Personalised medicine, driven by compounding pharmacies, customises medications to meet individual patient needs. Unlike regular pharmacies, they adjust dosages, mix drugs, or remove allergens as per a doctor's prescription. Going digital makes this process even better by increasing accuracy, reducing mistakes, and ensuring consistent quality. It speeds up workflows, keeps track of inventory in real-time, and maintains detailed records for compliance. Plus, digital tools enhance patient safety by checking for drug interactions and dosage errors. Simply put, digitalisation makes personalised medicine more efficient and reliable.
Why personalised medicine should be digital
Compounding pharmacies create personalised medicines, tailoring them to the unique needs of individual patients.
Compared to standard pharmacies (which dispense mass-produced drugs), compounding pharmacies prepare custom formulations, involving the adjustment of dosages, combining multiple drugs into one, or in eliminating potential allergens.
The goal is to provide patients with medications that are precisely suited to their individual health needs to ensure optimal outcomes.
The process of compounding pharmacies
The process begins with a physician writing a detailed prescription specifically for compounding. Once received, the pharmacy team reviews the prescription to make sure all necessary information is included, consulting with the prescribing doctor if any clarifications are needed.
Next, the pharmacist formulates the medication according to the prescription, creating the end product. Throughout this process, quality control measures are applied, like verifying ingredient measurements, checking proper mixing techniques, and performing final tests to confirm potency and purity.
After compounding, the medication is packaged and labelled with essential information, including the patient’s name, dosage instructions, and expiration date. The finished medication is then dispensed to the patient, with the pharmacist usually providing counselling on its use. Follow-up with patients is often done to keep track of the medication's effectiveness over time and to verify if there are any side-effects.
Why Digitalise?
Using digital templates in compounding pharmacies offers several benefits. Digital systems can improve precision and accuracy in measuring and mixing ingredients, reduce human error and make sure medications meet exact specifications. This leads to consistent and reliable medication quality.
Digital workflows streamline the compounding process, speeding up each step and allowing pharmacists to handle more prescriptions, improving turnaround times. Inventory management is improved through real-time tracking of ingredient usage, maintaining accurate stock levels, preventing shortages, and reducing waste.
Digital record-keeping automatically documents each step of the compounding process, creating a detailed audit trail for regulatory compliance and quality assurance. Patient safety is improved with digital tools that check for potential drug interactions and dosage errors before medications are dispensed.
Here are the key reasons why digitalisation is beneficial for compounding pharmacies:
- Better Inventory Management
- Comprehensive Record-Keeping
- Regulatory Compliance
- Improved Patient Safety
- Better communication & collaboration e.g. electronic health records (EHRs) and e-prescribing systems allow for transfer of prescription details
- Data analytics & insights
- Cost Savings ie. long-term cost savings from greater efficiency and reduced errors
Watch Success Story
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- PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America): Known for providing high-quality ingredients, comprehensive training, and support services to compounding pharmacists across the country.
- Fagron: A global leader in pharmaceutical compounding, offering innovative products, services, and templates to enhance personalised medicine.
- APS Pharmacy: Specialises in custom compounded medications with a focus on hormone replacement therapy, dermatology, and veterinary compounds.
- Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS): A leading provider of compounded sterile preparations, known for its adherence to stringent quality standards and regulatory compliance.