| Summer Roundup: Introducing McKesson EnterpriseRx | | Print | |
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CT: Let's start out by defining what you mean when you say "independent pharmacy."
McComb: We've defined this in different ways over the years, but we've typically said an independent or community pharmacy is an organization with 25 stores or less that serves a local or regional population. Alternately, once an organization is large enough to maintain an established, IT department you start to move out of the realm of small community pharmacy. We currently have thousands of installed customers who fit the independent or community pharmacy characteristics.
McComb: We unveiled the very latest in pharmacy systems technology to the independent pharmacy world here at our McKesson Trade Show. Before I say more about this exciting launch, let me be very clear about something right up front: it is not our intention to sunset any of our other pharmacy systems. We're not going to push any of our independent and small chain customers off what they are using today. We know they are quite satisfied on those platforms and we recognize that a change in systems is an important event. Our goal is to attract our current customers over to EnterpriseRx when they are ready. So that's one thing, and then obviously we are interested in winning new market share. We are going to do that with two real advantages. One, by offering the very best product out there and, two, by wrapping unparalleled service around that best product. And we are very proud of the service that we have and offer to our independent customers today.
McComb: This is an excellent question. This is one of the major challenges we've had to face with some of the other platforms. Community pharmacies often thrive and differentiate themselves when they offer specialized or higher service levels and/or when they develop niche services for their particular communities. These communities, in turn, are made up of different people - of different age groups, demographics, ethnicities, etc. - so successful pharmacies tailor their services to those niches and demographics. The pharmacy system must facilitate this differentiation and allow for this variability. Frankly, I think we struggled with that a little bit with older technologies. It is hard to try and retrofit older technologies and older architectures. They just are not as malleable as our more modern offerings. One of the things I'm most excited about with EnterpriseRx is that it is a layered technology. It is modular. And it is built entirely from the ground up on the latest programming languages. It isn't a mishmash of older technologies thrust together over 10 years. So, because it is modern and modular, we can modify the software to address this variety in the marketplace and we can make these modifications faster than ever before.
McComb: Layered means that there's a rules engine, there's a presentation layer, and other layers. We can make changes to any one layer without putting the whole solution into a redesign mode. That's one key element. The second thing is that, because EnterpriseRx is built on modern technology, there are commercialization and productivity gains that we benefit from too. We are able to implement changes faster than we were previously able to. We're also able to leverage larger resource pools, whether that's in Vancouver or India. And that translates into an advantage for our customers too.
McComb: Our implementation programs are a great example of our world-class service. Unlike other providers that only offer field training as a special program, we provide on-site training and support as standard. We augment that core offering with computer-based training, Webinars, and transition planning services. That's part of our package for independents and small chains. We can tailor it any way you want. One of our goals is to make the transition from any system to EnterpriseRx actually an enjoyable event. You talk to people and they say, "Changing systems is terrible." That's a travesty in our minds. It should be like buying a new car. The process should be something that you get excited about. You are getting this new tool, this new asset and it is going to change the way you do business. You should be excited about that. So our goal is to put together implementation programs that really work for the unique needs of each independent store and staff and make it an easy, happy event for them.
McComb: People probably don't fully understand how great using ASP is going to be. We know, because we see it when we map out all the versions our customers are using. Users will get caught up in a lot of different software versions if you're not careful. Suddenly a quarter of your customer base is on one version and a quarter is on another version. This happens primarily because upgrading to the latest version means users have to load a disk, run it at night, and stay late. After a long day at the store, the last thing anyone wants to do is stick around for another hour after the pharmacy closes and run some upgrade. So here's an obvious benefit from ASP. We do all that for users in the background and they are always on the latest stuff. Another is tape backups. We do that for our customers as a standard part of the partnership. Maybe the most exciting thing is data updates. Let's talk about pricing. Let's talk about new generic launches. Let's talk about Medi-Span updates and DUR updates. All that can happen as fast as we get the data. Now here's where McKesson takes it a step further. Our goal is to leverage some of our manufacturing relationships, which are many and deep, to make sure that we are working with these manufacturers so that when they launch a new drug we are prepared, we have the data, and it's loaded. The day the new drug shows up on the shelf is the day pharmacists have the pricing and the DUR information they need.
