Tech firms answer chain pharmacy's call for productivity

Drug Store News,  Dec 15, 2003  by Dan Scheraga

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Mobility is beginning to take on increased importance in the pharmacy space. To address that need, McKesson plans to debut handheld devices for pharmacy usage early next year. The devices will interface with McKesson's AutoLink pharmacy management solutions.

Why would in-store pharmacists need handheld units? "It's largely a matter of mobility and counter space," Wunrlein-Beigh said. "Pharmacists want to be able to fill prescriptions and access information from wherever they are behind the counter. If you have only one terminal and multiple pharmacists, that can lead to crowding and awkward delays for the patient. Handhelds give the pharmacist instant access from wherever they are."

Also attempting to make its solutions more portable is ScriptPro. The company is testing a mobile version of its Checkpoint prescription verification and management device. Coughlin said the device is designed to be carried by delivery drivers for signature collection. Just as important, he said, the device provides the driver with a host of information on his cargo: Namely the prescriptions on his truck, their delivery addresses and the names of the people authorized to receive them.

Another promising technology is RFID, a scanning technology that works like barcode scanning except that RFID tags are read through radio waves instead of optics. No line of sight between scanner and tag is necessary.

GSL Laboratories, based in Vancouver, Wash., is exploring the possibilities of RFID. Chief executive officer Shelton Louie was secretive about GSL's plans, but said the company is thinking about RFID-enabling its IntelligiCab automated will-call system.

"We expect it will take a lot of the time and effort out of tracking prescriptions through the pharmacy," Louie said.

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