knowing that the pharmacists, nurses, doctors, and even COWs are playing a role in protecting patients from medication errors.

Pharmacy Fact Friday

The bathroom is the worst place to store medication.

Yes, it's true. The room with a "medicine cabinet" is not an ideal place to store medication. In order for drugs to work properly in the body they need to be stored in an environment where they will be chemically stable. The bathroom is a poor place for medication storage because there is increased moisture, increased heat, and an increased level of bacteria. All of these things can contribute to the breakdown of the chemical structure of your medication and reduce the effectiveness and potency of the drug.

Follow these steps from Medline Plus to ensure your medication is stored safely:

• Keep medication out of children's reach.
• Always keep the medicine in the original container.
• Don't leave the cotton plug in the bottle, this can draw moisture into the container.
• Check the expiration date each time you take a drug. Replace the medications that are out of date.
• Never use a medication that has changed color, texture, or odor, even if it is not expired. Throw away capsules or tablets that stick together, are harder or softer than normal or are cracked or chipped.
• Ask your pharmacist about any specific storage instructions.

The kitchen is a good option for storing your medications. When choosing a cabinet in the kitchen you want to pick one that is NOT next to the stove, sink, or dishwasher. Medications should also be stored in a cabinet that cannot be reached by children. It is a good idea to put your medications in a cabinet you open every day. When you open the cabinet to get a bowl or glass you will see the medication and it will serve as a trigger to remind you to take them.

If your medications are currently stored in the bathroom take some time to transfer them to a better location. As you are doing this look over your prescription bottles and over the counter products to ensure the medication is not expired. If you find medications you no longer take or are expired read this post to learn how to properly dispose of them. This post discusses the importance of proper drug disposal and it talks about the prescription take back initiative. This program is sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement. The next prescription take back day will be held on October 29th from 10AM-2PM. To find a location near you click here.

That concludes your third Pharmacy Fact Friday! Have a great weekend and good luck cleaning out your medicine cabinets!

Pharmacy Fact Friday

Did you know a pharmacist can help you save money on your prescriptions?

Times are tough right now, and unfortunately patients are electing to cut costs by postponing medical care. Dr. Jack Fincham, my health economics professor, was recently on Fox 4 News discussing the ways a pharmacist can help a patient reduce their monthly prescription costs during these difficult economic times.

The news report stated patients are putting off medical care because they lack the money to pay for medical bills and prescriptions.

Here are the statistics:

• 21% of people are putting off doctors' visits.
• 17% of people are delaying medical procedures.
• 16% of people don't fill prescriptions.
• 13% of people are taking expired medications.

Postponing care can have long-term consequences that will inevitably be more expensive to the patient in the long run. It is in the best interest of the patient to take care of the minor things now, before they become major problems.

Watch the video to understand why these statistics are a problem and learn about the ways a pharmacist can help reduce your prescription drug costs.

Medical Costs: There's Hope for Those with Little Money in Need of Medical Care.

If you are struggling to make ends meet during these tough economic times please DO NOT stop taking your medication to save money. This can affect your overall health and be more costly in the long-term. Pharmacists want to see good outcomes in their patients. This cannot be achieved if the medication is not being taken and patients are not visiting their physicians. If times are difficult for you right now, please take some time to speak with your pharmacist to determine if your prescription costs can be reduced.

That concludes the second pharmacy fact Friday. What are your thoughts? Did it surprise you to learn so many people are putting off medical care?

Pharmacy Fact Friday

Did you know a pharmacist is the most accessible health care professional?

Picture from apotex.com

In honor of October being American Pharmacists Month I am starting a new series on the blog titled, Pharmacy Fact Friday. The goal of this series will be to share tidbits of information about the pharmacy profession and provide you with the resources necessary to navigate your healthcare decisions.

Now let's discuss today's pharmacy fact. Are you aware that a pharmacist is the most accessible healthcare professional? Take a minute to think about this and ask yourself these questions.

• Can you go into a doctor's office without an appointment, ask to speak to the doctor, and he or she comes out within five minutes to answer your questions?
• Can you dial the number to the doctor's office and speak to a physician directly without waiting a long time?
• Are you able to walk into a physician's office and have someone assist you with managing your medications?

The answer to these questions is most likely no, unless you have a really good relationship with your physician.

Now think about your last trip to the pharmacy.

• Did you need an appointment to get your prescription filled?
• When you called the pharmacy were you able to speak with the pharmacist about your medication related questions?
• When you picked up your medication was the pharmacist able to answer the questions you had about your medication or illness?

The answers to these questions are no, yes and yes. A pharmacist is so accessible at some pharmacies you don't even have to get out of your car to speak to one! The next time you have questions related to your health don't overlook the value of a pharmacist. They can work with you to manage your medications, find ways to lower your prescription costs, provide educational information about ways to improve your health and help you set goals to possibly reach a point where you no longer need the medication you are taking.

This podcast: Pharmacist's Role in Diabetes Care Podcast from the Center for Disease Control discusses how the accessibility of a pharmacist is critically important in diabetes management for a patient.

Well that wraps up your first Pharmacy Fact Friday! I hope you enjoyed it and found it to be informative.

Have a great weekend!

American Pharmacists Month

Know your MEDICINE know your PHARMACIST

Fall is here, and more importantly my favorite month is here! I might have some personal bias for October being my favorite month due to the fact it contains my birthday, but October is also great for many other reasons. The leaves are changing color, the cooler weather has arrived, harvest is in full swing, Halloween is only a few weeks away, and it is American Pharmacists Month!

A whole month dedicated to pharmacists, just one more reason to love October! The campaign for this year's American Pharmacists Month is, Know your MEDICINE know your PHARMACIST. This core message will serve to educate others about what pharmacists do and how they can help patients with their healthcare decisions.

The objectives for this month can be found on the American Pharmacists Association's website and include:

• To recognize the vital contributions made by pharmacists to health care in the United States.

• To enhance the image of pharmacists as the medication experts and an integral part of the health care team, not just as dispensers of medications.

• To educate the public, policy makers, pharmacists, and other health care professionals about the key role played by pharmacists in reducing overall health care costs by improved medication use and advanced patient care.

• To stress the importance of Knowing Your Medicine and Knowing Your Pharmacist to ensure drug therapy is as safe and effective as possible.

I encourage you to get to know your medicine and your pharmacist this month. Take a few minutes to review your medications, if any questions arise a pharmacist is only a phone call away. The next time you are in the pharmacy try to work toward developing a relationship with your pharmacist. They can be your most valuable and accessible resource when it comes to answering your healthcare questions.

To learn more about some of the things a pharmacist does and why a relationship with your pharmacist is important watch the video You and Your Pharmacist: A Winning Team.

After watching the video did you learn anything about what a pharmacist does? Did anything surprise you? What are some things you will do this month to take an active role in your healthcare? How are you going to get to know your medicine and your pharmacist this month?