Medication Tracking System

I wrote this post nearly two years ago:

We frequently receive calls from physicians considering pharmaceutical dispensing.  A common theme among these calls is frustration with what it is often described as "a lack of professionalism and responsiveness" from various companies offering physician dispensing options.  Quite often, websites for groups offering to help implement dispensing systems for physicians are merely fronts for individuals selling part-time with no organization behind them.  I often hear folks say that Northwind Pharmaceuticals was one of the only companies to respond in a timely fashion.  There are a number of things a clinic/physician can do to avoid upfront difficulties:

1. Recognize that many websites are posted by brokers who are actually selling products for other suppliers.  These "firms" are often ran part-time by one individual who simply makes commission by marketing others' products.  Look for additional substance on the site geared to helping customers with the dispensing process.

2. Ask the firm if they distribute products from their own facility or just sell for a repackager.  As in any business, if there is a middleman, you are paying more.

3. Verify that they are licensed to distribute in your state. Many state pharmacy boards allow you to verify wholesaler license numbers online.  The DEA also verifies licensure for wholesalers.

4. On their website, look for an indication of how long they've been in business. There are a few repackagers that have been around for 20+ years and are proud to say it.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has been around since 1981.

5. When you talk to the supplier, ask them about their business. How do they go about helping their customers? Do they offer software?  How do their labels work?  Do they make recommendations for a start up formulary?  You want to find a supplier that can get you the products you need but will also be a good fit for you and your practice.  Talking to them is the only sure way to make sure there is a fit.

Medication dispensing offers wonderful possibilities to a clinic and does not have to be rocket science.  Focus on finding a good partner, asking basic questions and getting a "feel" for the company before you buy.  A little diligence goes a long way.  Good luck!

The information is still relevant today.  I wanted to update it with a few more suggestions:

6. Ask about tracking dispenses.  Reputable repackagers/distributors will offer manual and electronic options for tracking the medications you dispense.  Northwind offers a logbook and a system called RxTracker.  Some other organizations pay a third party to manage their software and require you to purchase it.  Make sure their model fits your needs.  Northwind does not charge for our software.

7. How easy is it to order?  Your supplier should offer email, phone, fax, online and smoke signal as options for you to submit your order.  The point is, they need to make it easy for you to order.

8. What else do they offer?  Some organization don't have the buying power to get all medications or get them at the best prices.  You should be able to get prepackaged medications but what about lotions, creams, ointments, liquids, injectables, supplies?  Your supplier should be able to offer one-stop shopping if that's what you want.

9. What are some of the flags?  Start with their website.  Do they clearly explain what they do, who they are and provide additional information if you need it?  Do they offer insurance or other financial products?  These companies are often brokers that are trying to leverage relationships; they may be a good partner but you will pay more - make sure they are worth it.  Working with a sales person?  Are they are a direct employee or a broker?  Once again, more cost in the system.  How long have they been in business?

10. Who owns the company?  I like to know who I'm doing business with.  Is it a big corporation or a family-owned business?  How important is my business to them?  Thought: the bigger the company, the less important you are.  These questions will lead to fulfilling your preferences and ultimately help meet your expectations.

No worries, nothing a little due diligence won't uncover.  Sometimes it just comes down to what type of company do you want to deal with.  Do you like corporate?  Do you prefer small business?  Do you want to work through the call center or do you want to talk to the owner?  These are cultural questions that can only be answered by you.  Regardless, give medication dispensing a try - it is still one of the easiest add-on services you can find and the returns can be very good.

Call it what you will: physician dispensing, clinic dispensing, point of care dispensing etc.  A clinic that inventories medications and provides them to patients as part of their care is engaging in dispensing.  This activity is legal in most states and has long been considered a part of the physicians tool bag in the quest to care for patients.  Now, you can find it in nurse practitioner and physician assistant tool kits as well.

