How to Streamline Pharmacy Operations and Improve Efficiency

Communities expect outstanding service, expertise, and support from their local branches.

However, to provide the expected level of service, pharmacists must ensure seamless pharmacy operations, particularly given the increased competition from online pharmacies.

In this article, we’ll focus on essentials, including:

• Key challenges to pharmacy operations and efficiency
• The importance of streamlining pharmacy operations
• How to reduce administrative tasks
• How workflows can improve pharmacy operations and efficiency
• How RD Hill improvised its operations
• How Cegedim can support pharmacy operations and efficiency

Key Challenges to Pharmacy Operations and Efficiency

Pharmacists continue to face challenges inhibiting pharmacy operations and efficiency.

Despite the availability of tools, some pharmacists persevere with manual processes for time-consuming tasks such as prescription entry and inventory management. This increases the risk of human error when dispensing medications to customers.

What’s more, extensive paperwork and added pressure to complete essential regulatory compliance tasks deprive pharmacists of time to serve their customers.

Fragmented workflows also pose problems, with a lack of integration between different systems and processes.

This presents an additional challenge: communication and coordination among pharmacy staff aren’t cohesive, and this lack of cohesion negatively impacts the services provided.

The Importance of Streamlining Pharmacy Operations

Streamlined pharmacy operations play an important role in overall efficiency.

Improved Productivity

Time is often at a premium for pharmacists, but this can be improved by automating routine tasks. Automation allows more time for patient care and enhances workflow efficiency, resulting in faster service.

Reduced Errors

Pharmacists have no room for error when supporting customers. Mistakes can be mitigated with the introduction of integrated systems.

These reduce the likelihood of human error in medicine dispensing and inventory management, whilst improved data management ensures accuracy and consistency when handling patient information.

Improved Patient Care

Streamlining pharmacy operations allows pharmacists to prioritise what truly matters: quality patient care.

The right processes allow more time for providing dedicated, personalised care and consultations, improving patient satisfaction. 

Reduced Costs

As with any other business, reducing costs is essential for pharmacists.

With the right structure in place, pharmacists can reduce operational costs through efficient inventory management and reduced waste.

Internal benchmarking, pharmacies can improve processes, leading to significant cost savings. For instance, one hospital pharmacy initiative reduced blood pressure medication costs by $85,103.

Similarly, automation lowers administrative costs, streamlines processes, and also plays a key role in helping pharmacists save money and increase their revenue.

How to Reduce Administrative Tasks

Pharmacists spend a significant portion of their day on administrative tasks. Reducing this time is essential to allocate more resources for patient care.

By adopting practical methods to streamline these tasks, pharmacies can improve overall efficiency and service quality.

Here are several strategies to reduce administrative burdens:

Automation of Routine Tasks

Automated Dispensing Systems

The global pharmacy automation market is projected to grow from $6.3 billion in 2023 to $11.7 billion by 2032, and investing in automated dispensing systems can transform the prescription filling process.

These systems reduce the time and effort required for manual dispensing, decrease the risk of human error, and ensure accurate medication delivery.

Automated Appointment Scheduling

Use software that allows patients to book, reschedule, and cancel appointments autonomously. This not only reduces the administrative workload on pharmacy staff but also provides greater convenience for patients.

Automated Clinical Checks

Introduce systems that automatically perform clinical checks on prescriptions. These systems ensure that medications are dispensed safely and accurately, adhering to clinical guidelines and reducing the risk of errors.

Centralised Management Systems

Integrated Systems

Using platforms to centralise various processes such as inventory control, staff scheduling, and patient management reduces the need for disparate systems and streamlines operations.

Digital Patient Records

Maintain electronic health records that sync with other pharmacy systems. This ensures that all patient information is easily accessible and up-to-date, significantly reducing the time spent on paperwork and manual data entry.

Efficient Inventory Management

Real-Time Inventory Tracking

Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) provide real-time tracking of inventory levels.

This helps maintain stock levels, prevent overstocking and stockouts and reduces the administrative burden of manual inventory checks.

Automated Reordering

Set up automated reordering processes that trigger purchase orders when stock levels fall below a certain threshold. This ensures that inventory is replenished as needed without manual intervention, maintaining a seamless supply chain.

Leveraging Technology for Communication

Secure Messaging Systems

Use secure messaging platforms to improve communication between pharmacy staff and healthcare providers.

This ensures that important messages are conveyed efficiently, reducing the time spent on phone calls and emails.

Patient Management Apps

Encourage patients to use apps for managing their prescriptions, appointments, and health records.

This enables patients to handle many tasks independently, reducing the workload on pharmacy staff.

How Workflows Can Improve Pharmacy Operations and Efficiency

For pharmacists, efficiency is crucial in providing high-quality patient care.

Optimising workflows significantly streamlines operations, enhancing productivity and improving the experience for patients and staff.

Conduct Workflow Analysis

Regularly reviewing and mapping current workflows is essential to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Welcoming staff input to identify pain points and gathering feedback helps to understand the practical challenges they face daily, allowing for more targeted improvements.

Use Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Developing and documenting SOPs for all routine tasks is crucial.

All staff need to be trained and consistently follow these procedures to ensure processes are efficient and consistent.

It's also important to regularly update SOPs to reflect changes in regulations, technology, and best practices.

Use Technology

Pharmacy management software can significantly streamline tasks such as prescription processing, inventory management, and patient records.

