How Surescripts Helps Solve the Case for Today’s Full-Service Pharmacies

As expert problem solvers in the medical world, pharmacists are trained to see what other people overlook. Here’s how Surescripts works behind the scenes to reconcile data mismatches early in the process.

Today’s pharmacies are doing far more than filling prescriptions. Administering immunizations, performing health screenings and providing tailored treatment advice, they are the hub of in-person patient healthcare activity taking place outside of the doctor’s office.

However, these expanded responsibilities impose a heavier burden, particularly for independent pharmacies with limited resources. That's where Surescripts steps in as the trusted partner that helps pharmacists solve the mystery of mismatched data and inefficient workflows.

The Pharmacist as Medication Detective

As expert problem solvers in the medical world, pharmacists are trained to see what other people overlook. Just like detectives gathering clues to solve a mystery, pharmacists need tools like accurate and complete information to do their job. All day long, pharmacists and techs are confirming and investigating what patients, prescribers and electronic records tell them. When I was a retail pharmacist in Brooklyn, I used Surescripts technology as a trusted sidekick, helping to identify and correct discrepancies in patient demographics, insurance details and prescription information.

Cracking the Case: How Surescripts Helps

Just like detectives gathering clues to solve a mystery, pharmacists need accurate and complete information to do their job.

Surescripts works behind the scenes to reconcile data mismatches early in the process, partnering with electronic health record (EHR) vendors, health systems and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to fix data mismatches and streamline workflows. So, by the time a prescription reaches the pharmacy, the data is clean and ready to go.

In other words, the case is solved.

This proactive approach reduces administrative burdens, minimizes unnecessary communications and helps prevent medication errors.

The Evidence: Ways Surescripts Supports Independent Pharmacists

• Verifying patient identity: Ensuring the right medication reaches the right patient by correcting mismatches in patient demographics and providing fraud prevention
• Checking eligibility: Streamlining the process with comprehensive prescription benefit data to reduce delays and rework
• Ensuring prescription accuracy: Increasing safety by detecting Sigs (directions on how a medicine should be taken) that may cause confusion or even harm. One study found that 1 in 10 Sigs contained quality issues that could pose patient safety risks or workflow disruptions.

Our proactive approach reduces administrative burdens, minimizes unnecessary communications and helps prevent medication errors. Even eliminating all the steps that are taken to track down information speeds up a pharmacist’s day.

Supporting Independent Pharmacies: Scalable Solutions for a Brighter Future

Independent pharmacies are the backbone of many communities. However, they face unique challenges in managing complex workflows and staying compliant with regulations. Surescripts technology is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing systems, providing independent pharmacies with the tools they need to operate efficiently and accurately.

Case Closed on Seamless Patient Care 

Pharmacies are more than dispensaries. They’re care hubs, safety checkpoints and trusted healthcare resources. Surescripts is proud to support them with technology that works quietly but powerfully behind the scenes—resolving issues before they become problems and helping pharmacists do what they do best: care for their patients. By partnering with Surescripts, pharmacies can crack the case on safer and more efficient patient care.