CASE STUDY:
Upgrading Your Pharmacy to Integrate with Community McKesson Canada Pharmacy Technology Solutions helps a growing pharmacy modernize to better serve patients.
AT A GLANCE A growing pharmacy in the close-knit, small town of Strathroy-Caradoc in Ontario, Canada, Pharmacy on Metcalfe upgraded to
CHALLENGES Time-consuming manual, paper-based pharmacy processes in need of an upgrade, in order to keep up with the demand of a growing pharmacy.
modernize.
SOLUTIONS
Before the upgrade to Propel
Pharmacy Technology Solutions’ Propel Rx, the
Rx, there wasn’t a great way
latest in pharmacy technology, provides:
to document electronically
Fast, simple, implementation
and there wasn’t a link to followup. Now everything is
Better documentation
streamlined and connected,
Integrated, streamlined workflows
making it easier to document
Greater accuracy
and schedule a followup
Digital workflows
within clinical notes. It’s also easier to look back on previous notes to have what I
RESULTS
need, when I need it.
1
Elimination of time-consuming and error-prone manual process and excessive paper u
2
Freed up time so the team could focus on added value patient care, and growing the pharmacy
3
Helped to ensure accuracy in fulfulling on prescriptions, and general patient care
Pharmacist Meagan McGill manages Pharmacy on Metcalfe in the small town of Strathroy-Caradoc in Ontario, Canada. The pharmacy is located alongside a growing team of physicians and other medical providers in a building dedicated to healthcare. The building also serves as a teaching site for the Western University School of Medicine. McGill’s goal is integrate Pharmacy on Metcalfe with the adjoining medical practices, residency students, and with their outside community to provide a more seamless healthcare experience for patients. She has relied on McKesson’s PharmaClik Rx since the pharmacy opened in 2020. McGill was ready to modernize and excited to be one of the first pharmacies in Canada to upgrade to the newly launched Propel Rx, the next evolution of pharmacy software. ”Pharmacies are busy places and some pharmacists may be hesitant to upgrade their software, fearful of disruption to their workflows or to change, but we were ready to modernize and anxious to take advantage of the new features Propel Rx provides,” said McGill. “The upgrade gets us one step closer to going completely paperless, streamlining and simplifying our work to better provide for the patients who depend on us.”
The Challenge: Antiquated Pharmacy Processes & Paper Hurdles Prior to upgrading to Propel Rx, McGill spent considerable time hunting through files and stacks of paper to find hard copies of prescriptions and notes about patients from previous interactions. The paper chase kept McGill from providing the seamless experience she aimed to give her patients. “We were ready for better documentation and more simplified workflows,” she said. “We needed a better way to keep track of and access the information we require to really know our patients.”
Visit www.pharmacytechnologysolutions.ca for more information.
The Solutions: A Fast and Simple Upgrade to Propel Rx McGill upgraded to Propel Rx in the fall of 2021 and her pharmacy was up and running on the new system the same day. “I stuck with McKesson rather than choosing another technology provider because of their support and commitment,” said McGill. “They came through for us again with the upgrade. It was a smooth switchover, and their team worked closely with us to quickly and easily get us up to speed and running.” Propel Rx enables McGill to click on a patient profile within the system and see all of the information she needs about a patient, in one place. “I’m looking at a streamlined, cleaner interface that makes me feel like I’m stepping into a new era,” she said. “I’m excited about that and excited to see where it takes us.”
McKesson Canada Pharmacy Technology Solutions Leads to Impressive Results, Paving the Way for Digital Workflows McGill cites faster, streamlined workflows, better documentation, and the ability to go paperless among the key benefits of Propel Rx. The Clinical Documentation and Dialogue features and the Followup function are favorites. “Before the upgrade to Propel Rx, there wasn’t a great way to document electronically and there wasn’t a link to followup,” said McGill. “Now everything is streamlined and connected, making it easier to document and schedule a followup within clinical notes. It’s also easier to look back on previous notes to have what I need, when I need it.” Propel Rx enables UPC's to be scanned to create new prescriptions, search drug folders and package prescriptions. In addition to saving time, the feature also leads to greater accuracy by eliminating the risk of human error.
Visit www.pharmacytechnologysolutions.ca for more information.
“I’m no longer seeing errors when I double check prescriptions,” she said. “The greater accuracy saves us the time it requires to redo an error.” While the Pharmacy on Metcalfe isn’t yet totally paperless, it’s well on its way. McGill estimates that Propel Rx is saving the pharmacy about a ream of paper per week in addition to eliminating the stress of stacks of paper. She plans to continue her journey to paperless as her pharmacy, the adjoining medical practice, and their town grow. She’s looking to take advantage of the modernization Propel Rx provides to facilitate that growth, considering, for instance, serving patients in group homes and communal living, palliative care, and through education and vaccination services. McGill offers this advice to other pharmacies that are considering an upgrade to Propel Rx: ”Upgrading is not as scary as it may seem and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that the tried-and-true features you rely on are still there, in addition to impressive and helpful new features and modernization of the software. Upgrading to Propel Rx has been a really positive change for us.”
www.pharmacytechnologysolutions.ca for more information. ptssales@mckesson.ca 1.800.387.6093 x 5