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Pharmaceutical wholesaler Alliance Healthcare has announced the launch of a new ‘semi-automated’ repeat dispensing service it claims will simplify pharmacy operations and free up time. 

The patient-specific tote service, named Optitote, is integrated with the wholesaler’s ordering system, with totes assembled by in-house dispensing teams after a pharmacy puts in an order with patient data anonymised. 

Full prescriptions arrive the next morning with the pharmacy’s usual delivery, with Alliance Healthcare commenting that this “partial automation removes the need for manual unpacking, allowing pharmacy teams to collate patient orders more accurately using advanced barcode scanning technology”. 

The ‘standard’ Optitote system is free of charge and integrates with PMR workstations. P3pharmacy understands that at present it is compatible with EMIS and Positive Solutions PMR systems. 

Alliance Healthcare sales director Paula Sutherland said: “Now more than ever, pharmacies need innovative solutions to simplify processes and enable them to focus more on patient care. 

“As pharmacies adapt to evolving healthcare demands, Optitote provides a practical solution that simplifies and speeds up repeat prescription dispensing, giving pharmacists more time to spend training their teams, supporting patients or running their business.” 

Jackie Lewis, pharmacist director at Lewis Pharmacy in Exmouth, has been using the system on a trial basis for the past year. She commented: “As a business owner and superintendent I have more time to devote to governance of the pathway and to developing private services and developing my skills as an independent prescribing pathfinder, which can be up to six half-fay sessions per week. 

“Through Optitote we have more available staff time, which enables us to run technician service clinics three mornings a week.”