http://www.chaindrugreview.com/front-page/newsbreaks/rx-service-where-pharmacies-can-improve
Everyone is considered by wait times… satisfaction surveys are based on average wait times… Once again Indys came out on top overall..
Is this a opportunity to educate/train pts how they can get quicker service WITHIN YOUR SYSTEM…
How many have approached patients that come in with half-dozen bottles to be refilled and “will wait”… with the volume that we do today.. that is so 60’s a idea of service… while nothing will produce 100% compliance but any increase will be a time efficient benefit. Ask them to call in, use IVR, or if they insist on dropping off their bottles to be prepared for a 24 hr wait to pick them up. There is no reason that someone with refills can’t anticipate when they have a couple days supply left. They don’t have to pick them up until they run out.. if that is what they are waiting for.
Should be marking their bag NO REFILLS when one or more have no refills and ask them to request refills Mon-Thur.. so that you have time to contact the prescriber and have their refills ready as soon as possible.. after 3-4 months… you no longer give “3 days emergency supply” to compensate for the pt’s laziness/forgetfulness… a point to promote auto refills for the pts. Saving all sorts of time… double filling Rxs..
If a patient gets a routine controlled substance… ask them to give you a call for whatever time it takes you to get the product on the shelf… allowing you to maintain a lower level of inventory and less chance of throwing the pt into withdrawal.
Overall, this should allow you to give more time/better service to those pts that need them… allows you to focus more on new waiting rxs.. lowering the waiting time… improving customer satisfaction level…
Or you can continue business as usual.. and keep trying to meet the expectation(s) that the patients develop on their own… which may or may not mesh with what your Rx dept is capable of meeting. In the end.. if the patients want more prompt service – less waiting time – they have to be part of the solution… not just contributing to the problem.
Filed under: General Problems
More realistic expectations = less wait time. I wish I could ask customers if we can just put any old drug in a bottle or would they prefer the correct medication? Grrrrr……