Name: Susan Bartemay

Address: Allen Apothecary

204 N. Greenville Ave.

Allen, Texas 75002

Phone #: (972) 727-8333

Fax #: (972) 727-0662

E-mail: sebrph@aol.com 

Briefly describe innovation: 

Susan Bartemay is the owner/pharmacist of Allen Apothecary. She opened this 1300 square feet independent pharmacy practice in 1983. Bartemay is supported by three technicians, a sales associate, and another pharmacist, who fills-in one day a week for her and works one day a week with her. She opened the pharmacy with a desire to offer counseling services and providing cognitive care one-on-one with patients. Since day one she has provided oral and written information and stressed the importance of the patient-pharmacist relationship to her patients. The work of the technicians, in filling an average of 100 prescriptions a day, allows Bartemay to talk with the patients about their medication, condition, and therapy regimen. A counter booth area is designated for brief standing consultation. The pharmacy also has a private sitting area for patient counseling. This privacy area is used to address extra concerns or questions raised from the brief counsel or written information provided. She also uses the privacy counseling area for medication use demonstrations, patient monitoring, and private consultation.

At this point, Bartemay offers blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, and uses inhaler systems donated from manufacturing companies to demonstrate proper use technique. The patients demonstrate back to her the proper way to use the inhalers. Another service that she offers is compounding special prescriptions. The majority of the compounding prescriptions filled at Allen Apothecary are from local OB/GYN physicians and dermatologists.

She purchased a pharmaceutical care software package called jASCorp encounter. This software package provides her practice with an intex sheet for patients to fill during their first visit. The information collected on this form pertains to patient medical history, lifestyle behavior, allergies, and other patient specific questions. The software is able to perform drug utilization reviews for counseling programs, and print written drug information. Bartemay is beginning to use this system as a network to record and document relevant information on the patients for consulting purposes and intervention screening for potential problems. In January, she kicked off an asthma management service. She would like to add a diabetic management service in the future. Bartemay expects to have her first patient enrolled in the asthma management program within the next month. She is informing her patients that the monitoring/management services such as blood pressure measuring will not be a free service once she initiates her patient monitoring programs.

Payors: The patient is willing to pay if insurance will not cover the cost.

Reimbursement rate: $5.00 charge per visit. 

Documentation required: Yes, jASCorp software, HCFA 1500 form 

Specialized training required: Yes, She has received a certificate from A.Ph.A. in asthma management services, and is a member of PCCA for compounding services.

Software/instrumentation required: Yes, jASCorp encounter network software