Today’s independent pharmacy is fighting every day to stay afloat. With PBM reimbursements on a steady decline, pharmacy owners are forced to operate often with less staff. It’s more important than ever that pharmacists and technicians can process prescriptions quickly and efficiently. Simple prescription management is important, and using a pharmacy software system that’s easy to navigate is essential. The best pharmacy software systems are simple, yet efficient, and pack an abundance of features and options designed to simplify prescription management in independent pharmacies. Datascan’s robust pharmacy management software helps independent pharmacies do this through a variety of automated features and options.
What Options Can Help My Pharmacy?
Organizing your pharmacy workflow is the most effective way to simplify prescription management. Depending on your pharmacy’s prescription volume and number of staff members, Datascans pharmacy software offers multiple different workflow solutions to choose from:
- Open workflow- an open workflow option allows you to enter prescriptions in your prescription software, generate labels, and perform all dispensing and verification outside of the pharmacy system. This can make it a bit more challenging to handle prescription management, but in many community pharmacies, this is a simple productive workflow option.
- 2-step workflow- a basic 2-step workflow is a great option for pharmacies just being introduced to an electronic workflow system. In Datascan’s user-friendly pharmacy software, once a prescription is filled/processed, a 2-step workflow sends prescriptions directly to a verification queue where a pharmacist can perform a visual, electronic verification of a prescription. Some of the best pharmacy software systems even allow you to include a barcode scanning product verification step as an extra check.
- 3-step workflow- in a 3-step workflow system, which is often used in higher volume stores, prescription management is streamlined and organized. After data entry is completed, technicians can manage the flow of dispensing through an organized dispensing queue that lists all prescriptions that need to be counted. With an optional product barcode scan to add additional checks and balances, your staff can be sure patients are receiving the proper medications. Then the pharmacist or technician can manage the prescriptions through the last step, their verification queue.
- 4-step workflow- In very high-volume pharmacies, prescription management can be streamlined even further with a 4-step workflow process. The top pharmacy software systems will offer multi-step workflows, that are also customizable. A pre-verification step after data entry helps pharmacists to ensure all prescriptions are entered accurately. In a busy store, it can be easy to misenter information, and your prescription management software should be designed to help catch those potential errors.
- 5-step workflow- For very busy pharmacies and pharmacies that want to analyze the details of all adjudicated claims, a 5-step workflow is a great option. In this scenario, after data entry, a pharmacist can review the prescription details before adjudicating the claim through the insurance. Once a pharmacist has approved the data entered into the pharmacy software system, prescriptions are organized into a list of pending claims that can be billed. Once billed, prescriptions move into a dispense queue, and end up at verification.
System automation can help simplify prescription management by freeing up time for your staff. In the best user-friendly pharmacy software systems there are a variety of automated options to help manage you.
- Patient notifications- In Datascan’s pharmacy system, pharmacies can set up many different text and email alert notifications to patients. These include ready-for-pick-up alerts, adherence alerts, and refill reminders. Refill reminders specifically can help simplify prescription management by proactively reminding patients when it’s time to fill their medications.
- Automatic refills- Prescription management can be simplified by using an auto refill program. In Datascan’s user-friendly pharmacy software system, auto refill is not only easy to set up but incredibly easy to manage. Patients can be put on auto refill and specific prescriptions can be opted in or out of the program. The pharmacy software can even be set up to automatically process all of your auto-refill prescriptions.
- Automatic refill requests for maintenance medications- Simple prescription management and easy-to-use pharmacy software help you run a more efficient pharmacy. A busy pharmacy can sometimes find it difficult to proactively reach out to doctors and ensure patients are never out of medication. To help patients stay adherent with their maintenance medications, the Datascan pharmacy software maintenance medication utility will automatically reach out to doctors when patients hit a certain (customizable) utilization threshold. This automated task in our user-friendly software helps streamline day-to-day prescription management.
System Customization in the best pharmacy software systems enables users to modify the way the software works. This helps with prescription management by allowing each pharmacy the ability to create a custom workflow and configure system options that fit best with their unique pharmacy needs.
What Options Can Help My Pharmacy?
- Patient profiles- The top pharmacy software systems allow users to customize patient profiles. This means you can choose what information should be displayed, the order it displays, and how to sort your profiles. All of this equates to streamlined and organized prescription management. This helps to ensure patients are receiving the best quality care.
- Data entry and fill screen options are able to be customized in Datascan’s pharmacy software. To simplify prescription management and make data entry quick and efficient, fill screen options such as profile pop-up displays, date written and DAW code checks, and even brand/generic drug searching automation help ensure accuracy.
- Pharmacist verification is the last step to ensuring accuracy when filling prescriptions. In the best pharmacy software systems pharmacists can customize the process of verification and choose to turn on product scan requirements, and even a 5-step data check process.
Patient communication and options to support simple prescription management are important. By staying in touch with your patients, and taking advantage of options in Datascan’s user-friendly pharmacy software you can streamline your workflow in the pharmacy.
- Mobile Applications help patients better manage their prescriptions. By having an up-to-date list of their medications, current prescription statuses, and the ability to quickly request refills, patients can be sure to build adherence and your pharmacy staff can organize and manage prescription refills.
- Text messaging and patient notifications help to stay engaged with patients, and also help to simplify prescription management. By setting up alerts in your pharmacy system that notify patients when they are due for refills the pharmacy staff can stay ahead of maintenance medications and organize prescriptions as they are needed. Additionally, sending a follow-up notification right in the pharmacy software, to let patients know when it’s time to pick up their prescriptions, helps maintain medication adherence.
Takeaway
The best pharmacy systems on the market today will help you simplify prescription management through a series of custom options and automation. By freeing up your staff’s time, they can focus on medication and prescription accuracy, compliance, and working with patients.
