ScriptPro Empowers Waco Family Medicine to Triple Revenue and Enhance Patient Care
Empowered To Triple Revenue and Enhance Patient Care
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, community health centers face unique challenges in providing quality care to vulnerable populations while navigating complex regulatory requirements and financial pressures. Waco Family Medicine (WFM), a cornerstone of community health in Texas since 1969, exemplifies the mission-driven approach that characterizes many such organizations.
WFM has grown from its grassroots beginnings to become a vital healthcare provider, serving over 70,000 patients across three counties. With 16 clinic sites spread across these counties, WFM operates two pharmacy locations, with plans to expand to a third location at the beginning of next year.
WFM’s commitment to the community extends beyond immediate care. The organization has operated a residency program for more than 50 years, playing a crucial role in retaining skilled physicians in the Waco area. In fact, an overwhelming majority of family medicine physicians practicing in Waco are graduates of WFM’s residency program.
With a strong focus on caring for vulnerable populations, WFM has established itself as a crucial part of the local healthcare ecosystem and is always looking for innovative ways to maintain its mission while ensuring operational efficiency and financial sustainability.
Challenge: Inefficiencies Impeded Growth
Waco Family Medicine faced several significant challenges that threatened to impede its growth and its ability to serve its community effectively.
340B Compliance and Financial Pressures
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), WFM faced a complex challenge in managing its 340B Drug Pricing Program. The intricate compliance requirements of
this program were becoming increasingly burdensome, consuming valuable time and resources. Moreover, with pharmacy operations accounting for a quarter of WFM’s budget, the financial health of the organization hinged on optimizing this critical area. Balancing 340B compliance, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability had become a pressing concern for WFM’s leadership.
Additionally, WFM faced challenges related to Medicaid in Texas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients had continuous Medicaid enrollment. However, as the pandemic subsided, a significant number of patients lost their Medicaid coverage. This shift has had financial implications for WFM, as Medicaid is one of its biggest payers.
"WE WERE AT A CROSSROADS. Our Mission to provide high-quality care to our community was hampered by inefficient systems and processes. We needed a solution that could address our compliance needs, improve efficiency, and scale with our growth— all while keeping patient care at the forefront."
Efficiency and Error Reduction
WFM also recognized the need for efficiency and a more robust system to minimize errors and ensure patient safety. The focus was on implementing automation and improving efficiency to address various types of errors systematically, particularly those related to patient identification and data input.
One of the most significant issues was the potential for errors with patients having similar names or birthdays. As Ramsey explained, “Before we fully moved to ScriptPro, there was a constant worry about mis-fills due to patients with similar names and birthdays, sometimes even the exact same name and birthday.”
Ramsey explained, “Before the new system, we were constantly juggling between different platforms. It was frustrating and time-consuming, and I frequently worried about making mistakes.”
Solution: Customized, Unified Pharmacy Management System
WFM’s relationship with ScriptPro dates to 2001 when it first implemented ScriptPro’s workflow system and a single robot. In 2009, it added a second robot, and in 2020, it fully transitioned to ScriptPro’s Pharmacy Management System (PMS).
After a comprehensive evaluation of various pharmacy management systems, including QS/1 NRx Pharmacy, PioneerRx, Liberty Pharmacy Management, and Epic Willow, WFM chose to implement ScriptPro’s PMS along with its robotic dispensing technology.
Key Factors in Choosing ScriptPro
- ScriptPro’s PMS offered a unified platform that could replace the multiple systems WFM was using, streamlining operations and reducing the potential for errors.
- The system’s robust 340B management capabilities were crucial, automating eligibility checks and ensuring proper inventory management.
- ScriptPro demonstrated a willingness and ability to customize its solution to meet WFM’s specific needs, particularly in areas such as workflow optimization and reporting.
- The inclusion of robotic dispensing technology promised to significantly reduce the risk of medication errors while improving efficiency.
ScriptPro’s reputation for excellent customer support was a key differentiator. This was particularly important given WFM’s previous experiences with system downtime and lack of vendor responsiveness. The strong, reliable support offered by ScriptPro was a deciding factor, especially when compared to Epic Willow, which would have required WFM to train its own staff for system support.
Implementation Process
The implementation process was comprehensive, including installation of ScriptPro’s PMS across all WFM pharmacy locations and deployment of robotic dispensing systems, affectionately named “Bambi” and “Thumper” by the staff. The system was integrated with WFM’s Epic electronic health record (EHR) system, including an ADT (Admission, Discharge, Transfer) interface and a Direct Orders interface. This integration ensures prescriptions are directly transferred from Epic to ScriptPro, reducing errors and saving costs.