McComb: Let's talk about a software upgrade or update. Maybe we have some new feature functionalities or defect fixes. For these we are going to be doing consistent service packs. We talked earlier about flexibility and the ease with which we can improve upon EnterpriseRx, right now we are averaging a service pack every other month and we'll stay on that course. Six a year is substantial. We think we'll be able to do this mostly at night. The user will come in the morning and they'll go to their home page and there, under the partner news, it will say "You received a service pack last night. Click here for the release notes." We'll tell you what changed in layman's terms. If it is a substantial change, you'll be able to click through to a computer-based training module. You won't have to look around for paperwork or worry about training your staff. Everything will be constantly updated right on the system.
McComb: No. Data updates will happen on a daily basis, if necessary. Updates are made available as soon as we receive them. Some are applied daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the frequency of the data refresh. McKesson's EnterpriseRx customers can get the data they need to provide great care, without lapses or time delays.
McComb: Yes, it is accurate to say that. However, another benefit that comes with EnterpriseRx is that it comes with fully integrated workflow package. So you may take a $10,000 server out of the equation but you may also add an $800 scanner for imaging prescriptions. You might also want to take out some old printers and put in new thermal printers. So, net-net, there's going to be to change and we would recommend that most refresh some of the equipment that they are using. But, yes, the expensive server that sits in a big cabinet and generates a lot of heat and requires maintenance is going to go away. That's pretty nice.
McComb: Right. The peripheral recycle rate will be the same, but you won't be recycling servers. That's where the real savings are.
McComb: Bar-code scanners, monitors, thermal label blasters, image scanners. In fact, I think image scanners are going to be the new peripheral of choice. You want an image scanner that is high quality and high speed. That's an area that's going to be very important.
McComb: Yes. And one of the things that we are talking a lot about is data ownership - whether it is the prescription image, the patient data, the prescriber data, or whatever a pharmacy converts into or inputs into the EnterpriseRx system. All of that data is the pharmacy's data. Our contract clearly states that this is their data. Now we'd like to have reseller rights on that data and pharmacies can participate in those value streams. But it has been an area of concern for the independents and small chains: In a centrally-hosted model, who owns the data? We make no bones about it: The pharmacy owns the data. And should they ever decide to leave MPS or if the pharmacy merges with another entity or whatever happens - it's their data and we're going to make it available to them. I also want to say that their data is going to be carefully protected and fully compliant with all the HIPAA laws when it's on our servers.
McComb: Well, for one thing, there's the ability to work with other Web services. A great example of this is the strategic partnership we've struck with Wolters Kluwer Health. We're very excited about this. Medi-Span is a central part of EnterpriseRx today and when you log on, there's a link on the home page that takes you right to the Medi-Span Web site. That's nice, right? But when you, the pharmacist, are actually on the verification page and you are working on a particular prescription, up in the corner there's a little button for Integrated Facts & Comparisons. If you have a clinical question and you need more information about that particular drug, you click and it takes you not only to the Medi-Span site, but it takes you to the Facts & Comparisons page for that item - right to it. So you're not leafing through a book; you're not clicking on drop down menus; you're not spending minutes trying to figure out where this information is. It's right at your fingertips, right when you need it. This is an example of providing and empowering our pharmacists with the tools they need to provide clinical services and get better outcomes. This is just one example of a benefit of Web-enabled services like EnterpriseRx. CT: Thanks for taking time out for this, Stanton. Any final thoughts?
McComb: Thank you, Will. I would like to add that we think ComputerTalk is a great vehicle for sharing information within the pharmacy community. We learn a lot from your magazine and we appreciate your leadership on important matters. I want to thank you for everything that you and the ComputerTalk team do. It is quite impressive. |
McKesson Pharmacy Systems' (MPS) president Stanton McComb took time during the most recent McKesson Trade Show in Las Vegas to answer a series of questions from ComputerTalk's Will Lockwood about what the centrally-hosted EnterpriseRx pharmacy management product, already deployed in the chain setting, offers for independent pharmacy.
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Pharmacist and owner Jimmy Yuen recently installed dispensing automation at his Advance Medical Pharmacy in Walnut Creek, Calif. In this audio slide show, he talks about the decision process that led him to select Kirby Lester’s new KL60 and his decision to to invite his independent colleagues for a first-hand look at this technology.| Pharmacy System Data Storage: The Case for a Standard |
by Brad Ordener With each passing year healthcare and other industries are becoming more and more reliant on technology. Pharmacy is one industry that is particularly dependent on new innovations to keep up with increasing demand. As this reliance on technology increases some unique problems are emerging that are slowing progress and making it difficult for pharmacy owners to change pharmacy systems. The technological landscape in pharmacy could be improved significantly with ... | |
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| Pharmacy Training On Demand |
 In this interview, pharmacist Jay Lalkiya talks about how he's using
a tool called myPharmacyTrainer to educate his staff at Apalachin
Pharmacy about how to improve store operations and how best to interact
with customers. This tool offers 22 modules that recreate scenarios
commonly encountered by pharmacy staff and employs an interactive,
audio/visual educational approach.