Practices of all flavors dispense to their patients:

1. Urgent Care
2. General Practice
3. Weight Management
4. Occupational Health
5. Employer Clinics
6. Dermatology
7. Pediatrics
8. Dental
9. Student Health
10. Internal Medicine
11. Podiatry

Clinics often purchase prepackaged medications from companies like Northwind Pharmaceuticals.  Prepackaged medications are also known as repackaged medications because the repackager purchases them in bulk, counts out the pills into smaller groupings and then repackages them into unit-of-use sizes.  In other words, that bottle of amoxicillin with 1000 pills is broken down into a bottle with 30 pills so the clinic can put it on the shelf and provide it to their patient without breaking the seal or counting pills.  Repackagers are regulated by the FDA and are required to maintain the same quality procedures as original pharmaceutical manufacturers.  Packaging, labeling and quality are all critical to this process.

After prepackaged medications are put on the shelf, the clinic must have a tracking and labeling system.  Most suppliers offer their clinic customers a manual logbook or dispensing software.  A few, like Northwind, do not charge for these systems.  The logbook system is a handwritten system with peel-off labels to place on the bottles.  Dispensing software systems typically track inventory and dispenses plus add a label printing function.  RxTracker, the Northwind system, prints a label and drug information sheet that mirrors what a patient would receive from the pharmacy. 

The medication formulary will vary from clinic to clinic and really depends on your patient base.  More generalized practices will have a broader number of medications on the shelf while specialists typically narrow their formularies.  In addition to bottles of pills, clinics also offer lotions, creams, ointments, OTC products, liquids and medical supply items.  Your supplier will be happy to help you figure out the best mix for your practice.

Medication dispensing is not complete without the financial element.  Dispensing clinics typically focus on generic medications  and cash-paying customers.  A few offer branded medications and tread in the insurance reimbursement world but this is only a fit for certain, higher volume clinics.  A cash-focused clinic typically charges about $15 per dispense depending on the product, practice and location.  With the average of 40 scripts per day, this approach will typically yield 25-30 dispenses per practitioner.

Some things to consider when looking for a supplier:

1. Do they offer the medications you need in the size you require?
2. Are they licensed in your state?  Are they VAWD accredited?
3. Does their medication tracking system work for your practice?  Make sure it fits your process and doesn't limit your flexibility in your care flow.  Also make sure it doesn't require much duplication of effort - some labeling systems can be cumbersome.
4. How are their prices?  Some organizations maintain sizeable overhead.  Make sure you're not carrying too much of that in your prices.
5. Do they require a contract?  This may work in some instances but normally limits your flexibility.  For example, Northwind does not require a contract or minimum order.
6. What other terms or deals do they offer?  It never hurts to ask, they might say yes!
7. How is the cultural fit?  In other words, do you like the people you've met/spoken with?  Often, the soft-side becomes the most critical element.
8. Do they warehouse products or are they a marketing company?  There are numerous marketing companies now offering office medication dispensing solutions that are shipped from another company's warehouse.  Typically, layers of people add cost to the product.  Service may also come from different places.  This may work for your clinic but you should be aware of it upfront.

Ok, that is a good start.  Good luck!

When dispensing, clinics typically have two options for tracking medications and printing labels for dispensed medications: 1) a manual system that uses a handwritten label and a logbook or 2) software that tracks the medications and automates the printing of the label.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has clinics using both methods.  This post will discuss the pros and cons of both approaches. Manual Labeling With the manual labeling approach, clinics are given a three ring binder with carbon label sheets.  These labels are pre-printed with the clinic or doctor's name and have blank spaces for the patient's name, instructions and the physician's signature.  When the medication is dispensed, the provider writes the patient's name and instructions on the label then signs it.  The label is peeled off of the sheet and placed on the bottle.  The carbon impression is left on the sheet in the logbook for tracking.  Most prepackaged medications also have peel-off labels on the bottle with the drug name, lot # and expiration date so the clinic can document the dispense on a patient chart or receipt.  This method of labeling is very quick, requiring the same amount of time it takes to write a script.  The logbook makes tracking dispenses slightly more difficult and also requires more space to store.  The DEA requires that dispensing records for controlled substances are kept for 2 years; state pharmacy board requirements may vary.  Computer Generated Labels If the clinic chooses to use software to manage the dispensing process, the provider will scan the bottle, select the patient, select instructions and print the label.  The software will track inventory and dispenses thereby allowing the clinic to easily pull information and determine when to reorder medications.  The biggest downfall to the software approach is that, by design, it cannot be as fast as completing a couple of lines on a pre-printed label.  For high-volume clinics, this is a huge challenge.  From a tracking and reporting perspective, software is the ideal choice.   Electronic Medical Records Adding to the challenge of selecting the best approach is the prevalence of electronic medical records (EMR).  As EMR systems become the norm, clinics become more hesitant to use additional software to manage dispensing.  Most EMR packages will track inventory and many also track dispenses.  Until the time when most EMR's also print labels for medication dispensing, the best solution will likely be the manual labeling approach.  If your EMR is tracking inventory and dispenses, then handwriting a few pieces of information on a patient label is a very easy, and very fast, approach. Keep It Simple We have been approached by a number of clinics debating direction with regard to labeling.  My recommendation has been to focus on priorities.  If you are implementing an EMR solution, get the best application for your practice.  We will work with you to make the dispensing side as easy as possible.  Over time, these solutions will evolve to accommodate pharmaceutical dispensing within the clinic.  The Northwind dispensing system, RxTracker, makes it easy to import or export data.  However, we've found we can be of much greater value by working with the clinic to fit in with their processes.  Less is more when it comes to systems and we recommend that you keep your processes as simple as possible.

