Keys to Success in Developing a Central Pharmacy Automation Strategy and Business Case

Dennis Wright, Sr. Director 
Central Pharmacy Product Marketing at Omnicell

In many other industries we’ve seen success in how technology is accelerating and transforming the way products and services are created, delivered, consumed, and measured. Despite the pace of change elsewhere, health system pharmacy continues to lag in investing in and implementing transformational technology.

Pharmacists recognize the value and opportunity of the Autonomous Pharmacy, but they sometimes struggle to convince other stakeholders. That’s why a strong central pharmacy automation strategy is pivotal to supporting safe, efficient medication management.

On November 10th, I joined Dennis Killian, PharmD, PhD, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Peninsula Regional Health System for a session titled “Keys to Success in Developing a Central Pharmacy Automation Strategy and Business Case” as part of Omnicell Illuminate 2020.

Central pharmacy is the hub of patient care; however, many health system pharmacies are still reliant on manual and disjointed processes that can lead to inefficient workflows and potential safety risks. The overdependence on manual processes and siloed technology in pharmacy operations is one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare systems today, and arguably one of the most overlooked by system leaders.

The key to transforming health system pharmacy begins with mobilizing stakeholders around a unified vision, leveraging diagnostics to evaluate where an organization lies on the journey today, and identifying the key gaps to address within each component. With this roadmap, pharmacists can leverage technology to fully unlock human potential and support the delivery of superior patient care.

Dr. Killian shared his experience in building a strong business case and strategic roadmap for implementing central pharmacy automation, including:

• Driving factors and key considerations for the adoption of central pharmacy automation
• The importance of a strategic plan and roadmap for central pharmacy automation
• Strategies for gaining internal alignment for adopting and implementing central pharmacy automation
• Drafting a compelling business case for central pharmacy automation

Now is the time for health system pharmacy to embrace and advance the opportunity of technology-driven medication management to improve the lives of patients and the nurses and pharmacists who take care of them.

Visit omnicell-illuminate.com for updates on accessing a replay of this session and the full slate of Omnicell Illuminate 2020 breakout sessions, interactive demos, and other insightful learning opportunities.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer or company. Assumptions made in the analysis are not reflective of the position of any entity other than the author(s). These views are always subject to change, revision, and rethinking at any time and may not be held in perpetuity.