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| Technology Perspectives: Pharmacy and Healthcare Reform |
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In this podcast, McKesson Pharmacy Systems President Stanton McComb
covers a range of topics surrounding pharmacy, technology, and the
current drive for healthcare reform. He offers his take on what new
roles pharmacy may play as a result, the growing role of clinical care
in pharmacy, and what’s on the horizon for technology for the pharmacy
and for the patient. Also part of the discussion: What MTM means for
retail pharmacy right now and what it ...| The 90% Nightmare |
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For the last twelve months, many independent pharmacies have
struggled over the decision of whether to register their pharmacy under the 90% Rule, or invest in an IIAS certified point-of-sale. For one reason or another, many pharmacies opted for the 90%
Rule. It seemed like a logical
choice. No expensive
point-of-sale, no major changes, just a little complicated paperwork and it is
back to business as usual. For some,
this has worked out. For others,
FSA card declines have ...| Boost Front-End Sales with Proper Merchandise Placement |
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Pharmacies already have OTC items in their stores, and with a little
planning and proper placement, those standard items can turn into added sales
at the POS.
| Some More Thoughts on Paperless Pharmacy |
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This letter from Integra CEO Kevin Welch is in response
to the article written by Kapali Eswaran in the September/October 2009 issue of ComputerTalk
regarding "What to Look for in a Paperless System."
| Perspectives on E-Prescribing: Pharmacist and Physician |
Sponsored by Emdeon
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| E-Prescribing: An Update |
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In this interview, eRx Network's VP of Clinical Services, Rick Sage, talks to ComputerTalk senior editor Will Lockwood about where he sees ePrescribing right now and the role companies like eRx play as adoption increases. &... | |
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| Strategies for Managing Prescription Pricing and Patients’ Prescription Costs |
Sponsored by Emdeon
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| Technology and the Pharmacy School Curriculum |
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The mobile technology initiative in | A New Online Resource for Ownership Transition |
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Long-time independent pharmacist Bob Graul has made some big changes and taken a new direction recently. In this interview with ComputerTalk senior editor Will Lockwood, Graul talks about the process of selling his pharmacies and how this motivated him to get involved in his current project: | Reorganizing the Pharmacy: Learning from a Distribution Model |
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| Operating Systems: The Developer’s Perspective |
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| A Nice Side Benefit of IIAS: Easier Giving |
QS/1 user Richard Stryker, of Bayshore Pharmacy in Atlantic Highlands, N.J., anticipates that his IIAS-compliant POS system is going to help his customers help others. Here's how he tells this story.
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| Meeting the FSA Challenge with flexTRAX |
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You're probably aware that as of January 1, 2009 there will be new rules for pharmacies processing payments for items eligible for FSA/HRA spending. If you have a point-of-sale (POS) system, you'll need to make sure it is IIAS compliant and that your system has been certified. If you don't have POS, then you may be looking for another solution. In this interview, Retail Management Solutions President Brad Jones and KeyCentrix ...| Automating Front-End Tasks with POS |
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Managing a pharmacy's front-end can be a time-consuming and complex task. But there are ways to make life easier. In this interview with ComputerTalk's Maggie Lockwood, ECRS President Peter Catoe talks about how the company's Supplier Gateway can connect its Catapult point-of-sale (POS) system with supplier ordering systems to reduce the time spent on ordering, pricing, and other activities.
| Better Marketing: You Can Start Now |
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| Summer Roundup: Technology Support Services on Call |
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In this interview with ComputerTalk's Will Lockwood, DAA VP for business development Abrar Kazmi talks about the company's new OnClickTech Support offering, which offers remote PC support. This is a joint venture with Team 9 Global Serivces, and is something a little different for ...| Summer Roundup: Introducing McKesson EnterpriseRx |
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| Summer Roundup: Automation and the Successful Pharmacy |
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Pharmacist Doug Kaleugher opened Med-Fast Pharmacy 1990. Since then the business has expanded to 22 pharmacies in western Pennsylvania, with a mix of standard prescription services, retail, long-term care, and compounding. In this interview with ComputerTalk's Will Lockwood, Kaleugher talks about the big role dispensing automation has played Med-Fast's growth. He also offers strategies for introducing automation into your pharmacy and his take on the benefits of some of the newest dispensing technology out there.