 

Northwind Pharmaceuticals provides pharmaceuticals to clinics for in-office dispensing.  Founded in 1981, Northwind offers a variety of products to physicians interested in providing medication dispensing services to patients.  Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Northwind is centrally located for quick shipping to locations across the United States.

Here is a summary of our offerings:

• Prepackaged pharmaceuticals - bulk product repackaged into unit-of-use sizes for physician dispensing.
• Injectables
• Lotions, creams, ointments
• Liquids
• Medical Supplies

You can view a complete list of our pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in our online catalog.

Northwind offers two dispensing systems to clinics interested in pharmaceutical dispensing.  Our manual system uses carbon labels to capture patient information and medication instructions.  The labels are kept in a logbook for accurate record keeping.  We also offer RxTracker, a web-based system which allows clinics to track inventory, print patient labels and reorder electronically.  Both systems are offered at no-charge to Northwind Pharmaceuticals customers.

We make ordering easy.  Clinics can order through our online catalog, send us an email, fax their order or call our toll free number.  We accept orders 24 hours a day and most products are shipped the same day the order is received.

For more information, please visit us at www.nwpharma.com.  You can also call us at 800.722.0772 or email info@nwpharma.com.

Pay for Performance - what do you think?

www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/10/24/bisf1027.htm

Here it comes...pay-for-performance sounds like a good concept but runs into problems with definitions and ultimately, who sets them. Patient satisfaction is about as vague a measure as possible and creates, like all incentives, unintended consequences when health systems try to comply.  Outcomes?  Is it reasonable to force our health systems to take responsibility for our lifestyle choices?  In other parts of the economy, the market makes the choice - those that provide value are rewarded with survival and those that don't provide value don't last.  Healthcare has many nuances but it it seems counter-productive to try to legislate quality with financial incentives when consumers are more than capable of making the choices themselves.  Government or insurance, the result is nearly the same; someone else is choosing how to motivate or punish our care giver.  Should we be working harder to open up competition or continuing to let payors shrink our options?

Medications remain an important part of a clinical weight loss solution.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals works with many medically supervised weight loss clinics that offer medications as part of their solution.  Physician dispensing in a bariatric practice is a great fit for several reasons:

1. Many patients are not good candidates for gastric bypass surgery and must therefore look for other alternatives to help them manage the disease called obesity.
   
2. Physicians typically prescribe a narrow range of medications for weight-loss management.  A smaller, targeted formulary is easier to manage from a clinic perspective.
3. Because weight management is an ongoing battle, physician-directed weight management often requires that patients be on medications for extended periods.  This increases the practice's opportunity to dispense medications and provide convenient service to patients.
4. The nature of obesity is complex from a psychological as well as a physiological perspective.  Allowing the patient to receive treatment and products in the safe environment of the clinic avoids extra trips to the pharmacy and long waits for medications.

