There are over 5,000 “community pharmacies in Australia”, each of them supplying customers with the vital medications and healthcare they need. But with the unpredictable nature of the medical sphere, pharmacies must be able to access and manage customer information, process orders quickly and securely, and ensure the safety and accuracy of patient records.
In the past, pharmacists were able to conduct their work without the need for technological tools. Nowadays, that is not the case. Information technology (IT) solutions can help pharmacies maximise their efficiency while upholding the ethical standards laid out by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA). With robust computer systems and technologies powering your pharmacy, you will be able to overcome challenges and ensure your operations run smoothly.
1. Better communication
For pharmacies, communication is key to exceptional customer service and seamless processes. Without it, pharmacists may struggle staying in touch with their team members and other medical professionals. Not only can this set the operations of Australian pharmacists back, but it could also be detrimental to the health of customers.
Robust communication technologies, such as unified communications platforms, can ensure pharmacies are easily contactable by customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. With these IT solutions deployed and maintained by an experienced IT support provider, pharmacists will have an easier time building a rapport with their team, resulting in seamless information flows and organisational trust.
2. Increased customer satisfaction
Sickly patients expect fast service, and relying on pen and paper (or legacy technologies) provides the opposite. Technology can help pharmacies quickly process orders, monitor stock, pinpoint information within the system, and more, in a timely manner. All business owners understand the value of speed. The longer it takes you or your staff to respond to customers, the more frustrated people will become.
An innovative computer network comprised of the latest IT/pharmaceutical hardware and software can provide Australian pharmacies with the resources to gather and leverage data and information to tailor services to meet the needs of individual customers. This can help pharmacies to build customer loyalty, increase customer satisfaction, and respond to any health support request.
3. Ensure accuracy
Information accuracy is vital when running a pharmacy. Acting upon the wrong data could have serious ramifications for pharmacies and patients, as the wrong medication could be dispensed or an improper dose could be given. There are various IT solutions available that Australian pharmacies can use to stay on top of their operations. These include pharmacy management systems, electronic prescriptions, telehealth, and more.
By using technology to store and organise patient information and stock, along with enabling automation services for inventory management, pharmacy owners and their employees will be able to reduce instances of human error while satisfying business requirements.
As a bonus, IT support services that specialise in the pharmaceutical industry can provide you with technical support specialists that can administer onsite and remote support to monitor and maintain the tools that uphold the aforementioned technologies – you can feel confident knowing that your network will not fall behind and generate inaccuracies.
4. Stronger cyber security
Cybercriminals target pharmacies just like any other business, and it is imperative that you implement robust cyber security tools to protect your pharmacy’s computer hardware, software systems, and sensitive information. The security of patient data is essential for any pharmacy. IT solutions and best practices equip pharmacies with protective digital layers to mitigate the likelihood of threat actors breaching their IT infrastructures.
These security measures may include:
- Data encryption
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Data backups
- Security awareness training
- Security patches
With the tools and practices above, pharmacies can ensure that they remain compliant and that patient data is stored securely. A security IT support provider can help pharmacists set up and maintain security measures for optimal protection. And when pharmacists have the best security tools and practices to protect their network from potential cyber-attacks, they can spend their energy and resources on offering their customers personalised experiences and exceptional service.
5. Cost savings
Cost savings are a direct result of enhanced efficiency. With technology allowing pharmacists to distribute workloads across employees and IT solutions, Australian pharmacies’ everyday processes can become more streamlined with higher degrees of accuracy.
Not only can this hasten smaller, time-consuming procedures, but it can also allow your employees to prioritise patients and improve your pharmacy’s competitive edge. At the same time, any information that your network has routinely collected can be used to make informed decisions that can optimise any aspect of your pharmacy, making it more cost-efficient and profitable.
Managed services and IT support for Australian pharmacies
The use of technology in Australian pharmacies is becoming increasingly important in order for individual businesses to stay competitive in the market. Technology can help pharmacies become more efficient and provide better customer service. But IT tools are not inherently foolproof, and in the chance that something goes wrong, your level of service will decline until systems return to normal. To avoid this, you ought to invest in comprehensive IT support.
Muscatech’s IT support specialists can supply pharmacies with the tools and resources they need to reinvigorate their processes, improve data security, and increase their revenue. From providing ongoing technical support to configuring IT infrastructures to ensure they can support the needs of your pharmacy, Muscatech’s high-level IT support services are cost-effective and ready to take you and your business to new heights. Contact Muscatech today and upgrade your technology for the future.
