Jackson EMS Begins In-House Pharmaceutical Program
In September 2002, in an effort to reduce costs and to keep ambulances closer to their response areas when possible, Jackson County EMS began implementing an in-house pharmaceutical program. Prior to this change, EMS crews carried all of their medications in a locked, large tackle style box. Whenever a medication was used from the box, crews had to go to the pharmacy at BJC Medical Center to exchange their box for a new one. This sometimes removed crews from their assigned zones for an hour or more, which greatly increased response times to emergency calls. Realizing a change was needed, Paramedic Randall Reed, a shift supervisor with EMS began researching a better way.

In January 2003, after several months of research, Jackson County EMS implemented an in-house program placing a stock of medications in drawers that would be mounted inside the ambulances. An amount was placed on each ambulance that would last an entire week, allowing ambulances and crews to remain in their response area. On a specified day, the on-duty EMS supervisor would go around to each station and restock the used or expired medications. This program not only saved time and allowed ambulances to respond to emergencies faster, it reduced fuel and maintenance costs. By January 2004, the total cost savings for the program was over $10,000, mainly from the fuel and maintenance savings, reduced service fees and a substantial amount came from reduced prices we received purchasing medications directly from the distributor.

Today, the in-house pharmaceutical program is still in use. Several surrounding services have instituted programs piloted around our program due to the great success we experienced. We currently carry over fourty-five different medications allowing Paramedics to care for a variety of medical emergencies. When Randall Reed retired in 2008, EMS supervisor Michael Gosnell began serving as our Pharmaceutical Control Officer as required by the State. As our service grows, so does the capabilities we have to improve our service as we are looking to add additional medications and resources to encompass all of the possibilities to provide the best, quality care to all of our patients.

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