Depending on the number of patients, medication dispensing in a bariatric clinic can be overwhelming.  Clinics sometimes purchase bulk bottles and count out pills for patient prescriptions.  This is incredibly time consuming and completely unnecessary.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals offers prepackaged medications; this means that we package the bulk medications into smaller, unit-of-use bottles.  For example, some of our clinics will dispense Phentermine 37.5mg in 30 count, 45 count and 60 count bottles.  Prepackaged bottles are labeled according to FDA and state pharmacy board guidelines; the clinic will need to place a label with the patient's name, instructions and clinic name on the bottle to make it a legal prescription.

To help manage the dispensing process, Northwind offers dispensing systems that comprise a manual labeling approach as well as software (RxTracker) to print labels and track inventory.  Our goal is to make it quick and easy to provide the medications to your patients.

There are no easy solutions.  Clinics offering weight management services must utilize every available option to help fight obesity and improve the quality of life for patients.

Continuing consolidation among repackagers is creating opportunities and challenges in the clinic dispensing market.  The challenges fall on medical clinics that are experiencing disruptions in their supply chain, changing personnel, higher prices, new processes, discontinued medications and various other issues.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has received many calls from unhappy clinics looking for better support, steady access to medications and competitive pricing.  In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to put a few bullets from those conversations into this post.

• Why are companies merging?  Money, competitive positioning, aging owners etc.  The pharmaceutical industry is changing rapidly and pressures continue to mount for business owners.  Regulatory scrutiny continues to increase along with downward pressure on pricing.  Its tough out there.
• Why am I having difficulty getting medications?  When it comes to consolidation, many of the repackagers are ending up on the coasts.  For clinics that are located farther away from their supplier's new location, this means increased shipping times.  In addition, when companies merge, the goal is to reduce costs which often means streamlining formularies or eliminating product offerings.  Finally, you have the normal challenges of recalls, manufacturer shortages and regulatory barriers that tend to choke supply.
• How do I know if I should stay with my current supplier?  Everyone tends to stay on their current path unless something pushes them off of it.  If you need better service, better prices, better technology, better delivery times or any of a host of priorities, then it is probably time to do an evaluation of your options.
• I just don't have time to evaluate options...  Actually, looking around doesn't have to take much time.  You usually figure it out in a couple of interactions.  Is the vendor responsive?  Believe it or not, many are not very timely in responding.  Do they offer the technology or labeling that you need?  Do they offer the medications that you dispense?  Are their prices competitive?  Do they make it easy to order?

We all want to buy from people we know and trust.  When a company is bought, often the people you trust are required to follow new dictates.  They may still be trustworthy but it just might not work for your situation anymore. Your supplier needs to provide the dispensing systems that meet your office medication dispensing requirements.  Pricing, availability and service are all part of that equation.  Things are changing fast; don't be afraid to look at a little change yourself.

I am so impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit I see with so many of our clinic customers!  As the pressures mount, the creativity explodes!

A few examples:
During a visit to a dispensing clinic in Chicago this week, we discussed pending changes in Illinois law related to workers compensation reimbursement.  The news?  Not good.  Unflinching, the clinic is already working on other avenues of revenue and exploring joint venture opportunities with health services companies in different fields.  For this clinic, medication dispensing is one part of an overall plan to grow their business and continue serving their customer.

At a student health center, I discovered an RN who returned to school to get her APN.  Returning to her clinic, she lobbied to reduce their dependence on contract medical expertise and expand the clinic's capabilities by leveraging her new capabilities.  The result of her initiative?  Cost savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the clinic.  In addition, she is working to expand services including clinic dispensing to enhance the value they provide and convenience to their patients.  Lower costs and enhanced services!

At a health system-owned group of clinics, we discussed developing an expanded formulary to help secure a contract with an employer group.  The list of medications needed to match a different set of patients than some of their other clinics.  The pharmaceutical fulfillment solution needed to be timely and relevant to their new customer.  As a trusted partner, we also worked to help them identify new practitioners as they continue to expand into new areas.

Northwind clinics around the country are aggressively meeting changes in law, practice, economy and demographics with incredibly creative and entrepreneurial ideas.  The challenges will not disappear and neither will the opportunities.  As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, we distribute medications.  As a trusted business partner, we work to supplement our customer's efforts and expand their business.  Pharmaceutical logistics are easy when compared to the challenges of running a clinic in today's complex environment and we welcome the chance to help our clinics face those challenges head-on.

