Coast Guard changes pharmacy dispensing services

Posted by Diana Sherbs, Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Written by Curtis B. Odom, Assistant Commandant for Human Resources, acting

The Coast Guard temporarily changed the way pharmacy services are provided for active duty members, dependents and retirees at Coast Guard dispensing locations effective May 26, 2015.

The Department of Defense awarded a new Tricare pharmacy contract serving approximately 10 million beneficiaries. The contract implemented a new electronic medication reconciliation system. Unfortunately, this change is incompatible with current Coast Guard electronic governance of pharmacy services.

In order to protect patient safety, the Health, Safety and Work-Life Service Center will implement the following pharmacy guidance:

• Active Duty members

If assigned to locations with a pharmacist, members may continue to receive in-house prescription medications. Coast Guard medical and dental officers will perform manual medication reconciliation and interaction checks with each patient encounter.

If assigned to the Coast Guard Yard, Training Center Yorktown, or Air Station Borinquen, members may continue to receive in-house prescription medications. Coast Guard medical, dental officers and pharmacy technicians will perform medication manual reconciliation and interaction checks with each patient encounter.

All other sites without a pharmacist are not authorized to dispense medications.

• Dependents and Retirees

Prescription medications from Coast Guard pharmacies will be temporarily suspended due to lack of electronic reconciliation capability. Dependents and retirees will continue to have access to the Tricare pharmacy benefit. They will be referred to a local DOD military treatment facility (where there is no additional co-pay), the Tricare Mail Order Pharmacy (otherwise known as Home Delivery; with no additional co-pay for generics); or a Tricare participating retail network pharmacy, with a minimum $8.00 co-pay for generics.

• Dependents enrolled at Air Station Borinquen

Dependents may continue to receive in-house prescription medications. Coast Guard medical, dental officers and pharmacy technicians will perform manual medication reconciliation and interaction checks with each patient encounter.

We anticipate normal pharmacy services will be restored in the future to include electronic reconciliation capability for authorized customers.

The Health, Safety and Work-Life Service Center staff will liaise with base, air station and sector commands with affected clinics and pharmacy dispensing operations.

Questions regarding these health service changes may be directed to Cmdr. James Cannon at (757) 628-4334, email james.d.cannon@uscg.mil or Capt. Daniel Hasenfang at (757) 628-4331, email daniel.l.hasenfang@uscg.mil.

Tags: coast guard, coast guard medical, Health Safety and Work-Life, HSWL, Pharmacy, Tricare, work life