Your sister, who has diabetes, was fine at the breakfast table. She was telling you about her new project, and as she stood up, she fainted. Though she opened her eyes and still she’s not feeling well. Due to her condition, she needs insulin now. However, you found out that there is no dose left. Do not panic and order a box of insulin through one of the pharmacy delivery services near you. While the rider is on his way to your doorstep medicine delivery, take care of your sister. Every day you hear many stories on how medical deliveries benefit patients and pharmacies.
Medical emergencies can occur at any time. Your friends or loved ones may need help as soon as possible. Further, you may go to a place where you won’t find traditional pharmacies in your area. Also, sometimes, because of the patient’s grave condition, you can’t afford to waste a minute. Instead, you place an order with a doorstep medicine delivery service that delivers the medicine the same day within an hour or so. Thus, online pharmacies are going with the best medicine delivery practices. If you want to know how medical deliveries benefit patients and pharmacies, then read this post.
Traditional Pharmacies VS Doorstep Medicine Delivery
The rise of on-demand delivery boosted eCommerce companies. As a result, instant food, instant cab service, and instant grocery all became real. However, no one had thought about doorstep medicine delivery. Earlier, people would go to traditional pharmacies for buying medicines or other clinical needs.
It was until a decade ago that pharmacy delivery services mark their way in the on-demand delivery market. Thus, medicines are one of the new additions in the eCommerce products. It seems like the idea has clicked as many people now prefer online pharmacies. So, how the online pharmacies different from the traditional ones, let’s find out.
Medical Stock
Old pharmacies usually have a few hundred medicines in the store due to less space. On the other hand, online pharmacies can stock thousands of medicines, thanks to the warehouses. Also, the limited space does not allow the former to keep alternative medicines for disease. However, with online pharmacies, you can find multiple drugs for your condition. Thus, you may order another medicine in case your drug is not there.
Convenience
In emergencies, one may not have enough time to rush to a pharmacy. For this reason, online medical stores or pharmacy delivery services are the best. Therefore, whether you live in a remote area with no pharmacy nearby, or run out of a drug, e-pharmacies help. Also, you won’t have to worry about transport or long queues with doorstep medicine delivery. Thus, no matter where you are, you can get the medicines at any time.
Fast Service
You may have visited a pharmacy for a rare medicine many times only to know that the drug is out of stock. While it takes days to source the drug, in worse cases, it may take months. However, you won’t face this problem with online pharmacy delivery services. Unlike the traditional pharmacies, the drugs will be available in two to three days. Thus, the pharmacy delivery services are much faster.
Flexible Pricing
In comparison to traditional medicines, pharmacy delivery services provide medicines at a reduced cost. Hence, doorstep medicine delivery does not only save time but offer a discount as well. Further, the hassle-free payment options of delivery pharmacies improve efficiencies for patients.
How delivery pharmacies improve efficiencies for patients?
Consumers’ buying pattern has changed over the years, and they now want everything fast. Whether it’s food, grocery, beauty products, or healthcare facilities, the same-day shipping has become a norm. And, this is not surprising that the customers want the same thing when it comes to medicine delivery. Hence, many pharmacy delivery services are providing doorstep medicine delivery to meet the needs of the customers. The delivery pharmacies improve efficiencies for patients in many ways, some of which are discussed below.
Same-day medicine delivery
First, the pharmacy delivery services save the time and money of the patient without needing to go anywhere. While the ease of doorstep delivery benefits all patients alike, patients with chronic conditions find it the most helpful. Perhaps, patients who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or asthma may not be able to rush to a store.
Further, a patient in the recovery phase post-surgery or someone living in a remote area may also benefit from same-day medicine delivery. A new mother or an older patient who can’t go to a store may get the medicines through pharmacy delivery services. Thus, medical delivery saves patients or caregivers from repeated visits to the medical store.
Ensures medical adherence
Those fighting with chronic conditions are often required to take multiple medicines. And, taking all the medicines in the right amount can be an extra burden for them. However, pharmacy delivery services make medical adherence easy for patients. Rather than buying the medicines from a brick-and-mortar drugstore, patients now prefer doorstep medicine delivery.
First, the pharmacy delivery services pack the medicines as per the instructions. Then, you get pre-packaged medicines with clear instructions.
Also, the medicines are sorted by day and time with the right dosage. So, the patient only has to follow the instructions on each package without worrying about the right amount.
Improves medication accuracy
Pharmacy delivery services use tech-driven systems for monitoring their services. Thus, the computer tech assures that each prescription is filled accurately. Compared to the traditional pharmacies, the pharmacy delivery services have a low error rate, i.e., less than one in a thousand prescriptions.
So, with the medicine delivery services, you don’t have to worry about running out of the medicine. You will get a reminder before the medicine goes short in the market. Thus, you can reorder the medication on time. In the end, doorstep medicine delivery saves you from the hassle of visiting the stores repeatedly.
Maintains privacy
While we’ve come a long way, there’re still many issues that are considered taboo. And, many people don’t feel comfortable to talk about them openly. Sadly, women’s health issues and products are also a stigma in many regions. Perhaps, many customers feel shy to buy sanitary napkins, contraceptives, and other products. For this reason, they may take advantage of pharmacy delivery services and get the products at their doorstep.
