By Thelma Omosede Osaiyawuo
Today, technology has a major impact on the working lives of billions of people all over the word. Many industries have embraced computer technology because of the benefits of automated information processing. These include enabling routine tasks to be conducted with consistent accuracy and standardisation.
Pharmacists, with technology, can efficiently structure the storage of patient records, facilitate accurate dispensing and administration of medicines, and provide tools for monitoring the efficacy and safety of medicines in use. Technology can therefore improve patients’ safety, enable pharmacists to provide high quality care and help patients make the most of their medicines. Access to patient record systems will assist pharmacists with professional decision-making in providing patient-centered services.
Other areas that today’s pharmacist can find technology handy include Medication Therapy Management (MTM), inventory control and management, as well as electronic prescriptions (EP). Pharmacists play a vital role in their organisations by leveraging technology to provide patient care services and medication therapy management.
MTM is used to describe the broad range of health care services provided by pharmacists. These services include comprehensive medication reviews, medication reconciliation, drug use review, drug dosage adjustments, and identification of gaps in patient care.
Electronic prescribing (EP) has been shown to reduce medication errors and has a major impact on patient safety. Timely and accurate transmission of a patient’s prescription is important to ensure seamless patient care, and also to prevent errors arising from miscommunication.
Already today in Nigeria, many pharmacies are using some form of inventory management systems which are mostly and generally designed to manage businesses that provide services to customers/clients. However, most of these applications do not meet the unique needs of pharmacy practice as they primarily possess inventory control and business management functions and do not adequately address the patient care tools needed by pharmacist to perform their jobs daily.
Today’s pharmacist must be supported by efficient, user-friendly pharmacy management systems that can navigate the complexities of dispensing, inventory management, point-of-sale, prescription dispensing and patient care that include treatment records, medication directions and counselling.
Emperic Pharmacy Systems is a new software that has been able to create a user-friendly efficient system that accommodates all the complexities that are encountered in the practice of Pharmacy today, particularly in community and hospital practice. Emperic was developed by pharmacists to provide solutions to help pharmacists navigate the day-to-day intricacies of their practice efficiently and adequately in order to maximise the ability to manage their businesses, as well as provide optimal patient care.
Pharm. Thelma Omosede Osaiyawu wrote from Emperic System Pharmacy, Lagos. For questions/enquiries, contact her through oodebo@empericng.com
