Technology and pharmacy work go hand in hand. Innovation in technology urges independent pharmacies to keep up and vice versa. It’s all about delivering exceptional patient care and keeping your small business afloat.
But let’s take a moment to look beyond the workplace. This isn’t about the hectic pharmacy workflow that you know and surely love. Innovation in patient care is not exclusive to a single location.
Technology plays a key role in all aspects of your life. Likewise, it can have a strong presence on your patient’s health and well-being.
Whether it’s a smartwatch or even your pharmacy software system, here are some tech that can positively impact the future of patient care.
Wearable Technology
First, there were computers. Then came the cell phone. Along came the internet. Now you can stay connected by just checking the time.
The new wave of wearable technology lets patients know the state of their health at a moment’s notice. Modern smartwatches display their heart rate, calorie counter, blood pressure monitor, and step counter.
Some wearable tech can also monitor your sleep quality by recording the amount of time you’re inactive. It can give you an idea of your sleep behavior, giving you a tangible report of what a good — or bad — night of sleep.
Smartwatches aren’t the only kind of wearable technology. Fitness trackers are the best fitness-only piece of wearable technology. Fitness trackers come in all shapes and sizes, including wristbands, headbands, and straps.
Fitbit is the leading brand of fitness trackers and a fool-proof gift idea. If a friend’s birthday is coming up and you want to quietly push them to pay more attention to their health, look no further.
Artificial Intelligence
Love it or not, artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm. In its current state, it can perform human tasks with relative ease in a fraction of the time. It streamlines complex processes and minimizes human error.
For an independent pharmacy, artificial intelligence helps get your workflow to the next level. With the help of automated services and your pharmacy software system (more on that later), pharmacy work has never been more simple and more optimized.
The benefits of AI are a two-way street, however. While they can lighten your workload (to a certain extent), they can also make your patients’ lives a little easier.
Technology has never been easier to use. And it’s never been more effective or useful. Artificial intelligence is found everywhere in the patient experience. Automated calls and text messages inform your patients of the state of their prescriptions.
AI’s primary role in patient care is to make the pharmacy-going experience more convenient. And with the early stages of several AI programs, they show no sign of slowing down — quite the opposite in fact.
Learn more about AI’s growing role in the pharmacy industry in our “AI in Pharmacy: What You Need to Know” blog.
Patient Portals and Mobile Apps
Automation is a key element in both pharmacy work and patient care. With the uber advancement of mobile technology (like wearable technology), we’ve never been more connected.
Such is the case for patient care. Patient portals and mobile apps are the latest innovation in patient care. They let patients control their patient-going experience with the literal tap of their finger.
Patient portals and mobile apps let your patients access their health information, request refills, and contact their independent pharmacist at a moment’s notice.
This focus on automation allows you and your pharmacy staff to focus on more urgent tasks like filling an emergency prescription or calling an urgent care about confusing prescription instructions.
Not only does that make the patient-going experience more convenient than ever, but your patients will be invested in their prescriptions and health journey.
The ease of use of an app or patient portal will make the patient going experience more inviting and less intimidating. They say patients never like going to the doctor, and the same can be said for independent pharmacies.
But if patient portals and mobile apps help demystify the specifics of their health journey, they will go to your independent pharmacy as a willing — and enthusiastic — participant in that journey.
Last But Never Least — Your Pharmacy Software System
Tech is always evolving. And there’s no better example of evolving tech than your pharmacy software system. Your software is your technological second in command as you go about the daily challenges of pharmacy work and beyond.
As the pharmacy industry expects your small business to do more than just fill prescriptions, you need software that can keep up.
The more advanced your pharmacy software system, the more you can provide advanced clinical services and a wide array of vaccines. A bigger and more varied inventory will attract potential customers, further building your loyal customer base.
But your pharmacy software system should have more than the shiniest bells and whistles. The most important aspect of your pharmacy software system is how it does the most basic pharmacy tasks.
Look how the software enhances or stifles your fill process. Does the filling process have too many steps to complete previously simple tasks? Sure, pharmacy work requires a high level of care and attention, but it shouldn’t hinder your workflow.
Think about the POS process. Is selling a prescription as simple — and convenient — as selling a regular OTC item? It’s a small aspect of pharmacy work, but that extra time to jump that extra hurdle adds up.
Patients greatly prioritize convenience when it comes to patient care, so use a pharmacy software system that makes your pharmacy workflow and the patient experience a little easier.
Conclusion
A critical part of an independent pharmacy’s success is to be with the times. There will always be innovations in pharmaceuticals and patient care, and it’s your job to adjust accordingly.
These technological tools are at your disposal to modernize your independent pharmacy. Likewise, remind your patients that patient care doesn’t begin and end at your independent pharmacy.
Patient care knows no bounds or limits. It is a marathon, not a sprint. And it is a worthwhile endeavor to lead a happier, healthier, and more convenient life.
Visit our “Compare Software” page to learn how pharmacy software systems stack next to one another.
