If the prognosis for a patient is six months or less, hospice care may be an option. The fundamental objectives of healthcare practitioners, including a pharmacist, are patient comfort and pain reduction. In their homes, hospice patients can receive healthcare, including pharmacy services. In addition, this is often covered by the majority of insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions (SPS), an international provider of hospice pharmacy and pharmacy benefits management services, offers pharmacy and pharmacy benefits administration services for hospices in the community. The pharmaceutical benefits program of SPS serves around 500 hospice organizations and 24,000 patients. Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions caters exclusively to the demands of the hospice industry. SPS has expanded over its two-year lifetime to become one of the nation’s leading hospice PBM. This method has reduced the average PPD of its clients in just two years by more than 22 per cent.
What Are Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions?
There are instances in which hospice care may be recommended for a patient with a life expectancy of fewer than six months. Palliative care refers to the treatment of symptoms rather than the search for a cure.
Home of the patient or a family member
A standalone hospice centre that may include inpatient hospice treatment.
A hospice program provided by many institutions
A hospice unit within a facility for long-term care or assisted living
For hospice patients, hospice pharmacy services include medication treatment management (MTM) and emotional support. Pharmacists provide these services with hospice training.
Discuss with patients their medications and how they are doing?
Understanding which might negatively interact with one another
ensures that each patient receives the correct medication dosage from their physician.
Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions offers these services, which also deal with end-of-life care issues. Complicated MTM, the need for better patient consultation, and knowledge of end-of-life care are a few of these factors to consider
Treatments
Even though the significant objective of hospice is to alleviate pain and other symptoms, medication is essential for helping patients cope with their diseases. The likelihood of an adverse or severe reaction to a single or combination of medications increases as the number of medications a person takes increases.
Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions are aware of these interactions. They can collaborate with the patient’s physicians to identify the optimal dosage, administration mode, and prescription form.
Consultation
Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions can speak with patients about the regularity with which they take their prescription medications and the reasons why they may not be taking them as prescribed, as well as discuss side effects and the efficacy of the treatment. The subsequent are examples of potential causes: If a medication has too many undesirable effects or causes an allergic reaction, the patient may discontinue use.
Stigma
Some patients fear becoming dependent on their prescribed medications, especially opiate painkillers.
Cost
Medicare may not fund all of a patient’s prescriptions, despite providing hospice care.
Consideration
Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions can consider all of these factors and assess if there are other or alternative prescription dosages that will fulfil the patient’s needs.
Hospice care at the end of life
For a pharmacist accustomed to treating and curing illnesses, delivering end-of-life care may need a shift of perspective. Spectrum Pharmacy Solutions are aware of the emotional strain that dying patients, their families, and their caregivers suffer.
Factors to Consider
Medications are regularly used to manage pain. The hospice personnel may administer over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or stronger painkillers such as morphine. Discuss with your doctor or hospice staff any time during your stay what is or is not working for you. They can quickly modify treatment plans or medications and do everything it takes to ensure the patient’s health at any cost.
Your pharmacist can answer any questions you may have about these medications, including any possible side effects. Most insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover palliative care, including home pharmacy. Consult with your hospice team if you have questions regarding the healthcare system or finances.
If you have questions concerning products, formulations, or pharmacy compounding, please contact the Pharmacy Technical Services Department at Spectrum Chemical. Spectrum provides a vast collection of pharmacy compounding technical material, formulation support, pharmacy association resources, CSOS ordering assistance, and NDC numbers and AWPs.
With the knowledge, databases, formulas, and cutting-edge data from our network of compounders that Spectrum possesses, we have the answers and support you require. Utilise our resource section to access pharmaceutical associations, licenses, accreditation, drug shortages, and other pertinent references. Spectrum supports several of these organisations and provides this quick reference to save you time.
In addition, the Spectrum Pharmacy Technical Services Department offers support with formulations, compliance, USP comprehension, and an online ordering guide for CSOS. We are committed to fulfilling all of your compounding requirements.
