Pioneer Pharmacy Services Drives Growth With Customized FrameworkVision and FrameworkECM Solutions

Company Overview

Pioneer Pharmacy Services is a privately owned and operated long-term care (LTC) pharmacy based in Michigan. Since launching in 2018, Pioneer has opened two locations, with plans to expand to three or four hub-and-spoke facilities in the near future. The company currently serves 175 facilities—60% skilled nursing, 15% assisted living, 15% adult care, and 10 percent hospice—and manages more than 8,500 beds.

The Problem: Managing Complex Communication and Workflow Inefficiencies

As Pioneer Pharmacy rapidly expanded, it faced operational challenges common in the long-term care industry: high communication volumes and staff turnover at facilities. This led to constant training demands and inefficiencies in communication workflows, as facilities relied on calls, emails, and faxes. Manual processes also posed risks, creating bottlenecks and increasing labor costs. These inefficiencies required a more streamlined and user-friendly solution to support Pioneer’s growth trajectory—which is why SoftWriters entered the picture.

The Solution: Customizing FrameworkVision and FrameworkECM for Seamless Operations

Steve Lemon, Director of Operations at Pioneer, saw an opportunity to tackle inefficiencies through software customization. Using FrameworkVision—a web portal for LTC facilities—he created custom user groups based on job roles, such as clinicians and business office managers. “I stripped out anything users didn’t need,” Lemon explained. “They only see what’s relevant to their job.” This simplified interface reduced confusion and boosted engagement, helping all users stay on the same page at all times.

Lemon also leveraged FrameworkECM—an electronic content management solution—to automate time-consuming pharmacy workflows. By designing tailored processes, he enabled automatic batch processing and seamless integration with packaging machinery. “Automation doesn’t call in sick,” Lemon joked, emphasizing its reliability during high-volume periods.

Both solutions dramatically reduced the administrative burden for LTC pharmacy staff, improving accuracy and efficiency while paving the way for scalable growth. This tailored approach allowed Pioneer Pharmacy Services to streamline workflows and meet the evolving needs of its facilities.

The Results: Streamlined Pharmacy Operations and Reduced Administrative Burden

Pioneer Pharmacy saw transformative results with its customized solutions. By optimizing FrameworkVision to align with Pioneer’s unique workflows and needs, Lemon reduced support calls and simplified training to just 10-15 minutes per user—even amid high staff turnover. Facilities valued the solutions’ simplicity, with many incorporating training materials directly into corporate systems. “The more I can build in, the less I have to worry about,” Lemon said.

Automation through FrameworkECM further streamlined operations, processing up to 400 refills daily without human intervention. The integration even enabled hands-free packaging—a significant timesaver for busy pharmacy staff. “Our Dosis machine picks it up, packages it, and moves it forward—all without being touched by a human staff member. These newfound efficiencies not only saved labor costs but also allowed Pioneer Pharmacy to scale while maintaining consistency.

The Future: Scaling Automation and Expanding Facility Support

As Pioneer Pharmacy looks ahead, expansion plans include opening more locations in Michigan and Ohio, supported by its hub-and-spoke model. Lemon sees the company continuing to invest in automation and software customization to maintain its competitive edge. “The flexibility is immense,” he shared. “We’ve been able to tailor the systems to fit our unique needs, which is critical as we grow.”

With FrameworkVision and FrameworkECM as cornerstones of its strategy, Pioneer Pharmacy is well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of long-term care. “It’s all about the bigger picture,” said Lemon. “As we grow, these tools allow us to stay ahead while ensuring we deliver the highest quality service to our facilities.”

Getting Started

Transform your operations with FrameworkLTC: the industry-leading pharmacy management software specifically designed to support the unique needs of long-term care by optimizing workflows and streamlining pharmacy operations.

To see if FrameworkLTC is a fit to help achieve your pharmacy goals, connect with us or email sales@softwriters.com. We look forward to speaking with you!