When considering benefits of a centralized pharmacy fulfillment solution, speed is often one of the first factors that a customer asks about. Meeting prescription promise times is crucial for pharmacies and could be one of the reasons an organization is looking into a new solution. The faster the better, right? But what is speed and how important is it in pharmacy automation?
Speed is “the rate at which something is able to move or operate.” By that definition the average passenger vehicle can operate at a top speed of 100-125 miles per hour. But how often do we utilize that full capacity? Not often, and that’s because speed is only one of many variables impacting the goal of reaching our destination. Other variables impacting our trip include our desire to arrive safely, maximize gas mileage, limit engine wear and tear, and to arrive without interacting with a law enforcement officer. The time of day and traffic also greatly impact the speed at which we can travel.
The pharmacy fulfillment cycle
Just as in our vehicle example, when it comes to pharmacy fulfillment, speed is only one of many variables affecting output. When considering a pharmacy fulfillment solution, it is important to look beyond just speed, considering the entire time to fill across the full pharmacy fulfillment footprint. Specific tasks can be performed at a specific speed, but some workstations may work at a slower pace than the speed of the fulfillment solution, perhaps due to a specific treatment or therapy requiring more time. In addition to speed, other considerations include efficiency, safety, and of course accuracy. Fully considering each of these variables allows the pharmacy fulfillment solution to be designed to optimize efficiencies holistically, instead of focusing only on speed.
The impact of speed in pharmacy fulfillment
Looking only at the speed of a pharmacy fulfillment system can sometimes cause confusion when comparing solutions. At iA we partner with customers, working together to identify and capture all the tasks that impact overall fulfillment metrics. Our goal is to understand the specific needs of the client, factoring in the number of prescriptions filled, bottles processed, and other important variables that may impact overall throughput. Tasks that impact the speed metric include the overall ability of the software to prioritize the workflow and maximize performance in concert with the pharmacy automation equipment being used to sort, fill and dispense prescriptions.
We have found that target fulfillment is the best metric to focus on, and speed is just one of many elements in the final equation. Reviewing the entire pharmacy fulfillment solution from a holistic perspective gets us to that important metric.
Insight into speed and performance
iA’s pharmacy fulfillment solution provides robust fulfillment analytics around process and workflow, allowing for ongoing data-driven process improvement. The platform is designed for intelligent prescription fulfillment, delivering the high level of insight that pharmacies need to understand how their fulfillment metrics affect overall performance. As we’ve learned, speed is just one of many metrics to be measured.
Taking the next step toward pharmacy fulfillment
Ready to learn more about how iA’s pharmacy fulfillment solution can positively impact your pharmacy? Let us help you analyze the big picture, designing a customized pharmacy fulfillment solution that helps you reach your goals, unleashing the full potential of your pharmacy.
Reach out at iARx.com/contact-us.