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Pitfalls of Choosing the Wrong Software System for a Pharmacy

Pitfalls of Choosing the Wrong Software System for a Pharmacy

Your pharmacy software is arguably the most important building block when growing your independent pharmacy. Choosing the right pharmacy software can help your business reach insurmountable success, while on the contrary, choosing the wrong software can cost you time, money, and lead to lost profits and inefficiencies that will cost you. With all the pharmacy management systems on the market, how can you be sure you’re choosing the best pharmacy software for you? There are many “red flags” and things to look out for when you’re evaluating pharmacy software systems, and by avoiding these pitfalls, you can partner with the best choice for your independent pharmacy.

Remember, it’s not a popularity contest.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when looking at pharmacy software systems is choosing the system “everybody has.” Very often, software shoppers are familiar with vendors other colleagues have used or told them about, but choosing a software system is very personal. Each pharmacy software system has its own list of pros and cons, and your pros and cons list could be unique to your business model, ideas, and workflow.

A great way to look at it would be to assume that CVS or Walgreens is the best choice for a pharmacy, because it’s the one most people a certain person knows, uses. We all know that this couldn’t be further from the truth, but maybe to our friends and family they’re OK with being a number and their needs align with what a chain store like CVS offers. While you, on the other hand, might be looking for a more personalized touch ,coupled with faster service. Doing your research is important and looking into the pharmacy software vendor’s history can help you gauge the type of relationship you’ll get with that software vendor.

While many of Datascan’s competitors are wholesaler or private equity owned, making them much larger than us, Datascan chooses to focus on quality over quantity. Our 40 year history is a testament to our commitment to the independent pharmacy industry and of our promise to provide our customers with an experience the chain-like vendors are simply too big to offer. Patients choose independent pharmacies because they’re looking for better – better service, better pricing, and a better quality of care. Independent pharmacy owners deserve the same when choosing a software vendor. Do your research and choose the pharmacy management software vendor that’s best for you!

You get what you pay for.

While price is an important consideration when choosing the best pharmacy software system, it should not be your only focus. Often times, focusing solely on price leaves you with a subpar system, minimal features, lackluster support, and lots of frustration. The old saying “you get what you pay for” is very true when it comes time to choosing pharmacy software.

When it comes time to pricing out pharmacy software systems there are three tiers: the cheap, the competitively priced, and the overpriced. It is understandable that cost is a big factor for startup pharmacy owners, and we do agree it should be considered. However, choosing a pharmacy software system simply because it’s the cheapest will cost you much more money in the long run. Whether it be in hidden add-on fees for technology which many of the lower priced vendors have, or if you’re dissatisfied and end up having to convert to an entirely new pharmacy software vendor in the future, the cost of making the wrong decision can be high. When you see a “cheap pharmacy system,” watch out for the add-ons. While the base package might be very affordable and appealing on the surface, have you looked at what that gives you? Many of the features that pharmacy owners will NEED to grow are not included in bottom-of-the-barrel pricing and can quickly turn a cheap system into a very pricey one.

Datascan Pharmacy Software offers the most competitive package industry-wide. Our pharmacy software and point of sale systems are packed full of technology, features, and options to help your pharmacy outshine the competition and see long-term success and growth. We include most features for free that are charged as add-ons in other pharmacy systems. Datascan builds these features and technology in to help our pharmacy owners implement efficiencies, automation, and spend more time focusing on patient care. It is also important to note that other pharmacies in your area are offering important conveniences such as automatic prescription refill, mobile refills applications, automatic prior authorizations, prescription reminder notifications via text and email – and the list goes on. So, if you are not offering these conveniences with your pharmacy software, you are at a disadvantage within your community.

Local isn’t always better.

While it may seem comforting knowing that your pharmacy software vendor headquarters are close by, the technology we’re afforded today means there is almost never a circumstance that a pharmacy software vendor needs to be onsite. Choosing a pharmacy management system based on the proximity of the company is something we strongly recommend against. Long Island-based, Datascan is proud to provide pharmacy software solutions to independent pharmacies throughout the Tri-state area, all across the United States, and even on some of the islands!  Datascan’s 5-star customer support and on-boarding team will ensure a smooth transition and provide that “local feel” and friendly support no matter where you are. After all, it’s not the location of the company that’s important, it’s the reliability and response times of their support team. Datascan employees are 100% US-based and onsite every day in our offices in New York, while some of our competitors route support overseas. A pharmacy software vendor’s support team becomes like family to your pharmacy.  It is their job to answer your questions and concerns efficiently, while being personable and not rushing you off the phone.

There are many choices and lots of options when you’re searching for the best pharmacy software. By focusing on the most important things to you, you’ll most certainly choose the best vendor for your pharmacy. Looking at the total package of price, product, and service will help you pick a vendor that focuses on the success of your business and your client-vendor relationship, not just on the size of their company. Don’t succumb to the pitfalls of choosing the wrong system – do your research, ask lots of questions, and take your time.