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Shaw pharmacy: patients come first

  • Published
  • By Airman Nicole Sikorski
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Tickets are pulled and the glowing red numbers start to rise as customers gather in the waiting area, it's another busy day at the 20th Medical Group pharmacy.

The pharmacy stocks approximately 500 different types of medication, dispenses 5,000 prescriptions a week and serves 31,000 beneficiaries, which include active duty, family members and retired active duty members.

"Taking care of our active duty and family members at Shaw is our main priority," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Catoe, 20th Medical Group pharmacy NCOIC.

Active duty service members in uniform are always the first priority when waiting in line, he said.

"The most rewarding part of my job is the interaction with the patients," said Catoe. " I can't sit in a warehouse. I enjoy getting to know the civilians, as well as our active duty members."

There are two types of prescriptions at the pharmacy. In-patient prescriptions are ones that come from a patient who has been seen on base, and an outpatient prescription is one that has been prescribed off base.

There are two pharmacies at Shaw Air Force Base: one at the Base Exchange and another located at the 20th MDG clinic.

In total there are 15 people, two of whom are Airmen working at the clinic location and four personnel in the BX location.

Prescriptions are refilled at the BX, while the clinic will not turn anyone away, the 20th MDG prefers people use the BX for refills.

Amerisource Bergen, the pharmacy's only vendor, makes a daily shipment of medication in the morning. Amerisource supplies bases on the east coast of the United States with medication and is located in Raleigh, N.C

Enlisted Airmen on the staff have duties that differ from civilian pharmacy technicians. These responsibilities include ones such as physical training, Health Information Privacy Act training and other military obligations.

"The thing that I find most personally rewarding is that I'm helping people, said Airman 1st Class Jodi Lange. She is building a relationship with everyone who comes in.

Enlisted pharmacy technicians do about 90 percent more work than civilian technicians said Catoe. "If you ever go to a Walgreens or a CVS, you will only see that tech. filling behind the counter. In here, we can type, fill, dispense and counsel a patient, and a pharmacist always does that in the civilian world."

The active duty officers at the pharmacy hold the responsibility of checking the medication before it gets to the patient and participating in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, which meets four times a year.

The P&T committee meets to determine which drugs will be carried in the pharmacy. It consists of dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare providers.

The primary duty of the civilian pharmacists is to check medication. This liberates the military pharmacists to be able to fulfill responsibilities such as administrative and military duties.

"The best times to come to the pharmacy are between the hours of 8 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m." said Catoe.

There are no co-pays downtown for a refill for active duty members. Civilians, retirees and dependents are required to pay an average co-pay of $3 on a generic drug. Brand name drugs or ones that are not carried by Defense Medical Facilities will have variable co-pays.

To save time and avoid errors, the pharmacy is working to establish a system where prescriptions are transmitted only electronically instead of on paper.