Medication management can be complex for nursing home Residents and staff alike. The Minnesota Veterans Homes have operated their own pharmacy for more than 50 years, offering expertise and efficiency to improve the quality of care provided.

Now serving 900 Residents living among the eight Minnesota Veterans Homes, the pharmacy was first licensed in 1976 and originally focused solely on the Minneapolis Veterans Home. Over the years, the pharmacy expanded to serve additional Veterans Homes under a centralized pharmacy model.

Operating a dedicated pharmacy has many advantages, according to Andrew Weir, RPh, PharmD, Chief of Pharmacy Operations for the Minnesota Veterans Homes.

• Specialized care and management support Residents with complex, chronic conditions requiring equally complex medication regimens. The Pharmacy team offers specialized services focused on geriatric drug therapy, personalized medication packaging and regular medication reviews to prevent adverse interactions.
• 24/7 availability and immediate access to pharmacists and emergency medications.
• Improved safety and reduced medication errors are achieved through dedicated pharmacists who focus specifically on reducing drug interactions, managing complex medication schedules and improving adherence.
• Streamlined operations reduce the administrative burden on nursing staff working in the Homes, allowing them more time to focus on direct care.
• Maintain compliance with new and changing regulations for both the Pharmacy and the Homes. This ensures pharmacy services and operations are in line with the Healthcare Division’s mission to provide quality care to the Residents.

Over the years, the work of the Pharmacy staff has evolved. Pharmacy consulting services were provided by staff pharmacists until 2011. As the organization expanded, the additional prescription volume required the pharmacists to focus on dispensing full time. Previously, the Pharmacy filled medications in prescription vials or manufacture packaging, and refills were requested by nursing as needed. Between 2012 and 2017, the Pharmacy began cycling scheduled oral medications in Opus Cassettes or Talyst Pouch Packaging. Eventually all Homes were transitioned to the current system of 28-day routine cycles for scheduled oral medications that are filled in punch cards. These cycled medications make up 65% of the total prescription volume averaging over 7,000 cards dispensed each month.

Over the last 20 years, the number of Pharmacy staff has remained relatively constant. Workflow efficiency changes have allowed staff to meet increasing demands. The Pharmacy now dispenses approximately 110,000 prescriptions each year.

The role of the pharmacist has changed, with increasing reliance upon them to provide clinical review and recommendations regarding medication therapies along with their dispensing responsibilities. They partner with pharmacy technicians who play a critical role in the operation of the pharmacy by managing inventory, entering medication orders into the pharmacy system, and filling and labeling prescriptions for the pharmacists to verify.

The Pharmacy also has a Reimbursement Specialist whose work is critical to maximize Medicare and VA reimbursement on behalf of each of the Veterans Homes. Past and current staff has been and remains the Pharmacy’s greatest asset. The Pharmacy currently has 17 staff with an average length of service of 10 years.

Congratulations to the Minnesota Veterans Homes Pharmacy for a half century of excellence in caring for our Residents!