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EVENTS
Summer at SpecialtyRx: Prioritizing Safety, Preparedness & Continuity of Care
EVENTS
July 2025

Summer at SpecialtyRx: Prioritizing Safety, Preparedness & Continuity of Care

Our focus is clear: to preserve medication integrity and support uninterrupted patient care, regardless of the forecast.

Beating the Heat

At SpecialtyRx, we begin preparing for the summer heat well in advance. Our pharmacy and logistics teams review and reinforce best practices for cold chain management and delivery protocols to ensure the protection of temperature-sensitive medications.

Here's how we ensure medications stay within the proper range during transport:

  • Refrigerated medications are packed last, just before delivery departure.
  • Cold items, such as insulin and vaccines, are shipped with extra ice packs and placed in insulated cooler bags.
  • We use temperature-monitoring strips to track exposure during transit and ensure the integrity of our products.
  • Every delivery vehicle is equipped with a cooler and a built-in temperature gauge. Drivers are required to log temperatures throughout their routes to maintain compliance within the 36–46°F range.

Temperature fluctuations can compromise the efficacy of medications and lead to waste. That’s why we remain vigilant — because patient safety is non-negotiable.

Emergency Preparedness = Better Patient Outcomes

Summer weather can bring hurricanes, flash floods, and other natural disasters — especially in the southern regions we serve. SpecialtyRx maintains comprehensive emergency preparedness plans to ensure timely medication delivery and operational continuity in the event of any crisis.

Here’s how we stay ready:

  • Constantly monitoring forecasts and adjusting delivery schedules as needed.
  • Securing our medication supply chain and processing early refills in advance of potential disruptions.
  • Ensuring that power backup systems are fully operational so orders can continue to be filled.
  • Stocking extra ice packs, maintaining cooling systems, and using waterproof containers to protect inventory.
  • Maintaining a network of backup pharmacies near all partner facilities in case of an emergency.

Above all, we prioritize clear and proactive communication with facility teams to ensure that everyone is aligned and supported.

Tips for Facilities: Stay Ready with These Key Steps

To help our partners stay prepared, we recommend the following actions:

  • Ensure all emergency kits (antibiotics, backup boxes, IV kits, narcotic eKits) are stocked and secured.
  • Keep printed lists of all medications in eBoxes and automated dispensing systems (e.g., Cubex).
  • Maintain paper copies of patient medication profiles from your EMAR in case of power outages.
  • Request a Memo of Understanding (MOU) from SpecialtyRx, which includes a list of local backup pharmacies.
  • Place refill requests early when a weather-related evacuation or disruption is expected.
  • Keep a printed SpecialtyRx contact list, including your client service representative's name and contact information.
EVENTS
Celebrating National Safety Month
EVENTS
June 2025

Celebrating National Safety Month

Here are five core ways we lead the industry in preventing medication errors:

1. Innovative Packaging that Sets the Standard

Medication safety begins with how medications are packaged. At SpecialtyRx, we utilize blister packaging (bingo cards) featuring detailed drug information and unique barcodes on every unit. Most medications are pre-packaged and pre-verified by our licensed pharmacists before they even hit the pharmacy shelves—providing an early checkpoint for identifying potential errors.

Each medication dispensed goes through a two-tier verification process:

  • A packaging scan by a pharmacy technician
  • A final barcode scan by a pharmacist to confirm it matches the prescription label

This rigorous process ensures accuracy and minimizes the risk of human error.

2. EHR Integration for Streamlined, Error-Free Orders

SpecialtyRx’s direct integration with facility Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems allows us to automatically populate prescriptions using the exact data entered at the point of care. This minimizes manual input and virtually eliminates transcription errors.

In addition, our secure EHR access means our pharmacists can log in to verify patient details, clarify questions, or confirm directions without delay—supporting faster, safer decision- making.

3. Comprehensive Clinical Oversight

Our clinical pharmacists go beyond simple order processing—they provide a thorough review of every prescription to detect potential drug-drug interactions, allergy risks, and dosing concerns.

By utilizing tools like the Specialty 365 Dashboard, our team maintains close communication with facility staff to foster a collaborative, transparent, and highly responsive care environment.

4. Industry-Leading Quality Assurance and Compliance

Safety isn't static—it evolves. Our Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement (QA/QI) teams are dedicated to tracking trends, auditing processes, and analyzing occurrences to identify potential risks before they become issues.

Led by our compliance department, this continuous feedback loop allows us to develop proactive solutions, revise protocols, and implement best practices that drive industry-wide improvements in safety.

5. Relentless Focus on Staff Training and Development

People are the heart of safety. That’s why our team is constantly learning and growing. From new hire onboarding to ongoing training and retraining, our training department works hand-in-hand with our compliance team to ensure every team member is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to perform at the highest standard.

Weekly huddles, department meetings, and hands-on education keep our staff informed, engaged, and prepared to uphold the highest safety standards in every role.