Improving Operational Performance for Your Independent Pharmacy
It has been very apparent over the last year that the independent pharmacy is at a crossroads. The evolution of the pharmacy continues to move and twist in ways to meet the demands for new services and programs as things change on the fly. We have now been several months deep in the pandemic of the coronavirus and that has largely had an impact on the current landscape of the independent pharmacy. The industry has been hit hard and the only way to succeed is to grow and shape into what the demands continue to be.
Universal problems across the board include the inability to hire more staff due to financial constraints which in turn affects burnout, quality control, compliance concerns, and it all impacts service levels. Additionally, increased overtime becomes more costly. Staff demands appear to be at an all-time high. If this sounds like your independent pharmacy, perhaps there are some areas of consideration to monitor before you lose another employee or go broke hiring more. Check these out.
Evaluate The Workflow
Your independent pharmacy’s workflow needs to adapt as the landscape changes. Has it been reevaluated recently? If not, it is likely time to filter through these guiding questions to better understand any holes or areas of improvement in your workflow.
- Note when the last time your pharmacy’s workflow was last assessed and/or updated.
- What new initiatives is your independent pharmacy not supporting or planning to implement?
- Has a new initiative impacted the staff’s ability to be more directly involved with patient care activities?
- Have any new initiatives impacted existing operations’ capacity to meet your existing service levels with regard to providing timely medication order processing?
- Do you have special projects on the horizon that may consume pharmacy time?
- Has your independent pharmacy’s emergency plan been updated recently? Is your staff equipped to understand and follow it?
- How would your staff and service levels fare amid another pandemic?
- Are you having any difficulty retaining or recruiting employees? If your turnover is high, can you pinpoint the root cause?
- Do you have infrastructure or technology upgrades on the horizon that could impact time and quality control?
- Are there new programs or new services you would like to implement but are held back due to staffing restrictions?
Evaluate Multiple Pharmacy Workflow and Operational Models
It is true, one size does not fit all when it comes to independent pharmacy workflows and operational models. Reviewing your service levels and the ability to support programs during limited availability is crucial. Consider times such as after-hours and weekend coverage, holidays, sick leave, vacations, peak-volume hours, and implementation of technology projects.
Next, examine what your existing staff could accomplish during these periods if supplement resources were available. You could create a business case for new models by estimating the cost savings and revenue opportunities that could be realized through the execution of this plan. If you can take on additional programs, reduce readmission rates, and implement new retail strategies, it could be worth it. By weighing out the pros and cons of such operational models, you could find the ability to rake in more revenue.
You may also find some help by reaching out to peers and research models that you might not have considered yet. For example, are there off-site opportunities to lift the burden off your staff so they could focus their time more wisely? You might find flexibility and customization in off-site resource models that you might not have otherwise found possible to achieve.
Final Thoughts
What is certain during these times is that nothing is certain. Independent pharmacies across the nation are at a crossroads with how they will maintain success and move forward into more uncertainty. There are ways to evaluate your workflow to ensure you are at optimum capacity without total burnout. With multiple approaches to your workflow, it will likely take some time and effort to work out the kinks. You may also find other models that you can learn and derive ideas from in order to create a more balanced workflow. It may even come down to off-site strategies in order to create the perfect model for your independent pharmacy.