Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and Walgreens Team Up to Provide Bedside Medication Delivery

New Program Aims to Help Improve Patient Health and Recovery

Rockville, MD – Feb. 27, 2012 - Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and Walgreens have teamed up on a new program to provide bedside delivery of medications to hospitalized patients, with pharmacists helping to ease their transition from hospital to home. The program launched earlier this month.

Currently, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville and Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park are the only hospitals in Montgomery County to offer bedside delivery services with Walgreens.

“We are pleased to be working with Walgreens to provide this important health care service to our patients,” said Dennis Hansen, president of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. “Our goal is for our patients to improve and maintain their health, and this high-touch service gives them the medications and counseling they need to aid in their recovery.”

Prior to discharge, patients can elect to have prescriptions delivered to their bedside by a Walgreens pharmacy technician. Pharmacists then talk with patients about any important information regarding their medication therapies and are available to answer patient questions and concerns. Walgreens completes the request for any necessary insurance authorizations, fills the prescriptions and delivers directly to the patient’s hospital room.

Bedside delivery is available Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. At the time of delivery, patients receive their prescriptions and an explanation of medications.

“After leaving the hospital, many patients feel tired and want to go straight home rather than going to the pharmacy to get their prescriptions filled,” said Skip Margot, vice president of patient care services for Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. “Through this program, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is giving patients easier access to their medications, as well as helping them to develop a better understanding of new medication therapies by talking with a pharmacist. This can be very effective in helping patients remain adherent to medications, which can be key to a timely recovery.”

“We’ve seen through other programs at hospitals and health systems across the country the kind of impact this type of care coordination can have,” said Walgreens market vice president Darron Briscoe. “Bringing this service to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and its patients, our pharmacists can play a key role in improving patient health and providing differentiating value to the health center.”

Other benefits to patients include, a free patient hotline for medication consultation with a pharmacist; refills at any Walgreens location or other pharmacy of their choice; and refill reminders for patients with chronic conditions such as cancer, organ transplant, and HIV.

Washington Adventist Hospital implemented the Walgreens bedside delivery program in June 2011.

Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute care facility in Rockville, Maryland, with 339 licensed beds. Shady Grove is committed to delivering excellent health care through a ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing. The hospitaloffers a broad range of health services and is recognized for excellence in emergency care; high-risk obstetrical and neonatalcare; cardiac and vascular interventional care; oncology care; several surgical specialties; and a number of specialized servicesfor children. The Shady Grove Adventist Emergency Center in Germantown provides emergency medical care to more than 35,000 residents each year. Shady Grove Adventist Hospital is part of Maryland-based Adventist HealthCare, an integrated health-care delivery system that is one of the largest employers in the state of Maryland.