Hardware and Software

KP Pharmacy is an independent drug store which serves a metropolitan area. It offers prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, surgical supplies and health and beauty products.   On a daily average, the store fills 500 prescriptions and has a sale from all other products of $2,500. KP Pharmacy prides itself for the fastest service in the area. To meet the growing needs of the customers and minimize prescription errors, the store’s information system needs to be effective and efficient.

The pharmacy contains two desktop computers, one serving as a server and the other as a backup server. The main server is networked to all the other electronic equipment used in the store. These equipments include three touch sensitive screens, two of which have built in credit card scanners, one wireless hand held device which acts as scanner and reports inventory, two cash (register) drawers, fax, telephone and printer. Two touch sensitive screens with credit card scanner are connected to the two cash drawers. The third touch sensitive screen is for patient use in the counseling area. The fax, telephone and printer are connected to the system through a modem. 

The two desktops are equipped with all the software of the system. Users of these two machines have access to Best RX, a managing system for independent pharmacies. It is works with Windows 2000, XP and Vista. While processing a prescription, you can add or update the doctor, patient, drug, insurance plan, or sig information without losing the entered prescription data. ¹  It automatically flashes warning if there is an interaction between medicines for individuals needing more than one prescription or individuals with allergies. It also performs automated billing to insurances. It includes E-Sign for prescription pick up, E-Prescribing eliminates the paper script, allowing the doctor to send it directly to the pharmacy’s system, and RX Image Scanning allowing the pharmacist to store the scripts on the system, a requirement by law. E-prescription reduces prescription theft and distribution of the wrong medication due to bad hand writing. Best RX does payment reconciliation, account and account receivable, inventory management, refill reminder log, and customized labels. Kinray and Cardinal offer a variety of over-the-counter medications, vitamins, surgical supplies and health and beauty products for the pharmacy. The two desktops and the two touch screens, that act as registers too, have access to the software installed by the vending companies to track inventory, view weekly sales and order products for the same day delivery. The third touch screen monitor for patient counseling has user friendly interactive software, ADAM Health Solutions by Ebix, offering a reference library, interactive drug tools, and specialty program for pregnancies. The Health Solutions include an overview of the human body systems, an interactive online symptom identification tool, health risk assessments, wellness calculators, drug tools, and exam scheduling recommendation tools.²

The hardware has enough capacity to execute everyday activities for a busy drug store. The software allows the employees to be more alert to mistakes, aware of the current stock, and provide effective and efficient service.

1. Products, BestRXWin, http://www.bcsbestrx.com/products.htm

2.  ADAM Health Solutions, http://adam.com/healthsolutions.aspx