In a guest column for McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, SpecialtyRx Founder Joel Zupnick examines why medication coordination has become as important as dispensing accuracy in long-term care.

Drawing a parallel to aviation safety, Joel explains that reliable care depends not on expecting individuals to perform perfectly, but on building coordinated systems that reduce the risk of missed steps, delayed responses, and fragmented communication. These challenges are especially significant for older adults managing multiple medications and transitioning between hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and long-term care facilities.

The article also explores how artificial intelligence, centralized digital workflows, and stronger pharmacy collaboration can help care teams identify medication risks earlier, streamline authorizations and clarifications, and reduce the administrative burden placed on nurses and clinicians.

Joel emphasizes that technology should support—not replace—clinical judgment. The goal is to create more transparent, responsive medication workflows that allow healthcare professionals to spend less time tracking information and more time caring for residents.