In office medication dispensing, also known as point-of-care medication dispensing, is not a new concept. In fact, it’s been around since at least the early 1980s, is legal in 44 states, and yet it continues to be greatly misunderstood.
Here are three misconceptions we hear all too often, and the truth behind each.
Myth #1: Patient medication costs increase.
Doctors are accused of over-charging for medications, when in fact, partnering with a reputable point-of-care solutions provider allows physicians to offer medications at a price less than or equal to that of a pharmacy, or what a patient’s co-pay would be through their insurance. This is possible through an array of very affordable, highly effective generic medications.
Additionally, states monitor how much physicians are charging patients for medications through a fee schedule that is monitored and amended regularly and are aligned with reimbursement rules that apply to pharmacies so costs to the patients are not inflated.
Myth #2: There is an increased risk for medication errors.
An automated medication dispensing solution actually minimizes the possibility of medication errors with features such as:
- Formulary creation and monitoring
- Automated inventory calculation
- Prepackaged medications from an FDA & DEA-approved facility
- User-friendly dispensing software ensures dispensing compliancy and efficiency
- Easy-to-understand patient medication labels
- D.U.R. (Drug Utilization Review) to decrease adverse effects of interactions of drug use
Myth #3: We don’t have office space or enough staff to manage the process.
Some healthcare providers are apprehensive to bring medication dispensing services in house because they don’t think they have enough space to store drug inventories, or they think they need to hire additional staff to help manage the process.
On the contrary. Point-of-care physician dispensing doesn’t require much additional space and because of high tech software, the process is automated, which means you do not need to hire additional staff.
Are you considering adding in office medication dispensing in your practice? Contact us today and we’ll help you customize a dispensing solution that works best for your practice.