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Since the Kirby Lester KL1Plus pharmacy counting device was first released in 2012, Geoff Dutcher has heard from thousands of community pharmacy owners, managers and technicians who have used the KL1Plus to verify and fill prescriptions. The customers’ feedback almost always starts with “The KL1Plus is amazing because it solved this problem …”
What problem? Well, Mr. Dutcher sees definite patterns. We asked him to consider his years of interaction with community pharmacies as Capsa’s Senior Account Manager, Pharmacy Automation, and categorize what KL1Plus users most commonly cite as the top reason they appreciate the KL1Plus. The list is long because the KL1Plus handles so many functions in filling patient prescriptions.
But the 5 reasons that stand out to Mr. Dutcher are:
“A pharmacy owner at a trade show was adamant that any type of pharmacy automation was too expensive, not worth the money, not enough of a profit-generator. A long-time Kirby Lester user and multiple pharmacy owner in Milwaukee happened to come up to our exhibit and overheard his colleague’s concern about spending money these days. I didn’t say a word, just let him talk. He pointed to the KL1Plus and told her quietly, ‘You don’t have that device yet? That right there. That’s what you need. Buy it, and you’ll thank me when you do your first physical inventory.’ She eventually took the Milwaukee pharmacist’s advice, installed a KL1Plus, and we followed up in 3 months. What did she do? She raved at how the KL1Plus was exactly what she needed for inventory counts.”
“Pharmacy managers of course are hesitant to divulge if filling errors are occurring. I fully understand and I never pry, that is sensitive and serious. When we talk with them about investing in a KL1Plus, they rarely go into specifics, rather they hint that filling prescriptions could be a bit tighter. But after they install their KL1Plus, they almost always freely talk with us about how reassured they feel because mistakes don’t get to the pharmacist’s check anymore. It’s like a weight was lifted off their shoulders. They don’t have this quiet, nagging problem anymore. Now every technician fill has the KL1Plus as a safety net.” Read related Capsa blog: Technology helps battle the opioid epidemic.
“A lot of pharmacy owners and managers haven’t filled a prescription personally in a long time. They forget how tedious it is to fill 270 metformin pills with a tray and spatula. But they are quickly reminded by their technicians after the KL1Plus is installed, how in the past it was a drudgery to count 90-day fills but with the KL1Plus, it’s a breeze. The techs usually want to know, ‘Why didn’t we buy this years ago?’”
“The habitual counting error is so common in pharmacies. Techs are used to counting 30-counts all day long and they get surprised by the occasional 60 or 7 or 90. It’s thankfully not an error that can harm the patient, but it’s bad for business and med adherence. Pharmacists are great at catching the wrong med or strength. But the wrong quantity gets missed all the time. So many KL1Plus owners rave that they never have to worry about the wrong quantity sneaking past them anymore. We see this all the time when pharmacies are using their pharmacy management system to scan-verify. That’s two out of three: the technician never mis-fills the wrong drug or strength. But there’s no stopping a wrong count unless you’re using a KL1Plus.”
“Pharmacy owners love the ability to keep track of everything having to do with prescription filling and inventory sessions. The device keeps a record of who is filing each order, when, what stock bottle was scanned and approved, what quantity was counted, if the mandatory double-count was performed for controlled substances. At any time, they have proof if a customer contends that they got the wrong order. Regrettably, that’s usually for controlled meds but the KL1Plus record save the pharmacy any headache. And for inventory, they love having the recorded list of what they just counted, with full bottles and partial bottles down to the pill. They can even use the KL1Plus as their C-II electronic log and throw away the 3-ring binder with hand-written notes. Almost every single pharmacy manager we talk to loves how the KL1Plus keeps a record of everything.”
Memorial Hospital’s Outpatient Pharmacy Experience With the Kirby Lester KL1Plus
Mr. Dutcher is Capsa’s Senior Account Manager, joining the company in 2010. He manages the Pharmacy Automation inside sales team. Most of Mr. Dutcher’s career has been devoted to account management for medical devices and software.