At SafeDose We Solve Problems So You Can Focus on Patient Care

About Us

In 1998, our founder, Ron Kutrieb, while working a real estate transaction with a multi-location facility, saw the repeated need in each location for an improved medication delivery and fulfillment solution. Subsequently, in 1999, SafeDose was started in Indianapolis IN. Utilizing dedicated people, processes and the newest technologies, SafeDose began serving the IDD community and other extended care communities with our “care for you service” and “Compliance Packaging.”

Bringing together best practices from both the retail and institutional pharmacy models, SafeDose created a new model of pharmacy fulfillment that is most appropriate for the IDD market. Our people, processes and practices we implemented, such as one-on-one customer service and the highest level of accuracy through technology has relieved and delighted our clients.

We learn your problems and challenges to create a plan custom for your facility.

There is no cost for our special packaging, customization, or shipping straight to your door.

Our Leadership

SafeDose is a private company with an extremely active board.

Dennis Chookaszian

Chairman

Dennis Chookaszian is the former chairman and CEO of CNA Insurance Companies, a $17 billion multi-line insurer with 20,000 employees. In his 26 years at CNA, Chookaszian served in numerous other executive capacities including Chief Financial Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer, and Chairman of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining CNA, he was a management consultant with Deloitte for eight years, working on various financial systems and related assignments.

Mr. Chookaszian has served as a director on the boards of thirteen publicly traded corporations and currently serves on the boards of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In addition, he currently serves on the boards of six not-for-profit organizations.

He earned a BA from Northwestern University, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and an MA from the London School of Economics.

Ron Kutrieb

President and CEO

Ron Kutrieb started SafeDose in 1999 and is President and CEO. Prior to founding SafeDose, he was primarily engaged in various forms of real estate investment and development. Previous positions include VP of Homart Development Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears which was primarily engaged in regional mall development throughout the country. He also spent a decade as President and CEO of Realty Income Trust, a real estate investment trust listed on the American Stock exchange with a national investment portfolio. Mr. Kutrieb’s entrepreneurial instincts led him to create SafeDose as he perceived a need to bring the significant benefits of the company to the underserved IDD market.

Mr. Kutrieb is engaged in several charitable activities including Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity and the Harvard Business School Association of Boston. He received a BA from Colgate University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Holly Gillespie

Vice President and national account manager

Holly received her Master of Science Degree and her Bachelor of Applied Science degree from Indiana State University. She also holds a certificate in Public Health Administration also from Indiana State University. Ms. Gillespie started working for SafeDose Pharmacy in 2014 and has held many positions within the company. Today, Holly is the Vice President, taking care of the business side of the company, and she also holds the title of National Account Manager for SafeDose.

When Holly is not finding solutions for current clients or giving webinars to potential clients, she enjoys reading, gardening and running. She has two children, a great dane, and a rat terrier. However, her favorite place to be is at Disney with her family.

Priscilla Rayback

Vice President and chief pharmacist

Priscilla received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1998 from Purdue University. After a career in both clinical and retail pharmacy, which included completing a specialty pharmacy residency in pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, she decided to join the long-term care pharmacy community and has been with SafeDose since 2014.

When Priscilla is not managing the pharmacy at SafeDose, she enjoys sewing, crafting, boating and spending time with her family. She has two children, Zoe and Rafe. Zoe is in high school and planning on becoming a nurse with an emphasis on developmental pediatrics. Rafe is in college pursuing a music education degree, and is also a member of the Indiana National Guard Infantry Band.

Our team is ready to work for you!

World-Class Customer Service

SafeDose customer service stands apart from what is customary in the industry. The most significant element is our one-on-one process of utilizing a dedicated technician for every account, which means your staff always speaks to the same person. Through this approach, our technician gets to know your staff, processes and patients, which makes problem solving very efficient and responsive. There are no phone trees, call centers or interactive voice response systems- which means that when you call, you get a live person who directs your call immediately to your personal tech.

