LTC Pharmacies
The Role of LTC Pharmacies
All pharmacies play a crucial role in dispensing prescription medications to people when they need them. But LTC pharmacies serve a unique and essential role in our health care system working alongside other providers to deliver high-quality, cost-effective, coordinated care to patients who require long-term care services.
Unlike most retail pharmacies, LTC pharmacies operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to meet urgent patient and facility needs whenever they arise.
LTC pharmacies provide clinical services wherever their patients live – whether in long-term care facilities or at home. They send pharmacists (called consultant pharmacists) into the facilities to review medications and make sure that patients are safe and getting the right medications. They actively manage medication therapy, serve on patient care and coordination teams, and engage directly with patients and their families at the bedside.
LTC pharmacies provide specialized services to increase adherence, reduce adverse reactions, avoid hospital admissions, and innovate new delivery methods and accessibility improvements to help improve people’s lives. They also offer advanced knowledge on medication management to patients and other members of a patient’s care team to promote healthier outcomes.
The People We Serve
Every day, patients across the country benefit from the essential, expert care that SCPC’s LTC pharmacies provide. By coordinating pharmacy services for residents of skilling nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), and other long-term care settings – including at-home care – SCPC members work tirelessly to ensure that individuals with unique care needs receive the medication management, prescription drugs, patient care, or other specialized services that they need to maintain their health and quality of life, and prevent costly hospital readmissions.
By the Numbers
Individuals in long-term care settings are often seniors and younger adults with disabilities who require long-term services and supports (LTSS) in addition to ongoing health care. LTC pharmacies are especially equipped to serve this population through medication management, 24/7/365 availability, and coordination with the patient’s health care team.
In the coming years, need for LTC pharmacies will continue to rise, as America’s long-term care population is expected to grow to 27 million people by 2050.
> The typical LTC patient needs approximately 12 to 13 prescription medications per day to manage their health.
> 60% of LTC patients are 65 years or older and need help with everyday activities.
> 14 million Americans nationwide require LTSS due to physical or cognitive disabilities or impairments that require care, which can include a combination of many different prescription medications each day to manage their health.
> A majority of LTC patients live in communal settings among other patients who may require different care and services provided by multiple caregivers.
LTC Settings Overview
LTC pharmacies provide care to more than 2 million Americans who reside in various settings, including nursing homes, senior living communities, congregate care settings, and their own homes. Their patients rely on LTC pharmacies that have expertise in medically complex patient care beyond that of other pharmacies.
LTC Pharmacy at Home
For an increasing number of American families, in-home care is an appealing option for loved ones who need ongoing support. In fact, most Americans favor policies that will extend Medicare and Medicaid coverage to people living at home – and policymakers are responding. As the nation prepares for an even greater need for LTC and long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the coming years, it also must grapple with the greater need for care where people prefer to live. Securing the continuum of care is vital for better health outcomes; providers and the care system must be nimble in shifting between home, community, facility, and hospital.
LTC pharmacies are a key collaborator in making long-term care at home possible for millions of Americans. Equipped to provide care across facility and home-care settings, LTC pharmacies can ensure patients receive the high-quality medication management and individualized care they deserve – helping to achieve better health outcomes wherever they live.