Our clinics demonstrate that they are not just great medical practitioners, but smart business people.  I would not bet against them!

Distributors that help clinics dispense pharmaceuticals normally offer a dispensing logbook and/or an electronic tracking and labeling system.  These systems enable the clinic to keep track of medications dispensed to their patients.  Medication tracking software can be simple or complex depending on your vendor.  We encourage our clinics to keep their dispensing system as simple as possible.

Practitioners that dispense to their patients typically offer a combination of pills, lotions, ointments and solutions.  Many of our customers focus on treating acute conditions so we see many orders for antibiotics, analgesics, cough & cold products as well as corticosteroids.  Vaccines are also offered as a complement to the dispensing process.  In the case of Northwind Pharmaceuticals, we will also provide medical supplies to our clinics. 

Point-of-care dispensing is not a path to riches.  There are companies that promote practitioner dispensing as a means to generate significant dollars but the simple truth is that it can provide a decent supplemental revenue stream to a healthy clinic.  If dispensing revenues are higher than those from medical treatments, something is very wrong!  A single physician/nurse practitioner can reasonably generate enough to cover one or two office staff members.

Over the last few years, workplace place clinics have become more and more popular.  Rising health costs have created an environment in which employers are aggressively seeking alternatives.  Often, these clinics are operated by third parties that specialize in providing medical care.  Some employers build their own clinic.  Normally staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants, these clinics act as highly accessible urgent care operations dedicated to employees.  School systems, manufacturers, health systems, government agencies and a variety of other types of employer groups are implementing these clinics.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals physician dispensing program fits right in with these employee focused clinics.  Offering prepackaged pharmaceuticals that match the urgent care formulary, Northwind enables the employer sponsored clinic to treat acute issues quickly and effectively.  Low cost generic medications serve as the centerpiece of these clinic's formularies and enable the employer to enjoy lower health care costs, healthier employees and more timely service.  As a pharmaceutical wholesaler, Northwind Pharmaceuticals does not operate clinics but partners with the practice to provide medications to employee-patients.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals provides prepackaged medications and manufacturer labeled pharmaceuticals for physician dispensing within the clinic. Northwind also provides medical supplies to clinics. We ship nationwide and specialize in working with student health centers, community health centers and independent medical clinics.

Northwind's dispensing system encompasses labeling and tracking tools to make the medication dispensing process as easy as possible for the clinic.  Pre-labeled bottles display all required pharmaceutical information and provide four peel-off labels for use on patient medical records, receipts or insurance documentation.  Our dispensing log enables the clinic to write the patient's name and medication instructions on a label that is placed on the bottle.  The labels are on a carbon sheet that retains an image of the label so the clinic has a record of all dispenses.

Northwind also offers software (RxTracker) that automates the pharmaceutical dispensing process.  RxTracker allows clinics to capture dispensing information electronically and print the prescription label from any office printer.  RxTracker will also track drug inventory and automate reordering.  Northwind offers both of these dispensing solutions at no additional charge.

Clinics seeking to learn more about in-office pharmaceutical dispensing are encouraged to visit the Northwind Pharmaceuticals website or call us at 800.722.0772.

Reimbursements continue to shrink.  Pressure is on to see more patients. Pharmacies begin to offer "quick clinic" services.  The government passes far-reaching health care legislation creating a  host of new certainties and uncertainties.  As an independent practitioner, how do you survive in this crazy environment?

Keep the faith!  Demand for the services of good physicians continue to grow.  The growing aging population is creating the need for more and more care.  New technologies and techniques continue to evolve and present new opportunities for services to patients.  A health system in flux also means new opportunities as niches are created and patients find it more difficult to navigate the landscape.

As financial pressures continue to mount, we see more and more physicians turning to clinic dispensing as a means to supplement practice revenue.  Dispensing pharmaceuticals from your office provides convenience for your patients, revenue for your clinic and another point of differentiation for your practice.  Competitive pricing is possible with access to wholesale medications and using prepackaged medications streamlines the dispensing process.  Simple-to-use dispensing software is readily available as are the tried and true dispensing logbooks.  It is easy to implement, easy to administer and easy to maintain.  A single doctor can easily generate $20-$30k of additional profit; focused efforts can reap much more.

