Dispensing Systems

I recently had customer call me to place an order for prepackaged pharmaceuticals.  This dispensing physician was getting ready to leave on vacation for a week and asked to have the order arrive at his office on a specific day.  I gladly took his order, recorded the details and sent it to the team for processing.  In his case, he likes to personally receive medications and make sure everything matches up.  No problem.  I didn't think anything about; in fact, we frequently accommodate these requests from our dispensing clinics.

A week later, I was interacting with the faceless, impersonal machine of one of my vendors and my customer came to mind.  Schedule an order with a giant company for delivery on a specific date?  If they had it in inventory, I might get it on a specific date with overnight shipping.  Call my rep to ask a question?  Not unless I could wait 3-4 hours for him/her to get back with me.  It is easy to forget the power of the little things.  I still have clinic staff that call me on my cell phone or email me directly for all of their medication orders.  I don't mind; in fact, I'm quite thankful that they did call or email.  Pharmaceutical wholesalers can be notoriously unresponsive or slow.  I want my medical clinic customers to know that we really value them - even with the small orders.  Physicians, nurses, dentists and staff from our clinic customers are very busy serving their patients.  We need to be ready when they are.

Well, I have to go...a customer is calling.

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!

For the fifth time this year, I find myself in a medical waiting.  I guess that isn't completely accurate - one of those times involved multiple visits to the same waiting room.  Two urgent care visits, an ER visit, ICU visits and now a diagnostic visit.  It has been an unfortunate record this year given some of the outcomes.  As I wait, Mister Mister plays softly in the background, "Take These Broken Wings" - is it a message?  a prayer?  I wait here with a collection of strangers; each waiting for their own outcome.  From routine checkups to anxiety ridden surprises this little room has it all.  There is no silence here; phone calls, insurance discussions, payment questions, responsible party inquiries, a coffee spill here or there, greetings and various other background noises.  As I look around, I wonder at the story lines: all backgrounds, colors, creeds and perspectives collected right here before me.  It is a drama played daily right there are your local ER, ICU, Mammography Center, Cancer Center, __________ you insert the place.  Despite all of our differences, we all end up here at some point.  As predictable as "death and taxes", we all become patients of one sort or another.  The fact that we sit here on December 31, 2009 only adds an introspective, philosophical element to the whole story.  I wonder how many of these people before me will walk out of here with life-altering discoveries.  Will I?

Well, time to count blessings.  I wish you all a very Happy New Year and the best of health.  See you in the waiting room.
 

It is a great time to take a breath and count blessings.  We feel very fortunate for our customers and partners across the country who give us the opportunity to work with them.  We have also been blessed with the opportunity to provide support to many community health centers that serve those less fortunate than us.  In serving those around us we find our true purpose and discover the best within ourselves.

All of us at PCA Pharmaceuticals wish you a very Merry Christmas!

PCA, offering prepackaged pharmaceuticals, dispensing software, health clinic supplies, work comp claim filing, warehousing and fulfillment services.

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.

With the cold, the travel and the holidays come a range of illnesses that send people in droves for treatment.  From H1N1 to the good 'ole sore throat, clinics will continue to see a variety of ailments throughout what promises to be a challenging cold and flu season.  Pharmaceutical dispensing clients of PCA continue to purchase antibiotics, throat lozenges and cold & cough products to provide to their patients.  We are also seeing many orders for medical injectables like Promethazine to alleviate symptoms.

The CDC provides great information for travelers and health professionals as it relates to flu updates, outbreaks and guidance on other health-related information.  Go to www.cdc.gov for more information.  For even more information on the flu, check out www.flu.gov.

As you consider pharma vendors for your medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, consider PCA your partner for the "season".  Bundle up!

It seems that much of our identity is wrapped up in the notion of what we do for a living.  When making casual conversation with people we've just met, the question of occupation often arises.  More often than not, the real answer to that question is far too complex for these conversations so we try to capture the essence of our livelihood in a one line bullet point: I'm a physician; I'm a banker; I'm a drug rep etc.  In sales, they call it the "elevator pitch" - the succinct answer you would give someone on a 20 second ride in an elevator.

