An independent pharmacist from mid Wales has developed an app that allows pharmacists to manage delivery routes, track the delivery van, record and audit deliveries.

 

Gary Jones, of Borth Pharmacy, manages up to 100 deliveries daily and when his driver recently asked for a month off he realised that he needed a backup system. “It’s harder to replace the delivery driver when he is ill or sick than the pharmacist these days,” he said. After spending six weeks looking for a suitable system, and finding there was none, Mr Jones decided to develop his own with help from a local IT expert.

“As an independent it is difficult if not impossible to develop a service that is new for pharmacy rather than following a multiple with unlimited resources. I had a problem that I wanted to resolve and at the same time use it directly to develop the business and also be able to sell this development on to other pharmacies as we all have the same problems.”

The Prodeliverymanager app works on any fourth generation android device, can be used on multiple devices by multiple drivers and pharmacies and is password-protected. Its database is stored on a secure server in the cloud, so sensitive information is not stored on the device. The system records the number of deliveries, distance travelled and time taken. Other features include:

• Two-touch scheduling of deliveries
• Automatic patient notification of delivery status updates by SMS
• Automatic routing of scheduled deliveries based on address locations
• Live GPS tracking of delivery van viewable from pharmacy
• One-touch re-routing of scheduled deliveries based on current location
• Recording of delivery outcome, including recipient’s signature, via touch-screen
• Reminders for fridge lines and controlled drugs
• Option to require courier's signature for controlled drug deliveries.

Prodeliverymanager is available on Google Play and is free for the first 100 patients. For deliveries to between 100 and 1,000 patients the app costs £30 plus VAT a month, and for 1-5,000 deliveries the cost is £60 plus VAT. At April 24, five user reviews had all given the app a full five stars.