Two Carolina-Based Nursing Homes Are First To Adopt Interoperable Pharmacy Management With American Healthtech And FrameworkLTC

Facilities streamline medication management and gain efficiency,accuracy, better communication and faster service for residents.

Two Carolina-based skilled nursing care providers are first adopters of interoperability between American HealthTech electronic medical records (EMR) and their pharmacies using FrameworkLTC to improve communications, safety, and compliance, while decreasing administrative tasks for nurses.

Agapé Senior, a leader in post-acute care services in South Carolina, jumped at the opportunity to close the loop between its skilled nursing facilities, its owned pharmacy, and its physicians. Previously physicians could enter orders in the pharmacy system, but the nurses communicated with the pharmacy by phone and fax. “The fax eating gremlins are gone,” joked Agapé’s chief compliance officer, Pamela Duncan as she referred to the challenges with making sure faxes are received by the pharmacy. “Now, nurses instantly see physicians’ orders in American HealthTech electronic medical records, approve them, and the orders are processed,” Duncan added. Deanna Jones, director of Medicare reimbursement, added, “We’re communicating more efficiently with the pharmacy and no longer need to transcribe handwritten orders and notes— these are key benefits that improve care for our residents and keep us in compliance.”

In North Carolina, Clapp’s Convalescent Nursing Home and their local pharmacy are also connected using American HealthTech’s interoperability with FrameworkLTC, the pharmacy’s software. Denise Vance, director of nursing services at Clapp’s, praised their new connectivity, “everything is clearer. The pharmacy can be even more precise. The bottom line is resident safety and this improves it.”

With two successful implementations, American HealthTech officially announces interoperability between its electronic medical records system and pharmacies using FrameworkLTC software. Agapé Senior is using a pharmacy-centric model, and Clapp’s is using a facility-centric model for managing orders.  Both models are interoperable with American HealthTech EMR.

“American HealthTech knew that the benefits of electronic medication records could only be enhanced by connecting to the pharmacy. This connection had to go beyond sharing admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) data. We wanted true interoperability where the nurse and pharmacist could communicate directly through the patient’s medical record, eliminating time-intensive, manual processes and flipping from one program to another,” stated Brenda Kessler, MBA, RN, clinical specialist with American HealthTech. President and CEO, Teresa Chase added, “Interoperability brings providers major efficiency gains when information seamlessly flows right into the medical record.  A quick review and click replaces hours spent transcribing, faxing and looking after other tedious administrative tasks. The time won back can be channeled right into direct resident care. It’s a real win for the entire interdisciplinary care team, for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.  Everyone sleeps better at night knowing medications are managed, administered and refilled as quickly and as accurately as possible thanks to automated interoperability.”    

About Agapé Senior
Agapé Senior is a network of residential and health-related companies with services across South Carolina. Agapé Senior is recognized as an industry leader in integrated services for seniors. Founded in 1999 by Rev. Scott Middleton, Agapé Senior has expanded to nine assisted living facilities, three post-acute care and skilled nursing facilities, and is South Carolina’s largest hospice provider. For more information, visit http://www.AgapeSenior.com.

About Clapp’s Convalescent Nursing Home
Clapp's Convalescent Nursing Home is a 96-bed, independent, family-owned nursing home located in Asheboro, North Carolina. The nursing home is adjacent to Clapp’s Mountain Top Living, luxury senior apartments for persons with active lifestyles. For more information, visit http://www.clappsmountaintopliving.com.

About American HealthTech
Headquartered in Jackson, MS, American HealthTech is the post-acute industry’s Ultimate Connectivity Partner, connecting caregivers, partners, and healthcare networks to drive higher outcomes in the new era of post-acute care. Coast to coast, a fifth of the nation’s providers depend on AHT daily for innovations that free hands to care for others. Founded in 1982, American HealthTech is an employee-owned company.  For more information, visit www.healthtech.net.