From streamlining prescription refills through mobile apps to using SMS alerts for real-time medication updates, health systems are reshaping the digital pharmacy experience with patients at the center.
Below are responses from three pharmacy leaders who were asked: How has patient feedback shaped your health system’s digital pharmacy services over the last year?
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Jess DeJesus, PharmD. President and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health (Cambridge, Mass.): Patient feedback and the improvement of workflow efficiency in the pharmacies have played a critical role in the development of our digital strategy at Beth Israel Lahey Health Pharmacy. The implementation of MyBILH Pharmacy app has enhanced and simplified the refill and renewal processes of prescriptions for our patients, while significantly reducing the inbound calls to our call centers. Patients are able to order their refills from their app with one click and are able to track the deliveries of their prescriptions to their homes. The adoption of this digital tool has been extremely successful, which has shown in improved patient satisfaction. We are also in the process of implementing an SMS solution which will enable our pharmacies to communicate with patients via text messages to enhance pharmacy services. There will be real-time automated updates to our patients to let them know of prior authorization requirements and status. It is imperative for pharmacies to utilize digital solutions to enhance patient experience and improve pharmacy workflow.
Lisa Mulloy. Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.): Patients’ feedback has shaped the digital experience and has led our organization to enhance many of those pharmacy tools as the patient portals facilitate clearer communication between patients and providers regarding medications. Patients can ask questions about their medications and report side effects directly through the portal, fostering a more collaborative approach to medication management.
When patients transition between different healthcare settings (e.g., hospital to home), accurate medication reconciliation is crucial as well. Electronic health records and patient portals can help ensure that medication lists are up-to-date and consistent across different providers, minimizing the risk of discrepancies and adverse drug events. These streamlined digital tools help facilitate communication with patients, caregivers and providers regarding current medication therapy.
Mike Wascovich, PharmD. Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Ascension (St. Louis): At Ascension, our patients are the No. 1 priority. Any investment we make in technologies, processes, and initiatives is focused on improving patient safety and experience. That is why feedback is critical. We track feedback in every Ascension pharmacy across the country even specifically around our operations and digital technologies. Using this invaluable data, we evaluate and act upon the voice of the patient. Receiving a regular cadence of these unique insights helps us calibrate our pharmacy services to focus on our patients.
