Why Strong Visibility and Communication Between Hubs and Spokes Matters for Patient-Centered Dispensing

The Challenge for Spoke Pharmacies

As hub and spoke dispensing models continue to gain momentum
, and with new legislation to allow hub and spoke between different legal entities imminent, one of the most critical challenges for spoke pharmacies is ensuring they don’t lose control of the patient experience.

While hubs are designed to create efficiency by handling the bulk of prescription assembly, the spoke pharmacy remains the face of patient care, answering queries, reassuring patients and providing safe and timely prescriptions.

Without clear visibility into what is happening at the dispensing hub, spoke pharmacies risk being left in the dark. And that lack of connection could undo all the time savings the model is meant to deliver.

The Importance of Visibility and Interaction in Pharmacy

For a spoke pharmacy, visibility into the hub’s workflow isn’t just a “nice-to-have” it’s essential for operational success. Staff need to know:

What stage each prescription is at: Is it being assembled? Checked? Ready for return? This information helps teams working in the spoke pharmacy to manage patient expectations and avoid frustrating delays.

The ability to recall prescriptions: If a patient walks into the pharmacy unexpectedly, the spoke must be able to recall a full prescription, or even just an individual item, so it can be dispensed locally without delay.

Simple reintegration with local workflows: While 70-80% of original pack repeat prescriptions are processed by a pharmacy hub, not every item can be. Take for example controlled drugs. The hub and spoke solution must allow spoke pharmacies to seamlessly add items locally and complete the prescription without unnecessary duplication of effort.

Why It Matters

Without visibility, the spoke pharmacy risks:

Losing time savings: Staff may spend more time chasing updates or reprocessing prescriptions than they would have spent dispensing the items locally in the first place.

Damaging patient trust: Patients expect their pharmacy to have the answers. If staff can’t see where a prescription is in the process, they can’t provide reassurance.

Losing control of dispensing: A key concern raised in the hub and spoke consultation was that spokes could become sidelined and no longer in control of the dispensing process. Visibility restores this control, ensuring that the spoke remains the decision-maker in front of the patient.

Disengaged staff: Staff in branch can lose confidence in the hub if they get frustrated by feeling kept in the dark and can’t help with patient enquiries.

FLOWRx InStore: The Only Solution for True Visibility

FLOWRx InStore is uniquely designed to address these challenges.
It is the only solution in the market today that gives spoke pharmacies complete visibility of what’s happening at the hub.

With FLOWRx InStore, spoke teams can:

Easily track prescriptions through every stage of the hub process.

Recall prescriptions or specific items instantly, if needed locally.

Effortlessly receive prescriptions back from the hub and add any additional items that a patient requires and be guided through that process.

Remain in control of the dispensing process, ensuring continuity of care and confidence in front of patients.

Keeping the Spoke in Control With FlOWRX

Hub-and-spoke dispensing is about efficiency and creating capacity. But efficiency must never come at the cost of patient care or professional autonomy. FLOWRx InStore empowers spoke pharmacies to stay firmly in control while benefiting from the operational savings of a hub.

By bridging the visibility gap, it ensures that time savings are realised, patient trust is protected, and pharmacists remain at the heart of the dispensing journey.

With FLOWRx InStore, the spoke pharmacy doesn’t just adapt to hub-and-spoke — it thrives in it.

Get in touch with us to see how FLOWRx InStore can transform your pharmacy.