The ‘traditional’ community pharmacy setup which blends dispensary and retail is, for the most part, the accepted model for contractors nationwide. However, with the adoption rate of pharmacy robots steadily increasing along with the pressure to deliver more modern services, more pharmacy owners are beginning to re-evaluate their operations.

A great example of this is Cadham Pharmacy in Glenrothes, which has recently re-branded as a health centre. Described as ‘the face of community pharmacy for the 21st century’, Cadham has placed automation –and the operational efficiencies it delivers –at the heart of its strategy. The project represents the first time a Scottish community pharmacy has undergone such a radical transformation, and Positive Solutions are incredibly proud to have been chosen as a key supplier.

 

Improving pharmacy efficiency through automation

State-of-the-art and super-efficient, the design of Cadham Pharmacy Health Centre is focused around two robots, brought in to streamline the dispensing process, thereby maximising the time pharmacists can spend on offering additional services to patients. To accommodate both robots, the bold decision was made to remove the pharmacy’s retail area and instead offer OTC products through digital, touch-screen inventories and automated order fulfilment.

 

Choosing the right pharmacy IT systems

The new dispensing format and the lack of a ‘front of shop’ made choosing the right pharmacy IT systems all the more crucial. Pharmacy owner Bernadette Brown implemented a number of key solutions from the Positive Solutions range. This included implementing Analyst IPS – the industry’s only fully integrated pharmacy system, combining PMR and EPoS technology to provide pharmacists with a complete overview of their pharmacy performance and individual patient requirements. To ensure a seamless connection between Analyst IPS and the two on site robots, Analyst Automation software was also deployed, while Positive Solutions’ wholesaler agnostic OrderManager software now enables the team at Cadham to reduce the time and costs associated with the ordering process and place greater focus on delivering an unrivalled patient experience.

Through the innovative use of technology Cadham Pharmacy Health Centre has made great strides in delivering the patient experience of the future.

 

The full story of Cadham Pharmacy’s relaunch as a health centre –with technology at its core- can be found in Volume Nine, Issue Three of the Scottish Pharmacist