Pharmacy Technology: Getting Schooled on AI

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution is in full swing. You just can’t escape it in this day and age. You have likely played with ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini (formerly Bard), or any of the hundreds of AI chatbots available online. AI machines can summarize text, create images, help write your kids’ book reports, and the capabilities are increasing every day.

Even with its current innovations, AI is still in its infancy and the ability to do more has investors and business executives excited about future possibilities. However, it’s one thing to be enthusiastic about AI, but quite another to be knowledgeable about AI.

Be in the Know

Recall our experience with pre-AI computer technology. The future, we were told, lies in learning to code. Rather than being helpless recipients of the coding skills of others, we were told we needed to learn this skill in order to take full advantage of the power of computing. Now, with the proliferation of no-code technology, it seems the prophets may have overstated the need to get coding skills, but the need to obtain deeper knowledge remains relevant.

For those closer to the beginning of their career than the end, learning as much as possible about AI, and learning to use it to solve problems, will pay huge dividends. Regardless of profession, leveraging AI will let you accomplish more than you would without it.

Resources for AI Education

As you might expect, there are loads of credible resources for learning AI skills. IBM has a platform called SkillsBuild, which offers training and credentials for those who complete the program. Like many of the programs we highlight, this is offered by a notable AI powerhouse with high credibility and is totally free.

A resource you may not have thought of is Amazon. The company, while not as visible in AI as others, has the power of Amazon Web Services tools to do much of the actual implementation of AI. Amazon’s educational resources are a combination of free and subscription and include courses on how to implement machine learning and other AI technologies on its platform.

Microsoft offers AI for Beginners, which is a 12-lesson course on the fundamentals of AI, with references for other resources. Like Amazon, Microsoft also runs a popular cloud computing service called Azure, and the company offers resources on learning how to use this platform as well.

Not to be outdone, Google offers a robust catalog of free and paid course content that can get you up to speed on AI and other disciplines that fall within the Google universe.

If you are a LinkedIn Premium member you already have access to a nearly comprehensive suite of courses on LinkedIn Learning, including 78 courses on generative AI and 131 courses on machine learning. I have taken a few of these courses and found the teaching to be excellent, even if you don’t have a technical background.

Still curious? Just do a search (Google, or Bing) on courses on AI and you will quickly be overwhelmed with the options.

One word of caution. Not all courses are created equal. Shop around and see which courses fit your learning style. Look at the prerequisites to be sure you aren’t getting in over your head.

AI in Your Pharmacy

AI is revolutionizing pharmacy management by enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and patient care. AI tools can analyze vast data quickly, alerting pharmacists to potential drug interactions, side effects, and contraindications in real-time, enhancing patient safety.

AI also optimizes inventory management by predicting future demand through analyzing historical data and local health trends, ensuring the right medications are in stock, reducing waste, and improving customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, AI provides personalized patient care by analyzing electronic health records (EHRs) to suggest tailored treatment plans based on individual health profiles.

Administrative tasks such as verifying insurance information and processing claims can be automated by AI, reducing the burden on pharmacists and staff. AI-powered reminders and follow-up systems improve medication adherence by sending personalized reminders and tracking intake, leading to better health outcomes.

RxCash+ — An AI Solution For Your Pharmacy

By now, you might be thinking, “It’d be great to have an AI solution that could help my pharmacy business.” Lucky for you, we have just the thing.

Enter RxCash+. This turnkey RedSail Advantage solution provides your pharmacy with data-driven cash pricing using AI and tailored pricing algorithms. It drives incremental value for your pharmacy and savings for your patients. Using RxCash+ and its suggested pricing can do wonders for your pharmacy’s financials.

Click here to learn more about what RxCash+ can do for your pharmacy.

Conclusion – Go Beyond the Basics

If the basic training hasn’t resulted in academic burnout, consider moving on the artificial intelligence in healthcare, or AI in pharmacy. There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will change healthcare delivery and payment and it may come sooner than we think. Better to be fully informed than to have to catch up.

Enjoy the experience. Learning can be fun and will help you see the world through a sharper lens.

Written by:
RedSail
,
RedSail

RedSail is the leader in pharmacy software and services through familiar brands like PioneerRx and QS/1. By staying at the forefront of trends and technologies, we empower pharmacists with the relevant information, insights, and tips to stay ahead in an ever-changing world.

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