If you're undertaking new pharmacy construction – or just remodeling your old one – the prospect can be daunting. Construction isn't for the faint of heart, and there are a lot of factors to keep in mind as you go through the process.
New shelving will almost certainly be budgeted into your overall pharmacy construction project, especially if you need additional storage and display space. That said, there are some cost-saving measures you can take to make sure your shelving budget is as small as possible. That way you'll have more money to take care of actual pharmacy construction and other must-have expenses.
Take Care of HIPAA Regulations First
You should already have invested in new secure shelving so that you can be compliant with those 2013 HIPAA privacy regulations, but if you haven't, now is the time to do so. As you know, any patient health information (PHI) breaches must now be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, so it's paramount that you protect yourself and your patients from any occurrences. One consequence of these new regulations is that you must now carefully control access to all devices (including portable devices like laptops and tablets) that can be used to view patients' personal health information. That means these will have to be locked away securely when not in use. Invest in new locking pharmacy shelving and fixtures as necessary so that you can secure these devices properly.
Plan Your Shelving Upgrades in Stages
Take a look at your shelving inventory. Much, if not most of it, can likely be reused so that you don't have to replace it now. Do invest in any new shelving (especially security shelving) that you need, but reuse existing components whatever you can so that your shelving budget is as small as possible.
Mix Old and New
If you don't have to replace everything at once in that your existing shelving is in good condition, you can keep your "old" shelving and just add to your inventory with new shelving if you need more storage or display space. Use older shelving in more out-of-the-way places in the retail section of your store, or mix-and-match it with new shelving if individual pieces complement each other.
Swap Out Pricey Materials for Less Expensive Ones
If you do have to buy new, you can often swap more expensive materials for less expensive ones. Pharmacy shelving and fixtures are available in a wide variety of materials and price ranges; you should easily be able to choose shelving and fixtures that fit within your existing pharmacy construction budget.
Use a Consultant – and Save Money
If your budget is already tight, you may think a consultant can't possibly be worth the expense. However, a consultant can actually save you money. How? They can give you expert input on your pharmacy construction shelving needs; your consultant will know how to work with what you have, can advise you on what you need to replace, and, most importantly, will have connections with people and suppliers who can provide you with the pharmacy shelving and fixtures you need at an affordable cost.
If you're about to start a pharmacy construction project, don't forget to include money for some new pharmacy shelving in your construction budget. Some upgrades will almost certainly be necessary, but you can likely replace your shelving at a much lower cost than you think. Consider hiring a consultant; they can provide the guidance you need to make your pharmacy construction and shelving upgrades a success without going over budget.
