Brooklyn Community Estate has implemented a new Medication Management System. New carts are being utilized and new medication packaging is helping us ensure safe med distribution and cost savings to our residents. Medications — whether they are controlled, high-value, or maintenance — require careful consideration at every step for security, tracked access, and accurate inventory.
A new packaging system is helping save costs for our residents by switching from “strip” packaging (where all medications are placed into 1 pouch and co-mingle) to a “bubble” packaging (where each individual medication is put into a card packaging by itself.) With the previous strip packaging, the medications could not be credited back to the patient if the medication was discontinued before being all used. Per the mandated law, once medications are co-mingled (touching each other) they can not be credited back and reused for another patient in case of allergies to medications. When the medications “co-mingle” they release residue on each other that can be dangerous if someone has an allergy. The new “bubble” system that BCE has been changed to allows for the remaining, unused amount to come back for a credit as each medication comes in it’s own package.
Lastly, the new “bubble” packaging has been known to prevent medication errors from happening as staff is able to pass one medication at a time instead of a whole “packet.”
BCE is committed to the well-being of our residents and is continually searching for new, innovative ways to do this. Our pharmacy provider, NuCara, assisted us with the implementation of this new system.
