Why has Pharmacy order tracking accuracy dropped to 85%?

Introduction

The recent drop in Pharmacy order tracking accuracy to 85% is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This decline not only affects customer satisfaction but also poses potential risks to patient safety and regulatory compliance. I'll approach this problem systematically, focusing on identifying the root cause, validating hypotheses, and developing both short-term fixes and long-term solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking there might be a recent change in our order tracking system. Has there been any significant update or modification to our tracking software in the past month?

Why it matters: System changes often lead to unexpected issues in accuracy. Expected answer: Yes, a new update was rolled out two weeks ago. Impact on approach: If confirmed, we'd focus on the update's impact and potential rollback.

• Considering the specificity of the 85% figure, I'm curious about our measurement process. Has there been any change in how we measure or define order tracking accuracy recently?

Why it matters: Ensures we're comparing apples to apples in our metrics. Expected answer: No changes in measurement methodology. Impact on approach: If changed, we'd need to reassess our historical data for accurate comparison.

• Given the nature of pharmacy orders, I'm wondering if this issue is affecting all types of medications equally. Are we seeing any patterns in terms of specific drug categories or order types being more affected?

Why it matters: Helps narrow down if the issue is systemic or specific to certain order types. Expected answer: The issue seems more prevalent in controlled substance orders. Impact on approach: Would focus our investigation on the unique handling processes for controlled substances.

• Thinking about external factors, has there been any significant change in order volume or customer behavior that might be straining our system?

Why it matters: Sudden spikes in demand can overwhelm systems and lead to accuracy issues. Expected answer: Order volume has increased by 20% in the last quarter. Impact on approach: Would investigate if our system is scalable to handle increased load.