Pharmacy distributors are essential for the survival of physician dispensing practices and play a large role in healthcare systems across the nation. There are many advantages to collaborating with pharmacy distributors, especially if you administer prescription drugs within your practice. Here’s what you need to know about pharmaceutical distribution and how it impacts your medical practice.
What are Pharmaceutical Repackagers?
Pharmaceutical repackagers bridge the gap between medication manufacturers and patients. They ensure that drugs reach pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. A distributor works with manufacturers to source medications, store them in distribution centers, and get them to healthcare providers as ordered.
Pharmaceutical repackagers handle a wide range of products, including the following:
- Prescription drugs
- Over-the-counter medications
- Vaccines
- Medical supplies
Many distributors provide additional services, such as inventory management and compliance support. The goal is to help frontline providers get medications into the hands of those who need them.
The medication supply chain has become more complex than ever due to the implementation of strict medication tracing requirements. The United States has stringent rules that apply to many prescription drugs.
Manufacturers, pharmaceutical repackagers, and other members of the supply chain must work together to achieve package-level traceability of drugs that fall under certain requirements.
Pharmaceutical repackagers play a key role in this process. Their tools and support help other members of the supply chain maintain compliance with traceability rules.
How Does Pharmacy Distribution Work?
To fully unpack the question, “What are pharmaceutical repackagers?” it’s important to outline ‘[how they fit into the medication supply chain. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown.
1. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
The medication supply chain begins with the pharmaceutical manufacturers. They develop and produce medications in accordance with strict regulatory guidelines. These manufacturers invest heavily in research and development to create safe and effective drugs. Once a medication is approved by regulatory bodies such as the FDA, it enters production.
Manufacturers are obligated to follow good manufacturing practices to ensure that their products are safe and meet consistent quality standards. Once a manufacturer produces medications, it will label and package them according to industry standards. They will then prepare the drugs for distribution.
Packages must include dosage instructions, batch numbers, expiration dates, and other relevant information.
2. Wholesale Distribution
Wholesale distributors serve as intermediaries between manufacturers and healthcare providers. They purchase large quantities of medications from pharmaceutical companies and store them in distribution centers that are dispersed across the supply chain.
Distributors maintain extensive inventories to ensure that important medications are readily available while reducing the risk of shortages.
Like manufacturers, distributors are obligated to follow storage, handling, and tracing requirements. They are also responsible for ensuring that medications are stored within the appropriate temperature ranges to prevent spoilage or damage.
Effective wholesale distribution pathways are one of the most critical parts of pharmacy supply chain safety and efficiency.
3. Order Processing and Fulfillment
Repackagers process medication orders that they receive from pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare providers. Order processing involves the following steps:
- Checking inventory levels
- Verifying prescription order details
- Documenting package-level information for tracing
- Shipping the medication in a timely manner
A thorough order review process ensures that healthcare organizations receive the appropriate order. Many pharmaceutical repackagers use automated systems to update their inventory levels and review orders.
These systems reduce the risk of human error and provide an accelerated fulfillment process. Faster, more accurate fulfillment gets medications into the hands of patients in a timely manner.
4. Transportation & Delivery
After a distributor processes an order, it will coordinate with its network of carriers for transportation and delivery. During the delivery process, medications must be kept in a controlled environment. This is especially important when dealing with controlled substances or biologics that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Distributors rely on a combination of ground, air, and oceanic vessels to get medications where they need to be. The last mile stage of delivery represents one of the most complex and costly aspects of medication delivery. This refers to the final step in the process when a distributor moves a parcel to the pharmacy or healthcare provider.
5. Inventory Monitoring & Compliance
Pharmacies are responsible for managing their inventories to ensure compliance. They must also maintain adequate levels of prescription drugs, medical injection kits, and other essential supplies to meet patient needs.
Inventory monitoring involves tracking stock levels, expiration dates, and product recalls. Advanced inventory management systems automate many of these processes to help distributors maintain adequate inventory levels and prevent shortages.
Compliance with regulations such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) is essential for maintaining the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Distributors must also implement measures to prevent counterfeit medications from making their way into the supply chain.
6. Final Delivery to Patients
Traditionally, final delivery to patients occurs via a pharmacy. While this model is the most prevalent option for delivering medications to patients, it is not the optimal approach. The in-office dispensing model is gaining traction among providers due to the benefits it provides.
In-office dispensing offers providers better oversight into the care journey and an opportunity to deliver patient education. Providers can also use the in-office dispensing model to create an additional revenue stream, which can promote long-term practice growth.
Explore how doctor dispensing works and how this pharmaceutical model can benefit your practice.
Streamlined Medication Supply Chain
The Supply chain is just as important in pharmaceuticals as it is in any other industry. Efficient medication distribution ensures patient outcomes remain stable and positive. From a supply chain perspective, pharmacy distributors simplify medication procurement and maintain strict quality control standards.
Streamlining medication supply chains, which is the primary goal of all pharmacy wholesale distributors, reduces delays and improves medication availability. When it comes to patient outcomes and internal medication management systems, pharmacy distributors have a positive impact.
Wide Range of Medication Options
There are more diverse medication selections offered by pharmaceutical distributors. These wholesale distributors give you more access to prescription medications overall, no matter what specialty you practice in.
Finding specialized medications can be tough, especially for solo or in-network providers. Your practice can benefit immensely from access to hard-to-find medications — pharmacy distributors make it easy and convenient.
When you order from pharmacy distributors, they can customize your medication inventory to suit your practice needs. This means you don’t have to worry about the supply chain side of things; pharmacy distributors have it covered.