The need to be succinct doesn't change even when talking to those in our line of business.  Though PCA provides many products, our vocation is providing pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to clinics.  The answer often changes based on your audience: PCA provides pharmaceutical dispensing services or PCA offers dispensing software or PCA distributes medical injectables. The problem with the one-liner is that it doesn't make any value judgments - it doesn't really say whether or not you do these things well.

When thinking of your clinic, the same rules apply.  Every conversation brands your operation.   Sure, you might be a pulmonary specialist but what is it you are offering your patients?  You might be able to explain your specialty in 50 words or less but what does your receptionist say when asked?  At the highest level, you could say that "we make people well" but that doesn't quite capture it, does it?  Does all of your staff really understand all that you do for patients?  These questions require no answers.  It is simply a way to look at the value you provide a little differently.  The "elevator pitch" should answer what you do but it should also give a hint as to how you do it better.  If you're curious about how your staff describes your practice in the outside world, try asking them "what do we do?" and see how they answer.  You might be surprised.

I was recently asked: What type of medical practice is best suited to medication dispensing?  It is a very interesting question because the tendency is to believe that doctors who prescribe a high volume of medications are the best suited for pharmaceutical dispensing. In reality, the answer is not practice-oriented at all. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly factors that make some practices better candidates for clinic dispensing - narrowly focused formularies, high patient volumes, generics-oriented prescriptions - however, I think the best answer is more basic than practice type.

In years of working with physicians who have enhanced their practices by offering in-office medication dispensing, I have found some commone threads among the doctors who I would classify as successful dispensers of medications:

• The physician must feel that the act of dispensing medications provides great value to his/her patients.  If they don't believe in it, then it won't work.

• The physician sees himself/herself as a physician AND a small business owner.  Medication dispensing works best when the physician is truly motivated to grow the practice and extend additional services to patients.
  
• The physician must be comfortable offering dispensing services to patients.  If the physician does not promote the clinic's dispensary, patients will not ask for it.
  

• The successful dispensing physician generally offers other valued-added services to patients that extend beyond the traditional medical clinic.  Onsite lab services, medically-related products, alternative medicine services and weight management services are a just a few offerings that are complementary to dispensing services. 

 

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 :)

I recently had an opportunity to speak to a group of health care professionals from a mid-sized university health center.  As I was preparing for my presentation, I did a little research on this particular health center and discovered a few positive surprises - they had a documented philosphy of care!  The Director invited me to speak to her staff about two topics: 1) drug updates relevant to clinic dispensing and 2) my thoughts about the patient experience as it relates to a student health center.

This clinic already had a wonderful approach to wellness and caring for the "whole person".  Offering alternative medical services such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, yoga/meditation and reiki they had identified mechanisms to add value to their patients and focus on their wellness.  Underlying their services are seven "components" of wellness that serve as a foundation for their philosophy of care.  Though our service to them centers on medication dispensing, injectable drugs and medical supplies, I was impressed with their overall philosophy around wellness and witnessed numerous best practices.

We had a delightful discussion about student health and the care experience.  As I left the clinic, I realized that they "got it".  They take pride in the care they give their students and accept the responsibility to make a difference.  I would certainly feel better knowing that my child was in their caring hands.

How many people in your clinic "touch" patients on any given day?  In this case, "touch" refers to an interaction, not necessarily physical.  Who has the  most "touches" in a given day? Is it the physician? a nurse? your billing clerk? the person at the front desk? Who answers the phone?  Now the big question: do you know how your patients are treated at each "touch" point?

It is easy to manage the patient experience when you are the only one interacting with the patient. But that just isn't reality.  Every person along the way makes an impression, positive or negative.  You can be the most competent clinician in the world and it won't make up for a negative experience somewhere else along the way (actually, it might for a little while but it will catch up with you).  I can remember switching from a dentist I liked because I could not stand to deal with his office manager.  The world is full of options and people won't hesitate to change if they are treated poorly.  The sad truth is that you will probably never know; they just won't come back.

