Pharmacy management software: key features and implementation best practices
Pharmacy management software market stats
medical prescriptions filled by US pharmacies in 2022
Statista
pharmacy management system market size in 2022
Market Research Future
increase in inventory turn-ups attributed to PMS
Precedence Research
Key pharmacy management systems’ functionality
PMS encompasses features to optimize medicine ordering, handle documentation, process payments, and streamline interactions between pharmacies, warehouses, patients or customers, and healthcare institutions.
Document management
A document management module in pharmacy practice management systems facilitates the reception of health records and treatment plans from various healthcare organizations, their secure storage, and automatic update. A pharmacy database management system is one of its subdivisions, essential for keeping all medication information in order, including names, licensing info, unique barcodes, registration, and expiration dates.
Inventory management
Pharmacy inventory management software provides timely information about the stock availability to front-desk staff, customers, and procurement managers and streamlines filing orders, logging claimed and unclaimed prescriptions, and locating items.
Prescription management
A prescription management module helps organize prescription flow, dispense treatment to customers in time and according to their treatment plan, and notify healthcare providers if the prescription was fulfilled or a refill will be needed soon.
Financial management
A financial management module helps process pharmacy billing, validating payers and receivers against prescriptions and databases and automatically requesting confirmation from healthcare or insurance providers.
Analytics and reporting
An analytical module helps pharmacists to understand customer behavior, keep track of medication usage, predict demand levels, and build an effective sales and marketing strategy. In addition, pharmacy businesses can use generated reports to optimize their performance or share them with regulatory organizations.
Our services
We offer our expertise at any stage of healthcare software development and adoption, including PMS. Our experts provide consultation, development, integration, and support services to independent pharmacies, chain pharmaceutical companies, wholesalers, and other pharmacy businesses according to their requirements and budget.
Consulting
We help pharmacists choose between cloud and on-premise solutions, determine a future system’s functionality, pick the best pharmacy software, and carry out its implementation. Our team can also analyze the current PMS platform and suggest upgrades to increase an organization’s profitability, enhance pharmacy workflows, and ensure compliance.
Development and implementation
Our custom development team provides pharmacies with the functionality and interfaces relevant to their daily operations, adding only the most valuable modules as not to overburden the user. We offer scalable, flexible, and secure solutions that benefit specialty pharmacies but don’t cost a fortune to adopt.
Integration and data migration
We improve healthcare interoperability by facilitating smooth data exchange between pharmacy and clinical service providers. Depending on business specifics, our integration team will supplement PMS software with additional modules and applications to expand its capabilities. Meanwhile, our migration specialists will help transfer data securely and efficiently.
Support
Our customer support team ensures the successful usage of the system after it is implemented. We help to train pharmacy personnel quickly and efficiently, monitor the system’s real-time performance and suggest improvements, solve any operational problems, and keep the software modern and secure.
Looking for experienced pharmacy software developers?
Pharmacy software integrations
Depending on the specifics of your business, you can integrate your pharmacy management solution with other modules. This can ensure the automation of particular tasks and smooth data transfer between different systems.
Delivery and shipping solutions
Integrating your PMS with delivery service modules, we help you manage pharmacy orders, track delivery progress, and ensure timely medication supply.
Pharmacy compounding software
This integration will help pharmacies ensure drug dosing accuracy, enable multi-batch compounding, and automate the transfer of pricing and billing information about custom-made medicine.
Through EHR integration, we enable in-hospital pharmacies to access patients’ medication records and current treatment plans and make more accurate medication prescription decisions.
Interactive Voice Response systems
Connecting PMS to IVR systems, pharmacies help customers quickly check medication availability, fill prescriptions, and receive other services without speaking to a salesperson.
Hospital pharmacy software should be seamlessly integrated into the institution’s ecosystem to simplify medication dispensation to in-care patients and facilitate forecasting of drug demand.
Point-of-sale software integrations help pharmacies coordinate back-office retail operations and synchronize sales, transaction, and inventory data flow with pharmacy management systems.
We help you get a full view of your patients’ journeys and make care more personalized and effective by implementing a healthcare CRM into your hospital.
We help you uncover valuable insights through intelligent data processing and analytics so that you can enhance treatment efficiency and improve your healthcare staff qualifications.
Through mobile app development, our team enables healthcare professionals to consult and monitor patients remotely while providing them with on-the-go access to their medical data.
Selection of the best pharmacy software solutions
A rising number of independent and community pharmacies are choosing this pharmacy software with a user-friendly interface to manage their daily operations.
Key features
- eCare plans
- Medication adherence tracking
- Workflow management for all types of facilities including long-term care
- IVR
- Customizable report templates
- Communication tools including notifications for patients and clinicians
Integrations
- Other eMar tools
- POS systems
- EHRs
- OutcomesMTM
- CoverMyMeds
Downsides
- Integrates with fewer systems than other similar software
Cost
- A quote is calculated for each case by the vendor
Free trial
- Not available
- Only demo
This affordable pharmacy software positions itself as the most suitable for small pharmacy businesses that are planning to grow fast.
Key features
- Customizable workflow management
- Multiple medication synchronization
- Prescription request prioritization
- Specialty drug support
- Multi-dose prepackaging
- Electronic prescribing
- Automatic cloud-based backups
Integrations
- Telehealth tools
- eCare collaboration
- Inventory management
- Digital calendar
- POS
- E-remittance
- A mobile delivery app
Downsides
- Fewer customization options compared to competitors’ software
Cost
- $2,250 per month
Free trial
- Not available
McKesson’s pharmacy solution is popular among mid-sized and large pharmacies across the US for its powerful capabilities and a broad range of integrations.
