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Clinical Pharmacist Solutions — Locate Elixir Pilot

Drug Availability Automation · Workforce Efficiency & Patient Care Outcomes

In the UK, medication shortages are not just an administrative hurdle — they are a clinical risk. When a medication is out of stock, the traditional "manual chase" takes an average of 10 minutes per item. Pharmacists ring around suppliers by phone, patients wait 24–48 hours longer for essential medication, and the repetitive administrative churn drives burnout across primary care teams.

Clinical Pharmacist Solutions (CPS) partnered with ApolloIQ to pilot Locate Elixir — a real-time drug availability tool built into the Merlin platform — across a cohort of 10 clinical pharmacists over two months (October–December 2025).

The Problem

When a medication is out of stock, the downstream effects on patients are significant:

  • Treatment Delays — Patients wait 24–48 hours longer while pharmacists "ring around"
  • Reduced Adherence — Complexity in obtaining medication leads to missed doses and therapeutic failure
  • Anxiety & Trust — Patients experience increased stress when their care team cannot provide immediate answers
  • Safety Risks — Manual workarounds or switching to less familiar alternatives can lead to prescribing errors

The Efficiency Gap

Manual Process
(Phone/Portals)
10 min
Locate Elixir
(Merlin Platform)
10 sec

60x faster resolution — during the consultation, not after

The Solution

Locate Elixir digitises the procurement and sourcing workflow. By providing real-time availability and sourcing data in 10 seconds, it allows the pharmacist to resolve a supply issue during the clinical review or while the patient is still in contact — ensuring continuity of care and immediate peace of mind.

Real-Time Search

Instant availability data across multiple suppliers in seconds, not minutes

100% Reliable

Zero technical issues reported. Zero manual errors. Trusted by clinicians daily

Any Device

Runs on desktop, mobile, or tablet — accessible wherever pharmacists work, via the Merlin platform

Loved by Users

5/5 satisfaction score and 10/10 Net Promoter Score from all participants

Results at a Glance

33.3 hrs Clinical time reclaimed across 200 queries
150 Additional consultations capacity gained
10 sec Average search time vs 10 minutes manually
100% Reliability — zero manual errors, zero technical issues

Workforce Impact

  • Eliminated 200 "phone-tag" sessions with suppliers
  • Reclaimed headspace for SMRs, Qrisk3 audits, and pathology filing
  • Significant reduction in repetitive administrative churn that drives burnout

Patient Outcomes

  • Wait times reduced from 48 hours to seconds
  • Patients receive their original prescriptions without unnecessary switches
  • Improved continuity and trust in pharmacy service
  • Equal access to supply information regardless of location

"It has been great for me this week as I have had a few queries regarding out-of-stock situations. I am really thankful for it as other tools I found to be a bit flimsy. It is very easy and quick to use, which is exactly what is needed."

— Paula Taylor, Pharmacy Technician, Clinical Pharmacist Solutions

100% Strong Agreement

All participants strongly agreed with the following statements:

Saves me or my team time
Reduces administrative workload
Improves workflow and efficiency
Helps deliver safer, more accurate care
Adds value to daily operations

The pilot with Clinical Pharmacist Solutions demonstrates that Locate Elixir is more than an efficiency tool. By streamlining the supply chain interface, we are improving the safety, reliability, and speed of patient care in the UK.

Get in Touch

Feel free to contact us with any queries, or questions that you have. One of our team will be in touch as soon as we can!

Alternatively, if you prefer to contact us directly, you can email us at: contact@apolloiq.co.uk