Ohio is putting $3.15 million toward improving healthcare in rural communities, with a focus on pharmacies and prescription safety.
Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health announced two Rural Health Transformation Program awards.
The Ohio Pharmacists Association will receive $2 million, while the Ohio Board of Pharmacy will receive $1.15 million.
So, what does that mean for people living in rural Ohio?
The money will help connect pharmacies across the state’s 73 rural counties to a secure health information exchange.
That means pharmacists will have better access to important medical information and can more easily coordinate with a patient’s doctors and other healthcare providers.
For patients, that could mean fewer medication problems and better coordination of care.
If you’re taking several medications, your pharmacist may have more information available to identify potentially dangerous drug interactions, duplicate medications, or other concerns.
The program is also designed to improve Ohio’s prescription monitoring system, known as OARRS.
OARRS tracks prescriptions for controlled substances and certain other medications.
It helps doctors and pharmacists identify possible drug interactions and spot situations where someone may be receiving controlled medications from multiple providers.
Rural communities currently have some of the lowest rates of OARRS integration in Ohio.
The Board of Pharmacy hopes to increase integration to 90 percent across all rural counties.
The funding does not mean local pharmacies will simply receive millions of dollars or that new pharmacies will automatically open. Instead, much of the investment is focused on improving the technology and connections between pharmacies, doctors, and other healthcare providers.
For people in places like Logan and Champaign Counties, the goal is simple: make the healthcare system better connected, so patients can get safer and more coordinated care without having to leave their communities.
Ohio received $202 million through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to support healthcare improvements across the state’s rural communities.
