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PMSI... Professionalism, Efficiency
Author: | Thursday March 18, 2004
Providing pharmacy and medical equipment services to the workers' compensation injured worker. Above a pharmacy employee at work. Below, Bob Ayan, R.Ph., Chief Pharmacist at PMSI ans Phillip Walls, R.Ph., Vice President of Pharmacy Services at PMSI.
In Workers' Compensation Services
PMSI Combines
Professionalism
And Efficiency
PMSI is a familiar name in workers' compensation for good reason. It is the nation's largest network provider of medications, medical products and services devoted entirely to workers' compensation. Just as important, it could be said it is the largest network provider devoted to the highest level of patient care.
"We want to be here in any way the injured worker needs us", said Phillip Walls, R.Ph., Vice President of Pharmacy Services as he toured the Voice Newspaper through the company's impressive facilities in Tampa, FL.
Seven hundred people, including registered pharmacists, nurses, medical equipment and supply specialists, reimbursement experts, clinical educators and home health specialists work in Tampa. With that many specialties and over four million pharmacy and medical equipment transactions each year in one company, you might expect just a bit of frenetic activity, but that isn't the case.
In fact the opposite is true. Time is taken with each order as pharmacists review the prescription with an eye toward proper dosage, drug combinations and appropriate use. Registered pharmacists answer medication-related questions from patients, families and medical professionals. Technicians assist to make sure that any concerns are resolved before the order is filled even if it means a phone call to the doctor, adjuster, case manager or the injured worker.
"We watch for combinations of drugs including over the counter medications which we treat just like prescription drugs. We also investigate over utilization and seek to implement cost savings," Walls said. It is clear that the PMSI Vice President enjoys the dynamics of professionals working as a team. As we moved through the various departments, he pointed out how each area fits into the end result of meeting the needs of the injured worker.
"I'm very pleased with the professional environment in which we operate. It is fundamental to this business that we have a natural respect for the people we take care of each day," Walls emphasized.
President and CEO of PMSI, Dave Weidner, also praised the professional staff. "It makes it easier to manage when the high standards of ethics and values are already there. Our job is to give our professional staff the tools to do their jobs," Weidner said.
This approach has resulted in a prescription accuracy rate that is as close to perfect as you can get. Filling some 3,000 prescriptions a day, PMSI can boast a 99.99 percent accuracy in pharmaceutical deliveries. Accuracy doesn't mean delays either. Thanks to a carefully monitored system, orders are "out the door" on an average of two days and prescriptions that have a rush on them are sent out immediately with PMSI picking up the extra cost. "There is no waiting in line or out of stock delays and medications are delivered directly to the patient's home," Walls pointed out.
The company has a complete inventory of drugs, from over the counter medications which they stock and inventory to controlled drugs which are kept in a secured area under strict supervision. Walls, who spent years as a pharmacist in the retail market before moving into the corporate world, retains his belief in the pharmacist being personally involved with the patient.
He explained that at PMSI the pharmacist is even more tuned into the individual client because there aren't the distractions like those experienced by a pharmacist in the retail setting. �Here a pharmacist can do what he or she was trained to do," Walls said. That sentiment was echoed by Ralph Kendall, pharm.., Director of Professional Services.
"It is what we went to school for," said Kendall. "I feel really good at the end of the day," he added. Kendall is an authority on the clinical and economic implications of drug regimens for treating workers' compensation patients within managed care settings.
He brings that expertise to PMSI's continuing education program. Working with a team of three pharmacists, Kendall does extensive research on medications in the treatment of workers' compensation patients and that translates into current and relative information for health care professionals. He is a frequent speaker to nurses, case managers and other health professionals on a number of topics including the medication management of chronic pain.
PMSI has positioned itself as a "one stop" solution for the needs of the injured worker, while helping busy claims professionals save time and contain care costs, explained Deborah Carr, Marketing Specialist. The company has been the resource for insurers, third-party administrators and employers for 28 years. In addition to Mail Service Pharmacy PMSI has two other full service programs:
Tmesys Retail Pharmacy Network
PMSI has also established the Tmesys Retail Pharmacy Network, a cardless benefits manager, which specializes in real-time review of workers' compensation prescriptions at the retail level. Through Tmesys, eligible injured workers may have their prescriptions filled at any of 50,000 local pharmacies across the nation.
Pharma Complete
This unit of PMSI coordinates all medical equipment, supplies and services for catastrophically ill and injured workers. Pharma Complete serves patients by drawing on PMSI's full range of products and services, from home delivery of medications, equipment, supplies and in home nursing to specialized services for persons with disabilities including custom conversion vans and home modifications.
Ed. Note: For more information call 877-275-7674 or go to: PMSI. The web site offers online pharmacy and information on continuing education programs.
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