Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/576097
92 Executive Briefing: Automation In addition to leadership challenges, UAHS was experi- encing problems related to automation in its hospital pharma- cies. Before calling in CompleteRx, the system had automatic dispensing carts made by a company in Israel. "They basically didn't work," says Mr. Vargas. While the system and Com- pleteRx tried get the carts to function within UAHS' information system, the cart company went bankrupt and closed down. To fix the problem, CompleteRx brought in several auto- mation companies and helped UAHS vet them and improve its medicine distribution process. Beyond addressing the dispensing cart issue, the two or- ganizations also upgraded the pharmacy information system to help the system meet meaningful use requirements. "The phar- macy is instrumental in providing resources to be able to meet those requirements," Mr. Vargas says. Regulatory Regulation was a struggle for UAHS primar- ily because its two hospi- tals are in different states. To increase efficiency and integrate pharmacy systems between the two hospitals — like the oper- ating system and staffing — CompleteRx worked to get both pharmacies licensed in both New York and Pennsylvania. Additionally, Com- pleteRx worked with the system's hospitals to get the pharma- cies up to USP 797 standards, which pertain to sterile prepara- tion in the pharmacy. "We did a complete cleanroom remodel in both hospitals, and put processes and policies in place to make sure they were compliant with the new requirements," Mr. Vargas says. Where is UAHS now? Leadership, automation and regulatory problems are only a few of the areas that CompleteRx and UAHS have addressed in their nearly five-year relationship. While the two still have an agreement in place and opportunities for more improvement, UAHS has already seen the positive effects of the collaboration. Since 2011, Mr. Vargas describes the difference as "night and day." "When you walked into the pharmacy [before], it looked like pandemonium," he says. "When you walk in now, it's just a nice quiet environment. Still very busy, but it's orderly." The system has achieved significant cost savings and also seen improvements in nurse satisfaction scores, which in- creased by 25 percent. "On all levels, it's a considerable improvement in operation and function," he says. And it helps that the two organizations have formed a tight-knit bond throughout the years. "They see us as a trusted advisor more so than a third-party vendor," Mr. Vargas says of CompleteRx's and UAHS' relationship. Mr. Andrus says that sentiment is the goal for all of Com- pleteRx's health system relationships. "We're not one of the old outsourcing companies that would go in and axe people," he says. "We'd much rather work with the folks who are there on the ground, understand what's going on in the hospital and assist them." n Sponsored by: CompleteRX is a leading provider of innovative hospital pharmacy management and consulting services to acute care hospitals. For health- care institutions seeking superior patient care through pharmacy, we perpetually improve processes to manage risk, integrate technologies and align operations while reducing costs and managing revenue. Leadership development is one of the top challenges health systems face with hospital pharmacy management. Hospital Pharmacy Improvements