MAXIMISING YOUR EXISTING TECHNOLOGY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ADMIN WORK AND STREAMLINE THE ENTIRE OPERATION


This approach ensures the most complex and urgent prescriptions are tackled early, reducing bottlenecks later. For example, polypharmacy scripts may take 10–15 minutes, compared to 2–3 minutes for a 1–2 item script. Processing them earlier prevents delays and keeps the team ahead.


Even if your PMR does not support this kind of batching natively, consider how you might mimic it manually or adapt custom logic to prioritise based on likely patient arrival and workload.


2. Lack of Coordination and Communication The problem: Pharmacy teams often fall into the habit of everyone doing their ‘usual’ job - until someone is off sick or a task is overlooked. This lack of structure can lead to duplicated effort, missed prescriptions or confusion about who is doing what.


What works better: Appointing a daily dispensary lead helps align the team. This lead, be it a dispenser, ACT, or pharmacist - runs a five-minute huddle each morning to assign tasks, flag priorities and set the pace for the day.


Some teams elevate this with a Kanban board showing tasks in columns like: • To Do • In Progress • Done


Tasks such as managing owings, stock ordering, CD checks, or prescription batching are assigned to individuals using colour-coded notes. This visual system brings clarity and reduces duplication. It also helps team members see when someone is overwhelmed and redistribute tasks accordingly. What starts as a simple board becomes a powerful tool for ownership, accountability and a calmer work environment.


3. Underutilisation of PMR Systems The problem: Many pharmacies are only scratching the surface of what their PMR systems can do. Despite paying for premium features, teams often stick with basic functions due to lack of training or awareness.


What works better: Proactively re-engage with your PMR provider. In many cases, we have seen


teams move toward paperless systems, saving countless hours. Others used barcode scanning to improve dispensing accuracy and track items through the workflow.


One standout example: A pharmacy discovered their PMR could automatically flag unchanged repeat prescriptions that had already been clinically checked. This prevented unnecessary pharmacist intervention and freed up time for more meaningful tasks.


Three questions to ask your PMR provider: • Are we using all available features? • Have there been updates or new integrations? • Is our current system still the right fit for our evolving needs?


Maximising your existing technology can significantly reduce admin work and streamline the entire operation.


4. Owings – A Persistent Pain Point The problem: Owings double the workload, they require split dispensing, double handling, multiple patient contacts and rework across the board. They also cause frustration for patients and staff alike.


What works better: The best-performing pharmacies analysed their PMR data to understand the root causes of owings. While some were due to genuine medicine shortages, many stemmed from preventable issues - such as inconsistent ordering, delayed stock checks or under-forecasting.


Solutions included: • Predictive ordering based on high-demand items


• Clear ownership of the owings process - from tracking to patient contact


• Regular stock reviews to identify recurring gaps


The results were fewer disruptions, improved patient trust and a noticeable lift in team morale.


A pharmacy went from chaos to control with a kanban board. A powerful tool for accountability and ownership.


5. Manual Stock Ordering The problem: Manual stock ordering, often done by pharmacists, requires checking multiple wholesalers, cross-referencing prices and avoiding over-tariff purchases. It is time- consuming, inconsistent and places the burden on your most qualified clinical professional.


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