A number of Pharmacy Management Tips of the Week have discussed some aspect of advanced clinical services delivery, such as medication therapy management (MTM). While those services are important, all goods and services, including the more “traditional” ones are vital to the business/organization and to the patients it serves. The pharmacist manager for all services must plan, organization, lead, and control financial, human, material, and time resources at individual, interpersonal, and organizational levels. In doing so, the pharmacist bears in mind even subconsciously classical management theory that considers various principles such as division of labor, unity of command and direction, remuneration of staff, order, equity, and stability.

Pattin et al examined a more traditional service; specifically, a prescription renewal process paramount for efficiency and for patient adherence to medications.¹ They describe how in physician practices and pharmacies, staff members work to process prescription renewals so that patients have continuous access to a reliable supply of medications. Despite the incorporation of e-prescribing software programs to ease management of these processes, barriers to effective management of the prescription renewal process persist. Mismanagement of pharmacy adherence programs can ultimately lead to patients receiving inappropriate medications and to the pharmacy’s inefficient use of human resources. They found the need to reduce technological problems in the prescribing and filling processes. They recommend that managers attempt to standardize prescription renewal processes and educate patients about the use of these processes.

Effective pharmacy management transcends all aspects of the pharmacy operation, including more traditional services such as prescription renewal.

Additional information about Management Functions and Managing Medication Use Process Supporting Technologies and Automation can be found in Pharmacy Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings, 4e. If you or your institution subscribes to AccessPharmacy, use or create your MyAccess Profile to sign-in to Pharmacy Management: Essentials for All Practice Settings, 4e. If your institution does not provide access, ask your medical librarian about subscribing.

¹Pattin AJ, Devore N, Fowler J, Weldy D. An examination of the prescription renewal process and implications for primary care physicians and community pharmacists. J Pharm Pract. 2018.  doi: 10.1177/0897190018799217.