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Pharmacy EPOS Systems have undergone something of a switch from analogue to digital in recent years. This guide takes you through the options that now exist for community pharmacies looking to upgrade their system.

What is an EPOS system and why is it important for your Pharmacy?

Pharmacy EPOS systems help pharmacies accept payments electronically. Most EPOS systems enable tracking available inventory, managing customers, and confirming or approving purchase orders. EPOS stands for electronic point-of-sale, and can range from a basic card reading terminal to a complete stock-management system for your entire pharmacy business.

There are many EPOS providers across the UK, but not all EPOS systems are suitable for pharmacies. The providers featured in this article are some of the top EPOS providers with specialist solutions for pharmacies in the UK.

If you already know about EPOS systems and what you’re looking for, you can skip straight to some of the top EPOS systems in the UK to compare providers.

There are two types of EPOS systems, on-premise & cloud-based.

On-premise EPOS Systems

On-premise EPOS solutions store all your data (which populates your system and allows it to function) on a physical storage device on your premises. Click through the slides below for the Pros & Cons of On-premise EPOS solutions.

Cloud-based EPOS Systems

Cloud-based EPOS solutions store all your data (which populates your system and allows it to function) on a remote server. Your EPOS accesses the data via the internet. Again, for the pros & cons of cloud-based solutions, simply click through the slider below.

The Hardware

Points of Sale were once just cash registers, with each transaction manually typed in. Modern points of sale are now usually computers or tablets which run EPOS software. They come with product information, prices, and stock levels all pre-loaded. There are also add-ons to the core unit which are also EPOS hardware you’d need to invest in. Card readers, cash drawers, printers & barcode scanners are examples of extra hardware you’d want alongside your main POS. If you’re still struggling to picture an EPOS, a self-checkout at a Supermarket is a classic example of an EPOS.

The Software

EPOS software runs off a browser or app installed onto your EPOS hardware. And it’s likely to be the biggest differentiator when it comes to deciding between providers. Whilst hypothetically, you could build a completely bespoke EPOS software that matches 100% of your pharmacy needs, the significant extra cost of doing this may likely not be worth it when an off-the-shelf solution does 90% of what you need from it at a substantially lower price.

Understanding What You Need from a Pharmacy EPOS System Before You Make A Decision

Getting the right EPOS system for your pharmacy business is an important decision. The right solution can save you a lot of time and money. The wrong system for your business can leave you with headaches of hidden costs, and frustrations for your pharmacy team when using the system.

Features you need Vs. Features you don’t

For instance, as a pharmacy, you don’t need a feature incorporating tips into the payment process (that would really be something for pharmacists, hey?). Instead, features that automatically update product information from all the major wholesale suppliers through various databases like C+D.

On-premise solutions not relying on an internet connection to function, for instance, is only one “pro” of an on-premise solution, but for most pharmacies with unreliable N3 Broadband connections, this is a huge benefit.

Multiples Vs. Single Pharmacy

Additionally, if a system is incredible for streamlining multiple kiosks or locations onto one system, and you run a small community pharmacy with only one point of sale, you wouldn’t pay for all that functionality when you won’t benefit from it.

Compromise

Whilst you might not find one single system that fits your pharmacy business like a glove, it’s still important to find the best fit.

What hardware will I need as a pharmacy?

The core hardware that 99% of pharmacies will need are as follows:

  • A fixed desktop EPOS computer.
  • A scanner
  • A printer
  • A card reader – especially one with contactless options
  • A cash drawer

What I’d add to this list, from a marketing agency perspective, is that you’ll massively benefit from a desktop EPOS that has a customer-facing touchscreen. The reason I’d do this personally, is because I would see this as a massive opportunity to increase customer retention. If you can work into your checkout process an option to have their receipts either texted or emailed to them, this then means that you can get their number or email onto your database.

If they opt-in to marketing communications with you (incentivise this with retail offers), you now have a direct line to communicate with that person. Even if only 1 out of 10 people leaves their details with you, if you have 100 people coming through your pharmacy every day, your marketing list is growing by 10 people every day.

Want to understand this opportunity more? Check out our Complete Guide to Email Marketing.

Should I get an on-premises EPOS system or a cloud-based one?

Whilst there are different factors to consider for your individual pharmacy business, most community pharmacies will find cloud-based EPOS systems are the right solution for them. The reason for this is that most innovations and advances in EPOS technology (most of which are BIG time-savers) are enabled by cloud technology.

Should I get a fixed desktop checkout or a flexible tablet/mobile-based checkout?

A fixed desktop checkout is best for pharmacies with a clear focal point to the shop floor. Whereas a mobile checkout allows team members to engage patients and customers anywhere in the store and go through a checkout process with them (think Apple Store).

For 99% of pharmacies at this moment, the traditional desktop kiosk makes sense.

But for pharmacies adopting a more contemporary, clinical model, with a pharmacy layout to suit, a more flexible checkout process could help underpin the new approach. At the very least, a self-checkout process for GSL & other non-pharmaceutical items would assist in cutting waiting times, and therefore improving patient experiences for the people who need to speak to a pharmacist.

It might be that, with all things in life, the sweet spot is the balance between the two. Especially if you’re wanting to balance a large prescription business with a clinical model. It is perfectly possible to combine both desktop POS with mobile POS devices, but naturally, this would be more expensive.

What are the key benefits of a Pharmacy EPOS system?

