Printers in Pharmaices
Printers are everywhere in a pharmacy. Usually the vial labels will come out on a thermal printer while the monographs and images will print on a laser printer. We will take a look at both.
There are only a few printers out there that work with most pharmacy systems. Pharmacy software systems are when they are being developed are only tested to work with certain models. Most pharmacies use two different types of printers – thermal and laser. Over time more and more printers slowly are added to the list of working usable printers. However there are some industry standard models that are usually safe bets. Here are some tips when replacing or purchasing printers.
All printers should be on the network, not USB connected.
Almost all printers have the option for Ethernet (network) connectivity and USB. If your printer can be plugged into the network then any workstation can print to it. Make sure your printer has Ethernet (network) connectivity and not just USB.
All equipment needs to be compatible
Always check with your pharmacy system to see which printers is compatible with their software. They usually can provide you a list of supported printers. ConfigRX recommends taking this list of equipment and shopping around yourself.
Purchase the items yourself if possible
Your pharmacy system will try to sell you hardware usually at a marked up price. You can purchase the exact same printers on Amazon or other online retailers for a better price.
Have a backup plan
Always order a backup. Although most printers last years they do have issues and sometime require maintenance. It’s always good to have a backup printer you can swap in and out on a busy Monday.
ConfigRX has installed printers in over 50 pharmacies across the country. Our start a pharmacy package as well as our buy a pharmacy audit includes our hardware service. Contact us if you have questions about your pharmacies hardware.
