Advanced Rx

Including medication dispensing in a medical practice’s list of services offered, while profitable, can be a lot of work for your medical office staff. In a demanding space such as the medical and pharmaceutical fields, constant education and training are essential for helping patients achieve optimal results. So what should you do? In our newest blog post, we talk about the benefits of working with a medicine dispensing "coach" or industry leader to avoid any obstacles and remove any uncertainty associated with the process: https://www.advanced-rx.com/d/coaching-for-pharmacy-safety/

March is National Nutrition Month and serves as a great reminder that good #nutrition is essential to a strong immune system. Making informed food choices such as eating the recommended servings of fruits and veggies (as well as engaging in regular physical activity) will help protect our bodies from seasonal flu, illness, and other health issues. In fact, many whole fruits and vegetables contain vitamins that naturally boost the immune system. A healthy diet won't solve everything, but it is a good start. Here's to a nutritious month!

We get a lot of questions about our Provider Pharmacy Services, so here are the basics: The focus is on you, the healthcare provider. We want to ensure that your patients receive their medications conveniently and at the lowest cost. How does that work? Through the Provider Pharmacy Services, workers compensation, personal injury, and auto and cash patients will receive their prescriptions directly from your office. They won't have to travel to a separate pharmacy, even to ...get refills. Other patients that do not fit into the categories above such as commercial, private pay, and Medicare patients are serviced through our in-network pharmacies. All billing and collections are handled by our in-house team. Our pharmacies have contracts with all PBMs and handle prior authorizations. We make every effort to minimize medication substitutions: https://www.advanced-rx.com/providers/

In light of the recent #coronavirus appearance, it’s important for professionals in health care to reexamine their practices regarding influenza. Following a protocol composed of best practices can drastically help protect patients and others from the flu. It can also contribute to dealing with outbreaks of new viruses and keep transmission to a minimum. Vaccinations, easy access to hand cleaning, active awareness (such as 'cover your cough signs'), and in-office medicine dispensing are all ways to limit exposure. Also, remember that people are more afraid of things they do not understand. Communication between healthcare professionals and patients is key - let people know what they can do to contribute to public safety: https://www.advanced-rx.com//limiting-exposure-to-influen/

Pharmacists, do you counsel your patients to stop using e-cigarettes and similar products? In the midst of the current vaping-related lung illness epidemic, it's important to be aware of initial symptoms, and to advice against the use of these products. Urge patients to seek immediate medical care if they are exhibiting signs of respiratory illness and have admitted to e-cigarette and vape use. For patients who turn to e-cigarettes as a way to wean off smoking habits, recommend switching to nicotine patches, lozenges, and gums which do not have the same respiratory risks: https://www.advanced-rx.com//pharmacists-need-to-know-ini/

Patients often don't understand the medical recommendations they are given. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this is one of the main contributing factors to noncompliance with medication. Luckily, research shows that patients of doctors who are more actively involved in diagnosis and treatment plans are much more likely to follow their medication protocols. Physician dispensing programs can help physicians become more involved: https://www.advanced-rx.com/provide//physician-dispensing/

Why do some patients require compounded drugs? Practitioners will provide compounded drugs to patients when the patient may be in need of a certain FDA-approved medication but is unable to take it for various reasons. For example, the patient may be allergic to one of the ingredients in the FDA-approved medication, or unable to swallow the medication in pill form and needs a liquid to be made. Advanced Rx has compounding pharmacies supporting patients across the United States. We offer providers a superior compounding program, focused on patient care and provider staff support: https://www.advanced-rx.com/providers//compounding-service/

We try to make it as easy as possible for our patients to refill medications. Getting necessary medication shouldn't be inconvenient and time consuming. Tools like our PocketRx app allow patients to refill 24/7, set reminders, and access their accounts on the go: https://www.advancedrxpharmacy.com/mobile

When frightening outbreaks like the Wuhan #coronavirus occur, or even during much less brutal winter flu season arrives, we rely on our #healthcare professionals to keep us healthy and safe. But ultimately prevention starts with each of us. Here are three things everyone can do to avoid infection, as recommended by the CDC. 1. Wash your hands! This is a big one. 20 seconds of soap (preferably anti-bacterial) and water, multiple times a day. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are... an acceptable substitute if you can’t get to a sink. 2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you’re sick (even if it’s just a cold), avoid interacting with other people. 3. If you think you may be infected, call your doctor/hospital before going there. Medical teams have been instructed to prepare special spaces for any possibly infected people. Did you know that Advanced Rx programs, such as physician dispensing, are offered to allow sick patients to get the medications they need without making a separate trip to a pharmacy? Instead, patients can go straight home to get much-needed rest. We think of it as concierge-level services that improve the lives of both patients and doctors.

Noncompliant patients (patients who do not take their medication as recommended, skip follow-up appointments, don't fill prescriptions, etc.) make up between 10 and 25 percent of nursing home and hospital admissions each year. The complications that arise when doctors’ orders are not followed, result in an estimated 125,000 deaths each year among patients with treatable conditions. We talk about patient compliance how it can be improved on our latest blog: https://www.advanced-rx.com//importance-of-patient-compli/

Our #motivation today and every day. Happy Friday from the #AdvancedRx team.

Your guide to getting started with physician dispensing is here! From installing pharmacy software to using prepackaged medicines, we walk you through the process in our latest blog: https://www.advanced-rx.com/dis/physician-dispensing-guide/

Happy #NationalPharmacistDay! We are so privileged to be able to work with some great pharmacists and we thank you all for the incredibly vital roles you play in patient care and patient recovery.

January is National Blood Donor Month, and it's for a reason. Winter is one of the most difficult times in the year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs. If you are able to donate, this is the time of year to do it! Every donation makes a difference. Check out the American Red Cross website for more info: https://www.redcrossblood.org/