Last year, VA’s Southwest Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (SW CMOP), located in Tucson, Arizona, mailed more prescriptions than ever before to Veterans living everywhere from New Mexico to Alaska and all the way to Guam.
“Last year, we reached a high of 23,204,802 prescriptions mailed to Veterans,” said Director Michael T. Sutherland, Pharm.D. “It looks like we will hit 23.8 million this year. Of course, this accomplishment is only possible because of the hard work of our outstanding employees.”
Pictured above, Michael T. Sutherland, director of VA’s Southwest Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy, shows VA Secretary Denis McDonough how the facility fills and mails about 90,000 prescriptions a day.
Seven Tucson MOP employees were recognized for their dedication by VA Secretary Denis McDonough during his recent visit: Lorrena Estillore, Aida Diallo, Jacinda San Nicolas, Dan Duval, Tyree Ross, Samuel Swoopes and Sonya Vidal.
Mail 90,000 prescriptions every day
VA’s SW CMOP is one of seven highly automated, large-volume mail service pharmacy operations that prepare, fill and mail almost 84% of all VA prescriptions dispensed to Veterans throughout the United States. The Tucson facility mails approximately 56,000 packages each workday with a turn-around time of about two days.
The sophisticated automated dispensing systems allow production to be accomplished quickly with exceptional accuracy and at a lower cost than performing the same dispensing tasks at local VA pharmacies.
As a result of CMOP dispensing program support, pharmacists at local VA facilities can spend more time counseling patients instead of being distracted by physical product dispensing tasks.
Since 2009, VA’s highly automated CMOPs have been rated “among the best” mail-order pharmacies in customer satisfaction according to the J.D. Power U.S. Pharmacy Study.
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Sure…whenever I place an order , I have no idea when it will be filled or sent. When it arrives, it can sit for hours in temps well over 110 degrees in the mailbox (here in southern AZ). Not sure if my meds are even viable by then, as most meds have a certain temp requirement. Maybe there is a way to get USPS to at least deliver to the door?
I assume this is the service where you get an email asking if your prescription is due to be refilled and you respond yea or nay. I so I love it.
You may be able to fill scripts in two days, but using USPS almost always adds a week or more to delivery. Not only does this lengthy delivery defeat the whole purpose of timely meds, but also likely contributes to the detriment of their potency by sitting in hot delivery vehicles, especially in the Southern states.
It does take longer. Especially when your doctor doesn’t get it the script in by a certain time. Then it’s late. The thing is medicine that’s not controlled I received tons of before I need it. My controlled medicines is always a problem. I’ll called and instead of being honest they make up something. Just wish we could use a pharmacy near us like regular people do
Waited two weeks for cough drops
They may be mailing out that impressive number of prescriptions, but that doesn’t mean they’re getting delivered. Once they get into the Black Hole of the Postal System there’s no telling how long it will be before the patient receives them. You’d think medication would be treated with a higher priority than advertising.
This concept is great. But the United States Postal Service undoes all your good work. It still takes 8-12 days until I place my refills online and then receive them in the mail. I live 75 miles from the Wilkes-Barre VA, where I request my refills to come from. The shipment then goes past me for an extra 40 miles south to the Philadelphia P.O., then that PO. ships my refills 40 miles north again to my local P.O. No one ever goes after the Post Office to correct their stupidity. It’s sad that the Pony Express traveled 5000 miles in ten days to deliver mail over 100 years ago, and today it takes 8-12 days to go 75 miles.
Does any Veteran qualify for this service ?
Awesome system!
Thank you so much for all the things you do ❤️
A great service to me and my brothers and sisters in arms.
Thanks to all the employees that can get the job done. “Can Do”
A great honor to serve this country now at an old age, the country is looking out for us. Thank you so much.
I am personally so thankful for this recently NEW change implemented by the VA.
When you send a refill request by text message, you need to list more than the first 3 letters of the medication. I got one today that listed COL as the description and I have 2 medications that start with COL. Other than that, the refill service works great!!
Initiate nationally….why not????
I asked for pain relief-in the form of a muscle relaxer for a sudden excruciating backache. i received the RX ONE WEEK later in the mail. ONE WEEK is a very long time when. patient is in acute pain! This coming from Hollywood, FL clinic and Miami VA Hospital…both very disappointing medical providers.
Very Happy with this service…. Thanks VA
Excellent News…..Our Pharmacies are definitely the best…Great upgrade