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VA Consolidated Mail-out Pharmacy Enhanced
June 12, 2007
Nicholson: A Solid Example of Improved Patient Care
WASHINGTON -- With mail-out pharmaceuticals for veterans already a $3
billion annual operation for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),
the department made a major expansion in its future capability with the
dedication June 11 of a new building and improved production system for
the Dallas VA Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy.
“VA’s mail-out pharmacies provide convenient, world-class service to
veterans through state-of-the art processing of prescriptions for our
patients,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. “These
pharmacies are another solid example of VA leading the health care
industry toward improved patient care.”
VA opened its first mail-out pharmacy in 1994. The seven existing
mail-out pharmacies have become valuable partners in VA’s total health
care program for veterans.
With an annual budget of $3 billion, these pharmacies dispense 75
percent of all VA prescriptions. Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacies
will handle nearly 100 million prescriptions this year, a quadrupling of
service compared to the 25 million prescriptions dispensed 10 years ago.
Most pharmaceuticals are mailed within 48 hours of the mail-out pharmacy
receiving the prescription.
VA mail-out pharmacies begin processing pharmaceuticals after
downloading electronic prescriptions from VA health care providers.
Medicines are mailed directly to patients.
VA’s seven consolidated mail-out pharmacies are in Boston; Charleston,
S.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Leavenworth, Kan.; Nashville, Tenn., and Tucson,
Ariz.
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Larry Scott
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