Photo By Sgt. Aaron Ellerman | Sgt. Justin Sayre, pharmacy specialist with the 31st Combat Support Hospital and...... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait— A dosage of help enters the bloodstream. The pain subsides. Now it’s back to the fight.
The 31st Combat Support Hospital pharmacy team and their Army of tiny pathogen killing medicines are helping keep the U.S. Army Central force ready to effectively accomplish their mission.
“I wish I could say that everyone is healthy enough to not take medication, but that is unfortunately not the case so we must provide them comparable care to what they would receive back home,” said Capt. Sarah Steger, 31st Combat Support Hospital pharmacist.
Based in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, the team provides pharmaceutical support to patients suffering from injuries and illnesses throughout the ARCENT area of operations. The drugs and supplies issued here help patients during their recovery process by mitigating pain and curing ailments.
“We process more than 3,500 outpatient prescriptions a month to service members and civilians while providing support to our inpatient care and other facilities throughout the region,” said Steger.
Steger and her team of technicians are always on call to meet the demands of the region and have to overcome numerous challenges the deployed environment presents.
“Ordering supplies and medications is definitely a challenge here, because we may not be able to get the exact medication in a timely matter,” said Sgt. Justin Sayre, a pharmacy specialist with the 31st CSH.
According to Sayre, the pharmacy works with the prescribing doctors to recommend similar or alternative products to be prescribed when there is a shortage, allowing the patients to continue treatment.
The 31st CSH pharmacy is one of the only pharmacies in theater equipped with a Laminar Flow Hood. The hood allows the capability to make intravenous products and mix compounds in a sterile environment.
“We manufacture compounds and IVs here, which greatly increases our ability to accomplish our mission and provide more care to our patients,” said Sayre.
Steger said the goal of the pharmacy team is to provide much more than just prescriptions to patients.
“Our main focus is making sure the patient is aware of their own health and the ways to treat it effectively. It’s important to create trust between the patient and the pharmacy, I want them to be able to come in and feel comfortable asking us whatever questions they may have about the medications we have whether it be the dosage, side effects or just general treatment questions,” said Steger.
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2016 03:00 |
| Story ID: | 214002 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, A PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS, by SGT Aaron Ellerman, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT