Are You Ready for Short-Cycle Dispensing?

As we move along in 2012, new mandates and policies are top of mind for pharmacists. In a recent article in Drug Topics, “Get ready for short-cycle dispensing in LTC and skilled-nursing facilities,” it is apparent that the short-cycle mandate will be a priority for long-term care (LTC) pharmacies and facilities. The mandate begins in January 2013 and LTC pharmacies will need to prepare and plan now to adjust to the new rule. The ruling intends to save money for Medicare by reducing medication waste. Pharmacies dispensing 14-day-or less will be required to report the quantity of unused medications on each claim. While facilities that dispense both brand and generic medications 7-day-or less, will be exempt from this reporting.

In the article, Carol Sirianni, RPh, Vice President at AmerisourceBergen stated, “Any facility that is Medicare or Medicaid certified is going to be affected by the new short-cycle 14-day-or-less rule. We will need additional teamwork across pharmacy and skilled-nursing facilities. In my experience, that is a very big challenge. Other challenges to implementation of shorter-cycle dispensing include planning, ensuring that a risk assessment is performed to help protect the pharmacy bottom line, understanding the differences between skilled-nursing facilities, managing the increase in medication volume, implementing technology to support the workflow, and ensuring the proper training of all personnel. All these factors will need to be in place as the change to the new dispensing cycles is made.”

Although the mandate is not as rigid as the original proposal of 7-day-or-less dispensing, pharmacies and facilities will need to figure out the best method to adhere to this ruling, since medications are typically dispensed in 30-day cycles at LTC facilities. I think it will be challenging for pharmacies to manage brand medications differently than generic medications when the intent is to reduce medication waste. As mentioned in the article, automation is not required, but technologies like Talyst’s InSite Remote Dispensing could be a viable option for many facilities since this would ensure medications are dispensed 7-or14-day cycles instead.

Do you work in a LTC facility and preparing for this mandate? How is your facility handling the 14-day or less dispensing requirement?

This is the short link.