Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:17:26 -0800WeeblyWed, 18 Mar 2020 16:40:32 GMThttp://vip-pharmacy.com/news--updates/independent-pharmacy-in-the-time-of-social-distancingIn less than a week, social distancing has become the norm, affecting nearly all people and industries across the country. While no one knows for sure how long the process of limiting and containing the spread of COVID-19 will last, there is no denying that independent pharmacies felt the effects early and will continue to deal with patient concerns and the potential health impacts for months to come. 

While locking their doors or working from home is not an option for pharmacies and most of their staff, there are things pharmacies can do to limit person-to-person contact with between patients and pharmacy staff:

1. Increase cleaning procedures and maintain social distancing during off hours. 
Be sure that you are regularly cleaning with viral-killing solutions all frequently touched surfaces (counters, door handles, signature pads), tools (pens, keyboards, trays, spatulas), and making sure employees are regularly washing hands. Additionally, as healthcare workers that interact with a high number of patients and patient medications throughout the day, your entire staff should be following strict social distancing guidelines during your non-work hours in order to prevent exposure to the coronavirus. Limit trips outside of the home to essentials only, and limit group gatherings to 10 people or fewer. The more people present in one place, and the more people those people may have recently been in close proximity to, the more likely that the virus could be passed unknowingly. 

​2. Use Telemedicine services to communicate with patients.
While social distancing is a necessity, pharmacies must find of ways of continuing to provide personal care to their patients. Doxy.me is a free, HIPAA compliant telemedicine service that allows healthcare providers and patients to have secure video conversations. It can be used for pharmacist consultations, MTM interventions, and basic patient care monitoring, all without requiring a software download by the pharmacy or the patient. Go to www.doxy.me to sign up for free.

3. Switch to an on-line patient intake form and suspend in-store waiting
Using a HIPAA compliant patient intake form that can be sent to patients or added to your website can significantly reduce the amount of time new patients spend inside your pharmacy. Jotform.com provides a cost effective, HIPAA compliant solution for generating a custom intake form and getting it in front of your new patients. Additionally, require all patients waiting for fills to make sure they call ahead (or use the VIP Rx Refills app to request refills ahead of time) and wait in their vehicle, rather than inside your pharmacy, until their scripts have been filled. 

4. Restrict the number of patients inside your pharmacy.
In consideration of your patients and staff, you may consider limiting the number of patients allowed in your pharmacy at one time. You should also consider restricting the number of people that can wait in line, and placing markers to keep waiting patients at a safe distance. 

5.  Offer curbside pickup for medications and OTC products.
There both high-tech and low-tech ways to provide curbside service to your patients. VIP has an iPad delivery app that can be utilized to "deliver" prescriptions and OTC items to multiple vehicles in one trip, while collecting digital signatures from the patient. ChargeItPro also has a mobile app that can be used during deliveries to take credit card payments in person, rather than over the phone. Pharmacies can also switch to non-electronic signature capture using their VIP labels. 

This is a difficult time that poses unique challenges. VIP Pharmacy Systems is committed to providing our stores with all of the tools and assistance they need to manage the current increase in patient need. We are still fully staffed on our support lines, and are available during our regular business hours and on-call during off hours. Please let us know if you need any assistance over the next few weeks.

]]>Wed, 11 Mar 2020 16:11:11 GMThttp://vip-pharmacy.com/news--updates/your-pharmacys-response-to-covid-19As cases of COVID-19 continue to be identified across the United States, it's become imperative to consider the short-term and long-term impact the virus will have on our communities and our lives. As many communities' first line of healthcare information and interaction, independent pharmacies have a vital role to play in educating their patients and helping to contain the spread of the virus. While all pharmacy managers should continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC and their state and local health departments, here are some things you can do in your pharmacy to help your patients and your community at large: 

- Don't panic. 
While COVID-19 is a serious public health concern, it is by no means a reason for people to over-react. Taking steps to properly sanitize and be mindful of the way humans can pass germs can help protect the most vulnerable populations - older adults and those with respiratory issues - and reduce the spread of the virus to the carrying capacity of hospitals and health care centers in most communities. Your patients will look to your pharmacy for guidance, and it's important that you have the information they need and the ability to deliver it appropriately 

- Post factual education materials for your employees and your patients about what COVID-19 is, how it is transmitted, and its symptoms. 
Symptoms of COIVD-19 include fever, cough, trouble breathing. They do not typically include running nose, sinus congestion, but can sometimes be confused for seasonal allergies that are starting to appear. More information about COVID-19, including downloadable PDF's, can be found at:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

