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Pharmacy services start right from prescribing medicines and continue as the medication’s effect is monitored. Hospital and community pharmacy staff promote rational prescribing and medicine use. Consequentially, pharmacy is a complex and busy field. Often there are peak workload hours when patients must wait, which is associated with patient dissatisfaction that may negatively affect patient experience and the organisation’s reputation. The purpose of this paper is to enlist techniques, methods and technological advancements that have been successfully employed to reduce patient waiting time.

A database search was conducted in 2017 to locate articles addressing methods and technologies that reduce pharmacy waiting time. The literature revealed various techniques and technologies like queuing theory, tele-pharmacy, evidence-based pharmacy design, automated pharmacy systems (robotics), system modelling and simulation and the Six Sigma method for identifying potential problems associated with increased wait time.

The authors conclude that various techniques and methods, including automated queuing technology, tele-pharmacy, automated pharmacy devices/machines for quick and accurate filling and dispensing, computer simulation modelling, evidence-based pharmacy infrastructure for smooth workflow and Six Sigma can maintain customer satisfaction, reduce waiting time, attract new customers, decrease workload and improve the organisation’s reputation.

The authors conclude that various techniques and methods, including automated queuing technology, tele-pharmacy, automated pharmacy devices/machines for quick and accurate filling and dispensing, computer simulation modelling, evidence-based pharmacy infrastructure for smooth workflow and Six Sigma methodology can maintain customer satisfaction, reduce waiting time, attract new customers, decrease workload and improve the organisation’s reputation.

The authors carried out a literature search and identified the techniques that have been successfully implemented to reduce pharmacy patient waiting time and methods that can identify potential process behind medication dispensation delays.

Electronic detailing (e‐detailing) has been introduced in the last few years by the pharmaceutical industry as a new communication channel to promote pharmaceutical products to physicians. E‐detailing means using digital technology: internet, video conferencing, and interactive voice response. Because of the rapid adoption of e‐detailing among physicians and because of the potential effects of e‐detailing on the physician prescribing behavior, it is important to summarize research about e‐detailing. The purpose of this article is to review the literature on e‐detailing of pharmaceuticals to physicians.

A review of the literature was conducted to address reasons behind e‐detailing emergence, e‐detailing as a replacement for traditional detailing, different definitions of e‐detailing, e‐detailing processes, the prevalence of e‐detailing among physicians, types of e‐detailing, drivers for e‐detailing adoption among physicians, and adopters' characteristics.

Based on the literature review, there are two types of e‐detailing: interactive (virtual) and video. Several factors including convenience, quality of information, and incentives are common reasons for physicians' adoption of e‐detailing. E‐detailing adopters are more likely to be residents, younger, primary care physicians, practicing in rural areas, and working in solo practice.

This paper provides timely review about e‐detailing for pharmaceutical industry practitioners and institutional healthcare policy makers. However, well designed research studies on the effects of e‐detailing on prescribing are needed. From the pharmaceutical companies perspective, more research should be conducted to determine the best ways to maximize the value pharmaceutical companies can gain through the utilization of e‐detailing tools.