Sometimes, people don’t want others to know of a disease they are fighting; instead, they like to keep it private. In that case, they may avoid a visit to a brick-and-mortar store and buy the medicine. Thus, the delivery pharmacies improve efficiencies for patients with such conditions as well.
Low prices
The tech-driven pharmacy delivery services allow the patients to pay only for the medicines they want and use. Thus, the transparency of the system helps avoid medical errors that may add to the medical cost. With doorstep medication delivery, the consumer gets the bill details and may make changes before the order gets processed.
Hence, if the patient is out of cash, they may cancel the order. Or, rather than advance payment, the patient may ask for making the payment at the time of doorstep delivery. Thus, the low prices of delivery pharmacies improve efficiencies for patients with low income as well.
How medical deliveries benefit pharmacies?
It seems that the pharmacy delivery services address the needs of the patients only. However, the medicine delivery benefits both parties involved in the process, i.e., the patients as well as the pharmacies. Who would run a service that won’t serve their interests? In the same way, pharmacy delivery services optimize their services, thereby getting high returns. If you are wondering how the medicine delivery benefits the pharmacies, then read along.
Low Operational Cost
First, to run a pharmacy store, the owner has to have the right amount in hand. Also, the pharmacist would require a place to store the medicines. And most of the time, space does not allow us to keep multiple drugs for the same disease. Further, the owners have to pay the monthly rent for the store. Moreover, in the case of medicine shortage, the customers get angry and may not revisit. Thus, a pharmacy delivery service saves you from all such troubles.
Market Value
Unsurprisingly, satisfied customers are an asset for any business and help the business to grow. When the patients receive their medical prescriptions on time each, they develop loyalty. Thus, they may suggest other people also to use your service and enjoy the hassle-free experience. Therefore, the repeated orders lead to the growth of your brand, thereby boosting your sales and profits.
Reduce Wastage
Valued customers help pull prospects. Also, when the medicines reach in the right amount at the right place, it helps avoid the wastage of meds. The unused drugs become waste that can have severe effects on the health, environment, and finance. Thus, doorstep medical delivery helps evade the risk of the disposing of medicines inland or in water.
Clinical Needs: Medication accuracy improvements
While doorstep medicine delivery is proving to be one of the best medicine delivery practices, it also involves some risks. Like any other field, there is room for medication accuracy improvements in medicine delivery as well. Hence, a bad call or error may outweigh the medicine delivery benefits and cause serious harm.
While more patients are registering for pharmacy delivery services, many delivery incidents are also being reported. F
For instance, the rider may deliver the medicine to the wrong person. Let’s assume that you ordered medicine for your granny and you were not home at the delivery time. So, your son, who is a kid, received the parcel. Now, he may either take the drug himself or forget to inform.
Take another example. The rider may ship your parcel to your neighbour who is also waiting for her medicines. Imagine if she takes the medicines in a hurry without checking and experiences adverse effects. Even, sometimes, the riders leave the parcel in the mailbox that increases the chances of drug theft.
What is the way out?
A study published in the Pharmaceutical Journal reviewed poor medicine delivery practices. Hence, the researchers found that an error may have serious effects, and in some cases may claim a life. Notably, it suggested that delivering the medicines to a wrong person may lead to drug abuse, drug consumption by a pet, or drug theft. Thus, there are many ways to overcome these challenges and ensure the best medicine delivery practices. Let’s briefly discuss some of the ways for medication accuracy improvements.
Permission
Pharmacy delivery services should not deliver rare medicines to a patient without the doctor’s approval. Also, for setting up a doorstep medicine delivery, the pharmacist has to be responsible.
Identification
It is better to ask the patient each time to identify if he/she is the one who ordered the medicines to avoid a mistake. Also, ask for an alternate address when the patient is absent, so that the driver may handover the parcel to the other receiver. Hence, the parcel will remain in safe hands until it reaches the patient.
Do not leave the parcel at the doorstep
One of the best medicine delivery practices is not to leave the parcel at the doorsteps. While it is a simple thing but often the riders make this mistake. Also, when there is no one to receive the order, the couriers drop the parcel in the safe havens. As a result, the parcel may get stolen or opened by a pet, which you would not want.
Pack the medicines
Moreover, the pharma delivery services sending medicines through courier companies must ensure safe packaging. Hence, the medicines will be delivered to the end-user safely.
Closing word
Like the other economic activities, people look for convenience and ease in healthcare facilities as well. Rather than standing in long lines at a pharmacy store, they opt for doorstep medicine delivery. With the many benefits the pharmacy delivery services offer, the rise in same-day medicine delivery is not surprising.
First, doorstep delivery saves you from repeated visits to traditional pharmacies.
Also, pharmacy delivery services help you with medication adherence. Thus, you don’t miss a dose and take medicine in the right amount.
Undoubtedly, modern tech is going to offer a lot to the medical industry in the coming days. For instance, you never know when you start seeing drones delivering blood test reports. And your monthly dose of heart disease medicines might reach your door without you even placing an order. Undoubtedly, automation and AI are going to play a massive role in making life easier for those with chronic conditions.
Further, the medicine delivery services save you when a medicine runs out of stock and deliver the drug within days. Above all, the services help deliver the medicines in remote or calamity affected areas, thereby saving many lives.