Physicians and other healthcare providers stand to benefit from physician dispensing as a means to improve revenue and patient care, increase patient convenience, and improve a practice’s overall reputation within the community.
What is Medication Prepackaging?
Prepackaged medication providers are pharmaceutical companies that specialize in the individualized repackaging of prescription medication from wholesale sources, such as major pharmaceutical plants. These companies repackage prescription medication in smaller, manageable, and individualized doses as per their client’s needs and orders, or to fit a general patient profile.
Prepackaged medication providers follow the FDA’s guidelines on the prepackaging of prescription drugs and other pharmaceutical items, which means using a sterile, state-of-the-art environment to repackage drugs in sealed containers, blister packs, and other forms of packaging that preserve the medication just as well, or better than the original packaging. Among other things, this means accounting for biological contaminants, pollutants, oxygen exposure, UV exposure, moisture, and more.
The Benefits of Prepackaged Medication
The main benefit of prepackaged medication is that it allows healthcare providers to order sensible and personalized dosages for their patients.
Rather than provide a patient with a blister pack of 25 pills or a bottle with 100, prepackaged medication providers allow you to control your patient’s intake by providing them with a weekly or biweekly dose in simple, accurately labeled packaging, including information such as your patient’s name, basic instructions for taking their medication, and the name and dosage of the medication itself.
Medication prepackaging providers work in tandem with physicians and healthcare providers to supply patients with safe prepackaged medication.
Why You Should Work with Prepackaged Medication Providers
Prepackaged medication has one major selling point: individual simplicity. Prepackaged medication is sold either on a unit dose basis, or a unit-of-use basis, meaning a single order of pills either corresponds to a single dose needed for treatment, or the dosage needed for a full course of therapy – no more, and no less. This means no leftover pills, and it often means patients will have an easier time sorting through and determining which pill to take when.
Price is also an important selling point. For medication that is only sold in larger packages, which may be unaffordable to some of your patients, professionally repackaged medication becomes an affordable alternative by minimizing the amount owed to a smaller, more immediate dose, and faster relief.
Simplicity in packaging and patient information also helps reduce the potential for medication non-adherence, which can come in the form of abuse, misuse, overuse, or refusal to take medication.
There are many reasons for medication non-adherence, not all of which can be addressed simply through physician dispensing or repackaged medication. However, many of the reasons for medication non-adherence – such as patient confusion, unclear instructions, poor doctor-patient relationship, and even the financial cost associated with a larger, original dose of medication – can be partially or wholly addressed through an improved direct dispensing program, and individualized prepackaged medication.
Repackaging and prepackaging medication is functionally identical. Prepackaged medication refers to medication that has been repackaged and prepared for doctors and physicians to order and store for patient use. Repackaging medication involves buying medication directly from a wholesale provider and repackaging it for individual use.
Prepackaging, Physician Dispensing, and Medication Adherence
In-office dispensing, point-of-care dispensing, or physician dispensing all refer to the practice of holding and selling medication to patients within the comfort of your own office.
Physician dispensing is not a very straightforward process – in most states that allow physician dispensing, healthcare providers need to personally contact their respective Board of Pharmacies and request the necessary license and will need to take into account regulatory practices meant to ensure that all inventories are stored securely and safely, and that all patient records regarding the use, sale, and distribution of medication are properly handled.
However, when implemented correctly, physician dispensing can provide a massive boon to a private practice’s reputation and revenue alike, improving patient care and satisfaction by providing an alternative to local big box pharmacies and smaller pharmacies alike, while reducing medication nonadherence through the steady availability of alternative sources of medication, and prepackaged medication, often slashing prices and improving the portability and usability of a patient’s medication.
Finding the Right Prepackaging Partner for You
The key to implementing and utilizing prepackaged medication in your practice or hospital is the right partner. Prepackaged medication is a sensitive business – you want a partner that prioritizes quality, utilizes the latest and best in prepackaging equipment, and helps you implement physician dispensing in your practice.
Here at Proficient Rx, we provide prepackaged medication and much, much more. Our prepackaged medication facilities are NABP accredited, and licensed by the FDA, the DEA, and separate State Boards of Pharmacy.
Our physician dispensing program helps clients implement physician dispensing within days via an encrypted, easy-to-use online portal, helping clients keep track of their inventory, place new orders, print labels, and manage key patient information, all within HIPAA guidelines. Keeping clean records and a meticulous digital paper trail is crucial, as well – which is why we offer both digital and hard copies of every order and shipment, as you prefer. Each of our products comes directly from first-party generic and branded manufacturers – no middlemen, and no questions about quality or effectiveness.
Proficient Rx has no order minimums, and no predatory contracts. You can get started with us today, establish your account, and give physician dispensing a try without any long-term commitments or hefty usage fees.