H. D. Smith named finalist for HDMA's Distribution Management Award for innovative mobile controlled substance ordering system

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- H. D. Smith, the largest independent wholesaler in the U.S., announced it was named a finalist for the HDMA Distribution Management Award for its innovative mobile controlled substance ordering system (CSOS). This addition to the company's online ordering system is the first of its kind offered by a U.S. wholesaler, and will be rolled out to customers nationwide this week.

"H. D. Smith is continually striving to create value for pharmacists across the nation, and nothing is changing more quickly for our customers than the way they use mobile technology to do business," said Dale Smith, chief executive officer at H. D. Smith. "We created this piece of our Member Portal to address an unmet marketplace need – to create a way for pharmacists who favor iPads to place orders for controlled substances, while improving CSOS use and dependability."

The new CSOS functionality allows pharmacists to seamlessly integrate their controlled substance ordering into the mobile device environment, while also ensuring security. To create the new system, H. D. Smith partnered with long-time vendor, Legisym, to add a digital certificate through its Remote Certificate Store.

This new technology operates much like a traditional CSOS e-certificate, except that the Remote Certificate Store will allow the customer to access CSOS credentialing through the cloud instead of a hard drive. Further, the system incorporates complete order history, which will store full details about every order placed for two years, lessening the burden of data storage for pharmacists.

"With this new technology, H. D. Smith customers will be able to use an iPad, or any mobile device, in any location and engage the Remote Certificate Store design, with any browser, to sign CSOS orders – plus eliminates the worry of losing access to its records. This will move all types of orders with H. D. Smith, CII or otherwise, into the modern age of mobile-device ordering," said Smith. "We hope that this will improve efficiency for the pharmacies we serve, and since time is money, we are helping our customers save money in the long run. This also helps maximize patient outcomes by getting vitally needed and powerful medicine where it needs to be, when it needs to be there."

About the H. D. Smith ordering system

H. D. Smith's online ordering platform, Member Portal, was expanded to meet the needs of a growing market using Web browsers other than Internet Explorer. Additionally, more consumers are buying tablets over PCs or laptops, so compatibility with mobile devices is becoming more "required" for a business to run effectively.

"H. D. Smith's new eCertificate now acts as a backup to the original signing certificate a pharmacist downloaded from the DEA," said David Guzman, chief information officer. "No longer will our customers need to go back to the DEA for reissuing, downloading and updating their CSOS program."

System testing to ensure security, compliance

Joseph Cocchiara, pharmacist and owner of 58th Street Pharmacy, Inc., DBA Town Drug and Surgical, in New York, is one of H. D. Smith's customers who tested ordering on an iPad. After the new setup passed the DEA Drummond Group CSOS Audit, which validated use of the cloud-based digital certificate, the team set up a test environment for Cocchiara to place orders.

"Before this test, I could only order from one computer in the pharmacy, and everyone in the pharmacy has access to use that computer," said Cocchiara. "For me, accessing the digital certificate on my iPad will make the process much more secure, and if I'm at home and forgot to order something, I can place that order any time. It gives pharmacists with a digital certificate a lot more flexibility. This will change the face of pharmacy as we know it."

H. D. Smith is one of the largest, national wholesale distributors, with services and solutions for manufacturers and healthcare providers. Focusing on wholesale distribution and specialty solutions, H. D. Smith provides a complete line of prescription, over-the-counter and home healthcare products, as well as health and beauty aids, durable medical equipment, seasonal merchandise and a wide array of business solutions to retail pharmacies, regional chains and health systems. H. D. Smith also provides services for traditional and specialty pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as providers and patients. Headquartered in Springfield, Illinois, the company has distribution facilities throughout the country in all major markets. H. D. Smith also operates Smith Medical Partners, Triplefin, HDS Healthcare Packaging and Valley Wholesale Drug.

SOURCE H. D. Smith