Abstract
An outpatient pharmacy redesign in which a pharmacist located outside the dispensing area speaks with each patient before the prescription is processed is described, and the effect of patients' waiting time and satisfaction is reported. Adoption of an open pharmacy plan at a Veterans Administration outpatient pharmacy allows patients to present their prescriptions to pharmacists in consultation booths equipped with computer terminals. The pharmacist promptly identifies and resolves any problem associated with a prescription or medication profile. The prescription then enters the dispensing work area, which was also redesigned to improve efficiency; patients now pick up their medications at a window on the opposite end of the dispensing area from where the pharmacist initially receives the prescription. Workload data and waiting times before and after implementation of the open pharmacy showed that prescriptions could be processed more quickly under the new system; average waiting times decreased from more than one hour to 30 minutes. Interviews of randomly selected patients indicated that the reduced waiting times led to increased patient satisfaction. The open pharmacy design appeared to improve work flow and to improve patient satisfaction by decreasing waiting times.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
