Conversations with Customers: Dr. Emmanuel Ayanjoke
In our new series, Conversations with Customers, we speak with Dr. Emmanuel Ayanjoke from Altev Community Pharmacy in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Ayanjoke (or Dr. Manny, as his patients affectionately call him) is on a mission to redefine the role of the community pharmacy, contributing to a new era where retail pharmacies become healthcare destinations, which is embodied in Altev Community Pharmacy’s slogan, “Care Beyond Prescriptions.”
How would you describe your pharmacy?
Our vision at Altev Community Pharmacy is to provide care beyond prescriptions. We care for our patients by addressing any concerns that affect their health. This includes matters related to accessibility, ensuring patients can afford their medications, and making sure the medications are actually having the intended impact.
Who are your typical patients and how are you serving them?
Our patients are mostly underserved. We are located in the heart of Avondale, Ohio, a community with a large minority population that typically lacks access to healthcare.
How were you operating before Workflow Services?
Prior to Workflow Services, we were completing our tasks mostly by hand on paper forms. Quickly, we realized that this was not an efficient way to care for our patients. We needed to provide a seamless experience in the pharmacy for our staff and patients.
What problems were you trying to solve with Workflow Services?
Manual paper forms are not a good way to scale up any service. When I opened my own pharmacy, I wanted to ensure that everything was digitally set up and integrated with our systems. The recent changes in Medicaid in Ohio presented an opportunity for us to access new streams of revenue, and I realized that I needed a vendor to assist us in accessing these new revenue streams with Medicaid funds.
What made Workflow Services stand out from other options?
The ability to pull in health information from our local health systems EHR. The future of community pharmacy is dependent on pharmacists being well integrated with the healthcare team. This means that our interactions with patients should be visible to providers, and vice versa. This also enables us to utilize health information data to educate patients more efficiently.
Unlike other services, with Workflow Services, I can query the Health Information Exchange as needed. Before, I would have to wait for faxes from a doctor’s office, which could take up to a week to receive a response. With Workflow Services, I can access health information as I’m providing services to patients.
What have you been able to achieve since implementing Workflow Services?
With Workflow Services, I have digitized the vaccine administration process. Especially during COVID-19, I gave at least 10,000 vaccines through manual forms and paperwork. Now, I have access to data insights and understand how my clinic is performing.
What’s been surprising about your experience using Workflow Services? And why would you recommend Workflow Services to another pharmacist?
I have been pleasantly surprised by the team at Workflow Services. They have acted as true partners to my pharmacy and have provided me with valuable help. Prior to partnering with them, I was given a demo of the tool and shown how to integrate it into my pharmacy. Workflow Services understands where the future of pharmacy is headed, and how technology shapes that future.
I am optimistic about the future of the platform. As a pharmacist looking to expand to multiple stores, I am confident that I will have the necessary structure in place to deliver high-quality, seamless service.
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