10 frequently asked questions about the MedAdvisor app

I’ve spoken to many pharmacy owners who are considering getting a repeat prescription app to streamline their pharmacy processes and save time. Do you want to know the answers to the most frequently asked questions? If so, keep reading...

1. How does the MedAdvisor app work?

The MedAdvisor app allows patients to easily manage their medication supply and quickly place orders directly with their GP. The pharmacy can see what the patient has ordered and can let them know when to collect their medication. The patient places the order directly, so it saves pharmacy admin time.

2. Why should I pay for my patients to use the MedAdvisor app when they could use the NHS app instead?

Your pharmacy will miss out on potential benefits such as:

You will have no competitive advantage.
The NHS app doesn’t drive loyalty to your pharmacy as you can easily change pharmacy.
You can’t message your patients to let them know when you’ve dispensed their medication and it’s ready to collect.
Your patients have to phone to ask you to prepare another eRD batch, so you won’t be able to streamline the process for them.
The NHS app doesn’t allow you to use a whole host of other features such as pharmacy services appointment booking, sending group communications to all your patients etc.

3. What are the benefits of the MedAdvisor app?

Our solution was designed by pharmacists and has all the required elements to drive the key benefits:

Reduce workload for your pharmacy team, including reduced phone calls to place orders or ask if medication is ready to collect.
Grow your NHS items.
Drive loyalty to compete with online pharmacies.
Promote and manage pharmacy service bookings.
Support your patients with adherence, including Digital Adherence Programmes.
Communicate digitally with your patients.

4. Does the solution work with all PMR systems?

Yes, our solution works seamlessly irrespective of which PMR system you use, a useful feature should you ever wish to change your PMR provider. Information is taken from the appropriate NHS integration to streamline the process.

5. What is IM1 pairing and do you have it?

IM1 pairing is a technology integration that allows digital suppliers to directly talk to GP clinical systems, both reading and putting data into the systems. MedAdvisor has IM1 paring with EMIS (EMIS Web) and TPP (SystmOne); between them, EMIS and TPP account for over 98% of GP practices in England.

6. How is the medication profile added?

If the patient logs in with NHS login, or if they’ve added their IM1 linkage key details, the app will automatically sync with the patients’ GP records. If not using IM1 or NHS login, medication can be manually added into the app by either the patient or the pharmacy team. Patients using a phone with a camera can scan barcodes on medication packaging to easily find and add the right medication to their profile.

7. How does the pharmacy services booking system work?

Our market-leading solution enables you to promote and manage pharmacy service bookings for app and non-app users. You can digitise appointment bookings to streamline the process and reduce no-shows. Your pharmacy team can specify which services are available, and when they can be booked. Customers can book an appointment using the app or using your pharmacy’s webpage that we provide. Your pharmacy team can manually add/amend bookings for app and non-app users.

8. Can I send messages to patients?

Yes, you can send a 1:1 message to an individual patient and the patient can reply. You can also send group messages to all, or some, of your patients. All patients could be chosen, but if a limited sub-set is to be contacted, the pharmacy can filter by age, sex and medication. Groups can be saved so they can be easily re-used for future communication.

9. Do older patients use the app?

Yes, approximately 50% of MedAdvisor app users are over 50 years old and approximately 30% are over 60 years old. We have a web-based version that can be accessed on any internet-connected device, for example, a laptop or PC, so patients don’t need to have a smartphone to use MedAdvisor. In 2020, over 80% of over 65s in Great Britain had internet access, with internet usage amongst older people increasing every year.

10. Who owns the patient data and why is this important?

The patient owns their data and has the right to decide what happens to that data. It’s important that the pharmacy is the sole data controller so that they control what communication goes to the patient and the app provider can’t reach out to a pharmacy’s patients without their permission. Patients should remain loyal to the pharmacy chain, rather than loyal to the app provider.

MedAdvisor is the data processor and not the data controller (either sole or joint data controller) so has no right to contact your patients if you changed provider.