As frustrating as many things are for physicians these days, there are still many opportunities.  A little creativity and a willingness to focus on the business elements of your practice can reap unexpected benefits.  Blending medication dispensing, quality care and new services will continue to set your practice apart and keep your patients, and you, healthy.

Medically-directed weight loss has become a necessity for many people.  One element of a physician-directed program is medication.  Bariatric practices that offer medication dispensing are able to bring another tool to the battle against obesity.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals helps bariatric clinics implement pharmaceutical dispensing by providing prepackaged pharmaceuticals, labeling and tracking systems as well as guidance through the process.   

One mistake clinics often make is feeling that they need to count pills and package them within the clinic.  Our service takes the pill counting risk off of the physician and staff by providing options for medications and packaging.  Some commonly dispensed medications within clinics offering medically-directed weight loss services include: 

• Phentermine
• Phendimetrazine
• Metformin
• Fluoxetine
• Furosemide
• Metoprolol

Northwind Pharmaceuticals offers clinics different packaging options for these products.  For example, some clinics will dispense Phentermine 37.5mg in a 30 count bottle and schedule patient follow ups on a monthly basis while other physician's will extend the count to accommodate a longer interval between visits.  Our clinics view themselves as providing weight management solutions and medications are simply another element of the overall solution.

Clinic business models will vary and we try to be flexible to our client's requirements.  As a wholesale pharmaceutical distributor, Northwind provides a wide variety of medications.  As  dispensing consultants, we help you figure out how best to use them in your practice.  Call us today at 800.722.0772 to learn more about dispensing in your practice.

Here we are again, the end of another year!  We've seen a lot happen in 2010 and 2011 promises to be equally intense.  Tired of hearing about Obamacare?  Well, get used to it! The battle for and against this monster legislation will rage throughout 2011 and all of us will have to be savvy in managing in and around whatever form it ultimately takes.  My suggestion?  Focus on what you can control; your practice, your operation.  As you assess 2010 and look forward to 2011, here are some things to consider that sit within your span of control:

1) What are your plans for growing revenue in 2010?  Downward pressure on reimbursements continues.  Now, more than ever, physicians are being forced to look beyond typical medical services to expand their base of revenue.  Are you evaluating pharmaceuticals, nutri-ceuticals or other products as practice enhancers?  New or existing dispensing systems may enable you to easily add products to your mix.

2) What are the biggest threats to your practice?  Are your medical supplies prices increasing? Are your referrals decreasing?  Many hospitals and physicians are reporting a decrease in procedures.  Physicians need to actively track these trends and look for ways to address them proactively.  Trends may be avoidable but you are not helpless; there are always options.

3) Who's on your team?  Does your staff mix bring additional value to patients through enhanced services or extended hours?  Clinics carrying non-value added resources need to carefully consider their options.  Many clinics are leveraging physician time with nurse practitioners and physician assistants.  Reimbursement rates may affect the viability of these resources but they should still be considered. 

4) What are you doing to be different or enhance your practice? Are you doing anything with nutrition, anti-aging, disease management or weight management?  Procedures may be down but there are people looking for specific treatments. Do you continually evaluate new options and procedures for your practice?  No time? Can you afford not to?

5) Who are your competitors? Quick clinics in pharmacies?  Practice buy-outs by hospitals?  Government funded clinics? Evaluate their value-propositions and determine if there are elements of their offer that could work in your practice.  Are there expansion risks you could take that would enhance your business?

6) If you offer medications, what is the mix of products?  Do you evaluate products on an ongoing basis?  What is moving, what isn't?  What products are moving to generics that will be viable for clinic-dispensing?  Are you carrying items that are losers for the practice?  Are you charging enough?  What worked last year might not work this year.  Don't be afraid to change it up.

Though I remain biased towards physician dispensing as a low-cost, low-risk way of enhancing your practice.  There are many alternatives.  The winners in 2010 will find ways to extend their services, add extra value to existing patients and attract new ones.  Will that be you?

