The leading goal for any physician is to help patient outcomes improve. This can mean offering the latest and most cutting-edge treatments and medications to provide the highest standard of care you can. Once a patient leaves your consulting room, however, ensuring that they adhere to their treatments can be much more difficult.
One of the challenges that physicians face is that patients don’t always get their medications right after they’re prescribed. A delay in treatment can result in worsening patient outcomes, so finding a way to ensure those in your care receive their medications immediately after the consult is important.
That’s why physician dispensing impacts patient outcomes so dramatically in many cases. In-office dispensing allows providers to help patients fill their prescriptions right after their consultation. Take a closer look at why this option is so vital.
Medication Adherence
Medications can save lives, but only if patients take them as prescribed. This is a problem that medication dispensing can help effectively solve.
Increased Adherence Through Convenience
Patients who have to go to another location to fill their prescriptions may be more likely to delay the process. They might have mobility issues or unreliable transportation, or they may just not have time in their day to make two stops. By allowing them to quickly get their prescriptions on-site, physician dispensing helps them to conveniently begin their treatment.
Reduction in Delays and Missed Doses
When patients have to go to another location to receive their prescription drugs, they may miss doses. This can be a serious issue for those facing heart conditions or even those who need antibiotics for an infection. A delay in medication can mean a longer treatment period. When patients can quickly get their medications after their appointment, though, that’s not an issue.
Adherence Improvement
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota shows that physician dispensing increased medication adherence to 91.7%. For comparison, the national average of adherence is 70%, so there was a significant boost when physicians became involved in the process.
Treatment Efficacy
Another way that in-office physician dispensing impacts patient outcomes is by improving how effective treatments actually are.
Faster Treatment Initiation
When patients are able to get their medications at a doctor’s office, they tend to begin treatment right away. Healthcare providers, too, can encourage them to take their first dose right there in the office, if appropriate, helping them avoid delays in care.
Better Symptom Management and Recovery
Physician dispensing can also help speed up the recovery process and avoid worsening symptoms. When a patient is able to take the prescribed medications promptly, they can start getting the immediate benefits of the treatment. This means that their symptoms may not escalate to the point of needing emergency care, and the recovery process can be much faster.
Consistency in Follow-Up Care
When physicians know that patients are actively participating in achieving better health outcomes by complying with treatment, providing follow-up care can be simplified. For example, a patient who has an infection and receives antibiotics at the office will likely take them as prescribed, potentially leading to fewer complications later.
The doctor can schedule a follow-up session when treatment finishes and make adjustments as needed. That can’t happen if they’re not sure the patient actually began the antibiotics, however.
This means that dispensing physicians can monitor patients better and make necessary adjustments to treatments when they know patient compliance isn’t a problem.
Patient Safety and Medication Understanding
Another vital way that physician dispensing impacts patient care is by improving safety.
Direct Communication With the Physician
When patients are able to get their prescription medications at the office, they can ask their doctor any questions they have. For instance, they may not be certain of the dosage or whether to take the drug with food, which could lead them to not take the medications at all or to do so incorrectly. Both of those scenarios could be dangerous.
In-office drug dispensing also allows physicians to address drug interaction worries. Patients may forget to write down the medications they’re taking on their medical history forms, but getting their prescriptions filled there at the office provides another opportunity for them to address this.
Additionally, doctors also have a chance to explain whether there are side effects to watch for with in-office dispensing. By providing real-time medication education, doctors help improve patient knowledge, which in turn can help with adherence.
Improved Compliance Through Personalized Instructions
Patients may not understand exactly how much of the dosage they need or how often they need to take their medications, and this confusion can make non-compliance more likely. Physician practices that offer medication dispensing can give patients an opportunity to get personalized instructions.
If they take other medications, for example, the doctor can instruct them on when to add the new medication regimen. If they have co-occurring health issues, providers can also offer information on whether the medication can impact the other condition. By offering more guidance, patients can feel empowered and may be more likely to stick to treatment.
Reduction in Medication Errors
Medication errors can impact both patient satisfaction and safety. Pharmacy dispensing means at least one other person is involved in the process of filling a prescription, which can add more opportunities for human errors. A pharmacy tech might mistake one drug for another, or they may give a patient a stronger dosage than needed. All of these errors can be serious.
By offering point-of-care dispensing, doctors can reduce the chances of such mistakes occurring. They can be present to double-check labeling and dosages and address any potential issues immediately.
Patient Satisfaction and Experience
In-office dispensing practices not only help improve patient health, but they can also make the experience of receiving care a much more positive one.
Enhanced Patient Experience
Going to a medical appointment takes time out of someone’s day. Asking them to make a second stop to fill their prescriptions can make the entire experience more frustrating. If a patient can get everything they need at the physician’s office, though, they may be more likely to walk away with a positive view of the care they received.
Convenience and Trust
A patient who sees that their doctor cares about ensuring they can quickly get the treatment they need may be more willing to trust them. This higher trust can translate into better patient adherence to treatments.
In-office dispensing helps patients feel more involved in their healthcare because they have the chance to ask questions and voice concerns. If they know that their doctor will answer their worries immediately and before they even begin treatment, they can feel more confident in their health outcome.
Improved Outcomes Through a Positive Care Experience
Patient satisfaction plays a key role in whether they adhere to treatment. If they feel listened to and they know their doctor will consider their concerns when prescribing treatments, patients may be more likely to keep up with a medication regimen.
Long-Term Health Outcomes
In-office drug prescribing and dispensing doesn’t just help patients through the current health issue they’re facing. It also helps them obtain more positive long-term health results.
Preventing Complications and Hospital Readmissions
Patients with chronic conditions who delay filling their prescriptions can quickly experience serious health deterioration. That could mean needing to be admitted to the hospital, which can hike up healthcare costs and make the recovery process much longer.
Sustained Health Improvements
Patients who receive their medication right at their doctor’s office can adhere to treatment consistently. This is essential for those who have chronic health concerns. Any gaps in medical care may allow symptoms to worsen and lead to complications.
Primary care providers who ensure that patients with chronic illnesses quickly receive their medications can increase positive long-term health outcomes by preventing those gaps.
Case Studies or Data Supporting Outcome Improvements
One study on how physician dispensing impacts long-term health outcomes looked at 7,392 practices in England. Of these practices, 13.7% offered dispensing services, and the rates of adherence and positive long-term health outcomes were better in these practices than those that didn’t dispense. This was especially the case for people in the study who suffered from high blood pressure.
Implement Physician Dispensing in Your Practice
One of the most important determinants of a patient’s health outcome is whether they adhere to treatment. Needing to get their prescriptions filled at a pharmacy could delay the process of getting medical care. By offering in-office dispensing, physicians can ensure that their patients follow the prescribed drug therapy by making the process of filling prescriptions easier.
Not only do patients not need to travel to another location with this option, but they can receive information directly from their doctor as they get their medications. This increases safety by reducing medication errors and boosts patient confidence in the medical care they’re receiving.
In-office physician dispensing impacts long-term health outcomes, and it allows physicians to make a significant difference in how patients view the entire healthcare system.
When considering physician dispensing companies, turn to Proficient Rx. We offer streamlined dispensing solutions that can rapidly get your practice offering these vital services. To learn more about how doctor dispensing works and what a difference it can make in your practice, contact our team today.