Calls are answered 24/7 utilizing a dedicated on-call pharmacy service center for times when the pharmacy is closed. The service center is staffed with a licensed pharmacist who has continual access to our patient information, and can prescribe needed medications to your local back-up pharmacy for immediate fulfillment. Courier service for delivery of those medications can also be arranged if necessary.

SafeDose provides printed MARS and Physician Orders monthly. In addition, SafeDose has an on-line digital media service which provides your staff with 24/7 access to all your patient information. This feature allows your staff to print updated MARs at your facility at any time. There is no charge for this service.

Have you ever gone to the pharmacy to pick up your medication and then you get a phone call two days later that there is another script to pick up? At this point you are wishing there was a way to go to the pharmacy once a month and be done. Well, there really is a way!

Retail vs. LTC’s-What is the difference?

A retail pharmacy will fill your medication on demand, resulting in multiple trips to their building, but a long-term care (LTC) pharmacy will actually take care of the entire patient’s needs. LTC pharmacy is all about taking care of those individuals in facilities who might need a little extra help with their medications. SafeDose is an LTC pharmacy, and we have many options ranging from packaging, dispense dates, refill request, prior authorizations and delivery to serve your specific needs.

No cost vs. Cost Services

Almost all services supplied by SafeDose are free to our clients. There is no additional charge for specific packaging of any medications, for pharmacy-to-door delivery service with UPS or for any medication record that needs printed.

Packaging Options

One of the many benefits of being a full-service pharmacy is that not only can we package medications many ways, but we also offer PRNs, OTCs, injectables and bulks. While we still offer medication packing in vials and blister cards, we always recommend the most accurate packaging method, Compliance Packaging, which is done through our automated packaging and inspection machine. We can also create separate medication packages for work, a day program or vacations.

Accuracy

Due to our six-step process, we can reduce administration errors and eliminate medication errors for your facility. Since we create the dosing event for your staff, the potential of human error caused by combining and sorting medications is eliminated with our Compliance Packaging.
No other pharmacy has the same model that we do. Therefore, they cannot reach our accuracy rating, which is why problems will continue to exist. We have averaged a 99.97% accuracy rating over the last five years and counting!

Administrative Errors at an IDD Facility in Michigan

Before SafeDose (January - March)	Transitioning to SafeDose (April - June)	Most Homes Transitioned (July - September)
63	28	15

Technology

At SafeDose, we use the most technologically-advanced machines to not only package our medications but also verify the correct medication has been dispensed. With these extremely accurate machines, human hands never touch the medication that is dispensed into our Compliance Packaging.

Our inspection machine is very advanced, as it verifies all medications in the Compliance Packages are correct by weight, size and color. A picture is also taken of the top and a bottom of the packaging. This is a safe and accurate tool for facilities to have in order to verify what medication was in the Compliance Package as it left the pharmacy.

With our technology, we also offer several eMAR options. We can use who you use today, perhaps help you with a new solution. Other eMAR's may have a small monthly charge. Please reach out to our staff to verify if your eMAR can be integrated with our pharmacy software.

SafeDose also provides additional safety through its automated fulfillment process which minimizes any personal contact with medications. Eighty-five percent of medications that we dispense are transferred from their inventory container to a machine canister, and then into a sealed administration packet or blister card, never having been touched by a human. In the current era of the COVID pandemic, this feature provides a significant safety factor for your patients. Also, medications supplied in our Compliance Packaging need never be touched by your staff during administration.

Compliance

With SafeDose as your pharmacy, you can rest assured that all state and federal laws are followed to keep your patients safe and your facility compliant. We hold a pharmacy license in 20 states as well as the District of Columbia. In order for SafeDose to obtain these licenses, our Pharmacist-In-Charge is personally licensed as a pharmacist in 10 states (as required to hold a license in those states).

We are able to bill Medicare in every state we are licensed, and we can bill Medicaid in 15 states, as well as the District of Columbia.