Cutting corners is perhaps the cardinal sin in the pharmacy industry. Although much of pharmacy work is fast-paced and urgent, you’re required to make thoughtful and informed decisions in the heat of the moment.
Knowing this, you’ll want all parts of your independent pharmacy to be greater than the sum of its parts. There’s arguably no aspect of your pharmacy work more important or consequential than your pharmacy management software.
Picking a pharmacy management software is like choosing which car or home to buy: you’re in it for the long haul. Ideally, you’d mull over all sorts of factors and considerations before making a final decision — so why should you treat your software any differently?
On the off chance that you hastily chose a pharmacy management software and things aren’t running smoothly, this blog is for you. If you’re thinking about switching software, this blog will be a cautionary tale in making a sudden choice.
Don’t choose some pharmacy management software for the sake of crossing off an item on your “Opening a Pharmacy” to-do list. You owe it to yourself, your patients, and your pharmacy to make a measured decision.
Your pharmacy software system is your right-hand person, but here’s what happens when you pick the wrong pharmaceutical confidant.
You Aren’t As Efficient
Pharmacy work is like clockwork, where consistency and automation promote a steady workflow. It basically remains the same: you receive a prescription, type it up, process the insurance claim, fill it, and sell it.
Your pharmacy management software works to ensure that you’re running a steady ship. This can only be achieved if you choose a software system that effectively meets your needs.
Remember, owning an independent pharmacy is a way to put your own stamp on the industry. Picking a pharmacy management software that butts heads with your approach to the work will stifle you and your staff’s ability to deliver exceptional healthcare services.
Just like clockwork, one false note or a single crack in the foundation can spell certain doom for your workflow.
Choosing your software should be a meticulous process where you leave no aspects to chance. The result of hastily choosing a software system could start an avalanche of problems for you, your pharmacy’s staff, and your patients.
Little Problems Become Big Ones
Picking a pharmacy management software is a tricky process.
You can’t just test drive it around the block and make a final decision. It’s not like shopping for a mattress, where lying down in the middle of a store should determine how you’ll sleep for the foreseeable future.
You can try to “break in” your pharmacy software, adjusting to its little quirks and subtle differences while on the job. There’s a good chance you’ll get through the adjustment process scot-free and your pharmacy workflow will be undisturbed.
However, little differences — no matter how minute — can build up to something more substantial.
That’s what makes software demos so important. Demos give you a hands-on trial run of what pharmacy management software has to offer. Give yourself the chance to explore every nook and cranny of the software to see what it can do for your pharmacy.
A demo will let you know what kind of adjustments you’ll have to make if you decide to go all in.
There will inevitably be an adjustment process, but the growing pains shouldn’t dilute or hinder your ability to deliver quality healthcare. Furthermore, it definitely shouldn’t make you more susceptible to making potentially grave mistakes.
Our “What to Look for During a Pharmacy Software Demo” blog gives more specific insight as to how you can make the most out of software demos.
Go Cheap, Get Cheap
An independent pharmacy is also a small business, and small businesses need to generate a profit.
As we alluded to in previous blogs, you need to spend money to make money — whether that be in service to clinical services, automation capabilities, or a wider array of vaccines.
All of these require some form of financial investment, but there is perhaps no more vital investment than one concerning your pharmacy management software.
You might want to consider investing in your software as you would with a pair of running shoes: you get what you pay for.
You might feel fine in the beginning after spending less than you think you would, only for the next hurdle to give you a rude awakening.
Pricier software will accommodate all the services you should be providing. As such, your software will work in tandem with your pharmacy’s services, enhancing efficient workflow even in the most hectic of times.
Going cheap on your pharmacy management software means more than not providing additional services — it might hinder you from performing the most basic of pharmacy duties.
The elements of software that you thought went without saying are now lost luxuries in favor of saving a little money.
Granted, you do need to operate within your means, so definitely compromise whenever necessary. Just don’t be afraid to go above and beyond what’s expected of your small business — the results may surprise and even delight you.
You Put Patients at Risk
Choosing the wrong pharmacy software has consequences beyond your workplace. The margin of error in pharmacy work is a fine one — but with potentially grave consequences.
A prescription that is filled incorrectly can yield all sorts of problems for both pharmacy and patient.
Patients obviously feel the brunt of the slip-up: taking the wrong medication or the wrong dose or taking a medication that adversely reacts with another one they’re taking.
This is known as the act of commission, where a pharmacy dispenses “an incorrect drug, and inaccurate dosage, or strength, or overlooking drug interactions or known allergens or contraindications, resulting in adverse reactions.”
These can all lead to serious health problems. Though you as the independent pharmacist are held responsible, you should have a pharmacy software system that eliminates the pitfall of human error.
The consequences of pharmacy errors should be well known, with a slew of legal problems and paperwork coming your way.
Your pharmacy management software does much more than store patient information — it is the unsung backbone of your small business, so pick the right software that fulfills your vision of a dream pharmacy.
Conclusion
There’s no one right answer to the “best” pharmacy management software. It all depends on your approach to the work and how you envision your pharmacy’s place in the community.
Use the resources given to you, whether that be demos or consultations.
Not choosing the right pharmacy management software for you can lead to consequences for your pharmacy, staff, and even patients.
The avalanche of problems will snowball all elements of your small business, so put your best foot forward as you choose the right pharmacy management software for the job.
