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| Home > Mercy Health Center - Fort Scott |
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Pleasanton Family Practice First in Kansas to Offer Instant Medication Dispensing Machine |
Dr. Jay Allen, primary care physician with
Pleasanton Family Practice located in Pleasanton, KS, announces the addition of
cutting edge technology to provide patients added access and convenience in
filling medication prescriptions.
Patients receive medication at point of care rather than spending time traveling
to and from a pharmacy. Access to pharmacy services is particularly difficult
for theses patients with transportation barriers and during evenings, weekends
and holidays.
The clinic is the first physicians’ office in the state of Kansas to offer
InstyMeds, an electronic medication dispensing machine. With InstyMeds, patients
are able to purchase basic acute-care medications directly from the lobby of the
clinic.
The instant medication machine looks similar to a vending machine. The InstyMed
dispenser works similar to how patients have a prescription filled at a retail
pharmacy – they need to bring their prescription benefits card, as well as a
credit card, debit card or cash for the co-payment.
“This machine is intended to offer patients a convenient alternative for filling
their prescriptions, especially for patients that we serve after normal pharmacy
hours, so they don’t have to travel for the most common prescribed medications,”
said Dr. Allen.
As part of meeting patient needs, the clinic has continued to expand its hours
to now being open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week.
“With the influx of people moving to Linn County, the need for after-hours care
and on the weekends has likewise increased,” said Rhonda Kellstadt, an advanced
registered nurse practitioner with the clinic. “Minor illnesses and emergencies
don’t always occur during a nine to five timetable, so we have increased our
hours of operation to meet these needs. The InstyMed dispenser is the logical
next step in fulfilling patient needs,” added Kellstadt.
The machine is stocked with 40 to 60 of the most common prescriptions produced
by acute care visits. Drs. John Spencer and Allen along with Nurse Practitioner
Rhonda Kellstadt will order prescriptions electronically, which are sent to the
InstyMeds machine. The patient is given an access code to order the prescription
from InstyMeds.
InstyMeds verifies insurance coverage for patients and accommodates self-paying
customers. Cash, credit or debit cards are accepted. Patient support is
available through a licensed pharmacist 24 hours a day via a telephone mounted
on the front of the machine.
“Patients will have their correct medication within three to five minutes, and
it will have been verified three times to ensure they are receiving the right
medication and dosage,” added Allen. “This will keep patients close to home
without having to travel in some instances up to 60 miles to fill a
prescription.”
Pleasanton Family Practice is one of three Rural Health Clinics in Southeast
Kansas operated by Mercy Health System of Kansas.
For more information about the clinic or InstyMeds, call Mercy Marketing
Department at 620-223-7026. |
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