By Eli Parker
The field of pharmaceuticals has proven to be ever-changing . And one of these recent advancements in the field has been the highlight at Somerset ’ s Medicine Shoppe for almost four years .
Recently , the local pharmacy has provided what they deem a “ much more simplified ” method of packaged medication . This new means is known as strip packaging .
As opposed to having pills sorted out in bottles , bubble packs , or planners , the medication is instead sorted into individual packages based on time , date and dose . Being attached together in a single strip , the packages are rolled up and put in a box where the user can pull out and tear off each package individually . Images and descriptions of each individual medication are also posted on the side of the box .
With each box being personalized for its user , strip packaging can accommodate both single and multidose medication regimens .
This new method of packaging provides a sense of security , organization , and convenience that users won ’ t find with other methods . This means no more having to keep up with a cluster of pill bottles , struggling to punch out pills from bubble packs , or cleaning up messes resulting from fallen planners .
Lisa Meece , the Medicine Shoppe ’ s Marketing Manager and one of its Long-term Care ( LTC ) Managers , is a strong advocate for this new packaging type , as it provides new-found benefits for users .
“ Say a lady that goes to work wants to take her afternoon dose ,” she says . “ It ’ ll be in little , tear-off packages , so she can just tear off what she needs for the day , stick it in her purse , and she doesn ’ t have to worry about carrying a bunch of bottles around .”
On top of being convenient for users , this new system of packaging has also been beneficial for the facilities that produce and provide them . In fact , the conception of strip packaging was a result of pharmaceutical facilities wanting to find an alternative for the complex process of producing and maintaining bubble packs .
According to Becky Dembicki , a LTC Coordinating Manager at the Medicine Shoppe , bubble packs are “ more individualized .” Furthermore , LTC facilities prefer this method to better adjust with medication changes as opposed to having to change out entire boxes .
However , this process is a precise one , having to accommodate laws that mandate that facilities keep a pill count .
“ There can be no pills missing , no pills lost ,” Dembicki emphasizes . “ You have to account for everything .”
Nonetheless , the rise of strip packaging has only proven that the advancements in pharmaceuticals can accommodate these restrictions while helping greatly in the fast-paced field .
“ You ’ re dealing with medicine that ’ s
LTC Coordinating Manager Becky Dembicki ( left ) and Marketing and LTC Manager Lisa Meece standing with the medication analyzer used in the Medicine Shoppe ’ s strip packaging process .
20 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky May 2023