The healthcare industry is faced with many challenges regarding providing patients with a positive experience. In most cases, a basic level of service will not suffice when sick patients expect a response from their health care providers that matches the amount they spend on healthcare.
While it’s close to impossible to meet all these expectations, as patients have different needs, a basic level of service can be improved by making one big, but a helpful change in the doctor’s office. If your health care facility offers a point of care dispensing system for medications, it can have a positive, and almost impact on your patients’ satisfaction of services.
Increased Opportunity for Consultation and Counseling
Many patients go to the pharmacy to fill or refill a prescription without going back to the doctor and without asking the pharmacist about the risks, side effects and proper regimen of their medication. But, if the physician is dispensing medications via an in-office dispensary, patients are more likely to ask questions of their own physician, whom they are more familiar with, and you can physically verify their comprehension of the information given.
If the patient is coming in for a refill, this also provides another opportunity for the doctor to follow-up on the patient’s health status, which may help the doctor determine if the patient is adhering to the treatment therapy, experiencing improvement, if symptoms are getting worse, or if adjustments in the current treatment is necessary.
Research shows that 50 percent of patients don’t take their medications as ordered by the doctor. Yet, patients expect one, or two prescriptions to do wonders for their condition without realizing that they have to also report back to their doctor for a follow-up.
With an in-office drug dispensing system, you can encourage more dialogue with your patients that would not have been possible by simply sending them to the pharmacy. The more opportunities you create for consultation, and counseling increases adherence to treatment regimens which may significantly improve the patient’s outcome.
Improved Patient-Doctor Relationship
It used to be that when patients needed a prescription refill, they would contact their doctor’s office and have the staff coordinate with their pharmacists, or insurance companies. This process is not only taxing and time-consuming, but it can also cause confusion, possible medication errors and disrupt a busy schedule for both the patient and the staff.
In some cases, there are refill programs set up by other health care providers that are quite impersonal and, for the most part, inconvenient for the patient. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, this old system of prescribing and dispensing medications misses out on the opportunity to improve preventive care and compromises the safety of the patient.
On the other hand, a point of care dispensing system cuts down all these inconveniences and missed opportunities to provide the patient with better personal care. When the patient comes to the doctor’s clinic for a refill, as well as a consultation, they can be more comfortable talking to the doctor if he has noticed anything bothersome, or different about their condition.
Physicians Dispensing Medications: Meeting Patients’ Expectations
A patient will normally expect his/her doctor to have the answers. As the doctor, you have the data to address the patient’s concerns because you can easily check the patient’s prescription intake in the in-office drug dispensing system.
Thus, apart from facilitating better communication between patients and doctors, an in-office drug dispensing system can help forge trust between the patient and doctor. This, in turn, can impact the progress of the patient’s health in a more positive manner.
Where can you find the best in-office dispensing company?
If you are considering an in-office medication dispensing system for your practice, First Coast Health Solutions provides the right dispensing program for you. It is the leading full-service Physician In-Office Dispensing Pharmacy committed to helping physicians achieve the best possible dispensing services for patients. For inquiries on how to set-up an efficient, hassle-free in-office dispensing system, do not hesitate to Contact Us.
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.
