The Rubidoux Pharmacy offers services above and beyond the dispensation of medications such as consultation with the Pharmacy Director, partnerships with physicians for the best possible utilization of prescriptions, and innovative packaging to ensure members take the right dosage at the right times. The Pharmacy was opened by the County of Riverside Human Resources Department to provide a service to Exclusive Care Health Insurance Members and members of the public who qualify. The following statistics capture why it is so important to the County of Riverside to provide this service.

Fact:

• In 1999, the FDA estimated that 100,000 lives were lost due to improper use of medications. 
• Ten percent of all hospital admissions are a result of improper use of medications.
• For individuals 65 and up, 25% of all hospital and nursing admissions are a result of improper use of med 
• Spending in the US for prescription drugs was $200.7 billion in 2005, almost 5 times more than spent in 1990.
• The share of prescription drug expenses paid by private health insurance increased substantially over the past decade (from 26% in 1990 to 47% in 2005).
• The average number of retail prescriptions per capita increased from 7.9 in 1994 to 12.4 in 2006.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Prescription Drug Trends May 2007. 

SMART Coalition of California