The summer is rapidly approaching. From getting ready for graduation ceremonies to preparing for your favorite user conference (hello, Catalyst Connect 2024), this summer is primed to be a thrilling and fast-moving one.
That’s where travel medications come into play. Maintaining a consistent medication regiment can be difficult enough, so adding the chaos of travel to the mix can be a huge undertaking. However, we, along with your trusty pharmacy software, have you covered.
Here's how you can manage travel medications or travel prescriptions in your pharmacy.
As previously mentioned, your pharmacy management system, namely PioneerRx, has features that can mitigate the potential headache of travel medications. What's more, it can give you opportunities to maximize your pharmacy sales.
A savvy traveler may visit the pharmacy for recommended vaccines prior to travel. However, your pharmacy can help you traveling patients in ways that the patient may not have thought about!
When it comes to travel vaccines, use it to open new opportunities with by triggering a tailored Care Goal for your pharmacy team. This can give everyone on your team access to a winning game plan.
Consider a questionnaire to help your team find the right over-the-counter products to boost their immune system, provide PRN relief to common travel ailments, and even additional vaccines based on the destination.
As you already know, PioneerRx is full of features and capabilities that further enhance your pharmacy’s workflow. Whether it’s our med sync programs, integrated point-of-sale, or enhanced pre-check station, PioneerRx can help lighten your workload without sacrificing quality service. Above all else, do not, under any circumstances, forget the hand sanitizer.
For more ways you can leverage PioneerRx to boost your financials, read our blog, “7 PioneerRx Features to Grow Your Pharmacy’s Profitability.”
Travel medications can play a vital role in your pharmacy’s long-term success. Likewise, travel vaccines — just like their “normal” counterparts like flu and pneumonia — can be a financial powerhouse.
Before you kick off any new services, including travel vaccines, take some time to do your research. Get acquainted with the places your patients plan to visit and the vaccines recommended for those places (try not to get too much wanderlust when hearing all these exotic locations). This will help you determine which vaccines to offer and which patients to target when promoting your service.
Per the World Health Organization, the most common travel vaccines include:
In addition to knowing these standard vaccines, it's important to stay updated on travel health advisories from organizations like the CDC and WHO. By keeping an eye on new advisories, you can add new vaccines to your repertoire and stay ahead of the game.
Your patients and doctors aren’t the only ones who are putting their feet up this summer. The summer is the time to go on vacation. That means parts of your pharmacy staff (and even yourself) likely have a trip lined up.
Communication is key in all aspects of pharmacy work, especially when it comes to vacation time. Encourage your team to let you know about their vacation plans in advance. This will make scheduling easier and the road ahead a little clearer.
Communicate with your staff about them taking extra shifts. The summer rush requires you and your team to make adjustments and fill voids when necessary.
Make the most of the incoming summer rush by communicating with your pharmacy staff. Make the right scheduling adjustments and let your staff know when you need someone to take an extra shift.
It may not be convenient, but these adjustments ensure that your workflow is as optimal as possible.
Patient care goes beyond dispensing medications or administering vaccines. It’s all about setting the best trajectory for their health journeys. Sometimes a thriving health journey is all about making the pickup process as seamless as possible.
Vacations naturally go against the grain. They’re meant to disrupt the usual tempo of life by providing something new — a breath of fresh air.
As restorative as vacations are, they still disrupt the status quo. In this case, they disrupt fill schedules. Chances are your patients are going to request refills in time for their vacation. It’s very likely their insurance plans will deem those refills as too soon.
Let your patients know right away if the insurance denies the claim. Inform them that most insurance plans provide a vacation override, but need the patient’s approval to go through with it.
Post on your pharmacy’s social media feeds about the impending summer rush. Tell them to request refills ahead of time and coordinate their insurance plans. A denied prescription claim should not be the reason Mr. and Mrs. Smith missed their flight to Venice (or Nashville if they’re going to Catalyst Connect).
The summer provides a unique kind of work rush. Patients want their refills earlier than usual, and your staff also have their eyes set on a well-earned vacation. Managing travel medications, whether we’re talking about OTC products, vaccines, or even your patients’ own medications, require a special brand of proactiveness and due diligence.
In that spirit, make sure your pharmacy is well equipped for its own kind of layovers and connect flights, brought to you by travel medications.
