Artificial Intelligence in Pharmacy: Key Takeaways for Pharmacists
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the talk of the town—and for very good reason. From automating routine tasks to providing data insights, AI is permeating our world. This transformation is sweeping across healthcare and pharmacy too, enhancing patient care, improving efficiency, and reducing costs across the board.
Keep reading to explore the profound impact of this technological revolution and the benefits of artificial intelligence in pharmacy applications.
Demystifying AI: What It Is and Why It Matters
Not a day goes by without seeing a headline about AI. It’s exciting. It’s scary. It’s progress. And if you’re confused by it, you're not alone. Society is figuring this out as it unfolds, but a few concepts pop up again and again, such as:
Automation: The use of technology to perform tasks without human intervention, sometimes powered by AI.
Condition-based logic: Decision-making processes that rely on predefined conditions and rules. This type of logic is often used to set up automated workflows and can be used with or without AI.
Machine learning: A subset of AI that uses algorithms to “learn” over time through experience.
Predictive analytics: The use of historical data to forecast future outcomes, sometimes used by AI.
Don’t get too hung up on the technical side, but know this: AI has the potential to change the world.
The Big Deal About AI
Let’s face it: AI is everywhere. ChatGPT blew open the floodgates less than two years ago, spurring a wave of AI products and competition: Google introduced Gemini, Meta debuted Meta AI, Twitter/X has Grok—and the list goes on across industries.
AI is being integrated into our personal and professional lives in numerous ways.
Smart devices: Smart assistants like Siri, Google Home, Alexa, and others let us make queries and even control other programs and devices.
Search engines: AI is advancing search to better understand user queries and personalize results.
Social media: How are people interacting on major platforms? AI analyzes engagement patterns and personal preferences to inform the algorithm and display content.
Customer service: Chatbots and virtual agents integrate AI to make it easier for people to get answers to their pressing questions.
AI in Healthcare
With applications everywhere else in life, it should come as no surprise that AI is also being used in healthcare too. Clinicians are enjoying its benefits for medical diagnostics, as AI has begun assisting with analyzing medical images and patient data. On top of this, it offers opportunities to personalize treatment plans based on both health data and individual genetic profiles.
Applications of AI in Pharmacy
AI tools are increasingly being integrated into the pharmaceutical industry to aid in clinical decision-making and to streamline core processes. Organizing and analyzing vast quantities of patient data is becoming easier with smart technology that can interpret and distill medical records, ensuring that pharmacists can manage care delivery. Some of the top applications of artificial intelligence in pharmacy include:
Operational efficiency: Workflow automation saves time and prevents errors, reducing the administrative burden on long-term care pharmacists so they can prioritize patient care.
Medication management: AI-driven tracking and medication management ensures that right-fit medications and dosages are provided, reduces medication errors, and helps manage inventory.
Patient safety: Algorithms predict and prevent adverse events caused by drug interactions or dosages, improving treatment outcomes.
Patient adherence: AI examines usage and refill history to monitor compliance with drug regimens, going so far as to generate individual reminders to promote medication adherence.
AI Automation for LTC Pharmacists
By continuing to build upon automation benefits surrounding operational efficiency and time and money savings, the LTC pharmacy industry can use AI to accelerate innovation across the board. We’re already witnessing AI’s benefits for personalized medicine and treatment plans, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Just think about the implications of artificial intelligence in pharmacy across key processes: It can help with billing support, including automated billing, claims adjudication, and predicting reimbursement denials. Similarly, this technology can automate analysis and reporting to improve planning across several areas of the pharmacy.
Tired of being understaffed? AI can make this a thing of the past, too. Pharmacies like yours can use it to allocate tasks based on staff availability and workload and enhance workforce management.
Enhance Your LTC Pharmacy with the Latest AI Innovations
Accurate and on-time medical intervention is vital, especially in long-term care settings where patients have complex needs and medication regimens to follow. Artificial intelligence in pharmacy applications can simplify patient care and monitoring to ensure positive outcomes and reduce burnout, but it remains a continuum. Our best advice? Remain vigilant and abreast of emerging AI technologies to put your best foot forward.
Ready to get a head start on introducing artificial intelligence into your workflows? Watch our on-demand webinar and get in touch to explore how FrameworkLTC can help!