PharmaSmart’s next generation kiosk, launching in 2014, will include weight, BMI, cardiac arrhythmia detection and blood glucose, supported by full interoperability with the Pharmacy System and Physician EMR.
Rochester, NY (PRWEB) September 27, 2013
PharmaSmart® International Inc., an Inc. 5000 list and Rochester, NY Top 100 company, announced today a combined partnership with Astrup and its pharmacy software system, Rx30. This groundbreaking partnership, now deployed across the Astrup store network, integrates PharmaSmart® interoperable biometric screening technology with Astrup’s pharmacy software system. This new biometric integration triggers timely patient interventions, counseling sessions, and increases MTM case recruitment for hypertensive patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Astrup pharmacists are presented with color-coded icons within the patient health record, alerting them to the patient’s specific biometric screening status. Icon status is based on average readings and in the most severe cases, flashing red icons trigger immediate intervention. Ultimately it initiates a referral to the pharmacist for follow up care with the patient when indicated. By clicking on the program icon, the pharmacist has access to an advanced clinical portal allowing a comprehensive overview of the patient’s biometric history. This data is integrated into standardized medication review sessions. Additionally, comprehensive program data is available to assess risk stratification, and biometric trending geographically across the full patient population.
Tim Gallagher, Astrup Drug’s, Chief Operating Officer explains, “With chronic diseases such as hypertension, drug therapy is complex and medication adherence is a major challenge. This creates a costly care gap that the pharmacists can help address, if they have the right tools. This investment helps our pharmacists obtain a higher quality cognitive assessment, which supports the objectives of the patient, the physician, and the health plan. Unlike traditional health screening kiosks or promotions, PharmaSmart® creates a real-time, permanent ‘bridge” between the health kiosk and our pharmacist. We worked closely with PharmaSmart® and Rx30 to optimize the program; ensuring workflow integration so that it can be sustained over the long term. Our pharmacists were involved in a structured beta phase and provided key input to both companies. This collaborative approach between all stakeholders yielded great results.”
PharmaSmart® COO, Ashton S. Maaraba states, “both Astrup Drug and Rx 30 have been outstanding partners for PharmaSmart® throughout this project. Both companies are committed to advancing pharmacy care through this validated biometric screening solution and interoperable platform. Astrup Drug has shown strong industry and community leadership with this deployment, and we are confident this program will help drive improved medication adherence, patient outcomes, and the overall health of Astrup patients across the Astrup Pharmacy Network.”
Maaraba also explained that more biometrics are being added to the PharmaSmart® platform, stating “PharmaSmart’s next generation kiosk, launching in 2014, will include weight, BMI, cardiac arrhythmia detection and blood glucose, supported by full interoperability with the Pharmacy System and Physician EMR. Our program allows retailers to collaborate with regional and national Health Plans to offer the plans high value cognitive services and large-scale biometric outcome metrics via our PS DataSmart® platform. These solutions reduce the cost per life covered, and deliver significant new revenue channels for our retail clients.
Steve Wubker, president of Transaction Data Systems, says, "Rx30's integration with PharmaSmart® is a new standard in pharmacy software development. PharmaSmart® delivers validated patient biometrics within Rx30, allowing pharmacists to target not just adherence, but actual clinical outcomes. Rx30 can only integrate patient data if the source is clinically validated and peer reviewed. Because of their device validity and unique interoperable framework, PharmaSmart® provides unique value to emerging pharmacy care models and solves a problem that pharmacy software providers have historically faced."
About Astrup Drug, Inc.
Astrup Drug, Inc. founded in 1952 is based in Austin, Minnesota and operates a chain of pharmacies throughout southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. Astrup Drug, Inc. is dedicated to offering delivery, prescription transfers, DME, immunizations, medication therapy management, the PharmaSmart® blood pressure tracker™ program and many more pharmacy services to their patients. Devoted to improving patients’ health, each store also offers high quality information on Medicare/Medicaid, diabetes blood pressure and cholesterol.
About PharmaSmart®
PharmaSmart®, headquartered in Rochester, NY, USA, currently serves more than 6,000 locations, including retail pharmacies such as Kinney Drugs, Bartell Drugs, Coborns, Nash Finch, Roundy’s, Associated Food Stores, Leader, Good Neighbor, Astrup Drug, Winn Dixie, Big Y Foods, Harmons Grocery, Wal-Mart Canada, Safeway Canada, Loblaw’s, Le Groupe Jean Coutu, Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall/Katz Group, Zellers, Sobey’s Lawton’s, and other fine pharmacies. PharmaSmart® also serves major worksites, military bases, University Schools of Pharmacy, hospitals and medical clinics.
PharmaSmart’s PS Data Smart® Health IT database currently holds more than (20) million validated patient biometrics. For more information visit the company's website at http://www.PharmaSmart.com or contact corporate communications Shauna Delahanty at (800) 781-0323.
About Rx30 (Transaction Data Systems)
The Rx30 Pharmacy System provides your pharmacy incomparable Prescription Filling, Nursing Home, Consulting, Accounts Receivable, Workflow Management, Signature Capture, IV processing, Compounding, Integrated POS Solutions and an abundance of value-added vendor interfaces to provide you a total turnkey dispensing solution. Whether you are a small independent start-up filling 30 prescriptions a day or a 100+ independent chain operation filling 1500 prescriptions a day - Rx30 is the perfect solution!
