Clinical Pharmacy Services at Mat-Su Regional

Drug Reference This comprehensive drug reference answers your medication questions: 33,000 prescriptions, over-the-counter products, and neutraceuticals.

The Clinical Pharmacy at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is staffed with dedicated professionals whose responsibility is ensuring patients admitted to MSRMC received the best pharmaceutical care available. Professional pharmacists are on call 24 hours a day to solve medication problems and prepare complex pharmaceuticals in support of patients. Each day, pharmacists review hundreds of medication orders to ensure accuracy, drug compatibility and achieve the best therapeutic outcomes.

MSRMC pharmacists are assisted by licensed and certified pharmacy technicians who are highly skilled in medication preparation and distribution. As a pharmacy team, they work each day to ensure that patients get the best in pharmaceutical care.

Hours

MSRMC Clinical Pharmacy is open each day from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday and from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm on weekends and holidays. When the pharmacy is closed, a pharmacist is available to assist professional staff in dealing with medication problems or questions. Pharmacists are also available to patients to answer questions and advise regarding medications taken both in and out of the hospital.

Our Service to You

Pharmacists attend physician rounds and advise providers during drug therapy decisions to make certain that patients receive the very best drug product for their ailment or condition during their stay at Mat-Su Regional. Our pharmacists also monitor serum drug concentrations to target optimal drug therapy in patients taking certain types of medications. MSRMC pharmacists collaborate with other clinical specialists such as dieticians to avoid complications with medication and patient meals.

In seriously ill patients, pharmacists review patients' nutritional needs and prepare special products to be given intravenously to meet those needs. Each Mat-Su Regional pharmacist is trained and certified by the American Heart Association in both Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support, enabling them to respond to patient emergencies.

Facilities

The Clinical Pharmacy staff manages a hospital-wide automated drug distribution system based on the PYXIS ® dispensing system. This provides for secure storage of pharmaceuticals and ensures accurate billing of prescription items used during a patient's stay.

Clinical Pharmacy Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Does MSRMC Clinical Pharmacy fill outpatient prescriptions?

A: No, the Clinical Pharmacy is only licensed to provide medications administered to hospital inpatients, patients at Mat-Su Regional Urgent Care Center, and Wasilla Infusion Center.

Q: What do I do about my medicines during my stay at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center?

A: Normally, it will be sufficient for you to bring a list of the medications you take on a regular basis at the time you are admitted to the hospital. If you are not sure of the medications you take or are advised by your physician, you may bring your medications with you at the time of your admission to the hospital, these should be turned over to the nurse during your admission process. Your medications will be forwarded to the Clinical Pharmacy for safekeeping during your stay. They will be returned to you at the time of your discharge. You may also give your medications to a family member or caregiver who can keep them secure until your discharge.

Q: May I use my own medications during my stay at the hospital?

A: Normally, all medications are provided by the pharmacy during your stay. This ensures that all medicines needed for your care are safe and effective for your use. Improper storage can quickly and significantly degrade medications, compromising their safety and efficacy. However, a physician may write an order allowing you to take your own medications during your stay. In order for you to use these medications, they must be within their stated expiration date, and properly identified as the correct medication by our pharmacists. They should be in the original prescription container or as packaged by the pharmacy from which they were obtained. Injectable medications may only be forwarded directly from your local pharmacy to the Clinical Pharmacy. There is a small handling fee for each medication used to cover pharmacist review and repackaging.

Q: I would like to know more about the medications I am taking. May I speak with a pharmacist during my stay at the hospital?

A: Knowing your medications is the first step in ensuring successful medication therapy. You may request to speak with a pharmacist regarding your medications during your stay at the hospital. You may also be provided with written information regarding the medications you are taking.

Q: I have heard a lot recently about medication errors. What can I do as a patient to protect myself from a medication error?

A: The best thing you can do is be an informed patient. Tell your provider and nurse the medications that you take during your admission process so appropriate medication decisions can be made. Ask you nurse what medications you are going to receive and when they will be administered. Help the nurse to appropriately identify you while administering medications. Ask what medication you are receiving and why. Make sure that you understand what medications you will be taking following your release from the hospital and how you ought to take them and their potential side effects.

Contact Information

If you have any other questions about your drug therapy while a patient at: