Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1469191
There's no doubt that the primary role of a pharmacist is the compounding and dispensing of prescription drugs. However, as government regulations change, the concept of "clinical pharmacies" is gaining traction across Canada, allowing pharmacists to contribute to our health with a whole portfolio of services including immunization clinics, emergency contraceptives and medication management. In order to provide these additional services, pharmacists need to adopt technology solutions to drive efficiency in their workflows. Technologies also exist to help patients manage their health more efficiently when it comes to prescriptions. While digital health solutions have traditionally connected healthcare providers, the focus is shifting to extending connectivity between patients and their primary care team – which today includes pharmacists. Patient digital tools create a win-win situation. Online and mobile tools like PharmaConnect ™ give patients the ability to actively manage the prescriptions of all family members – even pets – from one account. Rather than calling or going to the pharmacy and waiting for prescriptions to be prepared, patients can submit refill requests and new prescriptions from their mobile device or online and pick them up when they're ready — all with just a few taps or clicks of the mouse. By empowering patients with this capability, pharmacists can spend more one-on-one time with patients, asking questions about how the prescriptions are being tolerated and understanding any new issues or concerns. Barry Manuel has been the owner and head pharmacist of St-Albans PharmaChoice for four years, serving the needs of the community in St. Albans, Newfoundland. Patient-centric pharmacies How to improve patient engagement and your bottom line. The pandemic drove massive growth in e-commerce, 1 with consumers looking for new ways to connect with brands and service providers. For pharmacies, integrated applications such as PharmaConnect let patients and caregivers order medications and refills remotely, in addition to booking their appointment online. PharmaConnect also supports medication compliance by sending reminders and information to patients via text, email or in-app notifications.