Level the Profitability Playing field: A Pharmacy Automation Case Study

The team at RxSafe, the Grand Event Sponsor at the 2017 PDS All-Star Super Conference, walks into the office every day with one goal in mind: to streamline retail pharmacy workflows and inventory management.

Today we share a pharmacy automation case study featuring RxSafe customer Jana Bennett, owner and pharmacist at Medicine Shoppe 0708, and her path from being understaffed to more efficient without hiring a new technician.

Meet Jana Bennett: RxSafe 1800 Customer

Medicine Shoppe 0708 is a pharmacy in Sherman, Texas that is dedicated to friendly, personalized service. The owner and pharmacist, Jana Bennett, is committed to providing accessible and helpful service to customers. She practices the philosophy of treating all customers like they were family.

The pharmacy processes between 375 and 600 scripts per day and primarily serves customers who are 65 and older.

Her Pharmacy’s Challenge

Prior to installing the RxSafe 1800, Medicine Shoppe 0708 was growing quickly and considering hiring more employees in order to get the work done. However, they knew that hiring new employees can sometimes be a challenge and the amount of time needed to manage those resources, substantial.

They were also concerned about internal and external security. The pharmacy previously had two employees who were stealing controlled substances. They had also been burglarized recently. Additionally, in order to better serve their customers, they saw the need to increase efficiency and reduce any chance of human error related to filling.

Finding a Solution

Medicine Shoppe 0708 purchased the RxSafe 1800 after thoroughly researching the competition.
“The competitors only handle the top 200 medications, but we wanted something that would hold and manage all of our inventory,” says Jana Bennett. “The RxSafe 1800 could handle 80% of our volume and the payment was less than hiring another technician. We thought about automation but didn’t think we could afford it. RxSafe changed our mind.”

Game-Changing Results

• Payroll reduction. Significantly increased the volume of prescriptions processed without increasing employee count. Offers the ability to grow significantly without adding any more payroll. “We’ve been able to grow a lot without increasing payroll. Our payroll was 9 percent before, after installing the RxSafe it’s at 7.3 percent.”
• Internal and external security. Secure storage and tracking of drugs prevents theft and diversion. “RxSafe has saved me a lot of mental anguish knowing that I can look at a drug and identify everyone who’s interacted with it. I can tell you in five minutes who has touched any drug.”
• Increased efficiency and reduced error rate. Increased efficiency by removing bottlenecks, accurately tracking all drugs and eliminating filling errors. “RxSafe has eliminated the frustration of trying to locate a bottle—you always know where every drug is.”
• Inventory management. Reduction in physical inventory time and audit process. Eliminates the need to do audit counts. RxSafe does audit counts and transfers the data to the pharmacy management software system. “We’ve been able to increase our inventory turns. Now our average inventory turn rate is between 13-14, before it was around 11.”
• Workflow. Significant reduction in technician’s walking, searching and returning time. “Our employees are happier because the workflow is smoother, it saves a lot of time with put-away, the workspace isn’t cluttered, it’s the same process every time for every script.”

About Medicine Shoppe (MS0708)

The Medicine Shoppe pharmacy was established in 1968 by a pharmacist whose mission was to bring to his community a pharmacy that was both dedicated to personalized service and managed by the pharmacist. Medicine Shoppe International, Inc. (MSI), a Cardinal Health Company, is still distinguished by its commitment to providing expert, personalized health care. MSI is one of the largest franchisors of independent community pharmacies in the U.S. with over 500 Medicine Shoppe and Medicap Pharmacy locations across the United States, and more than 200 international pharmacies.