Technology in Pharmacy

1. Technology in Pharmacy Tara Yeager Computer Literacy April 29, 2009

2. What Pharmacists Do… • Pharmacists: • Distribute drugs • Advise patients as well as health care professionals • Monitor progress • Compound medications

3. Why Technology is Needed in Pharmacies • Pharmacy Informatics • Enhance the work output • Deliver information at point of care • Immediately review clinical information • Support provision of care

4. The Dispensing Process • Inputs • Receiving the Rx • Throughputs • Processing the Rx • Outputs • Delivery and counseling Through Puts Outputs Inputs

5. Inputs: Receiving the Rx • Internet refills • Integrated Voice Response (IVR) • e-Prescribing (CPOE)

6. Internet Refills • Securely request prescription through pharmacy's website • Verifies prescription availability automatically • In order to refill online, you will need: • Name • Phone Number • E-mail Address • Prescription Number • Store Address • Have choice of how to get prescription

7. Integrated Voice Response (IVR) • Computers detect voice and keypad inputs • Manage information • Respond to questions in their language • Information is recorded • Information logged in • Drug supply management

8. E-Prescribing (CPOE) • Computerized Physician Order Entry • Usually used in hospitals • Communicated over computer network • Decreases delay • Reduces errors • Either point-of-care or off-site • Error checking

9. Through-Puts: Processing the Rx • Automated dispensing technology • High speed Internet claims services • Workflow system

10. Automated Dispensing Technology • Automates medication dispensing • Inventory control • Reduces dispensing and restocking errors • Increases productivity • MedCarousel & Pixus

11. High Speed Internet Claims Services • NDC & DataStat • Commercial databases • Screen for information on drug • Each drug is identified • Also deals with billing issues

12. Workflow Systems • Paperless Pharmacy Software • Not “all-or-none” process • Workflow software includes: • Pharmacy document management software • Electronic prescription software • Electronic order entry software • Electronic medical records • There are also other items, such as: • Bar codes • Browser based • Fax Servers • Document imaging

13. Outputs: Delivery & Counseling • Rx tracking from a receipt • POS systems

14. Electronic Rx Tracking • PDMP • Prescription information must be electronic • Allows investigators to get information from multiple pharmacies • Identify illegal activity • Patient specific • Manage patient care

15. POS Systems • Point of Sale • Increase efficiency • Improve operations • Reduce out-of-stock situations • Advanced and reliable

16. Effects of Technology • The orange represents the e-Prescribing 5=Much Better, 4=Somewhat Better, 3=About Same, 2=Somewhat Worse, 1=Much Worse

17. Compared to Non-Electronic Prescriptions.. • With e-Prescribing: • New prescriptions require about 26.6% less staff time for completion • Renewed prescriptions require about 10.2% less staff time • Total labor costs were reduced by about 15.8% for new prescriptions and about 6.1% for renewed prescriptions.

18. Problems • Don’t use to full capacity • Not patient or committed enough • Never use benefits • Integrate computers into curriculum • Need to use all that is available

19. References http://www.mckesson.com/static_files/McKesson.com/MPT/Documents/MAIFiles/MedCarouselSellSheet.pdf http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2517975 http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BPharmacies/Outpatient/Pharmacy%2BManagement%2BSoftware%2Band%2BServices/Point-of-Sale%2Bfor%2BPharmacy%2BRx.html