We frequently receive calls from physicians considering pharmaceutical dispensing.  A common theme among these calls is frustration with what it is often described as "a lack of professionalism and responsiveness" from various companies offering physician dispensing options.  Quite often, websites for groups offering to help implement dispensing systems for physicians are merely fronts for individuals selling part-time with no organization behind them.  I often hear folks say that Northwind Pharmaceuticals was one of the only companies to respond in a timely fashion.  There are a number of things a clinic/physician can do to avoid upfront difficulties:


1. Recognize that many websites are posted by brokers who are actually selling products for other suppliers.  These "firms" are often ran part-time by one individual who simply makes commission by marketing others' products.  Look for additional substance on the site geared to helping customers with the dispensing process.

2. Ask the firm if they distribute products form their own facility or just sell for a repackager.  As in any business, if there is a middleman, you are paying more.

3. Verify that they are licensed to distribute in your state. Many state pharmacy boards allow you to verify wholesaler license numbers online.  The DEA also verifies licensure for wholesalers.

4. On their website, look for an indication of how long they've been in business. There are a few repackagers that have been around for 20+ years and are proud to say it.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has been around since 1981.

5. When you talk to the supplier, ask them about their business. How do they go about helping their customers? Do they offer software?  How do their labels work?  Do they make recommendations for a start up formulary?  You want to find a supplier that can get you the products you need but will also be a good fit for you and your practice.  Talking to them is the only sure way to make sure there is a fit.

Medication dispensing offers wonderful possibilities to a clinic and does not have to be rocket science.  Focus on finding a good partner, asking basic questions and getting a "feel" for the company before you buy.  A little diligence goes a long way.  Good luck!

As one of the only pharmaceutical wholesalers specializing in clinic dispensing, PCA offers a collection of products and services to help you serve your patients. Our bariatric clinic customers offer a suite of services including medication options for patients looking to lose weight.  PCA offers prepackaged products like phentermine, phendimetrazine, metformin and tretinoin cream to provide to your patients.

Tracking dispensed medications can sometimes be a challenge.  PCA offers medication tracking software and a dispensing logbook solution to make it easier to keep track of inventory and dispensing activities.  Easy-to-use reporting features make it simple to create reports for regulatory submission or clinic management purposes.  Cost for the software?  None.  We provide the software to our clinic customers as part of our solution.

Part of the PCA service difference is maintaining inventory of the medications you use so we can ship them the day you order.  Our centralized location allows us to get shipments to any corner of the United States in a few days and next day delivery to many locations.  Give us a call and let's talk about how we can help you make dispensing work in your clinic.

All things considered, 2009 was a very good year for PCA.  I would like to thank all of our partners and clinic customers for their continued trust.  We deeply value the relationship we have with each of you.

Since 1981, PCA has served clinics around the country.  We offer prepackaged pharmaceuticals for clinic dispensing, injectable drugs, health clinic supplies and dispensing software.  PCA ships across the United States, typically having your order en route within 24 hours.  We offer an extensive array of medical clinic supplies and wholesale pharmaceuticals.  We work closely with all of our clinic customers to make sure they are getting the products they need as well as any additional services that will help them better serve their patients.    Though we offer a large number of medications prepackaged in standard sizes, we will also provide custom repackaging services to meet individual clinic needs. 

Having difficulty finding a particular product?  PCA's large network of suppliers enables us to find hard-to-get items in a timely fashion.  We provide value by meeting your unique requirements.  Not sure how to get started with clinic dispensing?  Give me a call.  I will work with you to identify legal considerations, develop your formulary, brainstorm ways to promote your services to your patients and successfully implement dispensing in your clinic.  I'll also help you get set up with PCA's services: online ordering, medication tracking software, worker's comp claims adjudication etc.  We are most successful when you succeed.

The bottom line? PCA will help you with yours.  Best wishes for an awesome 2010!

We are often asked about work comp dispensing.  Serving patients that fall under the workers compensation umbrella can be a great opportunity for medical clinics.  Reimbursement is dictated by state regulation but is generally very fair for the practice.  The only trick is to make sure that you file accurate HCFA claim forms in a timely fashion to speed the reimbursement process.

