On a mission: How FGC is advancing automated recommendations to improve patient care and pharmacy revenue

With expanded scopes of practice that include a growing number of clinical services, pharmacists today have more ways to help patients and increase business revenue. But many pharmacists–particularly those in independent practice–continue to miss out on opportunities to offer additional, value-added services at point of care. The US$4-million acquisition this month of Mississauga, Ont.-based Pharmacy Access Solutions Inc., by FGC Health in Winnipeg aims to change that. “Pharmacists want to do more with patient care but they need to fit this into their day,” Dalbir Bains, president and CEO at FGC Health–which owns, operates and services independent pharmacies, medical clinics, home health care and ambulatory care services–told Pharmacy Practice+Business. “We want to help them with technology that quickly identifies the most appropriate recommendations and clinical services while also creating back-end efficiencies. That’s what (Pharmacy Access Solutions) software does.” Already in use by about 400 pharmacies across the country, the software uses data analytics to generate service recommendations as well as questions for the pharmacist to ask, based on each patient’s profile. It does all this in a matter of seconds, while the patient is in front of the pharmacist. For example, the software might suggest a medication review and medication synchronization for patients taking multiple drugs. After a recommended service is delivered, the software also generates billing to the appropriate payer. Read: THRIVING: How one pharmacist transformed her business to more services and greater profits “In addition to building an important revenue stream for pharmacists, this helps solidify their relationship with patients, who walk away with more knowledge about improving and managing their health,” says Dan Curle, FGC’s vice president of marketing and business development. “There’s a really effective care model that can be developed in pharmacy, but many pharmacists haven’t been able to do it because they don’t have the time or the proper tools in place.” The software also streamlines a number of backend functions, particularly in accounting. Automation tools pull data directly from the sales system and into the accounting system, where it’s mapped to the appropriate general ledger codes. “You get the most accurate financial accounting and you can generate reports a couple of days before month-end,” says Bains. “This makes sure your reporting and auditing has integrity, and it saves you time–as much as 40 hours a month–as well as money on bookkeeping costs.” Read: Start-up that made COVID scheduling easier for pharmacists gets US$2.7 million in Microsoft seed funding Pharmacists who use the software can also see “10 to 12 times improvement of pharmacy revenue if they’re able to apply all the interventions the system recommends,” he added. FGC is currently figuring out the sales model for its newly acquired technology, said Bains. The company is looking to transition into a software-as-a-service model that could charge per subscription or per transaction from every recommendation that generates billing. Bains said FGC will also continue to improve its technology and is already working with artificial intelligence for more comprehensive and accurate recommendations. Read: How to translate clinical knowledge into marketable services

On a mission: How FGC is advancing automated recommendations to improve patient care and pharmacy revenue

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