- Instruct employees who are showing COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close proximity to other who may have the virus to stay home. 
Working from home is not possibility for most pharmacy employees - medications have to be filled and rung out by employees actually in your pharmacy. But there are some employees, such as bookkeepers, that can work from home if given the right tools. Also consider paying sick pay to your hourly employees to encourage them to stay home when necessary and soften the financial burden of not working. Additionally, evaluate your staffing requirements to prevent having more people in close proximity than are necessary to run your pharmacy

- Expand your delivery services to more patients, and keep sick patients at a safe distance. 
While independent pharmacy is known for having a personal touch, a sterner and more clinical approach is sometimes called for. If patients come into your pharmacy showing symptoms, immediately isolate them from others in the pharmacy and call a local doctor to order a COVID-19 test. If you have ways of communicating with your patients on a large scale - through either email newsletters, mobile apps, or social media - instruct patients who feel ill to stay home and to ask your pharmacy for assistance in getting their medication at home through delivery services. Additionally, consider setting boundaries in your pharmacy to encourage patients to keep distance from each other and your staff while waiting in line to pick up their medications, or expanding pickup to curbside service if you don't have a drive-thru window

- Review and update your sanitation practices.
High-touch areas, such as door knobs, counter tops, and signature capture devices should be disinfected regularly. This should include both patient and pharmacy areas of your store. Employees should be encouraged to thoroughly wash hands on a regular basis, and discourage sharing of any high-touch items without prior disinfecting - these can include computer keyboards and mice, pens, spatulas, sinks, and phones. 

There is a lot of information and social fear concerning COVID-19. Use your role as a pharmacist to educate yourself, your patients, and your staff about ways to take care of themselves and those they are around regularly, and be a calm and rational voice to cut through the noise. Stay up to date on what local officials are recommending for your area, and encourage your patients to do the same. 

]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:30:59 GMThttp://vip-pharmacy.com/news--updates/getting-ready-for-emvAs most are probably aware, October 01, 2015 will be the start date for a new set of regulations concerning EMV chip credit and debit cards.  There is a lot of information and misinformation floating around, much of it being spun by credit card companies using scare tactics to get merchants to switch to their services.  In an effort to combat that misinformation, We've prepared a short but comprehensive breakdown of what all this EMV talk is really about:

1. What is EMV?
EMV is a set of specifications defining how smart payment cards and the devices that accept them are configured.  Typical thought of as "chip cards" because of the visibly embedded microchip in the credit and debit cards, these cards and the devices that accept them communicate back and forth several times during a transaction, allowing for a very strong encryption that is the gold standard for payment card processing security throughout the world.
2. Who is mandating the switch to EMV?
The Payment Network - made up of VISA, MasterCard, and EuroPay - is the organization mandating this switch to EMV across the globe to enhance payment card security.  Most countries in the world have already switched and are processing the vast majority of their transactions via EMV - the US is one of the last countries to make the switch.  
3. What happens on October 1st, 2015?
 On October 1st, liability for the processing of fraudulently produced credit or debit cards switches from the payment card processor to the non-EMV supporting party.  For merchants, such as pharmacies, this means that if a counterfeit EMV card is used in a store that doesn't support EMV transactions, that merchant is liable for any charges on that card.  If a store does support EMV transactions and processes a fraudulent card, the issuer continues to assume liability for the charge.  VISA has a very good further explanation of liability after October 1st on their website here.  
4. Do I have to switch to an EMV ready device by October 1st?
Yes and no.  For the sake of security and removing any liability to your pharmacy, switching is absolutely necessary.  However, the when is relatively up to you.  Magnetic stripe cards will still be around and functional for the next two to three years. You should do a risk assessment to decide what the chances are you'll try to process a fraudulent card in the first few months after the switch, and when the best time to switch will be.  Large chain stores like Target and Best Buy will want to be ready on October 1st, because of their high profile and high cost of goods.  Small independent stores who base most of their business on repeat customers are less likely to process a fraudulent card, especially at high charge. 
5. What are the penalties for not switching to EMV by October 1st?
Other than the shift in liability, there are no  penalties for not taking EMV cards.  There will be no fines by your credit card processors or the government - it is not illegal to not take EMV cards. And, because cards currently being distributed have both EMV and a magnetic stripe, you'll be able to process cards via a magnetic strip for at least the next couple of years.  Either way, your customers will not lose their ability to pay at your pharmacy.  
6. What should I do before October 1st?
The number one thing to do is to not panic, or fall victim to predatory card processors using scare tactics to strong arm you into switching to their services.  VIP is completely aware of all the changing rules, and we are preparing to roll out terminals that  will meet all of the EMV requirements.  Our current timeline is to begin testing with a few select stores in late June / early July, and to be ready to distribute EMV hardware starting in late July, well before the October 1st deadline.  Until then, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call Kenton at VIP.  We understand this is a confusing situation, but we are committed to making the transition as smooth and hassle-free as possible.  ]]>