A key element to successfully managing workers compensation dispensing is having a good medication tracking system.  Though clinics can certainly track dispenses and file claims without medication tracking software, having an electronic system streamlines the process and reduces errors.  PCA offers dispensing software to manage this process.  PCA will also manage the entire workers comp reimbursement process for clinics that want additional support.

The good news is that clinics can integrate workers compensation dispensing with traditional cash and carry dispensing to serve a broader population.  Give us a call and we'll be glad to discuss the possibilities with you.

Clinics need to keep track of what products are dispensed to patients.  For legend products, there are normally no reporting requirements.  Some states require physicians to submit reports for any controlled substances they dispense.  The products we ship come with 4-part peel-off labels.  These peel-offs contain all of the pertinent information for that particular drug.  Clinics can put the peel-offs on patient charts, receipts or any other form for tracking purposes.  The logbook we supply contains carbon labels that are placed on the bottle itself.  Once the bottle is labeled with the patient's name, dispenser's name and date, it is a legal prescription.  The label information is carbon-copied onto the label sheet which is left in the logbook.  This becomes your record of dispenses.

I had the opportunity to participate in the American Society of Bariatric Physicians annual conference this past week.  My company, PCA Pharmaceuticals, had a booth at the conference and it offered a great chance to talk to a number of physicians about pharmaceutical dispensing and dispensing software, practice economics, patient strategies and the interesting dynamics involved in the physician-directed weight loss marketplace.  We participated in the show on the recommendation of one of our customers.

I had many interesting conversations throughout my two days at the conference, but I want to mention a specific series of interactions that is very relevant to my posts on differentiation.  One physician stopped by numerous times with questions about medication dispensing, PCA, RxTracker dispensing software and the ultimate question: why should I buy from you?  We had a great dialog.  Each time he came by, he had a new set of questions and I could tell he was getting good information from other vendors.  My last interaction with him was on the elevator and down a hall as he expressed frustration at not being able to see a clear difference between the vendors offering to help him dispense in his clinic.  I realized that he had been gathering the facts and he discovered that the general offering from the competing vendors was pretty much the same: similar products, similar software, similar policies and possibly similar prices (although we didn't really dive into pricing).  I told him he had done some great diligence on us and suggested there comes a point when he will have to follow his gut and go with "chemistry".  That is, where he felt the most comfortable.  The relationship will only be forged through the opportunities and challenges that come when working together.  No one can tell him how that will be or quantify it; he will just have to walk the path.  I very much appreciated his feedback and see some things I can improve on my end; however, the "proof is still in the pudding".  Here are some other thoughts for my diligent physician on things for him to evaluate:

1. Recognize that many websites are posted by brokers who are actually selling products for other suppliers.  These "firms" are often ran part-time by one individual who simply makes commission by marketing others' products.

2. Ask the firm if they repackage under their own label.  Have them fax you a copy of their label or ask for their FDA manufacturer's number - it will be the first set of digits on the NDC for their prepackaged pharmaceuticals.

3. Verify that they are licensed to distribute in your state. Many state pharmacy boards allow you to verify wholesaler & manufacturer license numbers online.

4. On their website, look for an indication of how long they've been in business. There are a few repackagers that have been around for 20+ years and are proud to say it.  PCA Pharmaceuticals has been around since 1981.

5. When you talk to the supplier, ask them about their business. How do they go about helping their customers? Do they offer software?  How do their labels work?  Do they make recommendations for a start up formulary?  You want to find a supplier that can get you the products you need but will also be a good fit for you and your practice.  Talking to them is the only sure way to make sure there is a fit.

6. Are they VAWD accredited?  VAWD is an expensive and cumbersome process that discourages many would-be distributors.  It is a way to verify that they have the processes and sophistication to meet the requirements of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

7. What else do they do?  For example: PCA offers a variety of services: warehousing, fulfillment, dispensing software, custom labeling, kitting, medical supplies, injectables etc.  Find out the depth of your prospective supplier to see if there might be additional services that add value to your clinic.

8. Ask them about physician dispensing. How does it normally work? How many clinics do they currently serve? What are their dispensing systems? How many different prepackaged medications do they offer? Do they offer controlled substances?  What makes them different?  Firms like PCA that serve hundreds of pharmaceutical dispensing clinics will have many stories and reference points.

Good luck!  I hope we hear from you :)