What do you do?  Here a few ideas to consider:

• Assign responsibility to someone.  Identify your most upbeat, patient-centric staff member and ask him/her to be in charge of "the patient experience".  This person's informal job is to spend some time thinking about how your office can treat patients better.  Believe me, just asking someone to spend some time on this will yield great ideas and build momentum.
• Solicit input from all staff members.  By asking the staff, you achieve two things: 1) they know that you are concerned with the patient experience and 2) involvement equals commitment - if you implement some of their ideas, they are more likely to support the initiative (plus you get more good ideas!)
• Make it an agenda item at staff meetings.  You don't have to have a formal patient experience seminar (although it isn't a bad idea).  Just talking about an item at each staff meeting plants the seed in your team's mind.  Sharing ideas, encounters and opportunities makes it real for everyone.  Most people want the patient to enjoy their visit.

Though PCA specializes in office medication dispensing, we also get the opportunity to talk to clinics about their operation and associated opportunities.  I'm participating in a number of clinic staff meetings over the next week or so and will make a point to bring back a few ideas and practices we discuss.  More to come!

What makes you different?  Sure, you offer medication dispensing, lab services, x-rays and a host of leading edge services.  Doesn't everyone?  When asked that question about my business, I always come back to people.  Why chose PCA?  Well, because of me!  I'm different, unique, special, aren't I?  In a world of duplicates, copy-cats, instant information and me-too's the only real difference is the individual involved in the interaction.  Like me or hate me, I am different and a big reason you choose to work with me over someone else is the impression I leave.  No matter how much we want to market, position and sell our product, service or organization it boils down to the person delivering the message, taking the phone call or providing the service.

I was recently hiking in beautiful Southern Utah.  A morning of hiking in 112 degree heat had left me dehydrated and feeling quite ill.  I decided to stop in at a local urgent care in beautiful Cedar City, UT.  It was the standard experience.  I walked in, was begrudgingly greeted by the lady at the front desk and told to take a seat.  As I sat with the other seven people in the waiting area, I thought about the impersonal treatment of something so personal to me.  It was fifteen minutes before anyone even inquired as to my ailment and offered me the standard forms.  They didn't know I was from out of town...they treated everyone the same way!  How did it play out? Exactly as you would expect. Typical. Impersonal.  I walked out with a script.  They didn't even dispense medications!

How am I different?  Well, I want to understand your business.  What are the challenges?  In our case, is physician office dispensing the right solution for your clinic?  I can share what one hundred other clinics are doing and help the clinic evaluate their operation in comparison.  Do you treat worker's comp patients?  We can help.  You want to accept insurance?  Let's talk about that.  The point is, when my customers come to me, they get ME.  They get my expertise, my time, my focus.  Your practice is personal to me; that is key.  It is not just business.  It can't be.  Medication dispensing is not just about medications just as a physical exam is not just about flesh and bones. 

Out of space again.  We will have to continue this rant in the next blog!  Have you come up with your own list yet?  I am a unique pharma distributor, you are a unique health care provider.  Think about it as it relates to your patients.  More to come...

For the third time that day, I was asked "What makes you different?" In this case, it was a prospective clinic interested in medication dispensing that had been inundated by sales people wanting their business.  As I thought about that question, I realized that it applies to so many of our interactions.  With endless amounts of information and cynicism the rule of the day, people are constantly asking and answering the question: what makes you different? what makes you special? what makes you worthy of my time or money? 

For a clinic seeking to attract patients, it moves beyond physician dispensing, laboratory services, cool offices or high-tech equipment.  We all want to break it down into measurable factors: price, quantity, products, offerings, equipment, tests etc.  Decisions are so much easier when we can put the list in a spreadsheet and compare identical commodities.  However, the practice of medicine is incredibly personal.  Though the health care debate rages on with a focus on money, the reality is that when it comes to our health we focus on so many things other than money.  Sure the government, insurance company and myriad other organizations want to break down the services we receive into commodities that are equal across the spectrum.  But that isn't really what we want, is it?

