The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on how the healthcare industry operates. Hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other medical facilities have been changing their daily operations and business models to address unique challenges at a speed never before seen in modern life.
As cases skyrocketed, facilities had to adapt quickly with limited resources, and pharmacies had to find their own ways to navigate the pandemic. Despite early predictions that the pandemic would be brought under control quickly, it’s now clear that the battle will continue for quite some time. Read on to find out about four benefits of pharmacy packaging automation that can help pharmacists adjust to the new normal.
1. Make it Easier to Maintain Social Distancing
Many patients are hesitant to make multiple trips to pharmacies every month, given that the coronavirus continues to circulate freely in most communities. Pharmacists can use medication packaging systems to accommodate patients who want to maintain social distancing by combining all of their medications in one larger pickup.
Automated medication packaging equipment also benefits pharmacists who want to maintain safe distances in their workplaces by eliminating the need for multiple pharmacists to confine themselves to the same areas. Though most municipalities no longer have specific social distancing or stay-at-home orders in place, the CDC continues to recommend following physical distancing guidelines. Employers can do their part by giving pharmacists access to the tools required to maintain adequate distances from their coworkers.
2. Increase Operational Efficiency
Automated packaging solutions allow pharmacies to improve operational efficiency, making it easier to make up for reduced revenues and high operating costs resulting from the pandemic. Customers like pre-packaged multi-dose medication pouches. Making the switch to automated multi-dose pouch packaging has been shown to attract up to 10 new customers per month, helping pharmacies generate income even during difficult times.
3. Reduce Problems With Medication Non-Adherence
Medication non-adherence is a serious problem in the United States, where nearly one quarter of the population takes three or more pharmaceutical medications per day. In the early days of the pandemic, patients struggled more with medication non-adherence as a result of pharmacy closures and avoidance of care.
These days, many instances of medication non-adherence stem from confusion over doses or forgetting to pick up medications rather than a lack of access. Implementing an automated multi-dose pouch packaging system allows pharmacists to tackle these ongoing problems, providing more convenience for patients and improving medication adherence.
4. Enable a Low-Contact Pharmacy Environment
Contactless operations are essential to reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Automated medication packaging machines make it easier to enable a low-contact environment by allowing for automatic medication verification. They also dispense medications far more quickly than the average human pharmacist.
Automating medication dispensing doesn’t just help to reduce non-distanced interactions between pharmacy staff members. It also ensures that customers can get the medications they need quickly without having to wait around in the pharmacy for any longer than necessary. Many are even eligible for contactless home deliveries, which are also easier to manage using automated systems.
Keep Up With the Times
Pharmacies, like all healthcare organizations, need to keep up with changing times. The pandemic has driven the adoption of new technologies and social guidelines at record speeds, and there has never been a better time to invest in automated medication dispensing systems. Contact a reputable vendor for more information today.