“Product thought leadership” is the theme of a comprehensive solution to a seamless workflow from PrimeRx. Here Ketan Mehta, CEO, talks to ComputerTalk’s Maggie Lockwood about how the company is invoking this thought process in its PrimeRx system to improve pharmacy operations.
ComputerTalk: One area we noticed with your product thought leadership was the two-way SMS (short message/messaging service) communication. Would you elaborate on the importance of this?
Ketan Mehta: Happy to elaborate on this topic. The importance of two-way SMS communications between pharmacies and their patients, especially in the context of value-based care, cannot be overstated. In today’s healthcare landscape, pharmacists have never had a more prominent role in patient healthcare; where patient engagement, outcomes, and cost-efficiency are paramount, leveraging technology like two-way SMS can be a game-changer for any pharmacy.
PrimeRx offers patient engagement solutions to enhance the value-based care provided by pharmacies nationwide to their patients. Value-based care relies on active patient participation in their healthcare journey. Two-way SMS enables pharmacies to engage patients in real time, encouraging them to take an active role in their medication adherence, treatment plans, and overall wellness.
Patients are more likely to follow through with their care plans when they feel connected and engaged. With two-way SMS, pharmacies can send timely medication reminders, refill notices, and dosage instructions, while patients can respond with questions. This bidirectional communication can significantly improve adherence rates.
Patients can use two-way SMS to report side effects, allergies, or other issues with their medication.
In my opinion, two-way SMS communicat- ions bridge the gap between pharmacies and their patients, creating a collaborative, patient-centric approach that is essential in the value-based care era. It not only improves medication adherence, outcomes, and cost-efficiency, but also fosters a sense of trust and partnership between pharmacies and patients. For PrimeRx, integrating two-way SMS capabilities is a much-needed strategic move to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare profession and enhance patient care.
Read a White Paper from PrimeRx | 5 Pharmacy Pain Points And How To Minimize Them
CT: The real-time prescription benefit feature you offer looks like it would be something pharmacists would have a great deal of interest in. Tell us more about this.
Mehta: Absolutely. Pharmacy owners encounter several challenges in their daily operations, and Surescripts Real-Time Prescription Benefit integration can be a game-changer in addressing these issues. One of the foremost frustrations pharmacy owners face is the sheer volume of administrative work required in verifying patients’ insurance coverage and medication formulary information.
It’s a time-consuming process that diverts staff from providing direct patient care. And when patients learn that their prescribed medications aren’t covered by their insurance or are too costly, they might choose to abandon their prescriptions. This not only impacts patient health but also results in lost revenue for pharmacies.
Finally, without access to real-time benefits and pricing information, pharmacy owners may struggle to provide patients with accurate cost estimates. This lack of transparency can lead to unexpected costs for patients, which in turn can negatively affect their experience at the pharmacy.
In summary, the Surescripts Real-Time Prescription Benefit service is a powerful tool that can alleviate the frustrations pharmacy owners face by streamlining administrative processes, reducing prescription abandonment, and offering price transparency. This service empowers pharmacy owners to realize their goals of running efficient, patient-centered operations, improving medication adherence, and cultivating a loyal customer base.
CT: I see where you address 340B management. Give us the details on this.
Mehta: I recognize that 340B pharmacies face several unique challenges, and our software management solutions are designed to address these issues effectively. Here are the top challenges and how our pharmacy software can help:
340B program regulations are intricate and subject to frequent changes. Maintaining compliance is a constant challenge for 340B pharmacies, as noncompliance can result in serious consequences, including financial penalties.
Balancing inventory levels to ensure an adequate supply of medications for eligible patients while minimizing waste and managing drug shortages can be a daunting task. Inaccurate inventory management can lead to financial losses and reduced patient care quality.
The 340B program necessitates meticulous record-keeping and reporting.
PrimeRx software has been designed to solve 340B management challenges by offering solutions such as automated compliance checks and alerts to ensure that pharmacies are meeting program requirements. This reduces the risk of noncompliance and the associated penalties. Our software also includes inventory management features that help 340B pharmacies optimize their medication inventory.
It provides real-time data on medication usage, expiration dates, and order recommendations. This minimizes waste, lowers costs, and ensures that eligible patients receive their medications.
We simplify the auditing and reporting process as well. This generates detailed reports, tracks medication dispensing history, and maintains accurate records of 340B program activities. We reduce administrative work and minimize the risk of errors during audits.
In summary, 340B pharmacies face a set of unique challenges related to compliance, eligibility determination, auditing, inventory management, data reporting, payer complexities, manufacturer restrictions, and more.
Addressing these challenges necessitates a profound grasp of 340B program regulations, and PrimeRx is uniquely positioned to meet this need.
CT: Your vision is that a pharmacy that delivers value-based care has an advantage. How does this influence your software design?
Mehta: I believe pharmacy software design can significantly influence the movement of value-based care in several ways, such as enhancing patient outcomes, reducing costs, and improving overall healthcare quality.
Our focus on enhancing value-based care through software design is centered on a few key principles.
First, we prioritize patient-centered features, such as medication management and adherence tools, to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time.
Second, we emphasize interoperability, enabling seamless data exchange among healthcare providers, which promotes care coordination. We also invest in data analytics and reporting functionalities, ensuring our software supports the measurement of outcomes and quality, vital for value-based care success.
Finally, we maintain a strong commitment to staying up-to-date with evolving healthcare regulations and trends, enabling our developers to align our software with the latest requirements of value-based care models.
CT: Anything else you would like to add?
Mehta: In today‘s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, technology is not merely a tool but the driving force behind transformative change. The shift toward value-based care models demands innovation, and it‘s technology that paves the way for more efficient, patient-centered, and cost-effective healthcare.
The power of technology lies in its ability to enhance care coordination, facilitate data-driven decision-making, and enable a patient-centric approach. Our commitment as a pharmacy software company is to continuously innovate, offering solutions that support the transition to value-based care.
Through collaboration, adaptability, and a forward-thinking mindset, we‘re enabling pharmacies to not only thrive in this new healthcare paradigm but to become leaders in shaping it. Embracing the potential of technology is not a choice; it‘s a necessity for a healthier, more patient-focused future. Together, we‘re making it happen. CT