Using these systems paves the way for seamless data sharing, which reduces manual entry and errors, improving overall efficiency.

Optimise Inventory Management

Using real-time inventory tracking systems helps monitor stock levels and automate reordering processes.
Using data analytics to predict demand patterns allows you to adjust inventory levels accordingly, avoiding both overstocking and stockouts, which can disrupt the pharmacy’s operations.

Enhance Communication Channels

Efficient communication between pharmacy staff and healthcare providers is vital. Using secure messaging systems ensures that information is exchanged quickly and accurately. Establishing clear communication protocols can further enhance the timeliness and accuracy of these exchanges.

Cross-Train Staff

Training staff members across multiple areas ensures flexibility and coverage during peak times or staff shortages.

Providing regular training sessions and encouraging continuous learning keeps staff updated on new practices and technologies and improves customer service quality. The prospect of training is also key in attracting and retaining staff.

Schedule Efficiently

Using scheduling software to assign staff shifts based on peak hours and workload demands can improve efficiency.

Regularly reviewing and adjusting schedules ensures adequate coverage and minimises downtime, helping the pharmacy run smoothly.

Focus on Patient Care

Reducing the time spent on administrative tasks allows more time for patient consultations and interactions.

Using tools and systems that automate routine tasks can free up pharmacists, enabling them to focus more on patient care and improve the overall service quality.

Implement Lean Management Principles

Adopting lean management principles helps streamline processes and eliminate waste.

By continuously monitoring and improving workflows, you can identify areas of waste and implement small, incremental changes that cumulatively lead to significant efficiency gains.

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Encouraging staff to suggest improvements and participate in problem-solving activities fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Holding regular meetings to review workflow performance and discuss potential improvements ensures that the pharmacy operations are constantly evolving and improving.

How Our Technology Supports Pharmacy Operations and Efficiency

By leveraging advanced software solutions, pharmacies can streamline operations, reduce administrative burdens, and focus more on delivering exceptional patient services.

Here’s how technology can improve productivity and the quality of patient care in pharmacies.

Integrated Pharmacy Management System

Pharmacy Manager is a comprehensive platform that brings together patient records, inventory management, and prescription processing.

This integration streamlines all pharmacy operations into a single interface, significantly reducing administrative tasks and improving workflow efficiency.

Pharmacists can manage patient information, track inventory, and process prescriptions seamlessly, improving pharmacy operations and services.

Automated Dispensing and Inventory Management

Cegedim provides automated systems for dispensing medications and managing inventory levels.

Medication management systems reduce the need for manual tasks, reduce medication errors, and maintain optimal stock levels.

This helps pharmacists reduce costs, improve accuracy, and spend more time on patient care rather than administrative duties.

Real-Time Data Analytics

Pharmacy Intelligence Hub provides valuable insights into inventory trends, patient adherence, and overall operational efficiency.

This tool enables data-driven decision-making and helps pharmacies optimise inventory management, identify areas for improvement in patient care, and enhance overall operational performance.

Telepharmacy Solutions

Telepharmacy solutions allow pharmacies to conduct remote consultations and manage digital communication with patients.

These tools increase access to pharmacy services, improve patient engagement, and ensure continuity of care, particularly for patients who cannot visit the pharmacy in person. This feature is crucial in improving the reach and effectiveness of pharmacy services.

Patient Management Apps

Mobile apps that allow patients to manage their prescriptions, appointments, and health records, providing greater convenience, adherence to medication regimens, and reducing the administrative workload on pharmacy staff.

By integrating various aspects of pharmacy management into cohesive platforms, automating routine tasks, providing real-time data insights, enabling remote consultations, and offering patient-centric apps, pharmacies can deliver higher-quality care while optimising their pharmacy operations.

How RD Hill Chemist Improved Its Pharmacy Operations

RD Hill Chemists needed to improve their service offerings, particularly the New Medicines Service (NMS), while managing the administrative burden and ensuring compliance with NHS guidelines.

This required a solution to streamline operations and improve service delivery without overwhelming existing staff.

How Did Cegedim Help?

RD Hill Chemist introduced Cegedim’s Pharmacy Manager, integrated with the NMS module. 

This integration was crucial in creating a seamless workflow that supported efficient management of NMS and other services.

Pharmacy Manager provided a comprehensive platform to handle clinical records and follow-up consultations with minimal administrative effort.

What Was The Outcome?

Cegedim’s Pharmacy Manager and NMS module significantly changed RD Hill Chemist's operations.

Monthly NMS figures increased from zero to triple digits, indicating a significant improvement in service delivery.

The seamless integration allowed the chemist to create in-depth clinical records effortlessly and manage follow-up consultations more effectively, improving patient care and increasing revenue from NHS services.

The improved efficiency and compliance with NHS guidelines meant that RD Hill Chemist could focus more on patient care, enhancing overall service quality.

This change at RD Hill Chemist demonstrates how the right technological integration can address complex challenges, streamline operations, and deliver tangible benefits in the healthcare sector.

Improve Your Pharmacy Operations With Cegedim

Streamlining pharmacy operations is crucial for enhancing productivity, reducing stress, and ultimately improving patient care.

Cegedim’s software offers a comprehensive solution, providing tools that can transform pharmacy operations.

From automating prescriptions to managing stock levels more effectively, our software is designed to make your pharmacy run more smoothly and efficiently.