Medication Synchronization, or Med sync, is gaining popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Patients love it because of the convenience factor; fewer trips to the pharmacy will do that for you. Pharmacists love it because it increases adherence and adds predictability to their business. But there are some med sync benefits out there you don’t often hear about.
Med Sync Benefits You’ve Probably Never Considered
First, a little Med Sync 101: Medication synchronization is a program that allows patients to pick up all their prescription refills on the same day each month. It reduces trips to the pharmacy for the patient while also facilitating better pharmacist/patient relationships. It also has a positive effect on medication adherence in patients enrolled in the program.
Those med sync benefits are obvious. But what about the less obvious ones?
Benefit #1: More Opportunities for Patient Care
Thanks to the streamlined operations afforded by their med sync program, Mark’s Pharmacy in Cambridge, Nebraska was able to free up one (out of three) full-time pharmacists to focus solely on patient care. Imagine what kind of care you could provide to your patients if you had a pharmacist whose sole tasks were things like immunizations and medication therapy management? It would be a game-changer.
Benefit #2: Added Fills for Added Revenue
When Randol Mill Pharmacy in Arlington, TX began putting their patients into a med sync program, they expected it would help patients stay more adherent to their medication plans. What they didn’t expect was how much profitability they would add to their business. The pharmacists at Randol Mill saw 2 to 3 additional fills per prescription annually for every patient enrolled in med sync. With a little basic math, it’s easy to see how med sync can add revenue to your pharmacy.
Benefit #3: More Efficient Deliveries
To help their home-bound patients (and give them an edge over some of the bigger chain drugstores), many independent pharmacies offer free deliveries for their patients. But when certain patients are receiving a dozen or more prescriptions every month, delivering them all as they are due can add up quickly. If your delivery patients are on a med sync program, they will get one delivery per month instead of several. Med sync can help delivery patients keep a better handle on their medication plan while also saving you valuable time and money making those deliveries.
Benefit #4: Reduced Inventory on the Shelf
In a business as ever-changing as the pharmacy industry, a little predictability goes a long way. When you know exactly when patients will be coming in to refill certain prescriptions, you can change the way you order medications. Reducing the amount of inventory you have to keep on the shelf puts dollars back in your pocket.
Benefit #5: Better, Targeted Patient Consultations
Because of med sync’s monthly schedule, you know exactly when your patients are going to be in front of you. This gives you the opportunity to review their patient history on that date and determine if they could benefit from additional services like immunizations or other clinical care opportunities. It also gives you the opportunity to put eyes on every patient’s medication plan and give it a thorough review before they come in.
Benefit #6: Fewer Calls & Interruptions
When a substantial number of your patients are enrolled in med sync, you spend less time during your day answering the phone. Some of the pharmacies we talked to have seen a 20% or more reduction in calls to the pharmacy during business hours. When fewer patients and physician’s office staff are calling about refills, you can spend more time actually filling prescriptions and working with patients. Think about it — how much more could you get done with an extra uninterrupted hour every day?
Medication synchronization is a low-risk, high-return investment for your pharmacy. It has been proven to improve medication adherence in patients and increase profitability in pharmacies. That’s why we include it as a basic tenet of the New Era Pharmacy. Implementing a med sync program shows that you are putting patient needs and patient care first — just as it should be.