When a doctor calls me to ask about clinic dispensing, I always ask how it fits with his/her business.  Where does it fit with your overall approach to caring for your patients?  Sure, we need to find ways to increase revenue but that is only one part of a much larger discussion. Why do your patients choose you over all of their other alternatives?  How do prospective patients find you?  Why do they stay?

I like this thread.  It is so elemental to the questions we face and the results we get.  I will continue with it in a future post.  I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

PCA provides prepackaged pharmaceuticals for clinic dispensing.  We've been providing medications to physicians since 1981.   PCA also provides medical clinic supplies to offices around the country.  Thoug health clinic supplies are a slightly smaller part of our business, we offer a wide array of gloves, needles, syringes, sharps containers, paper and other supplies.

For those looking for Indianapolis medical products, PCA is headquartered in Indy and offers rapid turn-around of orders.  As a local medical supplies wholesaler, we support clinics with the products they need, when they need them.  PCA welcomes the opportunity to be your medical supply distributor.

For more information on PCA's medical dispensing and supplies services, please visit us at www.pcameds.net.

We work with a number of physician-directed 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.  PCA Pharmaceuticals offers prepackaged medications; this means that we break the bulk bottles 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.  Our 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.

PCA's dispensing systems include 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.

Is it really July 21st already?  The summer is flying by and we'll be back in school looking at Fall before you know it.  I wanted to post a few interesting tidbits for medication dispensing clinics looking at fall medication orders.  Back to school will soon be upon us as well as  another exciting cold & flu season.

Newly approved generic pharmaceuticals:

LEVONORGESTREL TABS (PLAN B) - approved for Watson in June
PRILOSEC OTC DR CAPS - approved for Dr. Reddy's in June
ORTHO TRI CYCLIN LO - approved for Barr in June
KENALOG 10 AND KENALOG 40 - approved for Sandoz in May and June

Though prices won't drop immediately, as new generics get into the market, prices will slowly begin to come down.  Feel free to call PCA at 800.722.0772 to check on any specific products.

Some antibiotic products are still a bit high as the market recovers from recalls and product discontinuations.  We are keeping our eye on these products and will continue to advise our clinic partners on their options.  The good news is that the FDA has recently approved the 2009-2010 flu vaccine and they expect to have an H1N1 vaccine by fall.

Student health centers evaluating fall ordering are invited to contact PCA Pharmaceuticals for a comparative price quotation.  PCA is your partner for all of your clinic dispensing needs.

PCA sponsored a team of 20 walkers to participate in the Homeward Bound walk to support agencies that help the homeless.  Specifically, we support Gennesaret Free Clinics, an organization dedicated to providing medical and dental care to the homeless and underinsured.

Though we had a bit of rain at the beginning, the walk went very well.  Live music greeted us before and after the walk.  Indy looked great as we toured the Circle and walked along the Canal.  Here is the PCA team:

We remain committed to supporting those in need and are proud to be a part of Gennesaret's efforts to reach out to others in our community.

Thank you to those that participated in this event!  Our goal next year will be to double our team.

Click Homeward Bound to learn more about this event.

Click Gennesaret Free Clinics to learn more about this organizations efforts to provide medical and dental care to those in need.

I recently returned from the ACHA conference in San Francisco.  The conference went very well and is always a great opportunity to interact with student health professionals from around the country.  San Francisco and the surrounding area was beautiful (although a bit chilly) and the trip was a great experience.

I want to thank our many, many visitors.  We had some great conversations with healthcare professionals about pharmaceutical dispensing, student health, new clinic startups, marketing new clinics, promoting new medication dispensing programs, political battles and the general comings and goings of campus life.  Thank you to the participants who made the trek to the West Coast; it was great to see you and we hope to see you again next year.