I had worked in retail pharmacy for many years. The issue with these big box retail pharmacies is that despite the resources available to them, they are overworked and their bandwidth is extremely limited. As a result, customer service suffers as the pharmacists aren't able to support their patients to their fullest abilities. This was the catalyst for opening Pharmacy on the Park. I wanted to be able to be a true resource to my community, taking the time necessary to review patrons' regimens, provide the counseling I am trained to provide, and truly make a difference in my community.

Datascan has a lot of key features we value as a small business. For example, the Winpharm pharmacy system’s intuitive, user-friendly interface helps my staff easily manage customer interactions that levels up our customer service. Most importantly, features like automated refill reminders help us stay in constant communication with our patrons and further improve our customer service. As an independently owned business we appreciate that Datascan is family owned as well. They understand our struggles and never treat us like another number. Chain pharmacies are so overwhelmed and unfortunately the patients are the ones who suffer, and we felt it was no different when looking into pharmacy software vendors. We wanted to work with a company who would be there to support us, listen to us, and treat us like family. When I compared pharmacy computer systems, I could see that Datascan’s pharmacy management software offered all of the same great features for a fraction of the cost. It was a no brainer choosing Datascan.

We really lean into quality customer care, which is something big box pharmacies aren't able to do. However, we also stand apart from other independent pharmacies in how we care for our community. It's not uncommon for us to reopen the pharmacy outside of normal operating hours if someone calls with a sick kid or an urgent prescription need. We also go out of our way to fill prescriptions as soon as we get them, counsel those with questions, special order supplements, make deliveries after hours, set up vaccine clinics at local businesses, and more. Our independent pharmacy is also environmentally conscious, featuring biodegradable prescription bags and vials. Our gift shop is filled with items sourced from women owned businesses, minority owned businesses, and LQBTQ+ locally owned businesses as well. We love to support other family owned businesses in our area.

Aside from the customer communication features I already mentioned, the detailed, easy to read patient profiles within the pharmacy computer system help me and the other pharmacist stay up to date on the latest customer needs and provide personalized recommendations. We’re able to customize the information in the Winpharm profiles as well as the other queues which helps us stay organized and efficient. We offer our patients the free Datascan mobile app so they’re able to send in refill requests directly into the pharmacy system, and manage their prescriptions, which ultimately helps with adherence and medication compliance. Our pharmacy POS system seamlessly manages the over the counter inventory, and because we have a big gift section and front-end this makes the staff's jobs much easier.

The pharmacy industry is ripe for change. As soon as customers wake up to the fact that they not only deserve better but can get better with independent pharmacies like ours, big box retail pharmacies will be forced to change up their models to refocus on customer care. Smart independent pharmacy owners are finding niches in the industry and ways to build profits without focusing solely on PBM reimbursements. Knowing that we’re working with companies like Datascan pharmacy systems, who support our endeavors, provides a sense of confidence that Independent Pharmacy will not only survive, but thrive.

At the time QS1 was sold to Redsail and they were pushing us toward PioneerRX. They were warning us that if we did not migrate over we wouldn’t be able to use our QS1 pharmacy system anymore. I felt this was a dishonest business tactic. We were not given a timeline or even an option of who we wanted to work with. That really prompted us to start looking around at options.

Running a compounding pharmacy is much different than a retail pharmacy. I wanted safety, speed, accuracy, and the ability to create drug templates, modify pricing, bill insurance for compounded medications, and have a user-friendly interface. We really wanted a robust, but easy to use pharmacy management software to accommodate some of our non-computer savvy staff. Our number one concern was finding a platform with a robust compounding module that also supported the retail side of our business. Datascans pharmacy computer system performs great on both ends of our pharmacy business.

Throughout the pharmacy software demonstration process, Sarah took the time to show us the system, and spent hours with us answering questions and addressing our concerns. We were looking at PioneerRX, Liberty, and Datascan as potential replacements for our QS1 pharmacy system, but the no-pressure approach and time we were given to ensure our comfortability really proved to us that Datascan was the best pharmacy software for us. Compounding requires a bit more vetting, as our needs are quite unique.

Our onsite techs Joe and Mike were very helpful. They made the pharmacy software conversion process very bearable. If something wasn’t working right they would immediately get on the phone to speak with their team at Datascan and get us everything we needed. They worked seamlessly with their team in New York and modified the pharmacy system to ensure it fit our workflow and pharmacy. Mike and Joe were so friendly– we shared a lot of laughs throughout the conversion week. We even went out for food on their last day before flying out. Most people are anxious for a pharmacy software conversion, understandably so. We were fortunate that Datacan took the time to address our concerns, ease our anxiety, and listen to our needs. The Winpharm Pharmacy Software system is so customizable that we were able to easily adapt the software to our unique workflow.

Everything was handled with speed and excellence. I love that with Datascan we can submit feature requests to modify the pharmacy software for our pharmacy. This fact showed me that the pharmacy management software and code are flexible and can work to fit the workflow needs of not just our pharmacy, but any pharmacy. Datascan has truly been the best pharmacy system we’ve used.

