Streamlining Pre-Surgery Prescription Processing for an Independent Pharmacy Group

Who they are

An independent pharmacy group supporting dozens of orthopedic providers across the United States, filling a high volume of pre-surgery medication orders. Every location depended on fast, accurate intake of procedure forms so patients could get the prescriptions they needed ahead of surgery.

The challenge

Pharmacy technicians were spending significant time retrieving forms, checking instructions, validating prescriber details, and entering information into the pharmacy management system by hand. Every step required precision, and there were a lot of steps. 

As order volume grew, so did the risk of delays and data entry errors—exactly the wrong pressure during the busiest periods, when patients most needed their prescriptions on time. Leadership wanted a more consistent, more efficient process across every location, without adding staff.

Why this wasn't a simple fix

Healthcare automation demands extra care, and this project had two compounding challenges. The pharmacy's legacy management system offered limited integration options, so the automation had to be engineered carefully to keep the system stable. On top of that, incoming forms varied by facility—there was no single format to build against. R-Path's engineers worked closely with the pharmacy's own teams to fine-tune the process until it could handle those differences without disrupting day-to-day operations.

What R-Path built

The project started with process discovery sessions mapping exactly how work moved from fax to fulfillment—where automation could save real time, and where a human check still mattered.

The resulting system retrieved incoming documents automatically, logged key information using intelligent data capture, and validated details like prescriber and patient information. Verified ord

ers flowed directly into the pharmacy management platform; anything incomplete or invalid was routed automatically to the right team for review. The system ran daily, and could also run on demand—keeping orders moving even outside standard business hours.

Rather than a single big-bang launch, the pharmacy group chose a phased rollout: a small proof of concept first, then gradual expansion across every location. Each stage built confidence, reduced manual effort, and gave staff room to adapt and provide feedback along the way.

The results

By the end of the engagement, the pharmacy group was processing orders from nearly 40 orthopedic facilities every day with minimal manual effort—seven days a week.

• 1 FTE in annual savings, easing staffing pressure and reducing overtime and backfill during busy periods
• ~40 orthopedic facilities supported daily
• 7 days a week of consistent, automated coverage—including outside standard business hours

Prescription approvals moved faster, errors occurred less often, and technicians had more time to focus on patients rather than paperwork.