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For Immediate Release | For more information, contact: |
New Ulm Medical Center offers instant medication machineNEW ULM, Minn 09/11/2008-- It’s early Saturday evening. Your daughter hasn’t been feeling well all day and suddenly, she says she has a terrible ear ache. You take her to the emergency department and the doctor determines she has an ear infection. He prescribes an antibiotic. Unfortunately, the local pharmacies are closed.  An InstyMeds electronic retail pharmacy machine will be installed at New Ulm Medical Center near the Emergency Department this month.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get that prescription filled closer to home? Well now patients seen at New Ulm Medical Center can get their emergency prescriptions filled any time of the day or night. New Ulm Medical Center is partnering with InstyMeds, an electronic retail pharmacy where patients can purchase basic, acute-care drugs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The instant medication machine looks similar to a vending machine and is located in to the New Ulm Medical Center Emergency Department waiting room. The InstyMeds Dispenser works similar to how patients have a prescription filled at a retail pharmacy—they need to bring their prescription benefits card, as well as a credit card, debit card or cash for the co-payment. “The machine is intended for immediate needs and is not meant to replace the services of the local pharmacies,” said Reid Horning, New Ulm Medical Center pharmacist. “We’re providing another option to people, particularly for patients that we serve after hours, so they don’t have to travel for the most commonly prescribed medications.” The machine is stocked with 40 to 60 of the most common prescriptions produced by acute care visits. Physicians in the New Ulm Medical Center Emergency Department will order prescriptions electronically, which are sent to the InstyMeds machine. The patient is given an access code to order the prescription from InstyMeds. InstyMeds verifies insurance coverage for patients and accommodates self-paying customers. Cash, credit or debit cards are accepted. Patient support is available through a licensed pharmacist 24 hours a day via a telephone mounted on the front of the machine. “Patients will have their correct medication within three to five minutes, and it will have been verified three times to ensure they are receiving the right medication and dosage,” said Horning. “This new service keeps patients close to home without having to travel to a 24-hour pharmacy.” New Ulm Medical Center installed an InstyMeds electronic retail pharmacy machine near the Emergency Department on September 8, 2008. About New Ulm Medical CenterNew Ulm Medical Center is a not-for-profit regional medical center committed to providing exceptional care and improving the health of the communities it serves. Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, information about New Ulm Medical Center’s services along with the latest health information can be found online at www.newulmmedicalcenter.com. # # # |