How to Make Your Pharmacy Workflow More Efficient

The efficiency of your pharmacy workflow has a direct impact on the number of clients you can serve and the elements you incorporate into your workflow also impact accuracy in dispensing. In fact, patient safety and the overall success of your pharmacy rely heavily on what happens in your workflow. Investing in your pharmacy workflow can have a long-lasting positive impact on the success of your pharmacy. There are a number of steps you can take to make your pharmacy workflow more efficient. Even small changes can make a big difference over time.

Pharmacy automation equipment can significantly improve your workflow. A strip pouch packaging machine can dispense and package medicine more quickly than a person can do manually. Medication detection machines can check strip pouches more quickly and with more accuracy than anyone on your staff.

It’s normal to default to the idea of hiring additional staff when your pharmacy workflow is falling behind, and if you don’t have enough people to keep up with demand, hiring more staff may seem like the logical solution. The reality is that bringing on more staff is expensive and may not significantly improve the pharmacy workflow. Instead, incorporating pharmacy automation equipment into your workflow will have a direct and measurable impact on your efficiency. Pharmacy automation equipment will require an investment but it is an investment that will improve your workflow without setting up new stations or bringing in new staff. You’ll see a return on investment right away, as automation equipment will allow you to quickly and accurately fill prescriptions for more patients.

Make the most of the space you have available

The way you use the physical space in your pharmacy has a big impact on your pharmacy workflow. Limitations in the physical space can create bottlenecks and slow or interrupt the workflow. You can increase the efficiency of your workflow by making the most of the space you have available. For example, you can get a strip pouch packaging machine that is designed to fit into compact spaces.

Noritsu offers an automated pouch packaging system in a compact modular design with three configurations so you can choose what works best in your pharmacy. Other space-saving pharmacy automation equipment includes a countertop medication detection machine and a countertop pill splitting system. You can utilize your entire space by choosing the right automation equipment.

Replace equipment that is underperforming

Pharmacy technology has improved significantly over the years. If you were an early adopter of pharmacy automation, you may have outdated and underperforming equipment as part of your workflow. Underperforming equipment can decrease the efficiency of your workflow and inhibit further growth for your pharmacy. Replacing equipment that is underperforming is a great way to drastically improve your pharmacy workflow in one easy step. You can look through the products available from Noritsu and compare the latest technology to the equipment you currently use. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover the level of efficiency and improved technology that is now available.

Take time for staff training

Automated pharmacy equipment will help improve the efficiency of your workflow and minimize the number of staff you need in the pharmacy. However, automation does not mean that your pharmacy will be completely run by machines. You still need to have a strong team to take care of the parts of the process that can not be completed automatically. However, any processes run by staff have more room for error and the potential for creating a bottleneck in the workflow.

You can minimize human error and maximize your staff hours by investing time in staff training. Your staff is one of your biggest assets. While it can be difficult to take the time that is needed to train your staff, the time you invest in training will help improve your workflow going forward. When each staff member understands his or her role, your pharmacy will run more smoothly.

Redesign your current workflow

Improving workflow in pharmacy is a multifaceted process. You can improve the efficiency of your workflow by investing in pharmacy automation and providing your team with better training. There are situations, however, when a new piece of equipment and improved staff training are not enough to significantly improve the efficiency of a workflow.

If you simply cannot see any way to increase the efficiency of your current workflow, it is time to take a look at the workflow itself. Sometimes a complete redesign of your workflow is the only way to significantly improve efficiency. It can be difficult to dissect and redesign a workflow that you are entrenched in day in and day out. The redesign will go more smoothly if you bring in an expert outside perspective. At Noritsu, we have workflow experts who can analyze your current workflow and help you develop a plan and process that will improve your pharmacy workflow. If you want to consult with a workflow expert about the setup at your pharmacy, reach out to Noritsu to schedule a consultation.

Trust the experts at Noritsu

If your goal is to serve more patients through your central fill pharmacy or long term care facility pharmacy, take a close look at the efficiency of your workflow. Look for ways you can increase productivity in your current location and with your current staff before you consider moving to a larger space and hiring additional staff.

A few pieces of carefully chosen automation equipment combined with a redesign of your current workflow have the potential to significantly impact your efficiency. We know there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for pharmacy operations. That’s why we’ll help you analyze your workflow, and offer you multiple levels of technology to streamline productivity.

At Noritsu, we have experts who help you maximize your efficiency. You can get started on the process of improving your pharmacy workflow by reaching out and scheduling a workflow analysis with Noritsu.