Blanchfield’s new ScriptCenter offers 24/7 access to new prescriptions

Photo By Maria Christina Yager | Blanchfield Army Community Hospital’s new automated prescription dispensing unit, ScriptCenter, located in the hospital’s A-lobby, provides patients the convenience of secure 24/7 access to new prescriptions. More than 100,000 service members, retirees and family members on Fort Campbell and surrounding communities are eligible to use the Town Center Pharmacy on post, including those who receive care from a network provider off post.  

FORT CAMPBELL, KY, UNITED STATES

10.12.2023

Story by Maria Christina Yager 

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – A new automated prescription dispensing unit recently installed on Fort Campbell, combined with technology introduced earlier this year, expands access for local Military Health System beneficiaries picking up new medications.

The ScriptCenter, located in Blanchfield Army Community Hospital’s A-lobby, provides patients the convenience of secure 24/7 access to new prescriptions and will reduce the number of patients visiting the pharmacy in-person, so pharmacy officials say the benefit is two-fold.

“BACH is one of the busiest pharmacies in the Army. We support a beneficiary population in excess of 100,000 service members, retirees, and their families from Fort Campbell well into Kentucky and Tennessee,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Bartlett, Blanchfield’s Department of Pharmacy chief. “Any time we can improve patient access, reduce waiting times in the pharmacy lobby, and still maintain our high standard for safety it is a win.”

How it works

Beneficiaries who receive a new prescription following a medical appointment can simply use their cellphone and text “Get in Line" to Blanchfield’s automated prescription activation system, Q-Anywhere, at 855-803-4165 and follow the prompts.

“Once they text “Get in Line” patients will have the option to select whether they want to pick-up their prescriptions in-person at the Town Center Pharmacy or through the ScriptCenter. They will then have the option of telling the pharmacy which medications they are looking for,” said Sgt. 1st Class Fernando Soto, Blanchfield’s Department of Pharmacy non-commissioned officer in charge.

Once they make their selection through Q-anywhere, they will receive a text notification confirming prescription activation, and later, a text confirming when their prescription is ready for pick-up.

“Currently prescriptions activated before 3 p.m. in ScriptCenter will be available the same day. Prescriptions activated after 3 p.m. will be ready the following day,” said Soto.

A major advantage of using ScriptCenter, which is located in the hospital’s A-lobby, is that beneficiaries will have 24/7 access to pick up their medications once they are notified.

“Rather than wait in the pharmacy, beneficiaries can come in at their own convenience, whether that is in the evening after work, early in the morning, or the middle of the night. Whatever is convenient for them,” said Bartlett, adding to get their medications from the ScriptCenter, beneficiaries simply scan their military ID card (Common Access Card or Uniformed Services ID Card) and follow the prompts and the ScriptCenter will dispense their new prescriptions.

“If you are picking up medications for someone else, like a family member, you’ll need either their military ID card or you can use the prescription number to create an account for the family member the first time you are picking up a prescription for them. You can then use that to pick up their medications from the ScriptCenter,” Soto said.

He also noted that medications requiring refrigeration or that must be mixed by the pharmacy, such as some pediatric antibiotics, cannot be picked up at the ScriptCenter, so patients prescribed those medications will still need to visit a pharmacy in-person.

Blanchfield’s pharmacies fill about 2,800 prescriptions per day, which accounts for the high volume of beneficiaries visiting the pharmacies. The addition of Q-Anywhere in May, and now ScriptCenter, significantly reduces the in-person wait time of beneficiaries who use these options.

“We’re very excited for this opportunity for our patients and staff. We want to make it an easier and more convenient experience at our pharmacies,” said Bartlett and added that the pharmacy team continues to work on process improvement and hopes to make refills available through the ScriptCenter sometime in the future.

Learn more about Blanchfield’s pharmacy services at https://blanchfield.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Pharmacy

• Date Taken: 10.12.2023
• Date Posted: 10.12.2023 15:43
• Story ID: 455645
• Location: FORT CAMPBELL, KY, US