It comes as no surprise that the world of independent pharmacy is rapidly changing. It takes a lot more than just filling prescriptions to not only be profitable, but to compete with the chains on every corner, and combat the PBMs.
Because you cannot have a successful independent pharmacy by just filling prescriptions the old way, you have two choices:
1 – Hire more people to combat medication adherence and all of the additional work thrown on you to keep your business alive.
2 – Use the technology built into your pharmacy management software to alleviate the manual labor that is holding you back and wasting your time. Use the time that the technology frees up to step away from “behind the screen” and look at every aspect of your business and how you can improve upon them.
Bottom line: If you’re not utilizing the technology your system builds in you could be doing a disservice to your pharmacy and patients.
Most Pharmacy Management Software systems offer some truly cutting edge features and if you’re using an older, outdated system, you might want to seriously consider investing in the future of your independent pharmacy starting with the technology – which will prove to be one of the most important tools to bring you into the future of pharmacy. The industry places such emphasis on adherence and the pharmacist’s role in overall patient care. In order to assist our patients, we have to become involved in their prescription regimens beyond dispensing their monthly meds.
So how can our retail pharmacy software systems/Pharmacy Management System help? Utilizing features such as MedSync, auto maintenance medication requests, automatic refills for patients, and integrated Medication Therapy Management (MTM opportunities) are examples of great tools to start with! WinPharm Pharmacy Management System by Datascan not only supports features like the ones mentioned but offers them for FREE. MedSync assists pharmacies not only automatically fill refills for patients, but syncs these prescriptions up to be filled on the same day each cycle. MTM through Outcomes and Mirixa helps manage patient medications and is also integrated right into our Pharmacy management software—making it easier for MTM pharmacists to evaluate and complete their opportunities. Automated refill requests on maintenance medications ensure that no patient on an important medication considered maintenance for them will go without refills. Also, automatic refill is a great program to get your patients on to cut out the requirement of patients and pharmacies having to speak to set up the refiling of medications they need to stay healthy.
Your pharmacy management system can also help you better communicate with your patients and physicians. Through text messaging, email, IVR outbound calls, and even mobile app notifications, you can easily reach out to patients. It’s not just about processing refills but ensuring patients come in to pick up their medications. Through Datascan’s Pharmacy Management System, you can send automatic messaging to let patients know they have refills due, prescriptions ready for pick up, send restock notifications, and even adherence warnings—you even have the option to send customized messages to patients. If you’re not using these features or similar in your pharmacy management system you could potentially be leaving money on the table. Mobile applications for refills and working with your pharmacy are growing in demand. This is something independent pharmacies should be not just offering, but promoting in-store to your patients. We live in a world of convenience with things like Amazon quick swipe to order, and so much on ‘demand’ such as Netflix, its only a matter of time before patients feel like you are behind the times if you cannot offer a refill on-demand application with additional information and communication direct to their smartphones. This is exactly what Datascan’sMobileScripts application does, and it ties right back into our pharmacy management software seamlessly.
According to Drug Topics, “strategies that served independent pharmacy so well in the past no longer meet the needs of independent pharmacy today,” and “too many successful independents resist change.” The focus is on change; no longer is it about simply filling prescriptions and carrying on business as usual. Owners need to embrace technology and utilize the tools in their pharmacy management systems. Owners will see a huge ROI when they dive deeper into their PMS. Successful pharmacies are at the forefront of change, they don’t hide from it. Visit us for information about prescription management software!