Key features
- Multi-store management
- Powerful analytics and reporting
- Automated multiple prescription processing
- Automated refills
- Supply chain management
- Medication adherence tools
- Electronic signature
- Cloud-based backup
Integrations
- Mobile delivery apps
- Reimbursement management systems
- POS terminals
- OneStop Generics™ and SynerGx® proprietary purchasing and distribution programs
Downsides
- Is more complex and has a steeper learning curve than similar software
Cost
- The quote is calculated individually by the vendor
Free trial
- Not available
- Only demo
Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare platform is best-suited for organizations that need a highly customizable and interoperable pharmacy management solution, or are already using Microsoft software.
Key features
- Medication inventory and order management
- Powerful analytics and reporting
- Patient medication schedule management
- Supply chain management
- Enhanced security and compliance
Integrations
- Integrates flawlessly with any Microsoft systems, popular EHR systems like Epic and Oracle, IoT devices, and other software
Downsides
- Requires customization to cover the particular pharmacy’s requirements
Cost
- Depends on the solution’s feature set
Free trial
- 30-day trial available
Custom pharmacy management solutions
Specialty pharmacies often prefer custom software that fits their unique requirements without overcrowding the interface with unnecessary modules. While it involves larger initial investments than out-of-the-box solutions, custom software supports even the most peculiar workflow management, contributing to a quick ROI.
Want to implement a pharmacy management solution?
How to select pharmacy management software
Selecting a suitable pharmacy management software type and deployment model can be a tough choice. Comparison tables below can help pharmacy businesses make an informed decision.
Cloud-based vs on-premise
Cloud-based pharmacy software is hosted on a vendor’s servers and requires an internet connection, while an on-premise system is installed within the infrastructure of a particular pharmaceutical facility.
Cloud-based
On-premise
Pros
Pros
- Easy access from anywhere
- Takes less time to set up
- Lower upfront payment
- Backups are managed by the vendor
- More protected and secure as data is stored on internal servers and can’t be accessed from unauthorized locations
- Full control over productivity and settings
- Works well in areas with poor internet coverage
Cons
Cons
- A target for hacker attacks
- Requires a stable internet connection
- A system’s performance depends on a vendor’s service capacity
- Large initial investment
- A pharmacy is in charge of its own backup schedule
- Can only be accessed from the facility itself
- Takes more time and changes to the company’s infrastructure to set up
Custom vs out-of-the-box
An out-of-the-box solution is an excellent fit for pharmacies that require a quick setup, don’t need a lot of customization, and aren’t ready for a significant upfront investment. On the other hand, custom systems are more expensive and take longer to implement but are tailored to the specific workflows of a particular organization, thus yielding a higher ROI.
PMS software implementation roadmap
Our Healthcare Center of Excellence covers skills and knowledge necessary for full-cycle PMS software development. We implement cloud-based and on-premise pharmacy management systems, ensuring their interoperability, scalability, and security.
1
Discovery
Defining pharmacy management system requirements and tech stack
2
Development
Mapping out the project and determining milestones and timeline
Developing a tailored PMS solution
Integrating hospital, laboratory, or other third-party software
Carrying out all-round quality assurance throughout the implementation process
3
Implementation
Integrating PMS software into the IT ecosystem and migrating data if needed
4
Post-deployment
Keeping the system’s performance in check, solving issues if they come up, and implementing upgrades
Multiple benefits of pharmacy software solutions
Enhanced customer service
Pharmacy staff focus on customers’ needs and wishes and serve them faster, relying on automated prescription and inventory management enabled by a pharmacy management system.
Improved productivity
Pharmacy professionals can spend hours on paperwork or labeling. PMS adoption frees them up from routine tasks and improves their job satisfaction.
Reduced paperwork
PMS helps to minimize document processing time and human errors and enables pharmacies to store digital information in a structured way.
Prevented medicine fraud
PMS-enabled electronic recipes and automated order fulfillment eliminate the possibility of obtaining medicine with counterfeit prescriptions.
Security and compliance
Secure-by-design pharmacy software systems ensure that health data is stored and handled in accordance with international and local regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, etc.
Systematized inventory
Partially automated inventory management helps pharmacies keep track of medicine expiration dates, availability in stock, and proper storage conditions.
Why are pharmacists reluctant to adopt PMS?
Many organizations hesitate to adopt pharmacy software because of the perceived challenges with the system. Let’s explore what the common issues are and how professional experts can help overcome them.
Challenges
How to overcome them
The healthcare industry is notorious for its sensitivity to cyber crimes. Pharmacy management systems contain sensitive patient information and can become a target for hacker attacks.
Our experts protect medical pharmacy management systems with the latest security tech. We also ensure PMS software’s HIPAA compliance and adherence to other global pharma privacy standards.
Some PMS systems are incompatible with other vendors’ healthcare software and pharmacy management systems.
Our team makes sure that every solution we implement can be easily integrated with third-party systems through APIs or custom connectors, and data can be transferred securely between them.
Pharmacists worry that PMS software will disrupt their well-oiled workflows and contribute to their burnout or even layoff.
We always implement software with the most user-friendly UX/UI and provide sufficient user training to the pharmacy personnel in order to make their user experience flawless.
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