Dave’s 25 Years of Progress

Recently Dave Anderson celebrated 25 consecutive years as a pharmacist at Madison Memorial Hospital. Dave has almost worked here 28 years starting in the spring of ’86’ as a student. He left for a short time for schooling, and came back full time in February of ’89’. When he started, pharmacy was the youngest department in the hospital. Dave stayed because he believed the pharmacy department was always able to share a common vision of how things could work, and everyone has been motivated to make things work better. They have a high standard which has led to their success. Common goals, common objectives, and hard work keep them together in reaching lofty heights. Dave has also reached his own excellent personal health goals through cycling. He even has his own Rexburg Cycling Blog.

When he began there were very few computers in our hospital and everything was done by hand. In ’91’ over quite a few objections, they utilized the first clinical

system for pharmacy. Pharmacy has always been looking for areas to improve. Later they procured Omnicell, fully automated dispensing machines, which provide more accurate accounting, tracking, and record keeping while almost eliminating the margin of error in medicine treatment. It has certainly paid for itself. However to get this equipment, pharmacy had to apply for grants. While applying for grants, Madison Memorial Hospital soon realized that matching funds were a large part of acquiring a grant, thus the formation of Madison Memorial Hospital Foundation in 2002. When he began, pharmacy had a staff of five and has only doubled while the number of patients they care for, and the department’s total workload is more than four times greater. Dave feels that you can reject change, progress, and technology, but it will be to your detriment. If there is a better way to do things we persistently work to make it happen.

Dave has had the privilege of spearheading several pharmacy projects. One of his favorites still helps our babies in intensive care with a device, TPN automixer, that is used to prepare IV feeding solutions for NICU babies, helping us care for our babies with greater precision. The pharmacy has always been progressive and accepting of positive change. Thank you Dave and the pharmacy for helping our hospital better care for our patients with the best devices. May your next 25 years here be more progressive than your first.