Frequently Asked Questions

Historically, physician dispensing was a manual process that required extra staff to count pills, maintain records, and report dispenses to state PDMP systems. Today, PharmaLink's turnkey solution — prepackaged medications, quick and easy dispensing, automated label printing, and automatic PDMP reporting — makes the process much easier and requires no additional staff. Many physicians are still wary of how much risk and work is involved. If you share those concerns, contact us and we'd be happy to provide a free consultation and software demo.

While many arguments are made for and against physician dispensing, the fundamental trade-off is between patient outcomes and satisfaction on one side and the potential for financial incentives to distort care on the other. The most-cited benefits: better compliance and outcomes (studies have shown that between 20% and 30% of prescriptions are never filled — dispensing at the point of care means patients actually begin treatment), confidentiality in sensitive specialties such as weight loss and men's or women's health, higher patient satisfaction, cost savings for patients, a new income stream for the practice, and a stronger service offering. The most common concerns: since providers set their own prices, patients could in theory pay more than at a pharmacy (though competitive supplier pricing usually lets providers earn income while charging well under pharmacy prices); billing insurance for dispensed medications is difficult, so most practices offer cash-and-carry only — patients always keep the option to take their prescription to a pharmacy instead; a potential conflict of interest from financial incentives (in practice, most providers carry common generics and earn only a few dollars per dispense); and one fewer set of eyes on each prescription, offset by the fact that dispensing reduces the chance of the wrong medication being dispensed and lets the provider counsel the patient directly. See our full lists of provider benefits and patient benefits.

Getting started with PharmaLink is easy. Contact us for a copy of our brief application. Once we receive your completed paperwork and the necessary licensing (which varies by state), we can have your program up and running in as little as 3 business days.

Contact us for a risk-free consultation. When you're ready to move forward, we'll provide the required paperwork and guide you through your state's regulations.

Once we receive a completed application packet, including any required license or licenses, we can have your account set up in as little as 3 business days. For more information, or if you're ready to get started, please contact us.

Just a small setup fee, which includes software setup and training. That means you are immediately profitable and cash flow positive. For a risk-free consultation, or if you're ready to get started, contact us and a representative will reach out with more information.

To take full advantage of the PharmaLink program, you only need a computer with an internet connection and a dedicated label printer — most label printers work with PharmaLink's software. Contact us if you'd like to learn more.

We recommend starting the process 2-3 months before you open. That gives you time to address any state licensing requirements and still complete the application process comfortably. Feel free to contact us with any questions specific to your situation.

Fill out our contact form and a representative will be in touch shortly to schedule a free live demo.

Yes. Physician dispensing is regulated at the state level and is allowed in all but a few states, with certain restrictions or limitations in others. Please see our Dispensing Regulations page for state-by-state information.

Check our state dispensing regulations page for information about your state, or contact us if you need help determining the requirements.

Mid-level dispensing is allowed in many states, but rights and responsibilities vary from state to state. Review our state dispensing regulations page, and if you aren't sure, feel free to contact us for a risk-free consultation.

The rights and responsibilities of dispensers vary from state to state. We recommend reviewing your state's dispensing regulations or contacting your state pharmacy or medical board for more information.

Yes. Our software automatically files PDMP reports in all of the states where we have customers dispensing controlled medications, as required in each state. It also files zero-fill reports where states require them when no controlled dispenses are completed. For more information, see our PDMP Reporting Requirements page.

We carry a full catalog of more than 2,000 branded and generic medications in prepackaged, factory-sealed, ready-to-dispense packages, with a variety of strengths and quantities for most common medications. For more information, see our formulary page or contact us.

No. With PharmaLink's turnkey physician dispensing solution, dispensing a medication takes no more than 15-30 seconds and requires no additional staff. See our Dispensing Overview for a walkthrough of the process.

Yes, PharmaLink offers an insurance adjudication option. For more information, please see our Insurance Billing page or contact us.

Yes, PharmaLink has a workers' compensation billing program. For more information, please see our Workers' Compensation page or contact us.