Queue management system with Pharmacom

With the queue management system from Wachtkamerschermen®, it is possible to integrate with the Track & Trace module of the Pharmacom pharmacy information system. Thanks to this integration, the patient dashboard opens immediately as soon as the next patient is called. This allows staff to know immediately who is coming to the counter, thereby increasing personalized care. We spoke to Jan van Deursen, pharmacist and owner of Service Pharmacy Zuiderpark, and Els Dewit, pharmacist at Axel Pharmacy, about the benefits of this integration.

Amazement at Axel Pharmacy

Axel Pharmacy was the first pharmacy where the integration was implemented. Els Dewit shares, “Through PharmaPartners, I heard they were working on an integration between their Track & Trace module and the queue management system from Wachtkamerschermen®. It seemed very interesting to me.” After the integration was put into use at the pharmacy, Els says they were all amazed at how fast it works: “When calling the queue number, the patient dashboard opens immediately. Quite often, by the time the patient arrives at the counter, the assistant has already fetched the medication!” According to Els, patients also find it remarkable: “Especially the first time, they’re amazed by the speed. Patients even mention it in the customer satisfaction survey, appreciating the quick handling.”

Zuiderpark Pharmacy skips a step

Not long after, the integration was implemented at Zuiderpark Pharmacy. This was a logical choice since Jan van Deursen, in addition to being a pharmacist, is also the chairman of the SAHEL foundation, a cluster organization for Medicom and Pharmacom users in the Haaglanden region. Jan explains, “Previously, patients would be called to the counter, and we’d ask for their date of birth. Sometimes, we’d even need an additional check to open the correct patient dashboard in Pharmacom. With this integration, we can skip a step. As soon as we call the patient, the patient dashboard opens automatically. You already know who’s coming to your counter, so there’s no need to ask for the date of birth. This saves time!”

Waitingtime reduced

Statistics from the queue management system show that patients with a collection code wait, on average, half as long as those without one. Els notes that, in her pharmacy, about one in three patients now has a collection code, and this number is rapidly growing. Jan agrees, stating that, in his pharmacy, over 5,500 patients with a collection code have been helped in the past eight months, and these patients also experience an average wait time that’s half as long as those without a collection code.

Fast-track counter

At Axel Pharmacy, a back-office screen displays all tickets and wait times in an organized manner. Tickets with a collection code are highlighted in a different color. Els explains, “When it’s very busy in the pharmacy, the assistants agree among themselves that one will handle only the collection codes, effectively creating a fast-track counter. This way, the queue clears up quickly.”

Positive reactions

Els Dewit is very positive about the queue management system with the integration: “I’m glad I chose this. I notice a clear difference compared to the old situation. Handling is now much faster, and the integration between the two systems works well.” Jan van Deursen is also positive: “The staff say it’s a pleasant way of working. In our pharmacy, we now work in a much more personalized way, and it flows smoothly. I would definitely recommend choosing this integration as well!”