24-hour pharmacy on the horizon at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah

NEENAH — The latest in a $100 million modernization of ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah is the opening of a new retail pharmacy that will soon be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The pharmacy opened Dec. 1 at the hospital, 130 Second St., Neenah, and features onsite services plus curbside pick-up. It’s open to patients, community members and ThedaCare team members.

Through the end of 2023, the pharmacy’s hours will be 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The pharmacy will be closed daily from 12:30 to 1 p.m. as well as on major holidays.

Then, starting in January 2024, ThedaCare said the pharmacy will expand hours to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“To help simplify and advance the communities’ care experience, we are excited to expand pharmacy services at the hospital,” said Lynn Detterman, senior vice president of ThedaCare South Region, in a news release. “This addition of services allows ThedaCare to fulfill the promises to be proactive partners in health by putting patients and families first, making health care easier and delivering quality, affordable care.”

Birthing center opens: ThedaCare names Neenah birthing center after Theda Clark Peters as $100M modernization continues

On-site pharmacy adds convenience, focuses on well-being

The new on-site pharmacy provides patients with medications and/or a wound care kit at discharge. The pharmacy will also be delivering medications to the bedside when patients are discharging from the hospital.

Studies have shown patients with appropriate medication possession before leaving the hospital have better health outcomes and decreased readmissions, ThedaCare said.

“Through this on-site location, we will provide easy access to medications right at discharge, and we will even walk them to a patient’s room,” said Joshua Prostek, director of the retail pharmacy and the ThedaCare 340B Program. “By enhancing pharmacy services, we are creating better access for our patients and community members to save time and improve their health and well-being.”

Services include compounding, auto refills, financial assistance and more

Anyone will be able to utilize the ThedaCare pharmacy services, which include the following:

• Compounding — Combining, mixing or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of an individual patient.

• Compliance Packaging — Strategically organizing multiple medications in one package to help patients adhere to their medication regimen, including taking the right prescriptions at the right time.

• Medication synchronization — Coordinating refills to enable patients to pick up multiple medications on the same date in one visit to the pharmacy.

• Automatic refill — Ensures patients have their medications when they need them.

• Immunizations

• Over-the-counter medicines offered at a reduced cost

• Innovative payment options — Including direct billing if a patient does not have a form of payment on them at the time of pick-up or requests financial assistance, and team member payroll deductions.

• Financial assistance through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

• Epic MyThedaCare/MyChart integration — Includes a messaging platform to alert patients when their medications need to be refilled, are ready for pick-up or are out for delivery. Patients can also select their form of delivery, view prescription costs and send a message to their provider with questions or concerns.

Caregivers also can view the patient’s financial responsibility to proactively address any barriers prior to the patient leaving the hospital. If a patient has financial limitations, there is an option for assistance through the 340B drug pricing program.

New chief operating officer: ThedaCare names new chief operating officer ahead of planned Froedtert merger

Numerous delivery options are offered

ThedaCare said patients will also have numerous delivery options to choose from, including the following:

• Free one- to three-day home delivery via USPS with real-time tracking and delivery updates. (ThedaCare noted delivery is available for eligible prescription drug orders with qualifying prescription benefit programs and insurance plans.)

• Same-day home delivery within a 12-mile radius of Appleton and Neenah hospitals. Delivery fees apply.

• Bedside delivery, also known as “Meds to Beds,” where patients’ medications are delivered right to the bedside prior to discharge from the hospital.

• Curbside pick-up, where patients select a time to have medications delivered right to their vehicle parked in a designated spot.

What's left with the modernization?

The next areas of focus for the modernization of ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah include continued construction of “Main Street,” where key diagnostic outpatient services will be located on the first floor of the hospital, and the design of a new dining area on the main floor.

The full modernization, which was first announced in October 2021, is expected to be completed by early 2024.

Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @breidHTRNews.

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Neenah ThedaCare hospital will soon have Oshkosh-area 24-hour pharmacy