When the Only Factor That Matters is Time

Saying yes to something new usually means that something else falls off the plate. The hours in any given day are all spoken for. And then some.

Maybe this is why, when an opportunity presents itself that could mean new revenue streams, higher profits or better patient care, time is often the deciding factor. Because no matter how much sense a thing makes, time is simply one thing you cannot make more of.

This is the definition of a rut. Seemingly inescapable, and destructive to stay in. So how do you get out of it when you can't make more time? You make changes to your most time-consuming activities, which might just let you make better use of the time you have.

Here are some things to try: 

Buy In to Medication Synchronization

Most pharmacies have at least some level of a medication synchronization program underway. MedSync is a must when, on average, 70% of prescription business comes from maintenance medications. When you get those prescriptions under control, your days can take a different shape. Instead of patients coming in several times throughout the month, you can resolve all of their question, concerns, insurance issues and whatever else, in one visit. MedSync saves you time and is more efficient from a labor perspective. It maximizes your refills, saves on delivery and improves patient adherence. It’s a win for everyone, and might just create some empty space in your day planner. MedSync prescriptions should account for at least 45% of your monthly prescription volume.

Learn more about medication synchronization here

Empower Your Team Members

Just like there’s only so much time in a day, there’s only one you. And you can’t be multiple places at once. This is why it’s so important to cultivate professional development for your pharmacy team. What would it look like if every member of your team was part of your “A-Team”? This doesn’t mean that everyone has to be an expert in all things. You can choose a champion for certain programs, like medication synchronization or remote patient monitoring, to take the day-to-day management duties off your plate. Also, be sure to standardize as much as possible and automate processes where it makes sense to.

Streamline Prescription Pickup

If you processed 100 sales containing prescriptions in a day, and could save even 30 seconds on the time it takes to complete each sale, you'd have almost an hour of time saved at the end of that day. That's a lunch that you didn't take, or time to look at your movement reports. That's time to put together a new endcap display.  Added up over a longer period of time, it's enough time to accomplish even bigger things. Like starting your Remote Patient Monitoring program or gearing up for Med Sync. Saving time on prescription pickup can be accomplished in multiple ways. First, your point-of-sale system should be able to process transactions quickly and accurately. Second, try using a will-call management solution that lets you batch multiple prescriptions together. Then when patients come in to pick up their orders, all you have to do is grab one bag and scan a single barcode to add all the bagged prescriptions to the transaction.

Be Open to New Ideas

What's the next great thing in streamlining pharmacy operations or growing profitability? What new opportunities are out there for improving patient care? Be open to inspiration from your peers and partners. When time isn't your deciding factor, there's a lot you can accomplish in your pharmacy business. Check out our CLIMB Library for more ideas on programs that can boost your profits, save you time, and improve patient relationships. Let us know in the comments what other time-saving methods have worked in your pharmacy!