Often in dermatology the best choice medication for a patient is not commercially available on the market – manufacturing plants have been closing, prescriptions that have worked and existed for years are scarce, and big pharmaceutical companies are buying smaller companies but not continuing to make necessary prescriptions. Plus, more often now, prescription costs are increasing because of the structure of insurance plans. To help combat some of these costs and assist patients with needed prescriptions, Dr. Rueckl and his team worked with a national compounding pharmacy to find a way to dispense some of these prescriptions directly from the office.
Lakes Dermatology has long been a state-of-the-art dermatological facility offering the highest level of patient care and comfort. Our ability to provide sterling service has now been greatly expanded as we are proud to announce that we have received a full three-year accreditation by the Physician Dispensing Association (PDA) for their point-of-care dispensing program.
This accreditation means that we can now dispense compounded prescription pharmaceuticals on-site in our quality-controlled, USP-compliant lab and dispense such medications to our patients within the comfort of our office. This gives our patients a great deal of convenience as they no longer have to look for and travel to a pharmacy in order to fill their prescriptions. Patients’ needs, from initial examination to prescription pickup, can be handled in just one visit. This three-year accreditation by the PDA is their highest level of accreditation that can be awarded for point-of-care dispensing.
To receive this distinguished honor, Lakes Dermatology had to go through a peer review process to demonstrate a commitment to offering programs and services that meet the highest standards of quality. The fact that we can use the PDA Accreditation seal shows that we adhere to a rigorous set of standards in compounding and dispensing medications. In fact, this achievement acknowledges that we met or exceeded national quality standards.
There are a number of benefits to our patients for this accreditation by the Physician Dispensing Association. They know that any compounded prescriptions dispensed in our facility are of the highest quality and meet the most stringent standards. Another benefit is that medications dispensed by us are often less expensive than the average copay at the pharmacy. Then there’s the added convenience of being able to have a prescription filled at the end of your office visit, saving you the time and hassle of having to locate a pharmacy. And finally, these compounded prescriptions are fresh – they have less preservatives than other available brands and the ingredients are pure and have not had a chance to breakdown at all.
The Physician Dispensing Association (PDA) is an independent accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, safe, and optimal outcomes of point-of-care dispensing through an accreditation process and continuous improvement services. You can find more information on the PDA by visiting their website.
The following is a list of the most currently available compounded prescriptions dispensed in our office:
- Acne Moisturizing/ Anti-Aging Cream
- Acne Silicone Gel with Dapsone
- Clobetasol Solution
- Hydrocortisone Ketoconazole
- Hydroquinone Melasma Emulsion