Management Imaging Recognition Scanning Software Strategy Privacy

Current Filter: Document>>>>>Case Study>

PREVIOUS

Filtered Articles:3 of 119   Current Article ID:5301

NEXT



A cure for the paperwork headache

Editorial Type: Case Study     Date: 03-2015    Views: 4190      









Leicester-based pharmacy County Pharmacy has found a remedy for previously unmanageable paperwork

Life for small business owners is evolving. This is the case for the pharmacy sector as much as it is for any other kind of business. In an increasingly bureaucratic environment County Pharmacy, based in Leicester, faced the challenge of going through a number of administrative processes for the various organisations it deals with - from government bodies, to the HMRC and its various suppliers. A large part of this involves paperwork - signing documents, keeping records, producing documents at a moment's notice whenever necessary, and so on.

The primary concern for Divyesh Shah, owner of County Pharmacy, was that dealing with these mountains of paperwork is not income-generating activity and took up a large amount of time - a resource which is particularly valuable for small businesses like County Pharmacy.

TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
There are several organisations to which County Pharmacy has regularly to provide paperwork. First of all, there are the tax and VAT bodies. Then, there are all the agencies with which County Pharmacy holds contracts, such as NHS England, primary care trusts and clinical commissioning groups. These contracts all require compliance with clinical governance and standard operating procedures (COP).

County Pharmacy also has to deal with a large amount of documentation when it comes to its supplier relations. And finally there is the customer-facing side of the business, which could mean doctors, local surgeries, patients and patient groups.

FINDING THE REMEDY
County Pharmacy decided to install a Fujitsu fi Series document scanner to improve its paperwork management systems. This scanning solution came from PFU Imaging Solutions, the manufacturers of Fujitsu scanners, and its partner QC Supplies, whom County Pharmacy met at the Commissioning Show, a national trade event for England's health and social care community.

Before getting a hands-on experience with scanners, owner Divyesh Shah was under the misconception that scanning was a time-consuming, clunky process, and that scanners took up unmanageable amounts of room. Seeing the fast, compact, simple and efficient solution that PFU offered County Pharmacy with their Fujitsu fi Series scanners was therefore something of an eye-opener. Shah commented: "People often don't know they have an issue until it is pointed out to them. PFU and its partners helped us identify what our needs were and have provided the necessary solutions for us to be able to address them."

POSITIVE OUTCOMES
Keeping records of financial paperwork such as invoices and credit notes is of utmost importance to a business like County Pharmacy. When making payments to suppliers, for example, records have to be made of all payments in the month - who has been paid and how much. The scanner enables County Pharmacy to keep track of all these payments with one simple scan.

"It's particularly useful when it comes to any queries or challenges around overlooked payment," explains Divyesh Shah. "I know that I have records of all payments stored securely in one place, so that I can quickly and easily demonstrate evidence and clarify any queries. Without the scanner this task could take up an entire evening."

County Pharmacy also keeps digitised records of purchase history, which is an important way of analysing patterns of purchase behaviour and forecasting future stock levels. It also means that if Divyesh ever decides to sell his business he has a fast means of illustrating the worth of business.

"It was essential for us to be able to retrieve documents and information quickly whenever necessary," explains Shah. "Now, being able to do this means having more time to focus on developing and improving the business."

PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST
Accuracy is of utmost importance to a pharmacy because nothing can go wrong when it comes to ensuring the right medication goes to the right patient at the right time. Anything that interferes with this not only means stress for the pharmacist but it is potentially dangerous for patients. Any mistakes made in the process would, of course, fall on the shoulders of the pharmacist. An efficient workspace is essential to mitigating this risk, because the more efficient the workspace, the less likely it is for mistakes to happen.



Page   1  2

Like this article? Click here to get the Newsletter and Magazine Free!

Email The Editor!         OR         Forward ArticleGo Top


PREVIOUS

                    


NEXT