The Advantages Of Having A Home Pharmacy
3 min readThere are many ways rheumatology practices and clinics can ensure patients receive the medication they need. In the coming weeks, we will be discussing some of these options, so you can choose what is right for your business and your customers. As we begin our series, we’ll look at how in-house pharmacies work.
Among rheumatology practices, in-house pharmacies are becoming increasingly popular, but others are on the fence about whether this service is right for them. In this article, we list some of the benefits of having a pharmacy on-site to help you decide whether it’s worth it.
Table of Contents
Security
To provide the highest level of service to your patients is always of paramount importance, and having a Farmacia a domicilio makes it possible to do so. For the most part, rheumatology patients are older people. They usually need transportation to and from their appointments. By allowing them to fill prescriptions while they’re in the clinic, you can ensure they stay on schedule. They will save time and avoid making an extra trip.
The Convenience
Patients have a lot on their plates, so they are usually very busy. They will appreciate easy shopping that allows them to shop at one place. Maintaining good health will be easier as well. According to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, 28-31% of prescriptions are never filled. Rheumatology patients suffering from these symptoms can be reduced by your pharmacy.
Controlling
Having the prescriptions a rheumatologist needs when they need them is essential to their long-term health and successful treatment. Having an in-house pharmacy allows you to ensure your patients have access to everything they need at the right time.
Earnings
Having an internal pharmacy can sometimes generate revenue for your clinic. It may be possible to charge prescription drug copays back to your insurance company, depending on your state. You’ll need to spend money on your patients and/or their providers anyway-it’d be too bad if they didn’t.
Billing for pharmaceutical services is different from other forms of medical billing, and practices that are interested in setting up an in-house pharmacy may have to find a Pharmacist management companies that can bill and manage the pharmacy, as it is their full-time job.
Conformity
It would be remiss of us not to mention a few compliance considerations when discussing in-house pharmacy benefits. Obviously, your office pharmacy must comply with local, state, and federal regulations regarding pharmaceutical storage and distribution. Additionally, you must comply with the Stark Law. Referrals to an entity with which a physician has a direct or indirect financial relationship are not permitted unless they fall within the exceptions specified in the Stark Law. In order to protect your practice, you may wish to consult a lawyer to assist you with these and other compliance regulations.
Are you Ready to go In-House?
In-house pharmacies benefit your practice and your patients in many ways, as you can see. Our in-house pharmacy offers specialized care for rheumatic diseases because this condition often requires specialty medications. In several states, in-house pharmacies are legal, so you can open one for your patients.
In the coming weeks, we will explore and discuss the various avenues available to you and your practice. If in-house pharmacies aren’t for you, or if you are interested in other options, check back.