In-office medication dispensing allows physicians to enhance the level of care they provide by dispensing prescriptions directly to patients. This means that patients don’t have to travel to a pharmacy or order medications online to get their prescriptions filled.
As a result, in-office medication dispensing improves patient satisfaction by reducing the amount of time it takes for them to get their medications. Read on to learn more about in-office medication dispensing and how it can lead to more efficiency and a superior patient experience at your practice.
What Is In-Office Medication Dispensing?
In-office medication dispensing is the practice of dispensing medications in the clinical setting, at the point of care—it’s also called “in-office pharmaceutical dispensing” and “physician dispensing.” While in-office dispensing is common in hospitals and nursing homes, it’s still not the norm in most physicians’ practices.
Traditionally, physicians fill out a prescription and the patient must travel to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy to pick up their medication or go online to a mail-order pharmacy and order their medication that way. This typical process can be time-consuming—the patient must wait for their prescription to be sent to the pharmacy, verified, and filled, and mistakes and discrepancies can create delays. In-office dispensing simplifies and streamlines this process, bringing it all under one roof.
How Does In-Office Medication Dispensing Work?
To dispense medications directly to your patients, you’ll need to work with a company that specializes in physician dispensing solutions. These companies provide assistance via software, equipment, and/or systems to help you purchase medications at a reasonable rate, manage the inventory, dispense directly to patients, and process payments, all while complying with applicable regulations and licensing. Automated dispensing machines are an option, but it’s also possible to set up in-office dispensing without having to invest in new equipment. In many cases, all you’ll need is your practice’s computer and printer, as well as extra space for the inventory.
Physician dispensing software will help you automate the dispensing process by updating and monitoring inventory, forecasting demand, and tracking medication formularies more smoothly. This all-in-one software also stores patient data, including their health history and prescription information.
Getting started with in-office dispensing is not complicated or time-consuming. Your staff may need to undergo a few hours of training, but your dispensing system can be set up in a matter of days.
The Benefits of In-Office Medication Dispensing
There are many benefits of in-office medication dispensing for both patients and physicians.
For patients, the benefits are obvious—in-office dispensing eliminates trips to the pharmacy and offers a quicker, more convenient way to obtain prescription medications. Patients can start their medication immediately, without having to wait for the prescription to be filled. This can lead to better health outcomes.
Patients may also appreciate the opportunity to ask their doctor questions about the prescription, dosage, and potential interactions, instead of speaking to a pharmacist who doesn’t really know their health history. Patients also tend to appreciate the privacy of discussing prescriptions in their doctor’s office, as opposed to a public pharmacy.
Another major benefit is that in-office dispensing may increase patients’ adherence to medication regimens. According to the CDC, about 3.7 billion prescriptions are written each year, but one in five are never filled. Moreover, among those prescriptions that are filled, half are taken incorrectly with respect to timing, dosage, frequency, and duration. With in-office dispensing, physicians can make it as easy and painless as possible for patients to obtain the medications they need, as soon as possible.
Physicians benefit as well. In-office dispensing is a powerful tool that can help physicians provide better quality care, since they are better able to track patient adherence to medication regimens. For example, if the patient fails to pick up a prescription renewal, the physician will know about it immediately. Adjustments to prescriptions can be implemented quickly. In addition, in-office dispensing can increase patient safety by decreasing the risk of errors that can arise when prescription information must be communicated from doctor to pharmacy.
In-office dispensing can also benefit physicians financially. As a convenient, desirable service that still isn’t offered by many physicians, in-office dispensing can help a medical practice stand out and potentially attract new patients. In addition, in-office dispensing can create a new, supplemental revenue source—it’s possible to offer prescription drugs to patients at a comparable or lower price than pharmacies, while earning a profit for the practice.
Implementing In-Office Medication Dispensing
Prior to implementing an in-office dispensing solution, you need to be aware of the regulations in your state. Nearly every state allows direct dispensing by physicians, but the rules differ. Some states require licensing, and others limit who can dispense medications (for example, doctors vs. nurses.)
To optimize in-office medication dispensing, you must first select the right solution. The best solution will integrate with your existing systems, render a user-friendly interface, and provide good pricing and options for the medications your practice uses the most. The solution you choose should also make it easy for you to comply with your state dispensing regulations as well.
It’s important to conduct a needs assessment before you choose a solution, to determine what features you need the most and what you hope to achieve by implementing in-office dispensing. You’ll also have to assess your physical space, to ensure you have room for your proposed inventory of medications. Communication with your staff is also important as you go about selecting a solution, since in-office dispensing will create a new workflow with new responsibilities for them.
Conclusion
In-office medication dispensing is an essential business process that can advance the overall experience of patients. The convenience, security, and affordability of in-office dispensing can help you as a physician grow your practice and ultimately offer better quality care.