The Rise of Innovative Pharmacies: how technology has transformed the pharmacy experience

In today's competitive landscape, becoming an innovative pharmacy is critical to staying ahead of the curve and meeting the evolving needs of patients as customers. 

One step towards this is embracing new digital technology solutions. Innovative pharmacies are leveraging new technology to get ahead and future-proof their businesses. This may involve implementing digital advertising to drive sales, or using in-depth reporting and analytics to gain a deeper understanding of their customers' behaviour and preferences and offering services that address these needs. 

However, choosing the right technology to implement can be challenging, as it requires understanding the unique pain points of your business. By taking the time to identify the most pressing needs of your pharmacy, whether it's reduced footfall, or the need for more insights into what your customers are buying, or a desire to streamline administrative tasks, investing in the right digital solution can help you create a more efficient, effective, and personalised experience for your customers and drive business growth.

In this blog, we’ll explore the ways new technology is allowing pharmacists to innovate their offer, and the challenges that they address.

How pharmacies are future-proofing their businesses 

Adopting the newest technology

Pharmacies are pressed for time and resources so need to enhance their operations to provide the best possible care to their patients. Adopting new technology that can streamline processes and improve efficiency can be an effective means.

Innovative pharmacies are embracing cutting-edge technology, such as: 

• Automated dispensing robots. These work by using advanced algorithms to both manage and dispense medications with high accuracy and efficiency, increasing capacity.
• Hub & Spoke dispensing. This is a centralised service via a facility (hub) that supplies and distributes medication to smaller satellite pharmacy locations (spokes), offering stock savings and service efficiencies.
• Integrated PMR systems. Integrated electronic record systems that are linked with other patient data and medication information and prescription management systems, providing healthcare professionals with accurate and up-to-date information in real-time.
  
  

• Subscribe to industry publications. Access news sites, platforms and blogs where you'll be able to sign up to receive the latest information on new technology to apply within your business, and update your team.
• Talk to colleagues. Learn first hand what they’re finding challenging day-to-day, and ways they are finding technology that will make their lives easier.
• Attend conferences. Network with other pharmacists to learn about how they are adapting their pharmacies to change utilising the latest technological trends. Explore how new technology developments can support your team and improve future patient care. 

Another way you can stay up to date to understand how to be innovative is by reading about the latest technology solutions in the market, such as Cegedim’s Pharmacy Manager Solution. Download your free brochure now and discover how it can support your business.

Efficient and automated stock administration 

Pharmacies often face difficulties with managing their stock inventory, leading to suboptimal outcomes for both the business and it's customer. Intelligent stock and order management systems that integrate across your operational processes can alleviate problems and offer numerous benefits.

Pharmacies can implement innovative inventory management tools to help them to avoid overstocking or under-stocking medicines, resulting in reduced costs for carrying stock and improved patient care and satisfaction. These systems can automate the ordering process, freeing up pharmacists' time to focus on customer facing clinical care and services. 

Pharmacies benefit greatly from reducing the time spent on administrative tasks through intelligent workflows and integrations, providing time to improve patient outcomes, customer loyalty and increasing word-of-mouth referrals.

Modernised dispensing prioritisation

Innovative pharmacy teams are seeking ways to refine their workflows around core operations like dispensing to provide the best possible care to patients and customers. Streamlined dispensing and the ability to prioritise prescriptions is a crucial aspect of this effort and implementing advanced dispensing technology means pharmacies can achieve operational improvements, whilst ensuring that they adhere to industry safety standards.

These IT solutions, such as Hub Fulfilment Manager, include comprehensive reporting tools and intelligent processes, which help pharmacies prioritise, track and document dispensing activities to ensure clinical safety is maintained.

Automated dispensing systems can also help pharmacies improve the dispatch and delivery of prescriptions, ensuring that their patients receive their medications on time and at the right dosage, when and where is convenient for them. These systems can also provide alerts and reminders to pharmacists, ensuring that patients receive the appropriate care and improved outcomes.

By applying new IT innovation to optimise dispensing processes, pharmacies are freeing up valuable time for other income generating service opportunities. This can help drive business growth, patient outcomes and increased customer satisfaction.

Pharmacy Manager is supporting community pharmacies across the country to become more innovative and make data driven decisions day-to-day. Download your free brochure now and see how it can help your business to save time, make money and delight patients.

Reinventing aisles

Pharmacies have long recognised that patients don’t just want to get their prescription medication in the pharmacy and the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and other retail items in store provide essential income alongside customer choice.

Innovative electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems at pharmacy counters use intelligence to better understand their customer buying behaviour and to optimise stock inventory and meet customer demand. 

New integrated software brings the PMR and EPOS systems together, giving counter staff full access to the PMR to easily check prescription data whilst serving customers, record sales and take payments. This means pharmacies can speed up the dispensing process, save the whole pharmacy team time and deliver improved patient experience.

Having real-time visibility of activity and store status allows pharmacies to analyse which products are most popular, predict future requirements and quickly respond to changes in demand. Not only does this mean that they can ensure their inventory is at an optimum level, but they can also use this data to identify which products are underperforming and make informed decisions about which items to stock or remove from their shelves, saving money often tied up in stock.

By leveraging the intelligence truly integrated digital systems deliver, pharmacies are delivering a better customer experience, increasing their OTC sales, dispensing volumes and significantly improving patient outcomes through more personalised care.

Reinvent store and window displays

Innovative pharmacies are not just redesigning their operations in-stores to improve their sales, but also to create a more engaging and personalised customer experience. They are using digital display screens and creative managed content to showcase health information and products in eye-catching and ever-evolving media to draw people in.

By leveraging technology and innovative design, pharmacies can create an immersive and engaging experience for their customers that encourages them to explore the store and discover new products. Digital displays also provide a helpful public health information service, about the additional services offered by the pharmacy.

Windows full of faded peeling product posters and announcements are a thing of the past, digital screens are being installed to optimise store space and modernise the look and feel of high-street pharmacies to drive business growth through increased footfall, sales, and customer satisfaction.

Pharmacy Display is a complete marketing solution for pharmacies, allowing you to make the most of counter tops, ceiling, wall and window mounted digital screens serving responsive and engaging media to communicate tailored content with your community. To learn more, download your digital brochure now.

Bringing advanced technology into your pharmacy

Innovative pharmacies are transforming the way they operate to better serve their patients and customers. By embracing new technology, automating administrative tasks, modernising dispensing, redesigning their stores, and using EPOS systems to better understand customer behaviour, pharmacies are able to offer a more personalised and efficient experience.

Staying up-to-date with the latest technology trends, networking with colleagues, and attending conferences are crucial to remaining competitive in the pharmacy industry. By adopting a data-driven approach and continually seeking ways to optimise their operations, pharmacies can ensure they are providing the best possible care to their patients and driving business growth.

At Cegedim, we understand the unique challenges that pharmacies face and offer innovative solutions to help them achieve their goals. Whether you're looking to improve your inventory management or create engaging digital displays, our Pharmacy Manager Solution and Pharmacy Display can support your business. Download our brochures today to learn more about how we can help your pharmacy become more innovative.

Discover Pharmacy Manager

Pharmacy Manager includes a full suite of integrated applications in one solution that enables efficient dispensing, stock & order management, remote fulfilment, effective marketing, and more.

Discover why it’s used by innovative community pharmacies across the UK by downloading your free brochure now.