Why DocStation is giving away their version of the eCare plan.

In June 2020, DocStation released a free version of the Pharmacist eCare Plan. This article talks about why we chose to do that and how we plan to help pharmacists do more for patients.

*If you’re reading this, we assume you have a basic understanding of the Pharmacist eCare Plan, what it does, and why it’s important. If not, we recommend starting with this article we published on the nuts & bolts: ***The Pharmacist eCare Plan: decoding a technology standard to advance practice.**

If you have a pulse on community pharmacy, you know about the Pharmacist eCare Plan. The Pharmacist eCare Plan is a technology standard which its advocates say will transform pharmacy from a product-focused to a patient-centered profession.

The eCare Plan is intended for interoperability — exchanging data with hospitals and outpatient providers. However, it’s coming to market as a payer requirement for pharmacists who wish to obtain clinical reimbursement.

It has potential, but its fate relies heavily on widespread adoption and meaningful application. To reach the promised land, a few things must fall into place.

The eCare Conundrum

*Note: I’m in no way, shape, or form disparaging the eCare Plan. I helped develop it from the ground up. I preached its utility from Day 1. I am, however, about to ask some tough questions.*

#1 – Utility

We are busy. If you work in a pharmacy, there are so many things to get done in a given day. Additional activities are a burden and take time. Time is money. If we’re spending time and money on the eCare Plan, we’re surely getting something in return, right?

*The first question is simply: *Why am I sending eCare Plans?

Can I send care plans to other providers? Can I receive care plans from other providers? Can I use it to track my performance? Can I compare my performance to my peers? Will it make my peers accept me? Will it lower my DIR Fees? Will it lead to payer contracts? Does it provide value to payers? Does it provide value to patients? Will I actually get paid for this?

#2 – Usability

We’ve been in practice far too long to add one more crappy piece of software to our workflow. I’ve used most of them…and most of them are terrible. And that’s not unique to pharmacy. Ask a physician how much they love their EHR.

When the eCare Plan initiative launched, countless vendors flooded the market. Some bolted a solution onto an existing product. Some added a new module to their product suite.

*Which leads me to my next question: *Is it easy to send eCare Plans?

Do I have to install new software? Do I need training? How much time does it take? Can I do it in workflow? How many clicks does it take? Should I get a student to do this? Should I outsource this? Is this CMRs all over again? Why is this so hard?!

If we’re spending time documenting patient care in a structured format, at least make it easy. Let’s put some thought into design and usability. Maybe we can make the user experience pleasant. Maybe we can make it useful for something other than the sake of sending an eCare Plan.

Work smarter, not harder. If I can spend most of my time with patients and a little time charting, I’ll send eCare Plans all day. It doesn’t matter if I’m getting value from it now, that will come in time. It’s for the greater good.

#3 – Cost

You’ve made it to Part 3. That means you’ve found utility in the eCare Plan. You’ve also found an eCare Plan solution you don’t hate to use.

*My last question: *How much do I pay for eCare Plans?

Around $50 to $150 per month? Between $600 to $1800 per year? What if I have multiple users? What if I have multiple locations? What else could I spend that money on?

Maybe you don’t cut a check every month. Maybe it’s bundled in another product you pay for or an added benefit from your PSAO or wholesaler. Maybe you do pay straight out of pocket.

The question remains: Is it worth it?

Too many times, too many people have skimmed and scammed the razor thin margins keeping our doors open. Too many damn times. No more.

The freeCare Plan

*Made with *? *by DocStation

**Pharmacists *— you are here for patients. We are here for *you.* *We built an eCare plan. It’s useful. It’s easy. And it’s free. That’s why we call it the freeCare Plan. You can use it with any dispensing system. You can use it with other tools. It slides right into workflow and you can send it in less than a minute.

“We built an eCare plan. It’s useful. It’s easy. And it’s free. That’s why we call it the freeCare Plan.”

So it’s the best eCare plan solution on the market. And you say it’s free. But nothing is free. What’s the catch?

Do we plan to make money in the future? 100%. But we’d rather get paid when you get paid. We build the tools, you provide the care. The faster, better, easier, and smarter we can make DocStation…the more time, energy, and brain power you spend on patients.

The more time you spend with patients, the better the outcomes you achieve. Better outcomes result in lower costs. When you lower costs, you provide value. And that, my friends, will attract payers.

When** **you have a payer (or an employer) you want to work with, call us up and we’ll help you run a program. And we’ll make that easy, too.

But if you’re struggling, we’re going to struggle with you. We’re entrepreneurs like you. We have yet to raise a dime of venture capital and I’m still taking a resident’s salary — call it a PGY9 if you want — because I believe in our company, I believe in our profession, and I believe in you.

*? If you want the freeCare Plan, head to docstation.co, click Learn More, complete the sign-up form, and we’ll get you squared away.

Samm Anderegg, Pharm.D., MS CEO | DocStation

About DocStation

DocStation gets pharmacies paid for services. Pharmacies use DocStation to provide care, auto-bill medical claims, and participate in value-based programs with innovative health plans.

Get started today and discover how easy it is to get paid for the services you provide every day when you partner with DocStation.