5 Must-Haves for Pharmacies Looking to Increase Adherence
Medication adherence

5 Must-Haves for Pharmacies Looking to Increase Adherence

Posted on Sep 26, 2023

Medication adherence is important, not just for your patients, but for your pharmacy as well. When medications are taken as prescribed, patients can manage chronic conditions and achieve optimal health outcomes. Plus, every time a prescription is refilled, it means recurring revenue for your store.  On the other hand, when patients aren’t compliant, they’re not only putting their health at risk, but it can negatively impact your store’s quality scores, reimbursement rates and overall profitability as well. Fortunately, there are multiple tools available in your pharmacy software that can help patients stay on track. To help, we’ve put together a list of 5 must-haves for pharmacies looking to increase adherence:  

MedSync

BestRx’s software includes a convenient Medication Synchronization (MedSync) feature as part of its Standard and Premium tiers. It enables pharmacies to quickly calculate short fills and sync multiple medications for a patient to the same fill date. This saves the patient from making multiple trips to the pharmacy and allows your staff to work more efficiently too. In fact, studies have shown that MedSync programs average 2-3 additional refills per participating patient each year. While that may not sound like a lot, it adds up quickly and can have a significant financial impact for your store.

Unit/Multi-Dose Packaging

Unit/Multi-Dose packaging makes it easier for patients to remember when to take their medications. This is especially helpful for elderly patients and anyone on multiple prescriptions. Instead of handing the patient several individual prescription bottles, the prescriptions are dispensed together in single-use packets, based on the time they should be taken. 

Medication Counseling

Talking to patients about their medications has also been proven to be an effective way to increase medication adherence. Offering Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services are a great way to provide vital prescription information to patients and gain additional revenue for your store. During an MTM appointment, you can review how prescriptions should be taken, any side effects that may occur and how to manage them. Plus, you’ll be able to answer any questions the patient may have. That way, you can proactively address any concerns or potential treatment barriers right from the start.

Patient Outreach Programs + Reminders

BestRx also offers multiple integrations with third-party vendors that can provide your patients with additional support, including:

      • Peer-to-patient outreach programs, where certified personnel check in on patients who are starting certain medications for chronic conditions. That way, they can offer resources and other support that may be needed.
      • An integrated care management platform. The platform allows pharmacies to easily identify when patients start to fall off track with their medications. It also provides follow up recommendations for your pharmacy staff as well.
      • BestRx’s Messaging Interface, which helps pharmacies stay on top of patient outreach as well. This includes sending electronic reminders when scripts are due to be refilled or are ready for pickup. 
Delivery Options

Sometimes, patients may not have forgotten about a prescription, but are having trouble physically making it into your store instead. That’s why it’s important to offer alternate ways patients can obtain their medications. By providing prescription and OTC deliveries, you can ensure if patients are non-adherent, it isn’t because of a lack of access. Using BestRx’s Delivery App, it’s easy for your store manage your deliveries, too!

Medication adherence will continue to be a top priority for the entire health system, including pharmacies. It plays a critical role in maintaining the health and wellbeing of patients and can have a big impact on the success of your pharmacy as well. Afterall, it factors into your pharmacy’s quality scores, which can impact your reimbursement rates. This will become increasingly important as pharmacies prepare for changes with DIR fees in 2024 and beyond, so it’s important to take action now. Request a free demo to learn all the ways BestRx can help increase medication adherence for your pharmacy.