It is a new year, and everywhere you turn, there are resolutions, workout equipment, organization products and tools and more. The message is “new and better.” Yet, in long-term care, we are still struggling with staffing shortages, new and increasing regulations, budget cuts, escalating costs and increasing acuity of residents. Managing the kitchen, laundry and staffing, on top of physician visits and dealing with behavioral issues in memory care, can leave medication management at the bottom of the very long list. Please join us over the next few months for tips and recommendations on how to make your medication management program the least of your worries. Guardian Pharmacy of Atlanta has specific processes and staff in place to make management of medications easier and worry-free.
As a wellness nurse or executive director of a long-term care community, you are expected to be all things to all people. However, that is not a path to success. You must surround yourself with competent staff and great vendors that help you in your success. Medication management for residents can be very complicated. Regulations are confusing, and there are so many choices in packaging and electronic medication records that it is very easy to get overwhelmed when trying to streamline your medication processes. So, the first recommendation is to make sure a pharmacist consultant and nurse or account manager is available to help you manage your medications.
At Guardian Pharmacy of Atlanta, we have board-certified geriatric pharmacist consultants who are well-versed in regulations and geriatric medicine. We have registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and former executive directors and wellness nurses on our account management team. Combined, we have well over 100 years of long-term care experience.
We are not a vendor that will sell you on our services and experience and then leave you to manage on your own; we can walk with you step by step through your medication management program to ensure safety, quality and competence. We partner with multiple electronic medication records, offer different types of packaging and provide education for medication staff, wellness directors and executive directors. We conduct regular visits, audit carts and documentation, help destroy medications and offer recommendations to help you maintain safety and compliance in your medication management program. Our consultant pharmacists also provide in-depth drug regimen reviews and make recommendations to physicians and nurse practitioners that can be given to them to increase the quality of life for your residents. And this is only a partial list of services that we offer.
If your medication management program is a mess, and your New Year’s resolution is to clean it up and make it the best, please reach out to us. Tip # 1 is to get to know your pharmacist consultant and account manager, ask for the help you need and get moving on your resolution!
If you would like more information on our services at Guardian Pharmacy of Atlanta, or to set up a visit, please contact Lori Newcomb, pharmacist consultant, at 404-309-4958 or lori.newcomb@guardianpharmacy.net.
The Guardian Pharmacy of Atlanta team from L to R: Matt Hopp, president and owner; Lori Newcomb, RPh BCGP; Christinia George, RPh, BCGP; Adriana Hasselbring, Pharm D. BCGP; Dianne Weston, Lisa McKenzie, RN; Lori Shiffman, LPN; Judy Hyde, RN; (not pictured is Anita Ray, LPN)
