An in-office medication dispensing system enables doctors who have clinics or health facilities to dispense prescription drugs to their patients at the time of consultation. The term is also known as point-of-care dispensing or physician dispensing.
This system highlights how patients may conveniently and directly obtain their medications during their check-ups or visits. The practice does away with pharmacy dispensing, where patients still need to bring their doctor’s prescription to a pharmacy in order to have their prescriptions filled.
In-Office Dispensing Q&A with First Coast Health Solutions:
Q: Does your software allow for automatic reporting in your state’s monitoring programs for prescription drugs?
A: Yes. The software will automatically submit your State’s required PDMP at the time interval designated by the data handler.
Q: Is your software customizable?
A: There are many features available that allow you to customize your experience and set user roles appropriately.
Q: How secure is your software? Is it HIPAA compliant?
A: The software servers are hosted at a secure data center and all communication is secured via TLS protocol. There are dedicated firewalls and DDOS attack mitigation procedures used to prevent intrusion. The HIPAA (HITECH) policies and documents were designed by, and are periodically reviewed by, McDermott, Will & Emory’s Chicago-based healthcare IT group.
Q: Does your dispensing solution need other staff to handle it? Will the clinic need to restructure?
A: The beauty of our program is in its simplicity, which removes the need to hire any additional staff. In some cases, it may also streamline existing procedures because it will eliminate the need for staff to do prescription authorizations and pharmacy call backs.
Q: Do you also train staff in operating the dispensing system? How long will this training apply?
A: When you sign up with FCHS, initial and on-going training is provided for you and your team. We also have video and written tutorials to aid in the process. Our account management team is also available at any time to answer questions and trouble-shoot any errors that may occur.
Q: How long does it take to set up an on-site dispensary?
A: Set up of the program takes very minimal time, no more than a few weeks, and our team is with you every step of the way.
Q: Do you provide any equipment?
A: In most cases, if you have a computer, printer and medicine cabinet, you already have everything you need to get started. Barcode scanners help the dispensing process, but are not required. If you have a unique set up, we are able to assist in choosing the most optimal equipment for your needs.
Q: Do the pills from your supply need to be counted by the physician’s staff or is everything all set and packed correctly as part of the system?
A: The dispensing program utilizes pre-packaged medications in the sizes you typically write a prescription for so there is no need to pill count, worry about lot-control, applicable licensure, hiring a pharmacist, etc.
Q: What medications do you carry and do you require minimum orders for the supply?
A: Our vendors carry over 2,000 of the most commonly prescribed generic & branded medications. We have no minimum order requirement.
Q: Do you also take care of expired medications? Does this come with extra charges?
A: The software system allows you to set ordering threshold levels so that you never run into a situation where you over-order or under-order medications. This, in combination with the fact that we do not require a minimum order, generally prevents any issues with medications expiring.
Q: How much could the practice profit from your system?
A: Profitability is unique to each practice and varies based on the size of your formulary, number of patients that participate, whether you are dispensing via a cash program or worker’s comp, etc. We can provide estimates during your initial consultation.
If you want to experience a seamless in-office medication dispensing workflow, try our services at First Coast Health Solutions.
For more information, contact us today!
Learn more about First Coast Health Solutions
First Coast Health Solutions (FCHS) is a leading national provider of full-service in-office medication dispensing systems. We are one of the best physician dispensing companies in the country. We dispense only FDA approved pre-packaged medications and provide doctors with a cutting-edge, user-friendly web-based dispensing system. Our priority is to promote the establishment of a medical environment that is fully compliant and delivers complete quality patient care.
Do you want to upgrade how your practice handles prescriptions? Look no further! Our point of care dispensing comes with much more than you can expect!
To find out more about our physician dispensing software, take a look at our website. Alternatively, contact us in the way that best suits you:
- Call us at 904-350-1155, or 904-350-1157
- Send us an email: info@firstcoasthealthsolutions.com
- Fill in our online contact form
- Drop us a visit: First Coast Health Solutions, 211 North Liberty Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202, USA
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health