In The News

Loretto Hospital Opens New Outpatient Pharmacy To The Austin Community

CHICAGO, IL – (October 13, 2014) – Once known as the Austin Hospital over 75 years ago, the founding group of physicians who built the hospital wanted it to serve as a community-focused healthcare facility that would partner with its physicians, employees and the communities it serves to provide quality patient-centered care, and promote wellness and education. Subsequently, with the official grand opening of its new outpatient retail pharmacy, and other new programs, services and expansion projects in the works, Loretto’s founding father’s dream is finally coming to fruition.

For the first time in its history, The Loretto Hospital opened a new retail pharmacy that is now available to its patients and the community. Officially named Austin Outpatient Pharmacy, the new outpatient retail pharmacy promotes the hospital’s mantra of providing Better Standards, Better Care, Better Outcomes, while simultaneously embraces its longstanding mission of promoting health wellness and education to the communities it serves.

“At The Loretto Hospital, we recognize the importance of keeping our community healthy, not just when they are in our care but when they are discharged from the hospital. So this new pharmacy, along with other new hospital projects, is our sincere effort to stay true to our mission.” said Dr. Sonia Mehta, CEO and CMO of Loretto Hospital. Owned and operated by MAAR Illinois, Inc., a local pharmacy group with other locations on the west side of Chicago, the Austin Outpatient Pharmacy is expected to provide “Best in Class” service to patients, employees and the Austin and surrounding communities. Registered Pharmacist Ronak Manek, is part of MAAR Illinois, Inc., and is the head pharmacist at Austin Outpatient Pharmacy. According to Manek, providing the continuity of care once a patient has been discharged is vitally important to improving health outcomes.

“It’s an honor to serve Loretto’s patients and this community. It is always difficult to know if the patient actually picks up their medication right away, or if they wait a few days. Our goal is to meet the patient’s medication needs by ensuring that once they are discharged from this hospital, they have their medication in hand and educated on how to use them before they walk out the door. The doctors and I are committed to partnering with the patient to provide them with the best continuum of care,” Manek said.

Since its grand opening, the new outpatient pharmacy has gained wide acceptance from Loretto physicians because of the convenience it offers to patients. The Austin Outpatient Pharmacy is already a step above the traditional pharmacy chain because of the amenities it currently offers. Services include: free home delivery of medication to patients; counseling on all prescribed medications; a multi-lingual staff; and a small gift shop. In addition, the pharmacy accepts all insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.

In conjunction with the new outpatient pharmacy, The Loretto Hospital also renovated its inpatient pharmacy to include a state-of-the-art workspace and computer system to better serve patients while they are in the hospital’s care. In addition, over the past several years, hospital leadership has concentrated their efforts on bringing in number of new services, new construction projects and establishing new community partnerships all in hopes of improving the trust of patients and raising awareness about the “New Loretto” around the west side of Chicago.

What’s new at Loretto includes: A new cardiac cath lab; The Connie L. Lindsey Cancer Resource Center; new state-of-the art diagnostic imaging suite; new Critical Care Unit, inpatient areas, emergency room and behavioral health unit; a new Chief Experience Officer (CXO) to ensure patients are our first priority from the time they enter the hospital until the time they are discharged; and new doctors and expanded medical services and programs. In collaboration with PCC Wellness, Loretto offers patients quality primary care, geriatric medicine, an eye clinic, behavioral health services, pediatrics, women’s health, family planning and dental services. The Loretto Hospital is also a member of the Better Health Network Accountable Care Entity (ACE), a new process of coordinating healthcare services in Illinois to new potential Medicaid recipients as well as to families already receiving Medicaid. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, Loretto Hospital received a grade of “B” by the Leapfrog Group in the key areas of hospital safety and quality.

“All of these projects will continue to raise awareness about our hospital – and will help us maintain an image that people will recognize, trust and remember. We will continue on this path of growth, innovation and excellence to be the kind of hospital the Austin Community needs and deserves,” Dr. Mehta said.

The Austin Outpatient Pharmacy is opened Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information about the Austin Outpatient Pharmacy, please call 773- 854-2500.

About The Loretto Hospital

The Loretto Hospital is a not-for-profit, community-based, and acute care hospital located on the Far West Side of Chicago. Founded in 1939 by a group of community doctors to create a patient centered hospital that would serve the community regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, Loretto has provided comprehensive medical care and social support services to the Austin Community for 75 years. Although the largest percentage of the hospital’s patients resides in Austin, neighboring communities and suburbs also utilize Loretto as a healthcare resource. For more information, please visit www.lorettohospital.org.