The current automated tablet packager.
In fields as complex as healthcare, there is a whole world behind the scenes that few of us may know. Behind every nurse or doctor are numerous professionals who make sure our healthcare system runs as smoothly as possible, and the pharmacy department at Yarmouth Regional Hospital is a perfect example. Full of hard-working, highly trained staff, this department is essential not only to Yarmouth but to Digby General Hospital and Roseway Hospital as well.
The pharmacy department is responsible for, amongst other things, preparing medication for use in all three hospitals in the tri-counties. The vast majority of patients need medication during their hospital stays – and every single unit of oral medication used in the tri-counties is packaged by one machine at Yarmouth Regional Hospital. It’s called an automated tablet packager, and it’s nearing its end of life. We sat down with Angèle Scott (Pharmacy Operations Manager for Digby, Roseway, and Yarmouth Hospitals), who told us more.
Angèle Scott (Pharmacy Operations Manager for Digby, Roseway, and Yarmouth Hospitals)
“The current unit has been in operation for approximately 12 years, give or take, and it will reach its end of life at the end of May. If this happens, we won’t have any support services for the machine. It wouldn’t be able to be repaired or fixed if it broke down. So it has to be replaced — it’s really not an option for this unit to fail.”
This is where the foundation can step in to help, through community support and in partnership with NS Health, to share the cost of a new automated tablet packager! The amount of capsules and tablets packaged in Yarmouth’s pharmacy department is staggering. “It’s around 2,500 per day,” Angèle told us. That astonishing number makes it easy to understand why purchasing a new automated tablet packager is a priority for us here at the foundation.
Will you join us for this year’s We Care Radiothon and help us reach this goal? We’re live on Y95 on Thursday, March 5th, and you can hear us from 6am to 4pm. Or make a donation online today! We can’t wait to get started!
