Case Studies

The Challenge

Receiving an immunization in a retail pharmacy used to be an exception; now it's commonplace. As states have passed legislation allowing pharmacists to provide immunizations and some testing procedures, retail pharmacies have begun offering these services. Unlike workers in more traditional healthcare settings, pharmacists were not used to working with needles, blood and medical waste disposal.

For one national retail pharmacy organization, once immunization training and licensing was in place, details such as writing an organization-specific bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan and providing pharmacist training was necessary. Bloodborne pathogens training was provided off-site for each immunizing pharmacist. This was expensive; but since OSHA requires the ability to ask questions during training, in-pharmacy solutions were impractical. However as the numbers of immunizers grew, it was a costly endeavor to train off-site – plus the lost time behind the counter.

Used syringe disposal was another challenge given the location, accessibility, space-constrictions and availability of service. With pharmacies in 50 states, that meant 50 sets of state medical waste regulations. "Keeping up with weights as required by certain states, and having quick access to our waste tracking form could be a nightmare." The organization's immunization team was also tasked with deciding how to handle their self-injecting patients' sharps. Customers had always tried to drop off their own sharps containers at the pharmacy window, and now that laws were changing, it became more apparent that a corporate solution was necessary.

The Solution

When approached about the Sharps Compliance mailback as a possible solution for many of their concerns, the retail pharmacy organization immediately grasped the concept and benefit it would have for their stores. The corporate immunizing team worked with Sharps to establish an effective purchasing program and simple ordering process. Each store orders on an as-needed basis. Pharmacies with low-volume immunizations order fewer systems; when the immunization business picks up, they simply order more. "Sharps Compliance has provided uninterrupted availability during flu season, making sure our pharmacies are not without medical waste disposal solutions during this busy time."

Sharps understands that regulations are different in each state. There are also questions or issues specific to the immunizing pharmacy or particular state that may arise. The Sharps Compliance regulatory team developed a pharmacy-specific regulatory and medical waste state registration program on CD, which is updated annually. This program, provided to retail pharmacy customers, includes a pharmacy-specific exposure control plan, training, a folder for each state (counties in California) and registration forms. "This CD, in addition to one-on-one access to Sharps Compliance regulatory personnel, has helped provide a smooth transition from retail pharmacy to immunizing and testing pharmacy."

Sharps Compliance worked with the immunization team to update their exposure control plan and medical waste management program. Based on these corporate-specific policies, training was developed and provided to all immunizing pharmacists. "In the first year alone, we saved over $200,000.00 in training costs, not counting the time and money saved by keeping the pharmacist in the pharmacy."

"I love the safety and visibility provided by the Sharps Recovery System. The 45° angle opening is perfect for safe and immediate disposal of my syringe. And the handle makes it so easy to transport to and from the immunization area." Space is a commodity in a pharmacy. The Sharps systems are so easy to store. "I have total control over the handling of the used syringes. I don't have to store a big box in the dock area, worrying about unauthorized, untrained, unvaccinated personnel handling it."

"Sharps web-based tracking system, SharpsTracer allows us to track weights, treatment, and how many pounds of medical waste we diverted from the landfill through PELLA-DRX". With SharpsTracer, running reports to meet state regulatory requirements is simple.

In order to comply with state, and even county or city regulations, it's great to have a variety of needs-based systems available. "In the city of Sacramento, California for example, pharmacies are required to take back their patients' own sharps containers. With Sharps there's a system for that. In other states, we wanted to hand out sharps containers to our patients along with their syringes and medication. But more importantly, we wanted to make sure they brought them back in to us when full. It was a great way to increase store traffic, and discuss medication reactions, usage and other aspects of their treatment."

The Result

"The Sharps Recovery System is much more cost effective than the traditional medical waste pick-up service. And since the Sharps systems are all-inclusive, we can simply order one time and we get it all.

And being able to tell our patients that the needles used on them are recycled has given me something cool to talk about while providing injections. Everyone wants to "go green" today. So that's just one more plus for our organization.

Sharps is so much more than just a company that sells us a sharps container. And it's not just a company that has someone come in and pick up that container when it's full. Sharps understands patient care in the pharmacy environment and has become a facilitator in that care."