SITUATION

Allina Health, a not-for-profit healthcare system with facilities in Minnesota and Wisconsin, noticed that their patients were burdened with unused medications. Those patients might not use their entire prescription or might switch medications, resulting in leftover drugs around their homes — a potential hazard for loved ones. Many of these patients struggled with how to dispose of these unneeded medications safely, and Allina Health’s pharmacies wanted to help.

STRATEGY

Allina Health’s participation in Inmar’s Consumer Drug Take-Back program allowed their pharmacies to provide a convenient, environmentally safe disposal option for patients that was also easy for pharmacy associates to manage.

• Drop-off medication disposal kiosks were implemented at all pharmacy locations.
• Patients could easily dispose of unneeded medications before/after patient visits at Allina hospitals and outpatient pharmacies.
• Flyers were provided with hospital and clinic discharge papers, engaging patients on safe medication disposal exactly when they needed it.
• Containers and liners were replaced every 3-4 weeks via the automatic refill program, helping staff keep up with demand without monopolizing their time. 

RESULTS

• “. . . having the take-back bin reduces the amount of unused narcotics that would otherwise sit in medicine cabinets. These extra tablets/capsules could sit there and not be missed if a house guest took them inappropriately. What if a teenager took them and overdosed? I think it’s a huge risk reduction to have a safe place to discard unused medications after surgery.” - Allina Health pharmacy supervisor
• Allina Health pharmacies have reported that the Consumer Drug Take-Back program process is simple, easy to maintain, and problem free. 
• The automatic refill program made it easy for pharmacists to ensure they never ran out of containers or liners, providing a consistent, reliable service for their patients. When box 2 of 3 was sent in, a whole new set of boxes arrived — no follow-up necessary. 
• Becoming a safe disposal location increased foot traffic at Allina Health pharmacies. They estimated 2-3 people per day were using the drop-off box, with 75% of those patrons choosing to do so out of convenience on days they visited the facility for care.