Rep. Mensch (R-Montgomery) Visits St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital to Learn about St. Luke's Prescription Medication Management
Rep. Mensch discusses the AcuDose medication
dispensing system with St. Luke's Quakertown
Hospital Nurse Manager Rosanne Neiman
Rep. Mensch recently introduced legislation that would increase penalties for the theft of controlled substances
Quakertown, PA (9-18-09) - Rep. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) visited St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital on September 17. The purpose of his visit was to meet with physicians and staff to learn about St. Luke's processes for ensuring accurate prescription medication dispensing. This includes automated pharmacy functions, as well as extensive clinical staff training for identifying and managing prescription drug abuse patients. During the hour long visit, Rep. Mensch toured the Emergency and Medical Surgical Departments to learn more about St. Luke's tightly managed processes for dispensing prescription medications. Rep. Mensch recently introduced legislation that would increase penalties for the theft of controlled substances and felt it was important to meet with hospital professionals to learn more about the issue.
“Abuse of controlled prescription drugs is becoming a growing problem in the United States and our region” said Rep. Mensch regarding the reasons he is sponsoring the legislation. “My legislation seeks to combat this problem by targeting the methods by which prescription drugs are diverted, which drives up costs for health care providers and patients.” House Bill 1144 would make stealing a prescription or prescription order form a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and up to 5 years in prison.
During the tour, Emergency Department physician Dr. AnaMaria Perez discussed with Rep. Mensch how emergency department patients are initially evaluated to determine medication needs. Patients are asked a series of questions and their history is fully evaluated to assure that only necessary medications are prescribed and that medications are not abused. Rep. Mensch mentioned that diversion of prescription drugs is often the start of serious and violent crimes.
AcuDose Medication Dispensing System Improves Safety and Quality of Care
While visiting the inpatient floor of the hospital, Nurse Manager Rosanne Neiman explained how the AcuDose medication dispensing system operates and the reasons St. Luke's implemented the system throughout the entire network two years ago. St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network invests over $1.4 million annually to maintain and operate AcuDose medication dispensing systems throughout their hospitals located in Bethlehem, Allentown, Coaldale and Quakertown. The AcuDose dispensing cabinets automate pharmacy functions with bar-code technology and unit-dose packaging at individual patient rooms and in the pharmacy. This system allows nurses to use handheld scanning devises at a patient's bedside to verify the accuracy of medications prior to administering. This process improves the quality of care delivered to patients and increases safety.
“Medication safety is extremely important to St. Luke's and we find this system provides immeasurable safety and quality benefits,” said Ed Nawrocki President of St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital. “This system ensures that the right medication is administered to the right patient every time.”
Rep. Mensch also visited with Dr. Berger, a pain management physician, who discussed the importance and responsibility health care providers have to aggressively screen patients when prescribing pain medications. He explained that physicians must properly manage a patient's pain; but must assure that prescribed medication is not abused, used addictively or lead to drug dependence. He discussed the guidelines his office adheres to regarding contracts physicians and patients agree to prior to beginning a pain management program. Urine drug screening is an effective way to monitor drug use and is a key to patient accountability.
St. Luke's Praised for for Commitment to Medication Safety Procedures
Rep. Mensch concluded the tour by praising St. Luke's for their commitment to medication safety procedures and reminding doctors and nurses that prescription drug abuse is not a minor problem. President Ed Nawrocki, the doctors and staff of St Luke's Quakertown Hospital agree that compassionate patient care is the number one priority and that accurate medication dispensing is a key component to that kind of quality care.
House Bill 1144, was originally introduced by Rep. Mensch in June 2009 and is currently in the House Appropriations committee.
