Monument Health Opens Nuclear Pharmacy In Rapid City

Monument Health opened its Nuclear Pharmacy on March 18. This is the second facility of its kind in South Dakota, the other being in Sioux Falls. Along with the opening of the pharmacy comes the addition of two authorized Nuclear Pharmacists to Monument Health: Patrick Novak, PharmD. and Bryan Brittain, PharmD. 

The Nuclear Pharmacy specializes in compounding and dispensing radioactive drugs for critical conditions like GI bleeds, cancer treatments, cardiac procedures and cancer studies. 

"Medications compounded in our Nuclear Pharmacy benefit a variety of patients," said Patrick Novak, PharmD. "The growth of these types of medications, particularly in cancer treatment studies, is rapidly expanding. Having a Nuclear Pharmacy dedicated to serving Monument Health ensures more patients can receive essential treatment close to home." 

Without a Nuclear Pharmacy, Monument Health would need to contract with other private nuclear pharmacies, which would require medications to be flown in. That  would increase the cost of these medications, with  some ending up costing thousands of dollars more per dose. 

Having a nuclear pharmacy locally, in Rapid City, allows the nuclear imaging department to have more flexibility to scan add-on patients on the same day. If the doses were transported by plane, though, the nuclear imaging department would have to wait until the next day to scan add-on patients. 

As federal regulations governing Nuclear Pharmacy operations evolve, the need  for authorized nuclear pharmacists and other measures becomes increasingly apparent.  

With the addition of both Patrick and Bryan as authorized nuclear pharmacists, Monument Health is able to expand the nuclear pharmacy medications and lay groundwork for the future of nuclear medicine, which includes radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancers and neuroendocrine cancers. Radiopharmaceuticals have recently been approved by the FDA.  

Monument Health is currently working to bring these treatment options to Rapid City. Numerous radiopharmaceuticals are currently being studied for other types of cancer as well and Monument Health is excited to be part of this future.