SVMC’s MedSafe Box is located in the Emergency Department waiting area
Vermont Business Magazine Since its installation at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, the MedSafe collection box has facilitated retrieval of 2,600 pounds of unwanted and expired medications. The very first collection was conducted on August 16, 2017. SVMC is the first non-law enforcement 24-hour disposal location in the state of Vermont.
The box features a one-way medicine drop and can be used to dispose of unused or expired controlled substances, non-controlled substances, and even over-the-counter medications.
Several features ensure security, including a double-locked front panel and video monitoring. Medications can be removed for disposal only when both a member of the Bennington Police Department and a member of the hospital staff are present. The specialized box is available to the public 24 hours a day and located in SVMC’s Emergency Department waiting area.
Disposing of unused and expired medications at a drug take-back location prevents the drugs from being abused or sold. In the past, people often flushed medications down a toilet or drain, which can cause pharmaceutical contamination of the water supply. In addition, the box is continuously monitored by video surveillance to prevent tampering.
The program was made possible through The Collaborative; Regional Prevention Partnership, a grant from the Vermont Department of Health; and cooperation from the Bennington Police Department, notably Chief of Police Paul J. Doucette and Lieutenant David Dutcher. Several community members also provide funding for MedSafe’s ongoing expenses.
About SVMC:
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member hospital of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVMC includes Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices.
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.
Source: BENNINGTON, VT—August 17, 2023—SVMC
