With rapid technological advancement in almost every field, more and more businesses are trying to integrate the latest tech solutions in their business framework to upgrade their everyday work procedures – pharmacies are definitely not an exception.
Present-day pharmacists should embrace technological innovations to improve patient engagement, enhance patient safety, and improve workflows.
Pharmacy Management Systems for Meticulous Record Keeping
Pharmacies are already using Pharmacy Management Systems to support their everyday work. For example, with Pharmacy Management Systems, pharmacies can better control their record-keeping, labeling, and dispensing tasks. Also, they can get hold of stock and ordering procedures.
Not only these systems make the task of dispensing and reimbursement stress-free but also provide access to patient record systems that help pharmacists in the decision making process.
Website Building and Social Media Engagement
Pharmacies having a firm online presence (either in the form of a website, blog or social media presence) are more likely to gain attention than those following traditional ways of selling. According to research, more than 70% of online users use the internet to search for any type of health-related information.
Online Pharmacies
The Internet is getting hold of our present, and it looks like we’ll have all industries online in the future. Today, secure web-centric platforms are accessible from different service providers to support pharmacies and other health initiatives. These web-focused platforms will be used to establish communication between pharmacists and other healthcare settings.
EP Systems
EP Systems, popularly known as Electronic Prescribing Systems, has also gained momentum in recent years. These Systems were first introduced in the US back in 1990. EP systems are used by hospitals and pharmacies to automate the overall prescription and supply of medical supplies in the hospital.
Barcode Identification
EP Systems can also be used with a barcode identification system. Paired with barcode identification of medicines, EP Systems can significantly reduce medicine administration errors. Apart from that, it also helps to improve the comprehensiveness of the medication history.
Pharmacy Robots
While robots have been used in the field of supply chain and logistics for quite some time now, pharmacies have just started to realize the power of robotics and AI. There are some hospitals and pharmacies in the UK that have installed dispensary robots to minimize the chances of dispensing errors, accelerate the speed and efficiency of the process, and maximize the use of space in the pharmacy.
Sadly, the use of robotics in pharmacies is still limited. It’s high time pharmacies must realize the importance of dispensing robots and how they can help them administer high volumes of dispensing in 24/7 pharmacies.
Fortunately, companies have started to introduce smaller and more powerful machines that offer incomparable accuracy and performance in the demanding dispensing process.
Mobile Apps
Modern community pharmacies are also making use of mobile technology to get in touch with their customers. These pharmacies send text blast alerts to remind patients about prescriptions.
Telecare
Telecare is another breakthrough in the field of the pharma sector that enables pharmacies to carry forward remote consultations. Telecare offers a myriad of benefits to the pharmacists – access to healthcare without physically going to the hospital and alleviating the costs and trouble of traveling are just to name a few.
The use of telecare in the field of pharmacies would, however, rely on the accessibility of smooth communications.
Final Words
Luckily, there’s a wide range of technological options available for pharmacies and hospitals these days. All you need to do is to explore the benefits of each one of them so that you could benefit from them the right way. Is there anything else you would like to add to this list? Please drop your comments below as we would like to know about your experiences.
