One of the most highly-regulated retail stores is the pharmacy, and with good reason. Some medicines, such as regulated and controlled drugs, have a potential for abuse. Because of this, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) imposes various restrictions and requirements on pharmacies regarding their inventory and sale. Pharmacy POS (point of sale) software, such as CATAPULT by ECRS Retail Automation Solutions and CAM Pharmacy Point of Sale by CAM Commerce Solutions, help pharmacies monitor their drug inventory, create advanced reports for audits and automate the process to reduce errors.
Pharmacy POS software makes tracking prescriptions easier. According to CAM Commerce Solutions, “As your prescriptions are filled by the pharmacy system, your pharmacy POS, such as CAM's Prescription Tracking Software, is instantly updated with the RX number, co-pay, patient name, etc. Your customer picks up the prescriptions and any OTC’s which are then scanned through the CAM POS. Once the sale is complete, CAM’s POS Prescription Tracking Software is updated and a message is also sent back to your pharmacy POS software that the item has been picked up.”
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also has specific requirements for pharmacies. To be able to accept Flexible Spending Account (FSA) debit and 
credit cards, the IRS requires pharmacies to have a POS software that complies with the Inventory Information Approval System (IIAS) requirements. An FSA, also known as Flexible Spending Arrangement, is a tax-advantaged account that allows you to pay for expenses such as medical and dependent care. A pharmacy POS software needs to comply with IIAS to be able to create reports that adhere to IRS specification.
(Image, right - Used with permission from CAM Commerce)
Pharmacies aren't the only stores that can benefit from pharmacy POS software. More and more supermarkets have pharmacies, requiring unique point of sale solutions. Pharmacy POS software such as CATAPULT are collaborating with pharmacy management systems like NRx by QS/1 to provide better POS solutions for supermarkets. "Supermarkets with pharmacies can benefit from a robust point-of-sale solution with tight integration," said Tom McLeod, Vice President of National Sales at QS/1. "Combining our NRx system with CATAPULT gives supermarkets a complete view of sales on both sides of the pharmacy counter, while giving the pharmacy complete record keeping of prescriptions and required signatures."
CATAPULTRx is a pharmacy POS software that offers complete pharmacy automation. Its features include 2-way pharmacy system integration, Prescription Watchdog and Supplier Gateway. It is made by by ECRS Retail Automation Solutions (www.ecrsoft.com), a Boone, North Carolina company founded in 1989.
CAM Pharmacy Point of Sale, allows pharmacies to manage their inventory and streamline their ecommerce processes. It is created by CAM Commerce Solutions (www.camcommerce.com), a company that specializes in creating ERP, POS and payment processing solutions for retailers. They are based in Fountain Valley, California and founded in 1983.
Other articles by this author:
Xecan and Trimble RFID Healthcare Solution for Patients Deployed in Two Oncology Clinics
Scan Bar Codes with your Tablet: A Review of Popular Apps
Mining Industry Unearths Benefits of RFID for Safer Tracking System
Quick Response in an Emergency: How QR Codes Help Keep Students Safer at School
Mobile POS Best Practices White Paper from Stella Nova