We compound and dispense compounded medications for both humans and animals. We’re also compounding non-sterile and sterile medications. Just like Datascan, we push for excellent customer service and go above and beyond for our human patients, our doctors, and our furry patients. We go the extra mile to make sure you have the best experience– just like Datascan. The best pharmacies deserve the best pharmacy software. We use all of Datacan’s compounding features like customized compounding workflow queues, scale integration, automatic inventory updates, and efficiency scanning. All of these features help us to be more available to patients and providers.

I look forward to continuing the relationship with Datascan and I hope that all their new feature updates and enhancements will continue to make the pharmacy systems even more streamlined and easy to use. Big Plus for us– the pharmacy software has many safety checks and reimbursement warnings built in. We don’t bill a lot of insurance claims, but if we do, this is a complete game changer and will save any pharmacy countless dollars. PBM’s like to reimburse below cost, we all know this, so this feature makes sure we catch every single prescription that is in the red. We’re really excited about all of the new options and features Datascan is rolling out. These features continue to help our pharmacy make more money and streamline our compounding processes. Anyone thinking about possibly converting their pharmacy software to a different vendor should definitely look at Datascan, the best pharmacy software package available.

I grew up in a small business. My family is Greek so we operated diners and restaurants and in the 1950s. We added a pharmacy to an already established lunch counter, candy, and soda fountain. A slice of Americana; drop off your prescription and have a sandwich with an Egg Cream or Lime Rickey. So many of the long-standing independent Pharmacies had a lunch counter at one point and time. I grew up on the restaurant side of things but ultimately wanted something with more stability so I committed myself to becoming a pharmacist. I honestly didn't expect to love it as much as I do; I truly cherish my role as a community pharmacist.

We had Freedom Data Systems (FDS) pharmacy software at one point, and then switched to McKesson Pharmaserv. Both of those pharmacy systems left a lot to be desired. Freedom (FDS), sunset their system, and years later McKesson stopped taking on new clients and started steering everyone to another pharmacy software. It was a clear signal that they would one day in the near future sunset their system and stop supporting it. We figured if we had to change our pharmacy software anyway, that we might as well do the research and find a true partner solution. Coming from two huge corporately run pharmacy systems previously, we wanted to find a vendor that focused on personal service and attention to our needs.

As an independent pharmacy, our business model's cornerstone is compassion and attentive service to our community. In other words, it's about relationships. After vetting multiple pharmacy computer systems, Datascan was our clear choice for several factors. First, their system is top-notch. It has tons of features and benefits and it was clear they regularly made additional innovations. Continuing to improve and meet the needs of their clients was and is a clear priority. The most important factor was the confidence I felt that this family business wouldn't be sold off and gutted of all of its wonderful people. They valued relationships just like we do; it's wonderful to be in business with like-minded people. Any pharmacy management system will fill prescriptions and handle the basics, but the best pharmacy software vendor in my opinion, is one who treats us like we treat our patients. That is what gave Datascan the edge over every other vendor we looked at.

Having gone through a pharmacy software conversion in the past, I knew it could be a very daunting experience. Our biggest concern was losing data. One key is to do as much work and due diligence before the pharmacy conversion. Comb over the data that has been converted routing out and fixing any issues that may exist. This will prove to be incredibly beneficial the day you go live and have to start using the system in your daily endeavors. Stay calm and don't get frustrated. We were also nervous about our staff learning a new pharmacy system. There are keystrokes and hot-keys you use on your old system that are muscle memory; having to think about every keystroke as you learn your new system can be frustrating. Don't allow yourself to get overwhelmed, practice the new keystrokes, hot-keys, and mouse clicks as you build new muscle memories.

The Datascan team helped to alleviate worries and fears by being communicative, responsive, and calm. They are always available when you need them, they are knowledgeable, and project confidence that helps you to trust in the process. The Datacan team worked with us for weeks before our go-live through training, and answering questions, ensuring we were somewhat familiar with the system and day to day functionality. This made our staff feel so much more confident walking into our live day. I think the most important thing that the Datascan team did for us was to make sure we were comfortable.

Med-Sync calendar was nice, but Datascan is working on building out a similar product. Outside of that, NO!

The pharmacy software itself is packed with features and custom options, but the great thing about Datascan is how easy they make it to use. We can take advantage of features like autorefill, mobile apps, deliveries, etc. without worrying that it’s too difficult for our staff to figure out. With the other systems we've worked with, getting helpful and knowledgeable staff was very difficult. McKesson was the absolute worst; when we had a problem we might have to call three different departments in three different states just to be told the problem had to be "escalated"! Almost always, if we need to reach out to Datascan’s pharmacy support team, our questions and issues are resolved on the spot in a matter of minutes. This allows us to keep servicing our patients quickly– which is something they’ve come to expect. We’re happy we can expect the same from Datascan. The team at Datascan is great, and I literally know everyone's name and have built a true relationship with most of them. If you’re frustrated with the service you’re getting from your current software vendor — Datascan is the best.

Converting to a new pharmacy system is not an easy task, but doing the hard things because it is the right move, will almost always lead to better outcomes. If your priority is serving your patients and community, then equip yourself with the proper tools to do just that. After a short transition time, you will wonder why you ever hesitated. Thankfully Datascan was able to provide us with a seamless transition from McKesson and we could not be happier we made the switch. So much so we are working on transitioning our other store to Datascan right now.