Retail pharmacies are the foundation of accessible medical care. As vital parts of a successful health care system, owners must use modern technologies to ensure patients receive the proper medications. Automation offers a powerful solution, but the hefty upfront expense can be a barrier. Explore five companies that help retail pharmacies save on automation costs.
The Importance Of Automation In Retail Pharmacies
Automation is changing the pharmaceutical landscape, offering transformative benefits for employees and clients. It simplifies several processes, such as distributing, sorting, packaging and counting medications. Software or devices operate on a set of rules, which can help maximize resources. Here’s why automation is essential in retail pharmacies.
Improved Accuracy
Many medication errors occur within pharmacy premises. They are a pervasive problem, with 50% of all mistakes occurring when a drug is prescribed or ordered. Such issues can cause significant repercussions and complications in affected patients. Pharmacy automation is essential to keep small problems from getting bigger.
Cost Savings and Efficiency
Automated systems can dramatically reduce manual labor so pharmacists and other health care staff can focus on providing quality patient care. For instance, a central fill technology system has a smaller footprint than traditional ones, making the workflow more efficient and helping you save on costs.
Inventory Management Optimization
Inventory is the heart of a pharmaceutical business. This is especially true for people who operate multiple retail locations and need a seamless, centralized system to ensure all medications are provided on time. Without available drugs, you can’t help patients, which may lead to loss of revenue and trust.
Automation systems and devices can keep track of available medications, post real-time updates and reduce stock redundancies, ensuring you provide the best possible care for your patients.
More Storage Space
More space means more real estate costs. Automated systems help decrease your operational space dramatically, which translates into bigger savings. Automation is essential in any pharmacy because it makes room for more supplies.
Limited space enables you to create a secure channel storage, which is particularly important in hospital, central fill and community pharmacies that handle prepackaged medications. Retrieval systems with dispensing robots can free up floor space, giving pharmacists ample room to do their work efficiently.
Labor Cost Reduction
Automated systems can refocus and redistribute pharmacy staff from tedious, low-value tasks to valuable activities. A seamless operational process allows you to hand over repetitive work to technology, which is especially useful during peak times or when the pharmacy is short-staffed.
Work-life balance improves when pharmacists and technicians have more time to spend on high-value tasks. This can help boost their productivity, lower operating costs and increase profit margins.
Criteria For Inclusion
Just because a company offers retail pharmacy automation services doesn’t mean they provide cost-effective solutions. The following factors were considered in determining the top companies offering automation services to retail pharmacies.
- Cost savings: All companies demonstrably reduce labor and inventory management costs. Many offer quantifiable metrics, such as return on investment (ROI), to support their claims.
- Innovation: All organizations offer various automation technologies and services relevant to retail pharmacies.
- Reputation: The list only includes companies with a solid track record of successful implementations in various pharmacies.
- Features: Factors like scalability and technologies used were considered. Solutions must leverage advanced systems.
A Quick Comparison Of Companies That Help Retail Pharmacies Save On Automation Costs
Here’s a quick summary of the top companies offering reliable automation solutions that can help you cut costs.
| Company | Flagship Product | Key Features |
| Capsa Healthcare | Central Fill Automation System |
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| ScriptPro | Central Fill Module and Mail Order |
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| Parata Systems | Central Fill |
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| Noritsu Pharmacy Automation | Automated Verification System |
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| Yuyama | Automatic Vial-Filling Machine |
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Learn more about these companies, their offerings and key features before choosing your automation solutions supplier.
Capsa Healthcare
Capsa Healthcare is an industry leader in central fill pharmacy automation. Its customized and proven efficient solutions make it one of the best companies for helping retail pharmacies save on automation costs. Its central fill automation system stands out among the company’s wide range of offerings. This purpose-built technology dramatically reduces full-time equivalent employee (FTE) requirements, ensures top-notch system uptime and maximizes scripts-per-square-foot efficiency.
The company also has a central fill ROI calculator where you can enter scripts per shift, work hours, operational days per month and dispensing percentage to determine your ROI. You can also add general logistics salary, pharmacist salary and real estate costs to get more tailored results. If you want more details about how much you can save with this advanced system, a Capsa expert can provide a detailed ROI breakdown. Visit the website and get in touch with the customer service team.
Central fill automation system key features:
- 3.55 scripts per square foot vs. 1-15 industry norm
- Automate up to 80% of unit-of-use dispensing and 90% of oral solids dispensing
- Minimize FTE requirements by at least 50%
- Eight times the capacity of standard dispensing cassettes
- Requires two to three daily replenishments
Other popular products:
- KL1Plus Verification + Counting System: This multifunctional tool combines the simplicity of a KL1 tablet counter with computerized scan-verification capabilities to ensure each prescription has been filled successfully. It’s ideal for retail pharmacies and hospital outpatient pharmacies.
- scripClip® Automated Pharmacy Will Call System: This automated solution guides pharmacists and technicians to quickly locate the prescription for the right patient, helping save time and avoid confusion. With LED-powered hanging Rx bags, the system successfully guides a professional in preparation, storage, retrieval and return-to-stock.
ScriptPro
ScriptPro provides various financial, operational and clinical solutions for pharmacies. Its mission is to maximize your pharmacy’s efficiency through customizable and highly accurate robotic solutions. It offers the Central Fill Module and Mail Order, which centralize prescription filling options to improve efficiencies and flexible service options. Its strengths lie in its powerful workflow automation and reporting capabilities, making it suitable for small and high-volume operations.
