The global Coronavirus pandemic shifted realities and reoriented senses of normalcy for many. This was especially true for pharmacies inside of healthcare institutions, many of whom completely restructured their operations.
Adaptation to automation, which became the backbone of pharmacy work, was key, with 82% of them, nationally, saying ‘COVID-19 changed their top technology initiatives’. As more pharmacies join the movement toward technological management, projections show the worldwide industry for pharmacy automation reaching $8 billion by 2024.
The filling of prescriptions, throughout North America, rose 15% in March of 2020 alone. A snowball effect ensued, as the increased prescription volume churned staff burnout, creating an understaffing issue and increasing the struggle to meet perception demand.
A whopping 75% of pharmacists documented burnout in January of 2020, just before COVID-19 scoured the earth. As it began to spread, 70% of hospital pharmacists took on new responsibilities, and 86% changed prescription-use policies, increasing burnout further and leaving a current 80% of pharmacies scrambling to fill vacant jobs.
Drug shortages added to the Coronavirus chaos, as 86% of hospital pharmacies reported increasing shortages in 2020. They have yet to fully recover, with 62% facing more than 10 drug shortages today. A reported 94% of pharmacies modified their supply chain operation due to the mass shortages, with many relying on technologies and automated tools to manage inventory, refills, and tracking.
Reducing prescription errors, automation improves administration by 19% and discharge by 25%, which are much-needed enhancements given that 1 in 100 medication errors produce a preventable, severe, predicament.
With less chances for mistakes, automated dispensing, prescription management, and technicians have been proven to save time, money, and lives. Choose pharmacy efficiency by choosing pharmacy automation, and see how technology can produce success and recovery.
