Keene, N.H.-based Cheshire Medical Center will open its first hospital-based pharmacy later this fall, according to The Keene Sentinel.
The pharmacy, available to hospital patients and employees, will be staffed by pharmacists, three pharmacy technicians and a manager.
The Cheshire Medical Center is part of the Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System, which reported a nearly $70 million surplus during the fiscal year ended June 30, partially credited to its pharmacy business, according to the Valley News of Lebanon.
Linda Sawyer, RPh, senior director of retail and specialty pharmacy for Lebanon-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, said hospital-run pharmacies provide a better patient experience than retail pharmacies because they have access to medical records to better inform prescribing decisions.
In addition to filling prescriptions, pharmacists will be able to administer eight types of vaccinations without an appointment, The Keene Sentinel reported. The pharmacy also will have a private consultation room where patients can ask personal prescription-related questions and receive the immunizations. Additionally, there will be a drug take-back box where the community can drop off unused or expired medications.
The pharmacy will accept most insurance plans, including New Hampshire and Vermont Medicaid, according to the report.