Cost Savings with Prepackaged Medication
Cost-effective medication is a big problem in the healthcare system today. Purchasing from prepackaged pharmaceutical distributors, allows you to leverage your purchasing power.
Many pharmacy distributors accept negotiations for medication pricing. This means your costs aren’t always fixed at the market price. Instead, you can get the medication your patients need at lower costs with ease.
It’s important to minimize the financial burden on health systems everywhere. Doing so leads to lower costs for patients and increased profits for long-term care private practices. Ordering from pharmacy distributors can help you achieve this financial goal.
Regulatory Compliance and Product Authenticity
Regulations and FDA compliance are very important for prescription drugs. Pricing is a different facet of pharmaceutical distribution, and compliance is much more important. Pharmaceutical distributors ensure compliance with all medication sourcing regulations so you never have to worry about violations.
Wholesale distributors also guarantee the authenticity and quality of the medications you receive. Your practice’s reputation is on the line, as is your entire career. Don’t sacrifice your professional endeavors by falling victim to counterfeit medications. Instead, allow pharmaceutical distributors to take care of the FDA compliance and quality control side of things for you.
Counterfeit medications put patient safety and the legal status of your practice at risk. You may even lose your license over medication errors involving fake or diluted prescription drugs. Purchasing medications from reputable pharmacy distributors helps you avoid these problems. In turn, you can improve your patient outcomes, one prescription at a time.
Efficient Inventory Management
Pharmacy distributors have efficient and effective inventory tracking systems. As a result, your practice never has to worry about painstakingly managing medication inventory again. Distributors have the time and resources to lower expiry and pharmaceutical wastage through efficient management procedures.
Wholesale distributors in the pharmaceutical industry also offer real-time inventory updates for optimal medication control. That way, you always know what you have on hand and what you need in your next order.
Focus on Patient Care
Pharmacy distributors want to offload medication procurement tasks for physicians. You have enough on your plate as a professional. Let pharma companies do the heavy lifting for you so you can focus on what really matters: optimal patient care procedures.
You’ll have more time for patient consultations and direct care and management when you don’t have to manage your medication inventory. You can simply place your orders as needed and take advantage of convenient distribution services. With real-time inventory updates and automated supply chain processes, you’ll never have to stress about medication management again.
Efficient dispensing practices will enhance your patient care and take the load off of your shoulders as a provider. Pharmaceutical distributors make physician dispensing a lot easier and more cost-effective in the long run.
Rapid Restocking and Refill Processes
When you need a restock, you can’t always wait around for new shipments. Wholesale pharmacy distributors have quick turnaround times for medication restocking. As a result, you’ll always have the pharmaceuticals your patients need on hand.
Medication availability is important for ongoing patient care. Ensuring that you always have the proper pharma availability lets you manage your patient care better than ever before. Returning patients increases your practice’s revenue and promotes your reputation as a physician and individual practice.
Another benefit of the fast refill process is that you experience reductions in disruptions in the physician dispensing process. Dispensing medication can become easy and convenient, thanks to the tools provided by pharmacy distributors.
Enhanced Practice Efficiency
Your practice relies on efficiency to keep things running smoothly and provide optimal patient care. Whether you’re ordering generic drugs or need specialized medications from pharmaceutical wholesalers, distributors have what you need. They can alleviate the administrative burden of medication ordering and inventory management.
Integrated ordering systems connect trusted pharmaceutical distributors with patients’ electronic medical records (EMRs) for enhanced accuracy and safety. Many pharmaceutical products require you to use an integrated approach to patient care. This is exactly what pharmaceutical wholesalers can offer your practice.
If you want a smooth workflow and plenty of time savings as a physician, partnering with pharmaceutical wholesalers is your best bet. Accreditation doesn’t come easy in the retail pharmacy industry, and wholesale distributors must meet strict requirements as well. You can trust that your practice will flow better with the support of specialty pharmacy distributors.
Comprehensive Support and Services
Pharmaceutical wholesalers offer customer support and management. When something goes astray, you have the Board of Pharmacy and distribution centers behind you. You may need access to full-line customer support quickly, and that’s one of the advantages of working with pharmaceutical wholesalers.
Customer support services within pharmaceutical distribution companies take care of returns, recalls, and medication exchanges. This is an easy process for you as a provider — all you have to do is submit the relevant information, and you’re good to go.
Logistics & Distribution
An experienced pharmacy distribution partner will assist with supply chain logistics. They help you access the inventory necessary to support the needs of your patients while also promoting overall efficiency. This means minimizing the risk of overstocking or understocking so that you can keep your inventory levels in line with current demand.
Cold Chain Management
Some medications, such as biologics and vaccines, require temperature-controlled shipping and storage. Pharmaceutical repackagers manage this process efficiently while implementing safeguards that reduce the risk of unacceptable temperature variations. Even brief variations in temperature can spoil entire shipments of pharmaceuticals, rendering them unsafe.
Technology & Automation
Leading pharmaceutical repackagers use the latest automation tools and technology to promote efficiency and cost savings. These solutions assist with everything from tracking shipments to managing orders.
Now that we’ve unpacked the question, “What are pharmaceutical repackagers?” It’s time to find the right distribution partner for your organization. Proficient Rx offers distribution services to promote efficiency and compliance while enhancing the patient care experience. Contact us to learn how we can support your business.
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Pharmacy distribution centers are designed to make your practice better and enhance your experience as a provider. You can leverage your physician dispensing success by partnering with pharmacy distributors regularly.
Distribution centers for prescription drugs empower healthcare practices everywhere. Make your supply chain and medication management practices more efficient with pharmacy distribution services. Contact Proficient RX today to learn more information!