The Pharmacy
In 2021 CareKinesis, celebrated 10 years of partnering with federal Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organizations, known in some states as Living Independence for the Elderly (LIFE). CareKinesis is proud to be the first national PACE-centric medication safety and custom home delivery pharmacy that focuses on reducing medication related risk while enhancing economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes.
The Partner
In 2010, the A.M. McGregor Group, with more than a century of experience with nursing facilities, was selected to manage the local Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and the following year
McGregor PACE was born. Located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, McGregor PACE today provides medical, rehabilitative, and social and personal care to more than 640 participants in Cuyahoga County.
The Collaboration
CareKinesis provides custom orientation and implementation services and the highest level of support to make transitioning to a new pharmacy partner as easy as possible. When asked about her program’s early days, Executive Director Tangi McCoy, LNHA, MPA, recalls, “When we first got started, we used another pharmacy company, and CareKinesis is by far the absolute best. Not just for McGregor PACE and me, but for the participants we serve. You get what you pay for, and I think they are the best way to go if you want a great, quality partner.”
Within three years of opening, McGregor PACE saw a 70% growth rate, which brought some challenges, including medication delivery. CareKinesis offers both PACE center and participant home delivery services, with same day and next day medication delivery options available. “We were able to enroll more participants because CareKinesis has a wonderful model of getting the medications to the participants in the community,” McCoy says.
CareKinesis offers customized packaging options based on participants’ individual needs and provides
onsite medication access cabinets for immediate medication needs. McCoy speaks highly of both
offerings. “The participants are very happy with the packaging, and I have heard not one concern.
Having the medication access cabinets in the clinics is also helpful.”
The customer service provided by CareKinesis has also contributed to the success of the partnership over the years. “CareKinesis provides absolutely wonderful customer service,” says McCoy. “When I think of great customer service, I think about the responsiveness. Understanding what your needs are, and if there are any issues addressing those issues right away.”
“CareKinesis staff go above and beyond,” agrees Lana DiCesare, RN, Chief Nursing Officer. “I know if we have a question, any question, the clinical pharmacist will get us an answer right away. Their review of medications prior to distribution allows for adjustments to be made to assure our participants are safe and reduce waste.”
CareKinesis Pharmacy Technician Jade Oswald, CPhT, returns the compliment. “Everyone at McGregor is great to work with, and they really help us deliver the best care possible for their patients.”
The Relationship
McGregor PACE is pleased with the relationships they have developed with their CareKinesis pharmacy team, which is available 24/7 for pharmacy consultations. “We have meetings where we go over the high-cost medications or medications where we could use generics as opposed to brand names. The pharmacists offer excellent substitutions,” explains McCoy. “They provide excellent reports and
feedback. I can’t say enough – that’s helpful for me, not just for our providers.”
CareKinesis services and quality improvement programs meet Medicare Part D requirements, helping clients to remain compliant in addition to keeping participants safe and healthy. “CareKinesis has extensive knowledge, not just in pharmacy, but in PACE, and is extremely helpful and educational to our PACE program,” says McCoy. “CareKinesis seems to always be one step ahead educating us on any
changes in PACE. And in it doesn’t just stop at the pharmacy piece, but everything that wraps around or deals with making sure the medications are administered appropriately. They have knowledge of all of it.
“I recommend CareKinesis not for just controlling costs, but all of the other benefits they provide to both the participants and the PACE operation – you cannot ask for more,” McCoy says.
To learn more about how CareKinesis can partner with your PACE organization to ensure PACE success, visit CareKinesis.com, call 1-888-9-PharmD, or email info@carekinesis.com.
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