Renown Pharmacy Introduces New Program: Medications to Go

July 29, 2020

Renown's Medications to Go program offers time-savings and convenience for patients and their families.

It can be difficult leaving the hospital after a stay. Learning and understanding detailed care instructions and settling in to a new routine, can be an overwhelming experience for both patients and their caregivers. Plus, there’s the added inconvenience of visiting the pharmacy to pick up prescribed medications.

Because it is so inconvenient, one-third of these prescriptions never reach the patient, and remain in a basket at the pharmacy, awaiting pick-up. Because the patient never takes their medication, recovery time can take longer, and in some cases, the patient goes without the needed medications and may be readmitted to the hospital.

To make the process more convenient for patients and their families, Renown Pharmacy now offers a new Medications to Go program.

Patients can now receive Medications to Go at Renown hospitals. Opting in when they arrive, and the day they leave, their medication will be hand-delivered to them in their room by a member of Renown’s pharmacy team, along with medication counseling by a Renown pharmacist. There is no additional cost for patients to use this service aside from their normal medication copays.

“Medications to Go is another example of how we are using new approaches to deliver an excellent patient and customer experience, and helping people choose, access, experience and prefer Renown Health providers and hospitals,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, president and CEO of Renown. “We want to help our patients on their journey to health and wellness.”

The Renown Pharmacy team has been recognized for several national best practice programs. A similar pilot program showed a 25 percent reduction in hospital readmission rates for patients with Medicaid insurance, emphasizing the need for the service for all patients at all Renown hospital locations. Since June 1, 2020, Medications to Go has been available to every patient at Renown Regional Medical Center, Renown South Meadows Medical Center and Renown Rehabilitation Hospital.

“We’ve filled more than 1,600 prescriptions through the program to date,” said Adam Porath, Doctor of Pharmacy, and Renown’s interim director. “Patients are very happy – especially new moms and parents of our youngest patients at Renown Children’s Hospital.”

About Renown Health

Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.

Related News

Renown Health Recognized as Best Hospital for Maternity Care

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority on hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Renown Health as both a 2026 High-Performing hospital for Maternity Care and a Maternity Care Access Hospital. These dual designations underscore Renown Health’s leadership in advancing exceptional and equitable maternal health services. Ratings are intended to help expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care providers, make informed decisions about where to receive safe and effective maternity care. In 2026, 495 top hospitals for Maternity care have been recognized as High Performing across the U.S. Renown Regional Medical Center is the only hospital earning this designation in the northern Nevada region. Four hospitals in Las Vegas also earned honors. The 2026 hospital ratings for Maternity and Perinatal Care review hospitals providing high-quality labor & delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies. U.S. News evaluates how well hospitals perform in childbirth using C-section rates, newborn severe complication rates, routine vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC) rates, episiotomy rates, best practices to support breast milk feeding, whether a hospital meets federal criteria for "birthing-friendly" practices, and whether a hospital tracked and reported disparities in outcomes. In terms of quality, these hospitals also demonstrated performance above the lowest normalized values for severe unexpected newborn complications, C-sections or episiotomy rates. Read more about the methodology here. “Providing the highest level of maternity and infant care is essential to the health and strength of our region,” stated Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Renown Health. “High-quality maternity care leads to safer pregnancies, fewer complications, and better long-term outcomes for both mother and child. Early, expert care reduces risks such as preterm birth, low birth weight babies and complications. Local access ensures timely intervention when seconds matter. Communities with strong maternal care programs see benefits in education, economic stability and public health. We are proud that all parents, regardless of their background or resources, can receive safe, compassionate, evidence-based care, close to home. We at Renown are very proud of this recognition, and to be able to support families during one of life’s most precious moments.” “Receiving the Best Hospital for Maternity Care designation is an incredible honor for our entire team and reflects our commitment to delivering outstanding care for every mother and baby,” said James M. Alexander, MD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health, As northern Nevada’s academic teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, we are proud to train the next generation of obstetrics leaders while advancing the highest standards of care for our community.”

Renown Health Now Provides Confidential Mental Health Services for Healthcare Professionals and First Responders

"Code Phoenix” establishes a protected pathway for short-term mental health stabilization for healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, and firefighters, delivered in a supportive environment built for the unique realities of their work.

Book an Appointment with a Renown Medical Group Cardiology Provider

Renown Health today announced that patients seeking Renown cardiology care can now conveniently schedule their appointments online. The new digital scheduling option is available for both new and existing patients, providing easier access to high-quality heart care across northern Nevada. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for Nevadans and people across the nation,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Renown Health. “At Renown, we believe everyone deserves timely, expert care for their heart. By making it easier for patients to connect with our cardiology team, we’re helping people take proactive steps toward longer, healthier lives.” “This new online scheduling feature is one more way we’re improving access and convenience for our community, helping people get the specialized care they need quickly and easily,” said Rahul Mediwala, MD, MBA, CEO of Renown Medical Group. “Whether a patient is managing a chronic heart condition or seeking preventative care, we want to make every step, from scheduling to treatment to follow up, as seamless and supportive as possible. Our goal is to ensure that world-class cardiology care is easy to access for every member of our community.” “People experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or palpitations are encouraged to first contact their primary care provider,” said Marie McCormack, MD, Division Chief, Primary Care, Renown Medical Group. “Primary care providers can evaluate symptoms, provide guidance, and if needed, refer patients to a Renown Medical Group cardiologist for an appointment for specialized heart care” “The Renown Heart & Vascular Institute team has earned the trust and gratitude of the community with more than 18,000 patients rating their Renown Medical Group-Cardiology providers an outstanding 4.9 out of 5 stars for care,” said Darcy Ohm, Administrative Director, Cardiology, who led the project. “Now patients can schedule their cardiology appointments online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with more than 35 cardiology providers at Renown Heart & Vascular Institute locations in Reno, South Reno, Carson City and Fallon, Nevada.”

View All Press Releases