A new opportunity will soon be available for faculty and staff to have their prescriptions filled on campus with the option of having them delivered.

Offered through the Student Health Center, the new program will begin Jan. 3, 2005.

One of the main goals of the new program is to provide convenience for faculty and staff.

“Our hopes and desires are to make the service more available for faculty and staff so they won’t have to run off campus for a prescription,” said Glenn Egleman, director and physician-in-chief in the department of Student Health Services.

The idea for such a program came about when Puffer, Egleman and Classification and Compensation Analyst in the Department of Human Resources Pat Kelly, visited two sites already providing pharmaceuticals for faculty and staff: Michigan State and Western Michigan universities.

The practice seems to be becoming more common on campuses across the nation, said Puffer. But the University will still be at the forefront of the movement, she said.

Beginning now faculty and staff are encouraged to fill out a registration form for demographic information. A statement of privacy must also be signed to protect the rights and security of both the health center and staff member using the program, according to Cindy Puffer, pharmacy coordinator in the department of student health services.

Any part-time or full-time employee, their spouse and dependents can use the service. Employees do not need to be under the University’s health care plan to use the service, Puffer said.

Staff are open to help employees regardless of what health insurance plan they have.

“We’ll be able to support faculty and staff with insurance issues,” Egleman said. “We’ll be much more convenient and located right next to where they work.”

In conjunction with the new service an interactive web site to refill prescriptions is now running. Faculty and staff can also call in prescriptions via telephone, email or by visiting the Center in person.

Participants can have their prescriptions delivered to any on-campus building. There is a $2 fee per delivery, not per prescription. They will be delivered confidentially in a sealed envelope with only the recipient’s name and delivery slip attached.

The delivery system appeals to some faculty.

“I think it’s great that they’re doing that and it offers a real good benefit to people on campus, especially with the prescription deliveries for a nominal fee,” said Teresa McLove, special assistant to the dean in the Department of Continuing and Extended Education.

Director of Education Abroad in the Center for International Programs, Sally Raymont echoed McLove’s thoughts.

“I think it’s a great idea and it will save people time, and when it starts I will most likely participate,” she said.

The Health Center staff is working towards a 24-hour delivery goal, with Friday calls for medication to be delivered on Monday.

They hope to have most of the prescriptions delivered between 8 a.m. and noon, Puffer said.

If the faculty or staff member requesting the delivery is not there at the time, they must designate who can sign for the prescription, such as a colleague or secretary. Otherwise, the delivery will not go through.

Currently there is planning underway to develop a method of delivering prescriptions to the Firelands campus as well. But that will likely entail a three day per week delivery schedule instead of daily, and the Firelands currier must be one of the designated people to pick up the prescription, according to Puffer.

Faculty and staff may charge prescriptions to their bursar account if applicable, or pay with credit card or cash. But all delivery fees must be bursared.

To add to the convenience and accessibility of the new service, the Student Health Center will be extending their hours of operation in January to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

In addition, faculty and staff will no longer need to sign in or stand in line with students to go to the pharmacy.

Privacy with this new service should not concern faculty and staff, Puffer said, because there are no student employees in the pharmacy department. Students will not be delivering the prescriptions either.

“We have a very qualified, full time, professional staff who are here to maintain your confidentiality and to educate and assist you in your prescription needs,” she said.

Three benefits of the program are its convenience, confidentiality and the fact that the pharmacy is part of the University and that they work hard to get generic medications and a lower co-pay for employees at the University, says Puffer.

“We’re going to be right on top when those generics come out and get you the lower co-pay very quickly,” Puffer said. “We’re going to take that on as a challenge because we are members of the BGSU health care team. We’re also going to strive and work very hard to get people on our formulary prescription drug plan.”

A formulary is a prescription for which an employee pays a lesser co-pay. One of the Center’s main goals is to save faculty and staff money, said Egleman.

“We’re going to be able to point people to cost effective generics that they may not know exist,” Egleman said. “We’ll be able to save them money and it will be lower out-of-pocket costs.”

Other faculty are interested in learning more about the service before they transfer their prescriptions.

“I’m not sure I see an advantage for ordering prescriptions through the University,” said Allan Emery, associate professor in the English Department. “But after I learn more of the details it may be of interest.”

The Center will continue to strive to serve faculty and staff as well as students, Egleman said, and other changes are in the works.

“People should keep their eyes open to new improvements in the Student Health Center down the road,” he said.

Prior to this, the Center only offered lifestyle medications at a decreased price for employees. That program began in 1999.

“It’s been my desire since that time to expand the program,” Puffer said. “It’s something I think we can do a really good job with.”

Editor’s Note: Visit www.bgsu.edu/pharmacy for more information or email: [email protected].