JBM-HH pharmacist prevents prescription drug abuse

By Damien Salas, Pentagram Staff WriterSeptember 4, 2015

JBM-HH pharmacist prevents prescription drug abuse
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic Pharmacist Henry Tran poses for a portait behind the counter Aug. 17. Tran is the first recipient of the ARUSAHC HeRO award for preventing prescription drug abuse by a service member... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Since joining the Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic staff eight and a half years ago, pharmacist Henry Tran has dealt with customers from all walks of the military community.

In mid-July, a patient came to the clinic pharmacy to pick up a controlled substance prescription. When screening the patient's medication history, Tran determined it would not be appropriate to fill the prescription because it had been filled the week prior at another pharmacy.

"This specific drug was very addictive," said Tran. "When we see that a patient is receiving this controlled substance from more than one source, it raises a red flag."

He contacted the patient's provider, who had not been aware of the recent dispensing of the medication. The provider then met with the patient and through further discussion, discovered that in fact the patient had a history of alcoholism, and had recently relapsed in the midst of some challenging family issues. The provider was then able to determine the best course for the patient, which was admittance to inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation, according to a clinic press release.

It was this astute observation that earned Tran the clinic's first ever ARUSAHC HeRO award, given monthly to a Rader staff member who has shown exceptional dedication toward the safety of staff and customers alike, according to clinic Commander Lt. Col. Ed Weinberg.

"As we move toward becoming a high reliability organization, we have reinforced our focus on taking care of our internal team," said Weinberg. "The staff members employed at Andrew Rader Health Clinic are of the finest caliber, and if we take care of them, we know they will in turn take care of our patients and customers. The HeRO award is just one of the many ways we have sought to improve the culture at Rader, and to ultimately improve the safety and quality of the care we deliver."

A pharmacist since 1998, Tran cut his teeth in retail pharmacy before joining the Rader staff. His appreciation for the military began in his college days, and is the reason he enjoys working at the clinic so much.

As a boy, Tran had a fascination with the military. In his hometown of Saigon, Vietnam, Tran's parents removed him from his military duties to finish school.

"When I was young in Vietnam, I liked the military," said Tran. "I was a college student before the war in 1975, but one time I joined the military voluntarily when five to six of my older friends were drafted."

Despite his desire to serve, Tran's family did not allow him to stay in the military, and insisted that he finish college.

Tran and the Rader pharmacy staff and volunteers serve at least 100 customers per day on the joint base, he said.