Technological advances in seemingly every industry have ushered in a level of convenience that many professionals and consumers never knew they needed. Beyond convenience, technology also creates valuable efficiencies, saving time and money in a variety of ways.
And the healthcare industry is no exception.
Technology helps the long-term care pharmacy business, like ours at UnitedRX, work in a more effective way. It closes geographical gaps, it provides avenues for secure communication, it automates previously manual tasks and it streamlines operations.
As a long-term care pharmacy that supports patient care across a diverse array of settings, from correctional facilities to long-term residential communities to assisted living situations, we welcome the benefits that come with tech-enabled processes or programs. Here are four reasons we embrace tech advancements in the long-term care pharmacy field.
It provides avenues for secure communication.
We work with a lot of clients. And those clients represent layed care groups for the patients that we’re treating. As pharmacists for long-term care facilities, we recognize our role as members of that group, which means we need to be able to communicate with provider teams with ease and security. The Mediprocity app allows us to do that in a secure and compliant way. The messaging platform is designed specifically for long-term care pharmacists and providers, and it offers an efficient avenue for communication.
It closes geographical gaps.
Technology, in general, has created conveniences across the healthcare industry, and when it comes to pharmacy, it is closing geographical gaps. Pharmacists no longer need to rely on hard copy prescriptions as orders are digitized and easily transmitted over secure channels. And patients no longer need to physically be present to submit a prescription to be filled. In the not too distant past, that wasn’t the case. With digital records, long-term care pharmacists can more easily meet the changing needs of individual patients and facilities regardless of their physical location.
It automates previously manual tasks.
Long-term care pharmacies used to build their workflows around the manual tasks that needed to be completed. With automation, a number of those tasks are done exponentially quicker, with less oversight required, freeing up the pharmacist to focus on other issues — such as offering clinical support. Software advances have also created opportunities for efficiencies in the long-term care pharmacy business, which essentially rolls up to a better client, and patient, experience.
It streamlines operations.
Digital records, digital communications and digital tracking support a more streamlined operational experience for long-term care pharmacies. By automating tasks, closing the geographical gap and improving communication between the pharmacy and the provider, long-term care pharmacies have become more efficient — making room for even more effective patient care. Technology, in short, has been and will continue to be a welcome ally for long-term care pharmacists.
At UnitedRX, we deliver a hometown pharmacy experience to more than 350 clients across the country. Contact us to learn more about how our approach to treatment can meet the pharmacy needs of your long-term care facility.