Table of Contents Introduction Pain Point #1 — DIR Fees: Managing the 2024 Transition and Beyond Pain Point #2 — Not Enough Hours in the Day. Adding Efficiency and Recapturing Valuable Staff Time Pain Point #3 — Improving Pharmacy Profitability Pain Point #4 — Medication Affordability Pain Point #5 – Inventory Costs Conclusion References Introduction Pharmacists ranked near the top of Gallup’s 2023 list of “most ethical” professions, coming in third after nurses and doctors, with 58 percent of respondents giving pharmacists either a “very high” or “high ranking.”  These senti ..read more

Beginning in January 2024 direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees will no longer be collected retroactively. Instead, they will be collected up front, and deducted from reimbursements paid to pharmacies. But during the first few months of 2024, when the new process takes effect, pharmacies face the very serious situation of what can only be seen as a “double whammy” — 2024 DIR fee assessments withheld at the same time that 2023 fees are retroactively assessed. It’s a worst possible scenario for pharmacies, and likely to result in serious cash flows. The National Community Pharmacist Assoc ..read more

The writing’s on the wall: technology is revolutionizing the way pharmacies provide services. Fortunately, as a pharmacist, you can take advantage of these advances to improve your services and increase customer satisfaction. At ComputerTalk For The Pharmacist, we always have a finger on the pulse of the pharmaceutical tech industry, and today we’re showcasing four ways technology can boost your pharmacy’s capabilities to the next level. Automate Refill Requests By taking advantage of automated refill requests, pharmacies can quickly and accurately manage patient refill requests. This not on ..read more

Luis Portela, Director of Access and Patient Support, Cardinal Health Sonexus Access And Patient Support Luis Portela, director of access and patient support at Cardinal Health Sonexus Access And Patient Support, has managed specialty and launched hub programs for a variety of disease states. An important part of the care coordination around specialty drugs is communication. In this interview, Portela explains how a hub provides clear pathways and tailored solutions to each patient during a treatment journey. ComputerTalk: The hub provides a connection between the patient and the manufacturer ..read more

Streamlined health-system pharmacy operations and improved profitability: Two goals that were always important to hospital pharmacies, but in the wake of COVID-19’s stresses to the healthcare system, there’s even more of a need to implement digital solutions. The letter from the AHA (American Hospital Association) to Congress this March outlined the altered hospital landscape. COVID has resulted in 49% more admissions, and expenses are up 11%. Add to that the labor expense increases and the profound toll on health systems and healthcare professionals. Review the vendors in the 2021 Health-Sys ..read more

Pharmacists’ expertise in clinical decision support is moving front and center to the hospital setting for reducing readmissions and increasing adherence rates. Reaching patients where they are and packaging prescriptions to take home reduce the gap in adherence rates. This is the opportunity to be part of a collaborative team with nurses and providers in the hospital, as well as providers in the community. In a report at the National Library of Medicine’s National Center for Biotechnology Information, “A Narrative Review of Clinical Decision Support for Inpatient Clinical Pharmacists”, the a ..read more

There are a variety of barriers to care that pharmacies can help patients overcome. For example, drug costs can be a significant barrier for millions of Americans. Pharmacists can address this barrier by working with prescribers to make appropriate substitutions of lower cost medications. Actually getting into the pharmacy to pickup prescriptions is another big impediment for many patients. Whether the trip to the pharmacy is long, the patients working hours make him or her unavailable during normal business hours, the patient is homebound, or for some other reason, a lack of adherence can c ..read more

Each year ComputerTalk publishes a Health-System Buyers Guide for pharmacy, showcasing vendors who offer the services that can support the increasing complexities in medication management, going way beyond dispensing. Automation and technology solutions can answer the paramount need in health-system pharmacy for safety and accuracy, as well as improving outcomes. With these aspects automated, health-system pharmacists can practice at the top of their license, interacting with patients and providing critical medication-related advice (read more here). Finding Health-System Pharmacy Technology ..read more

As retail pharmacy markets continue to evolve, independent pharmacies are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and remain competitive. One way that many pharmacies are doing this is by adding CBD products to their front end. CBD has become a popular supplement in recent years, as more and more people are looking for natural ways to manage pain and other health conditions. Adding CBD products to your pharmacy can help attract new customers and boost your bottom line! What is CBD? Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a natural compound found in the cannabis plant. Unlike THC, CBD does not cause psy ..read more