Dispensing orthopedic medicine in-house can improve your practice in a variety of ways; here’s how.

Dispensing medication at the point of care was once the norm. In the days before apothecaries and pharmacies took over the job of fulfilling and refilling prescriptions, doctors kept a stock of important medication to sell from the point of care. However, the practice has been making a slow and steady comeback.

With the coronavirus raising concerns regarding viral transmission, efforts to reduce foot traffic and better implement the benefits of automated and digitalized healthcare have led to improvements in the world of direct dispensing, allowing healthcare providers to fuse the benefits of a software solution with the convenience of filling a prescription within the clinic’s premises, rather than requiring that patients take their prescription to the nearest pharmacist.

Orthopedic specialists can make great use of this to both bolster their clinic’s revenue and improve patient adherence. Here are a few ways that dispensing orthopedic medicine can help improve your practice’s reputation and value to the community.

 

Physician Dispensing Leads to More Revenue

Healthcare is getting more and more expensive. Advances in medicine mean that patients are living longer and have access to a greater array of diagnostics and treatment modalities. But these advances come at a financial cost, both to patients and healthcare providers.

It is expensive to maintain and update medical equipment, and deal with the rising cost of healthcare in the US while fighting to keep treatments affordable for patients. There is little to no room for profit – and thus, it becomes harder for clinics to remain financially viable, and continue to serve the community. And that’s without going into the sheer stress that comes with running a clinic.

Implementing direct dispensing in your private orthopedic practice may be an effective way to bolster your finances via an alternative revenue stream, improving the financial viability of your clinic, and allowing you to better serve your patients.

 

Dispensing Orthopedic Medicine Can Improve Patient Adherence

One of the most unfortunate causes of death in the United States is a lack of adherence to medical advice and prescriptions. Whether due to rising costs, confusion, lack of access, or lack of time, a significant number of patients fail to acquire the medication that is prescribed to them, let alone take it as prescribed.

Direct orthopedic medicine dispensing can help specialists drastically cut down on medication nonadherence in their own community, by offering detailed and tailored advice, thorough explanations, and alternatives when price and coverage become a problem. Patients may be more comfortable sharing their concerns and asking questions with their own doctor versus a pharmacist, due to a lack of privacy, or lack of time.

 

Orthopedic Medicine Dispensing Leads to Greater Patient Satisfaction

There is something to be said for the convenience provided by direct dispensing.

On the patient side, patients will be able to spend even less time worrying about acquiring medication and staying on top of their health. They can get a diagnosis, prescription, and medication at the doctor’s office, on top of a thorough explanation on how, when, and why to take said medication, or use their medical equipment.

Patients generally don’t go to the doctor’s office as often as they should – this can help doctors make the most of the times patients do visit. And for patients with chronic health issues, chronic fatigue, or at greater risk of COVID complications, limiting their visits to the nearest pharmacy can help reduce the discomfort, inconvenience, and even danger of longer commutes.

On the doctor’s side, patient satisfaction is becoming an increasingly important metric. As more and more patients are satisfied with the level of care they receive, metrics like satisfaction and convenience become more relevant.

 

Direct Dispensing is a Time Saver

One of the biggest complaints in nearly any industry is that things take time to get done. It’s no different in healthcare. Patients complain and worry about wait times, long lines, and time spent at the doctor’s office or the pharmacy.

Orthopedic medicine dispensing helps cut down on time wasted both for patients, and for doctors (saving the time spent coordinating with pharmacies to ensure that they’re stocking the right medication, etc.).

 

Physician Dispensing is an Invaluable Community Asset

There is something to be said for the value of improving a clinic’s reputation, especially within the community. Healthcare, like any other industry, has its own elements of competition, and improving your clinic’s value proposition can put you ahead of the competition.

 

Preparing for and Overcoming Important Hurdles

Before you can start directly dispensing orthopedic medicine in your practice or clinic, there are a few important hurdles to overcome. There are federal and state regulations controlling the prescription and sale of controlled medication at the point of care, and regulations surrounding conflicts of interest in the referral of durable medical equipment providers.

Some states even go so far as to limit direct dispensing to emergency situations or limit a clinic’s inventory so they only stock what they might need in cases where patients require immediate access to their medication.

It’s important to seek more information on how your state’s laws or Board of Pharmacy control and regulate orthopedic medication dispensing.

To this end, it is in any clinic’s interest to find the right dispensing partner. There are federal and state-specific laws regulating the referral of durable medical equipment manufacturers and the direct dispensing of medication, and these laws are subject to change.

Each state’s Board of Pharmacy may also have different fees and requirements in place to manage and oversee the dispensing of medication and equipment at the point-of-care. Understanding the specifics in your state and being wholly prepared for both the logistical, operational, and legal challenges is crucial.

 

Choosing ProficientRx

ProficientRx works with healthcare providers by supplying repackaged medication and dispensing services via a state-of-the-art, FDA and DEA-approved facility, and a turnkey web-based dispensing platform built to manage patient data efficiently and safely, automatically print labels, track, and update inventory, and offer top-level customer support.

ProficientRx provides repackaged medication for primary care clinics, PM&R, urology departments, pediatrics, podiatry, direct care clinics, urgent care, occupational health clinics, psychiatric clinics, orthopedic practices, and a variety of other private practices.

Our software solution does not require lengthy installation processes or multiple hour-long tutorials. Built with convenience and efficiency in mind, it’s accessible from any web browser, on any internet-connected device, via your own login credentials. Encrypted to safeguard patient information and HIPAA-compliant, our dispensing software helps simplify the logistic challenges of direct dispensing.

Partnering with a physician dispensing expert can help ensure that you have all the assistance you need to navigate your state’s ruleset for implement direct dispensing in your practice and reap the benefits.

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