You’ll find most of these benefits are standard with the providers listed below. These are pretty benefits from having a modern pharmacy EPOS system, rather than unique selling points for any single provider.

  • The standard benefit of Electronic payments is obvious. In a digital world, people visiting your pharmacy expect they can pay with their card or phone.
  • Many features of EPOS systems save time, either via removing the need for manual entry or automating stock-reordering
  • Pharmacy Multiples benefit hugely from the administration of all their pharmacies being managed from one location.
  • Pharmacies with eCommerce sites benefit hugely from their stock being integrated online and in-store.
  • Data = knowledge. Insights into customer buying habits, best-selling products, highest selling-team members etc.
  • Across the board, EPOS systems tie in with databases like the C+D data website. (N.B., there may well be a mark-up on the price than if you were to subscribe to the data yourselves, but it’s one less thing to do when it’s included in basically every package.)

pharmacy epos system providers list begins here

Some of the Top Pharmacy EPOS Systems in the UK

Positive Solutions – Analyst EPOS System

Positive Solutions also had an entry in our PMR Comparison Guide, and whilst you might not be in the market for a PMR system right now, it is relevant, and that’s a bit of a trend throughout this article. Your software all working together makes everything seamless. No matter what system you log on to, all the data works together. This simplifies your business so much.

Their main USP is the digital ecosystem in which their products sit. As I mentioned in the PMR Guide, their system is the clear winner if you’re interested in their Integrated Pharmacy Solution.

As we’ll also cover with MedEpos, integrations are valuable to your pharmacy team’s workflow.

Why is it important for my PMR system to integrate with my EPOS system?

Picture the scene in a peak time rush. You’re pharmacist on the counter. The next patient in line asks if their prescription is ready yet. Your PMR terminal is in the back of the pharmacy, and there’s a queue of people waiting. You nip into the back. The terminal’s in use. You either have to interrupt what the other pharmacist is doing, or wait for them to finish. All the while, that queue of people is stood there with no one at the counter.

With an integrated PMR in your EPOS system, you can check there and then where that patient’s prescription is.

“It got sent to us 5 minutes ago,” you say.

“So is it ready yet?”

It’s worth checking out their website, or calling them for a conversation if you have other automations, such as dispensing robots, as Positive Solutions boast integrations with other automation partners like BD Rowa.

Check out Positive Solutions’ Analyst EPOS System

medepos pharmacy epos solutions logo

MedEpos

MedEpos hardware comes with a rear-screen (customer-facing) that can display advertisements and messages just like any digital screen in your pharmacy. You can also use it for your CPPQ requirements. This has the nice little bonus of keeping the patient occupied during any wait, and helps you meet your survey quota.

MedEpos is partnered with Cegedim, and integrates with Pharmacy Manager, Cegedim’s PMR system. Again, it’s going to be a popular choice with pharmacies who already have Pharmacy Manager as their PMR system, as your PMR and EPOS systems playing nicely together presents real benefits on the shop floor.

And going with MedEpos, that’s exactly what will happen. With access to both Pharmacy Manager and MedEpos at your pharmacy counter (presuming you’re wanting a fixed desktop EPOS unit) your dispensing process is seamless, saving you and your whole pharmacy team time, and improving patient interaction.

Check out MedEpos’ Pharmacy EPOS Solution

csy retail systems logo

CSY Retail Systems

CSY, involved in the Pharmacy sector for over 15 years, and several hundred pharmacies use their service and are also recommended by the National Pharmacy Association.

Their focus is on-premise EPOS solutions, which for many pharmacy teams is a huge plus. Unreliable N3 connections can cripple a cloud-based pharmacy. This may become less of an issue in the future with more superfast reliable broadband, but for now, reliability remains the principle focus of a lot of pharmacies.

CSY’s EPOS product was built with multiples in mind, rather than some providers who have just tweaked their offering to incorporate a multiple solution. Indeed, their list of pharmacy clients is predominantly pharmacy groups with 15+ branches minimum.

If you’re a pharmacy multiple, it’s going to be well worth your time having a conversation with CSY.

Integration with WooCommerce

CSY’s system integrates with WooCommerce, which in layman’s terms is what turns a WordPress website into an eCommerce site.

A fan of Pointy from Google?

For those who don’t know what Pointy is, it essentially takes all the products from your inventory and lists them on Google in the shopping tab. People can find you through your products, directly from Google search.

You don’t need to operate eCommerce, (though that would help), as Pointy can direct people to your store to get the item they need.

With CSY’s EPOS. you can download Pointy directly onto your CSY EPOS system and get started immediately.

View CSY’s Pharmacy EPOS system offering here

So which is the best Pharmacy EPOS system for your pharmacy?

The best pharmacy EPOS providers for pharmacies in the UK all allow approximately the same functionality of stock management, recording customer buying data and end-of-month automatic reporting. In reality, the best choice for your business is going to come down to additional factors, such as additional hardware you may need, the price points, and what software you currently have that you’d like your EPOS system to integrate with.

Don’t forget, this is far from an exhaustive list of suppliers. MedEpos, Positive Solutions, and CSY Retail give you a varied selection to consider initially.

Something to consider is asking any Locums that work for you for their feedback on systems they’ve worked with. The advantage of them working in different locations is they may well have worked with multiple different systems. Their feedback might provide valuable insight for your pharmacy.


Have you been using a particular EPOS system for your pharmacy sales? Finding a solution useful or poor? We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re looking for help in selecting the right EPOS for your pharmacy, please get in touch with us. We’ll be glad to help.