Prescriptions are collected into a single order before being released to production for fulfillment. Order printouts include a scannable barcode, making the entire process more seamless. Additionally, it has reporting capabilities with over 100 configurable reports. There is also an optional scalable tote-handling conveyor system that can be customized to match your company’s footprint and throughput expectations.
Central fill module and mail order key features:
- Integrates with ScriptPro Pharmacy Management System and non-ScriptPro software systems
- Combines multiple prescriptions into one order before release to production
- Integrates with shipping carriers for seamless delivery to patients’ homes
- Provides real-time status updates to the originating pharmacy for accurate tracking
Other popular products:
- Adherence packaging solution: Consider this service if you want another cost-effective solution. ScriptPro’s 100- and 400-cassette pouch packaging services allow you to create a 30-day, multimedication plan quickly and easily with 99.8% accuracy.
- SP 100: This robotic prescription dispensing system can collate, label and fill up to 150 vials per hour. It dispenses medications into standard pharmacy vials, with a count accuracy of 99.7%.
Parata Systems
Parata Systems empowers pharmacy and nutraceutical facilities by providing automation solutions. Its notable clients include Beth Israel Lahey Health, Maury Regional Medical Center and Thrive Pharmacy Solutions. It’s one of the few companies that offer comprehensive technology services, including inventory management, workflow adjustments and central fill. Its centralized filling pharmacy system helps reduce costs and streamline workflows, allowing staff to focus on high-impact tasks.
The company takes a consultative approach to suggest personalized solutions. When talking to a representative, expect to have plenty of in-depth conversations centered on your needs, gaps, goals and long-term growth strategies. The team will need a deeper understanding of how your scripts journey through your pharmacy and whether you need to use conveyor belts and other technologies to improve operational efficiency.
Central fill key features:
- Improved accuracy with automation and patient safety
- Enhanced operations
- Reduces the dispensing hassle and overall costs
- Lesser room for medication errors
Other popular products:
- HD Stock™ Carousel Large: This high-density carousel shelving solution provides compact storage and easy medication access. It helps reduce the space required to organize your inventory, and the independently rotating shelves allow simultaneous access for multiple pharmacists.
- Pivot® for PASS Software Platform: This software platform enhances batch routing, manages inventory and leverages global reporting across multiple packagers, giving you powerful insights into your operations and inventory.
Noritsu Pharmacy Automation
Noritsu Pharmacy Automation has been a reliable partner of many pharmaceutical facilities for over 40 years. It has extensive knowledge of automated, customized solutions, providing services that are built to last and perform consistently, so you save more money in the long run. The company has extremely reliable hardware and software that are compatible with almost everything in the industry.
One of its best offerings is the automated verification system solution. The NV PRO provides high-speed detection so your staff can spend less time handling pouches and manually counting pills. It uses patented technology to visually check each pouch using high-speed cameras, ensuring the medications reach the right patients. The company also offers built-in winding and unwinding capabilities for pouch rolls.
Automated verification system key features:
- Combines verification, rolling and sorting in one unit, which can be an affordable option if you don’t have a budget yet for a central fill automated solution
- Fast and reliable verification
- Detailed follow-up and reporting
- Reduced touch rate
Other popular products:
- NX400: This packaging device is designed around your workflow. Its predictive software provides operators with the most efficient time to add tray stock or cassettes for a seamless workflow.
- NB200: The NB200 blister packing machine helps streamline your blister card production, packaging and verification processes and can hold up to 200 hot-swappable medication cartridges.
Yuyama
Yuyama, founded in 1964 in Osaka, Japan, offers extensive solutions for retail pharmacies to enhance packaging and vial filling. It’s the largest pharmacy automation firm globally and the first to launch an automated prescription filling machine. Yuyama has several branches in the U.S. and offers top-notch solutions like the EV-180UC fully automatic vial-filling machine.
This machine features 180 adjustable universal cassettes, making it easy for staff to adapt to sudden manufacturer or brand-to-generic changes. Pharmacists or technicians can customize the printing format based on patients’ needs, improving adherence. They can also operate and check prescriptions from the touch screen. Whenever they want to see the history of dispensed drugs, drug codes and other details, the machine will display the needed information and create a data file via CSV or printout.
Automatic vial-filling machine key features:
- 180 universal-type canisters
- Can finish 90 medical prescriptions per hour, with 30 pills per medical prescription
- Easy-to-follow printer label replenishment
- Drug imaging station
Other popular products:
- Proud NEO 266/304: This device is ideal for mid- to large-scale health care sites. Features include automated tablet packaging, accurate printing and valuable add-ons like variable cassettes and a lid lock function.
- TabSight-S: This machine has automatic drug identification, tablet verification and high-speed checking capabilities.
Key Features To Look For In Pharmacy Automation Solutions
These five companies offer reliable solutions, but how would you identify the ideal one for your pharmaceutical business? Consider the following factors:
- Scalability: Choose a company that understands and helps you achieve your long-term goals. Adaptability to trends and modern solutions ensures your company remains competitive.
- Cost transparency: The ideal partner company must have clear pricing models and detailed ROI analyses. For instance, Capsa Healthcare has an online calculator that can estimate ROI and savings.
- User-friendliness: Easy-to-use and intuitive machines can help speed up processes in your pharmacy, significantly improving staff adoption and efficiency.
Streamline Your Pharmacy Operations
In this day and age, automation is a necessity for retail pharmacies. It helps lighten the load of your staff, reduce medication errors and ensure patients get their medications on time. Take your first step toward a more automated future and contact these companies today.
