The most important benefit to dispensing prescriptions in-office is the convenience for patients. Physicians who integrate medication dispensing into their practice become a “one-stop-shop” for their patients. With in-office dispensing, there’s no need for patients to worry about the inconvenience of going to the pharmacy.
Studies show that up to 30 percent of prescriptions sent to pharmacies are never filled. The inconvenience of visiting the pharmacy is one reason why patients don’t fill their prescriptions. In-office dispensing assures that patients leave their doctor’s visit with the medication they need in hand.
What’s Wrong with the Traditional Prescription Model?
The traditional prescription model works inefficiently. There’s no need to add a third party (the pharmacy) to prescription pick-up. Currently, patients need to see their doctor to get a prescription written, order prescriptions from the pharmacy, wait for prescriptions to be filled, go to the pharmacy for pick-up, and order refills. While the task of going to the pharmacy may seem easy, it can be difficult for many patients.
Some patients may not be able to pick up their prescriptions because they have small children who lack the patience to wait in line, or they cannot take off more time from work to make it to the pharmacy during work hours. Perhaps the patients have a lack of mobility due to injury, disease, or surgery recovery. They may also have transportation issues such as not owning a car.
The last thing any physician wants is for their patient to not receive proper care. In-office dispensing can be especially helpful for underserved patients.
Help Patients Who Lack Mobility
Patients who visit their doctor are usually doing so because they don’t feel well. Patients who have serious injuries can have an especially difficult time getting around due to casts, wheelchairs, and crutches. These patients often can’t drive a car or get transportation to the pharmacy.
Patients who have cancer and struggle with treatment side effects may also lack the energy to get to the pharmacy. Another group affected by lack of mobility is patients who are undergoing surgery and can’t get around on their own while recovering from their operation and the effects of anesthesia.
Avoid Transportation Issues
Not every patient has a car, a convenient bus route, or a friend to drive them to the pharmacy. In small towns, the nearest pharmacy may be a great distance from the patient’s house or doctor’s office. In-office dispensing means that if a patient can make it to their doctor’s visit, they can get their prescription at the same time.
For some patients, it’s difficult enough just to find transportation to the doctor. Physicians can make their patients’ lives easier by making sure patients don’t need to make a separate trip to the pharmacy as well.
Eliminate Wait Times at Pharmacies
Pharmacy wait times can be incredibly long, especially for patients whose only free time is after work during rush hour. Patients can get frustrated and leave without their prescriptions. Some patients anticipate a wait and just avoid the pharmacy altogether. While it may seem like a problem with patience, some very real issues prevent patients from being able to stand in long lines.
Many patients have young children who need to come with them everywhere and have trouble waiting in line. Some patients have medical issues that make it difficult or painful for them to stand for long periods. A lot of patients simply work so much that they don’t have the time to wait. In-office dispensing allows patients to avoid pharmacy lines altogether by providing medication at the point of care. With proper dispensing software, physicians can process a medication transaction in less than a minute.
Add the Convenience of In-Office Dispensing to Your Clinic Today
When asked in a study, 78 percent of patients said they prefer being given their medications during their doctor’s visit. Physicians who are interested in creating a medication dispensing program at their clinic can do so with a few easy steps. They can:
- Contact a reputable health solutions company with experience in medication dispensing programs
- Contact the state’s board of pharmacy to check what local regulations apply
- Prepare staff to be trained for a new program
- Create space to store medications (controlled substances need to be stored in a specific manner)
An experienced health services company can walk any medical practice through the steps to create an efficient medication dispensing program. They will help the clinic set up, train staff, provide easy-to-use technology, and offer ongoing customer support.