Building vs. Buying: Should You Develop Your Own Pharmacy Software?

• Independent pharmacies have unique needs, and often consider creating their own software.
• Creating pharmacy management software requires significant, ongoing investments that can be unsustainable for independent pharmacies.
• Customizable pharmacy software built by experts and containing essential features is available and comes with ongoing support.

When running an independent pharmacy, one of the most important business decisions you will make is which pharmacy management software to use. Pharmacy Software is the backbone of your daily workflow—from filling prescriptions, processing claims, and managing regulatory compliance, to patient engagement, reporting, and billing. 

With technology at the core of independent pharmacy operations, some owners and executives find themselves asking: “Should we attempt to build our own pharmacy software, or partner with an established pharmacy software vendor?”

At first glance, building your own system might seem appealing. You may think custom pharmacy software will give you complete control, allow you to design features exactly to your specifications, and save you money in the long term. However, the reality is quite the opposite. 

Developing proprietary pharmacy software is an enormous undertaking—one that requires not only deep knowledge of technology, but also of pharmacy regulations, industry certifications, and compliance requirements.  On top of that, you need staff to be able to support your product.

Let’s explore why building your own pharmacy software system is a massive, multi-year, extremely expensive undertaking, and why established solutions like Datascan Pharmacy Software are the best, most cost-effective, and future-ready option for independent pharmacies.

The Complexity of Pharmacy Software

Building pharmacy software isn’t like building a simple app for inventory or deliveries. It’s one of the most complex categories of healthcare technology, because it touches on nearly every aspect of patient care– from insurance billing, government regulatory compliance, and secure data exchange bound by HIPAA.

Current pharmacy software systems on the market today must go through rigorous and costly validation and certification processes with third-party organizations to ensure safety, accuracy, and compliance:

• Surescripts Certification: Required for electronic prescribing (eRx). This ensures prescriptions can be securely and reliably sent from prescribers to pharmacies.
• Switching: Essential to connect pharmacies with insurance providers for claims submission and adjudication, pharmacy software vendors must follow strict NCPDP guidelines for electronically transmitting claims. 
• NCPDP Guidelines: Strict rules from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs dictate how claims must be processed and how sensitive patient data is handled.
• SIGIS Certification: Required for FSA/HSA credit card processing. Without this, your pharmacy may not be able to accept many patient payment options.

Building pharmacy management software in-house means taking on all of these responsibilities yourself. Each certification requires time, money, and expertise. Many take years to complete. And with regulations constantly changing, ongoing re-certification and compliance updates are mandatory.

Most independent pharmacies simply do not have the resources to take on this level of responsibility while still focusing on building a bigger and better independent pharmacy.

The Cost of Building vs. Buying

Another misconception is that building a retail pharmacy software will not only save money, but make money by being able to sell it to other independent pharmacies. In truth, it is often far more expensive than partnering with an existing pharmacy software vendor. 

Here’s why:

1. Development Costs: Hiring developers who understand both healthcare technology and the pharmacy industry comes at a premium. To develop a pharmacy management software that can remotely compete with the current pharmacy systems vendors on the market will take years, and cost well into 6-figures to do so.
2. Ongoing Maintenance: Software is never “done.” It requires constant updates, bug fixes, and upgrades. This means employing a permanent tech staff.
3. Certification Fees: Every third-party validation (Surescripts, NCPDP, SIGIS, etc.) requires substantial financial investment.
4. Security and Compliance: Pharmacies are subject to HIPAA, PCI, and other security standards. Maintaining compliance means investing in cybersecurity experts, audits, and monitoring.
5. Once complete, you have to hope that you have not only included all of the most important features that your competitors offer in their pharmacy software, but hope that anything they were building while you were developing your pharmacy system has been included as well.  The industry is ever-changing, and independent pharmacies demand the newest and best features to run their business.
6. In order to make your venture profitable, you now need to invest in marketing and a salesperson/team to get out there and sell the system against pharmacy software systems vendors that have been in the market for decades, with proven track records and client testimonials / a reputation to back them up.  

When you add up the costs, building your own system can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, over time.

Expertise Matters

Building the best pharmacy software requires more than coding skills—it requires a deep understanding of the independent pharmacy industry and all of the third-party integrated vendors needed to launch a successful and sustainable product in today’s market.

Datascan, for example, has been in the industry for decades– since 1981. Their teams of developers, support agents, and management don’t just know software—they know pharmacy. This expertise translates into:

• Robust Features: Tailored to independent pharmacy needs like custom workflow, compounding, and long-term care support.
• User-Friendly Design: Built with pharmacists in mind, reducing the learning curve and maximizing efficiency.
• Ongoing Support: A team that understands not only the technical side, but also the day-to-day challenges of running a pharmacy.

Even the most talented development team at a single pharmacy would struggle to match the knowledge and experience embedded in a pharmacy software system like Datascan.

Scalability and Future-Proofing

Technology in pharmacy moves fast. From new compliance regulations to evolving patient expectations to innovations in healthcare and clinical services, your pharmacy management system must evolve to keep up.

If you build your own pharmacy system, you become responsible for sustaining it indefinitely. That means hiring staff to maintain compatibility with new industry standards, updating integrations, and adding features to remain competitive. This is a massive, ongoing burden that distracts from your core mission: serving patients and maximizing your profits.

Datascan, on the other hand, has the infrastructure to sustain itself into the future of pharmacy. With a dedicated team and long-standing reputation, Datascan continually invests in research, development, and upgrades to ensure clients stay compliant, competitive, and efficient. Choosing a pharmacy computer system vendor like Datascan ensures your software evolves as the industry does.

Why Datascan is the Better Choice

Datascan stands out as one of the best pharmacy software vendors for independent pharmacies. For decades, Datascan has been delivering trusted, reliable solutions that are both feature-rich and affordable.

Key advantages of choosing Datascan include:

• Proven Track Record: Decades of successful partnerships with independent pharmacies.
• Vendor Certifications: Already validated with Surescripts, NCPDP, SIGIS, RelayHealth, Change Healthcare, and more.
• Dedicated Support: A knowledgeable team available to assist with both technical issues and pharmacy software-related questions.
• Affordability: The best 5-star rated software at a price point affordable to independent pharmacy owners.
• Future Sustainability: Ongoing investment in the product with new features and compliance ensures your pharmacy is always ready for what’s next.

With Datascan, you’re not just buying pharmacy software—you’re partnering with one of the best software providers for pharmacies on the market today.  They understand the unique needs of independent pharmacies and are committed to helping you thrive.

Final Thoughts

The choice between building and buying pharmacy software might seem like a crossroads, but the reality is clear: building your own software can be risky, expensive, and unsustainable. Even 

With the complexity of certification and regulatory compliance and the cost of ongoing development, building in-house simply doesn’t make sense for independent pharmacies.

Instead, choosing a trusted top-rated vendor like Datascan allows you to leverage decades of expertise. This means you can spend less time worrying about pharmacy software and more time focusing on what matters most—delivering exceptional patient care and building a better, more profitable pharmacy.

When it comes to pharmacy management systems, the smarter choice isn’t to reinvent the wheel. It’s to partner with experts like Datascan, who’ve already perfected it.