Specializing in unit dose dispensing sytems for adult living facilities.

Pharmacy Care offers either the Opus Dispensing System or the Bingo Bubble packs

Is not considered unit dose in the state of florida, thus can not be returned to the pharmacy
If one item is DC'ed, the whole pack has to be returned to the pharmacy to be repackaged. (In Florida, a nurse is not allowed to simply remove the DC'ed item)

Issue Opus Meds on Time Bingo Card Artro Drustar strip pack

Amount of medication availablein facility: Less medication=greater accountability 3, 7, 14, or 31 31 31 Any number of days

Reordering Required Disadvantage: Less time for other responsibilities No No Either way Either way

Color Coded Advantage: Quick reference Yes Yes Possible, but not usually Possible, but not usually

Immediate Visual Check After Each Med Pass Advantage: Assurance of me error efficiency Yes No No No

Airtight Container Advantage: Can return meds in states allowing Class B returns Yes No No Generally no, but could be yes if the manufacturer's package is used.

Spare Doses Provided Advantage: Able to replace meds immediately if compromised Yes No Yes Yes

Ability to Flag QOD Meds, Drug Holidays, and Antibiotic Series Dates Yes No No No

Ability to Update Med Orders With Minimal or No Waste Advantage: System individually packaged will have no downtime of package back at Phamacy Yes No No Possible, but only if manufacturer unit dose is used

Easier Access to Specific Individual Medication Dose Yes No Yes Yes

Unit Dose Package Heat-Sealed Disadvantage: Possible unneeded exposure of meds to heat, which may damage the meds No No Either way No

Benefits of the Opus Unit Dose system

Allows time for nursing personnel to provide additional nursing services on the floor with the residents. It will not be necessary to spend 45 minutes to 1 hour in the Med Room setting up meds for each med pass. The pharmacist will already have the medications set up for dispensing.
Substantiates medication administration by charting at the time of the medication pass rather that at some later time from a med card (this eliminates the need for med cards).
Improves accuracy of medication administration by having the medication cardex present during the med pass to confirm orders along with a positive visual identification of medicine at the time of administering the med.
Eliminates the re-ordering of oral solid medicine, as two complete sets of med cassettes are involved. One set is at the care facility being used, and the other set is at the pharmacy being filled. The pharmacy will exchange a full set for the empty set at a predetermined time.
Prevents excessive waste of medications by having a smaller quantity of medication at the facility.
All systems are tamper evident, along with the elimination of drug loss due to breakage or pilferage.
With the ability to apply lids individually to the cassettes, solid lids may be used to flag uncommon dosing schedules.
All products are manufactured by the OPUS Unit Dose Company resulting in the ability to accommodate your specific needs.

OPUS VS. MEDS ON TIME

Med error rates may increase because facility staff members assume the medication, dosage and packaging are correct without verifying from the Medical Observation Record (MOR).
Meds On Time system does not allow for return of meds because of a discontinue order. This is because of the possible contamination of meds within the pack and the inability of the pharmacy to determine drug stability.
Meds On Time has a greater potential for waste of medications. If a med falls on the floor, or the incorrect bubblepack is opened, all meds in that bubblepack are lost, resulting in a higher rate of med waste.
Some residents consume a large variety of medications, sometimes making it impossible to place an entire dose in a Med On Time pack.
There is always the concern that the staff of the facility takes a considerable amount of responsibility using the Meds On Time system. For example, if one of the residents is supposed to get Vasotec every other day, each Med On Time pack must be che cked to ensure the drug is placed on in every other bubble. This takes valuable staff time, particularly if there are larger meds in the same pack.
Medications in the Meds On Time pack can accidentally fall into other slots of the container.
PRN orders, AC and PC medications, as well as any new orders received during the month are packaged separately, which defeats the idea behind on package containing all necessary meds.