Is a Meds-to-Beds bedside discharge program on your to-do list for 2019? For many organizations, implementing Meds-to-Beds will be high on the priority list this year as they strive to reduce re-admittance rates, increase patient compliance and satisfaction, and even boost outpatient pharmacy sales.

For many years, our EvolutionPOS and our EvolutionPOSV2 tablet have set the stage for Meds-to-Beds programs in organizations across the country. We've been happy to be able to help with so many different Meds-to-Beds Implementations.

But we've also learned that every implementation comes with its own unique set of challenges. Every organization operates just a little differently and for some, there are barriers to Meds-to-Beds implementation that might be a little bit difficult to surpass.

How many times have you walked out of a store because you couldn't find anyone to assist you? I can think of at least a few. So can most people. Depending on how desperate the need is, if a customer can't find help with something, it's easier to go somewhere else. And there are plenty of options for customers to choose from these days.

We know that locally owned independent and independent chain pharmacies have always had service that's a cut above the rest. You know your customers and your community, which gives you a competitive edge. But as more big retailers zero in on the importance of the customer experience, the bar gets higher and higher.

Making sure that your customers have the help they need when they need it now goes beyond having a well-staffed front counter. Service must go beyond that barrier to provide assistance where and when customers have questions. Having an employees available in the retail areas of your store to meet this need can play an important role in the continued success of your pharmacy.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

Last week we took a look back at the very beginning of the mobile trend in pharmacy point-of-sale. And many of our regular blog readers thought "So what?". If you aren't operating an outpatient pharmacy, how does all that really apply if you aren't trying to run a meds-to-beds program?

As we learned very early on with the release of our EvolutionPOS register, mobile technology didn't just solve a big problem for outpatient pharmacies. It also filled gaps for independent and independent chain pharmacies across the country. In fact, independent pharmacies were some of the first customers to implement mobile technology, taking "cutting edge technology" to a whole new level.

Over the years, we've seen RMS customers use EvolutionPOS and the EvolutionPOSV2 Tablet in many different ways. Here are some of our favorite uses for mobile technology in a retail landscape.

In 2011, pharmacy point-of-sale looked a bit different. There were lots of different options for software functionality, but the general footprint for all systems was pretty much the same. PC, monitor, receipt printer, barcode scanner, signature pad, cash drawer, fingerprint reader and maybe a customer display thrown in. If you wanted to shrink down the footprint or do something different, an all in one system was used to eliminate some of the hardware needs.

New Years is generally a time of resolutions and fresh starts. A time for stifling bad habits and creating better ones. It's a really nice concept but we also know that wiping the slate clean isn't reality. And would we really want to even if we could? 

Hopefully in the last year, you saw some successes and positive changes in your pharmacy business. But you might have also hit a few hurdles, had a few false starts or even hit a brick wall or two. And that's okay. Those failures (and successes) are all just history and that it's time to learn from and use as you move forward. 

So how do you put together the ideas you have for the future and all of your business history to create a cohesive business plan for 2019 filled with achievable goals? It's not a simple question but you might be surprised at just how simple finding the answers can be with the right point-of-sale data.

It's been a busy year at RMS. As we round out our 20th year in business, we look back at a great list of enhancements, new integrations and added functionalities. Not to mention a growing family of team members that we are incredibly happy to be working with. While too much happened to fit into any one blog post, here's a quick recap of some of our 2018 highlights.

Do you ever have days where you just don't want to leave the house? I mean most of the time we have to for one thing or another. Work, after school activities, going to the grocery store. But some days, I'll try almost anything I can think of to avoid an extra trip out the door.

If you've ever felt this way then you've already started to make the case for home delivery. No matter what reason a customer might have for not wanting, or not being able, to make the trip to the pharmacy, the convenience offered by home delivery just can't be beat.

But for pharmacies, delivery does offer its own set of challenges. How do you log signatures, track payments, and make it easy for drivers? And what do you do when cell coverage is nowhere to be found in your delivery area? Paper logs aren't ideal but a full mobile till doesn't really fit the bill either.

Yes, you read that title right. We're closing in on the last few weeks of 2018. Well 3 weeks and some change, but we'll round down to allow for at least a few days where we'll hopefully all be munching on cookies and celebrating the season.

And yes, I really do mean that there are a few extra things you can get done before the year end. But don't worry, they won't cut into time set aside for attending holiday parties or spending time with family.