Optimizing Long-Term Care Facilities with Essential Supplies from Total Pharmacy Supply

Long-term care facilitiesare more critical to our healthcare system than you think. These facilities support millions of Americans who require ongoing medical and personal care. The numbers aren’t very encouraging. Recent data trends show that 70% of people over 65 will need some form of long-term care in their lifetime.

In other words, your facility needs to be ready. One of the critical aspects of long-term care is keeping your facility equipped with the right supplies. It's the only way to ensure the safety of your patients. That's where Total Pharmacy Supply (TPS) comes in. We offer a comprehensive range of products for long-term care facilities like yours.

Let's understand which essential supplies you need, why you need to streamline your long-term care operations, and how TPS can help you.

Key Supplies for Long-Term Care Facilities

First, let’s find out more about the supplies long-term care facilities like yours need. These essential supplies, from medication management equipment to storage solutions, can help streamline your daily operations. In the long run, it benefits your caregivers and patients alike.

The supplies you need are:

1. Comprehensive Medication Management

Effective medication management is the backbone of patient care in long-term facilities. You are going to need a variety of solutions to streamline this process. For example, the medication carts and accessories, like the ones offered by TPS, can help you store and access meds safely. These carts are designed for ease of use, security, and efficiency.

On the other hand, medication cards make it simple to dispense the meds. In the facility, where you have dozens of patients to care for, medication cards ensure timely, organized medication dispensing. Your healthcare staff needs these supplies to serve your patients efficiently.

2. Infection Control and Patient Safety

In long-term care facilities, patients are more likely to catch infections. Minimizing the risk of infections is going to be your #1 priority. There are many supplies to help control the risk of potential infections.

All your staff will need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling patients. PPEs protect both your staff and the patients. Usually, PPEs include supplies like masks, gowns scrubs, and gloves. Similarly, sterilization supplies help you maintain a sterile environment, which boosts overall safety for everyone in the long-term care facilities.

Keeping your facility stocked with spill kits is also necessary. These kits, especially the ones we have designed, can help you deal with biohazardous spills safely and effectively.

3. Specialized Oral Delivery Supplies

Another tough task for long-term care facilities is administering oral meds safely and efficiently. This job becomes much easier when you use the right tools. At TPS, we have designed a wide range of such products, including cups, pills crushers, and syringe accessories. These products will help your staff administer the correct dosage as and when needed.

4. Enhanced Storage Solutions

Medical long-term care facilities often need to store different types of drugs, including those containing controlled substances. Keeping them safely away from patients and other members of your facility is necessary to prevent abuse.

Moreover, unlawful use of such drugs can land your facility in hot waters. DEA closely monitors the supply and use of controlled medication. In 2020, Omnicare, a leading provider of pharmacy services to long-term care facilities, was fined a $15.3 million civil penalty for failing to properly dispense narcotics to long-term care facilities.

Use proper drug storage boxes, narcotic cabinets, and security seals & tamper-evident tape to protect meds from unauthorized and access and comply with the regulatory standards.

The Importance of Streamlining Long-Term Care Operations

Streamlining operations in long-term care facilities often goes beyond increasing efficiency. It's also about enhancing the quality of care provided to your residents. Here’s how:

1. Enhanced Patient Care: Streamlined operations allow your staff to focus more on patient care. Your staff spends less time doing the inventory or other administrative tasks, which frees up their time. Naturally, your residents receive the attention and treatment they deserve.
2. Cost Efficiency: Efficient operations help you reduce waste and unnecessary expenses. Proper storage, dispensing, and waste disposal lower the risk of infections, abuse, and legal actions. That, in turn, reduces your operating costs, which allows you to direct resources where they are needed most.
3. Improved Staff Productivity: Simplified workflows and reduced administrative tasks allow healthcare staff to spend more time on direct patient care. It makes them more productive. It also prevents burdening your staff with tasks they were not hired to do in the first place. This is crucial in elevating employee morale at long-term care facilities.
4. Regulatory Compliance: Your facility needs to meet all legal and safety standards. Streamlined operations help you comply with healthcare regulations. Optimizing every aspect of your facility can protect you from stiff penalties and other regulatory actions.
5. Adaptability and Scalability: New treatments, technologies, or patient needs are constantly making their way into the long-term care industry. Your facility needs to be flexible and efficient if you want it to stay ahead of the curve. That's one more reason why you need to streamline your operations. It allows long-term care facilities to adapt to the changing healthcare trends quickly and effectively.

Role of Total Pharmacy Supply (TPS)

At Total Pharmacy Supply, we believe in doing more than just the minimum. We treat long-term care facilities as our partners, not mere vendors. We know that our growth depends on your increased efficiency and productivity. Our goal is simple - you should get an uninterrupted supply of all the essentials to support your patient care.

From medication carts to medical storage boxes, every TPS product is designed with the needs of long-term care facilities in mind. Our team keeps you informed of the latest changes to our product line, helping your facility get the most advanced long-term care solutions. We help you stay on top of superior patient care safety without worrying about streamlining your supplies.

Conclusion

Long-term care facilities cannot function without essential supplies. Like others, your long-term care facility also needs a reliable supply to ensure the best possible patient care and safety. It will also help your facility to adapt and scale in a rapidly changing healthcare industry. From medication accessories to PPE kits, ensure your facility has everything it needs.

Total Pharmacy Supply is committed to supporting long-term care facilities with high-quality supplies. We can equip your facility with the supplies needed to combat the ever-evolving patient care needs. Start browsing our inventory or call (800) 878-2822 now.