| Summer Roundup: Investing Wisely in Workflow |
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Dave Burke R.Ph, M.B.A., pictured at left in blue, owner of Dave’s Pharmacy in Marysville, Ohio, took some time out at the recent Cardinal RBC to talk with ComputerTalk's Will Lockwood about his decision to a install a workflow management system and the benefits he has seen. Dave’s Pharmacy fills an average of 400 prescriptions per day, with peaks on some ...| Summer Roundup: How to Tighten Up Your Inventory |
 Jonathan Rider, owner of Rider Pharmacy in Fairmont, W.Va., is a firm believer in perpetual inventory. He took a few minutes at the Cardinal RBC in Orlando, Fla., to talk to ComputerTalk’s Will Lockwood about Cardinal Inventory Management (CIM), how he uses Kirby Lester counting technology to speed through the daily counts that are the basis for this inventory tracking method, and the financial and operational improvements he’s seen.
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| Pharmacy Facing New Compliance Challenges |
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Joe Ross, director of business services at McKesson Pharmacy Systems, talks in this interview with ComputerTalk senior editor Will Lockwood about existing and anticipated regulations that are changing what drug sales pharmacists are required to log. State and Federal regulations that require tracking the sale of non-prescription methamphetamine precursors have contributed to a demonstrable reduction in the illegal use of these drugs. More regulation may be in store, since the FDA is currently considering a behind-the-counter class of ...| Five Questions: The Buzz Around E-Prescribing |
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Here is an overview of the big questions about e-prescribing that
pharmacists were asking Speed Script’s Heath Reynolds during the 109th
NCPA meeting in October. Reynolds, director of business development,
talks here of the nuts and bolts of taking e-prescribing from theory to
practice.
| Outbound Messaging: Expanding Your Phone’s Potential Workflow Role |
| The benefits of automating phone communications are no longer just at the front end of the prescription-filling proces. Pharmacists are now putting their phones to work managing outbound calls that help with such tasks as will-call management and opt-in automatic refill programs. | |
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| Workflow and the LTC Pharmacy |
Pharmacies serving the long-term care market are likely to have special workflow requirements. Read on for vendors' views on the key elements to maximize LTC safety and efficiency. | |
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| What's New: The Latest Workflow Features |
Workflow technology is constantly evolving. Here are some details on the latest enhancements that vendors have added to their offerings. | |
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| Beyond Claims Adjudication: Why to Expect More from Your Switching Service |
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ComputerTalk senior editor Will Lockwood caught up recently with Marc Cohen, senior director of marketing for RelayHealth, to talk about what's happening in the world of claims processing and switching services.
It turns out that there are some interesting new additions being made that build on the transactional expertise and connectivity that are the core elements of these services.
| Differentiating Independent Pharmacy: Natural Health, Loyalty Programs, and a Real Web Presence |
In this interview with ComputerTalk senior editor Will Lockwood, PharmacistsOnLine CEO David Knaggs offers his views on how independent pharmacists can improve their competitiveness by turning their attention to tested marketing tools and to product lines that have not traditionally been a big part their business. | |
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| Pharmacy Viewpoint: McKessons Stanton McComb |
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McKesson Pharmacy Systems (MPS) President Stanton McComb sat down with ComputerTalk
senior editor Will Lockwood at the McKesson Pharmacy Strategies
Conference and Trade Show in Boston in July to talk about recent
changes at MPS resulting from the Per-Se Technologies acquisition, the
newest technology that MPS is offering, and the changes he sees ahead
for retail pharmacy practice.
| Five Questions On: Trends in Technology for the Consultant Pharmacist |
In this interview with ComputerTalk's Maggie Lockwood, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacist’s Carla Sexton, R.Ph., CGP, assistant director, policy and advocacy, along with consultant and ASCP board member Shelly Spiro, R.Ph., FASCP, talk about the ways evolving technologies, from web-based interfaces to the LTC e-prescribing pilot, are impacting the consultant pharmacist. | |
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| Parata RDS On Tour |
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Parata brought its RDS robotics directly to ComputerTalk recently, courtesy of its new mobile unit. The concept was developed over the past year as a way to reach out to busy community pharmacists.
| Trends in Dispensing Automation |
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