6 Quick Tips for Smooth Pharmacy Operations

We do a lot of things preemptively. We go to the doctor for a checkup before we’re sick. Clean the kitchen counters even when we can’t see any bacteria. Buy laundry detergent before we completely run out. (Okay, sometimes.) We all have a careful system of checks and balances to make sure that our life doesn’t turn into complete chaos.

You likely have a similar system in place in your pharmacy. Tasks that you complete on a regular basis without really thinking about them. They keep your business running smoothly and minimize any unexpected issues.

But even the best routines can have gaps that leave you dealing with unexpected problems. Here are a few things you can add into your routine to keep your pharmacy running smoothly.

Supplies – Have you ever had to reorder receipt paper, statement envelopes or other supplies in a panic because you didn’t realize you were running low? Put yourself on a schedule to check supplies of these important items. And it doesn’t hurt to have more on hand than you think you might need. Receipt paper and statement envelopes don’t really have an expiration date, so save yourself on shipping and order in bulk.

Gift & Loyalty Cards – Custom store branded gift and loyalty cards aren’t something that can be shipped the day you order them. Make sure you’re checking in on supplies regularly to make sure you won’t run out before you can get more on order.

Backups – As part of your disaster recovery plan, you should be performing nightly backups to ensure that you can recover important historical data for your pharmacy if needed. Check to make sure that these backups are running as expected on a regular basis.

Point-of-Sale Hardware- Your point-of-sale PC’s and peripheral hardware work hard. And although it’s tempting to let them keep running until they can’t run anymore, putting your hardware on a refresh cycle can help you to avoid unexpected outages. It also allows you to plan for the expense rather than getting hit by it out of the blue.

Battery Backups- Test your battery backups at least monthly to make sure that they are still functioning. They’ll allow you to properly shut down your systems and avoid data loss in the event of a power outage.

What do you think? What things do you do on a regular basis that helps your pharmacy to avoid speed bumps and road blocks? Share below!