Results: Operational Efficiency Leads to Business Growth
The implementation of ScriptPro’s solutions has had a transformative effect on WFM’s pharmacy operations, yielding significant benefits across multiple areas.
Financial Impact and Operational Improvements
Perhaps most notable, WFM has tripled its pharmacy revenue since implementing ScriptPro in 2020. This substantial growth was partly due to the platform’s ability to make the pharmacy more efficient, allowing for increased prescription volume.
Operational efficiency has seen dramatic improvements. Prescription processing time has been drastically reduced, with many prescriptions now filled in 15 minutes or less. The integrated system has eliminated the need for staff to navigate multiple platforms, reducing stress and improving job satisfaction. This automation has allowed staff to focus more on patient care rather than administrative tasks.
The ADT interface has significantly reduced errors related to patient identification. As Ramsey noted, “Since we’ve moved to PMS and have that ADT interface, errors due to similar patient names or birthdays are pretty much nonexistent.”
In addition, ScriptPro’s automated 340B management has significantly reduced the time and effort required to ensure compliance. The system provides real-time eligibility checks in minutes, giving WFM confidence in its 340B program operations.
ScriptPro’s PMS has also dramatically reduced the time spent on managing reimbursements. What used to take 15-20 hours per week can now be done in about five minutes a day, freeing up staff for other important tasks.
Expansion and Growth
WFM has been able to expand its operations, now serving patients across three counties and multiple clinic locations without compromising on service quality. The pharmacy can now handle up to 1,000 prescriptions per day efficiently. Faster prescription filling times and reduced errors have led to improved patient satisfaction. And features like the Web Refill Portal and mobile app have enhanced patient convenience.
"SCRIPTPRO HAS UNLOCKED OUR POTENTIAL. Before, we were constantly battling inefficiencies and compliance issues. Now, we are growing our services, and ultimately, reaching more patients who need our care. ScriptPro doesn't just help us manage our pharmacy; it enables us to reach our full potential."
Home Delivery Program
ScriptPro’s system has also enabled WFM to efficiently manage a growing home delivery program, which now accounts for 15-20% of its business. The integration with shipping services has streamlined the delivery process, expanding WFM’s reach. At one point, a staff member suggested integrating Pitney Bowes into the system for improved delivery efficiency. ScriptPro worked with WFM to implement this customization, further enhancing the home delivery program.
Staff Impact
Contrary to initial concerns about automation replacing jobs, WFM has actually increased its pharmacy staff due to growth enabled by the new system. Staff report less stress and a better quality of work life due to streamlined processes and reduced administrative burden.
ScriptPro’s customization capabilities have further improved staff efficiency. For example, WFM implemented a bin number system that improved efficiency in prescription pickup. As Ramsey explained, “When a pharmacy tech enters
a patient’s name in the system, it provides the bin number that the prescription is in.”
Interestingly, the ScriptPro robots have become an unexpected marketing tool for WFM. Ramsey shared, “We have every visitor or new hire go through orientation, and they get a prescription from Bambi or Thumper. We fill it with M&Ms or Skittles. People remember us for that.”
Ramsey reflected on the transformation: “ScriptPro has been a wonderful partner in helping us provide great pharmacy services to our patients. While no software vendor is perfect, ScriptPro’s commitment to helping us take care of patients in the most effective, efficient way possible has been invaluable. They continually work with us to improve any areas that need attention, ensuring that our patients receive the best possible service while we meet all regulatory requirements.”
“ScriptPro has been a WONDERFUL PARTNER helping us provide great pharmacy services to our patients.”
Conclusion: Better Serving the Community
The partnership between Waco Family Medicine and ScriptPro demonstrates the profound impact that the right pharmacy management system can have on a community health center. By addressing key challenges in efficiency, compliance, and scalability, ScriptPro has enabled WFM to not only improve its financial performance but also to better fulfill its mission of providing high-quality care to vulnerable patient populations.
As the healthcare industry continues to face challenges such as rising costs, increased regulatory scrutiny, and the need for improved patient outcomes, WFM’s success with ScriptPro serves as a model for other community health centers looking to enhance their operations and patient care.
WFM’s journey offers valuable insights into the potential benefits of implementing a comprehensive, integrated pharmacy management system. As Ramsey put it, “When we compare where we are today to where we were a year ago, the difference is mind-blowing. ScriptPro’s ability to adjust to our growing business needs has been incredibly helpful. It’s not just about the technology—it’s about finding innovative ways to serve our community better.”
“When we compare where we are today to where we were a year ago, THE DIFFERENCE IS MIND-BLOWING. ScriptPro’s ability to adjust to our growing business needs has been incredibly helpful. It’s not just about the technology—it’s about finding innovative ways to serve our community better.”
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