Technology is changing all aspects of life as we knew it, including health care and pharmacies. For the most part, technological advances are helping to make businesses including pharmacies better, faster and more effective. Below are a few ways it has changed the pharmacy industry.
More Efficiency
Interactive voice response is one way pharmacies are saving time and money. With pharmacy ivr software, which allows patients to call in to request refills or get store hours, pharmacists are free to focus on prescriptions and patients.
A pharmacy IVR system also enables fast and simple processing of refill requests, which helps clear up staff time on the phone. That means increased productivity, better patient outcomes and higher revenues.
Patient Satisfaction
Patients will no longer have to wait in line on the phone for the next representative. They can listen to the automated prompter to get to the correct department or even take care of their issue if it’s a refill or directions to the pharmacy. Such efficiency in service will help boost patient satisfaction in your practice as well, ensuring they will continue to seek your pharmacy to fill their prescriptions.
Not only that, technology can even help improve patient health by boosting medication adherence, according to a study. Doctors say a key problem in their care can often be the lack of patient adherence, as too many patients are not taking drugs as prescribed for whatever reason. However, research has demonstrated that IVR technology can help remind patients to take their medicines on time, especially for those managing long-term conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Going Paperless
Electronic health records have done away with mounds of paperwork, making record keeping that much faster and easier. With the rise of EHRs, however, integration into practice is a key challenge to help ensure a smooth transition. However, once fully transitioned, pharmacies will notice a better workflow all around, making the effort worth it.
Cost Savings
Though there will be initial overhead costs to transition to a new IVR software or EHR system, the long-term cost savings will make the investment worth it. There may be some initial training period necessary in the beginning, but once the staff are fully trained, it will cut down on staff time spent on answering the phone, giving out directions or store hours, writing out instructions or manually inputting refill requests.
There are various tools and technological advances that are available to help you make the most of your practice. It is important that pharmacies keep up with the times by staying on top of current technologies.
