Automation Helps Pharmacies Maximize Revenue, Improve Patient Care | NCPA 2025

There is a growing need for technology’s use as a tool to keep pharmacy businesses working efficiently and maximizing revenue streams. Amid the notable rise in technology among pharmacy practices, business leaders and pharmacy experts are now pushing the use of automation tactics to further drive profit and improve patient care.

“Saving time is huge, and it takes time to learn how to automate something,” Tara Pfund, PharmD, chief strategy officer with Cascadia Pharmacy Group, told Drug Topics. “I talk a lot of times about cars and if you buy the top-notch luxury model and you know how to use like 5 of the buttons. A lot of our dispensing softwares are that way, and there's like 10 different ways you can get to the finish line, but what’s the best way for your store?”

As Pfund explained in part 2 of our interview with her at the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) 2025 Annual Convention & Expo, the use of technology and automation is novel within the pharmacy space but it is also making a significant difference for businesses and patients alike. She provided insights into the power of automation for community pharmacists and their businesses, regardless of its recent emergence in this space.

“One of the things that has come kind of out of the revenue cycle management parts that we have built is really leveraging automation around things like pricing,” Pfund continued. “We make sure that there's always kind of a base price being set and we use automation to trigger if that base price is not hitting. We should always be billing more than we expect to get paid because how much we get paid changes by payer.”

From quickly optimizing patients’ treatment regimens to tackling the complexities of revenue cycle management, automation is here to stay in pharmacy practices. Learn from a pharmacist and technology expert on the untapped benefits of automation behind pharmacy counters.

Read more of our coverage from NCPA 2025.

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