AI, RFID Technology, and the Future of Pharmacy Operations with Lori Lotterman

Summary

Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Episode: AI, RFID Technology, and the Future of Pharmacy Operations with Lori Lauderman
Date: May 22, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features Lori Lauderman, owner of Lauderman Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Consulting, who brings over 30 years of pharmacy industry experience. Host Chanel Bunger interviews Lauderman about the evolution of pharmacy technology, focusing on the integration of AI and RFID, and their transformative impact on pharmacy operations, compliance, and future workforce needs. The discussion also touches on mentorship, adaptability, and advice for emerging pharmacy leaders.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lori Lauderman’s Background and the Evolution of Pharmacy Technology

[00:22-01:13]

• Lori Lauderman recounts her start as a pharmacy student at Brigham Women's Hospital, filling medication cassettes using paper profiles.
• She highlights the progression from manual processes (paper, faxed orders) to computerized systems.
• Implementation of hospital-wide software systems eliminated manual data entry and certain clerk roles resistant to technology.
• Quote:
  "I filled medication cassettes using paper profiles... then started receiving orders by fax. This was really how technology was started to get involved with medication management." — Lori Lauderman [00:27]

2. Current Trends: AI and RFID in Pharmacy

[01:26-02:44]

• AI is rapidly streamlining and automating previously manual, paper-based workflows in healthcare.
• RFID devices are superseding barcodes, achieving 99% accuracy in medication tracking and verification.
• Modern RFID systems can scan for expiration dates across entire modules in seconds.
• Pharmaceutical manufacturers are now imprinting RFID tags directly on medications, simplifying their use for pharmacy staff.
• In the past two years, hospitals have seen a 30% increase in RFID technology adoption.
• Quote:
  "I've seen radio frequency identification devices... replace barcodes... This has a 99% accuracy of tracking medications and verifying medications in a system." — Lori Lauderman [01:38]

3. AI Partnerships and Future Directions

[02:55-04:15]

• Lauderman’s firm is partnering with USM Systems, a global AI services and staffing company experienced with major clients like AstraZeneca and Walmart.
• USM customizes AI modules to fit specific client operations and compliance policies.
• Example: In life sciences, a compliance agent can audit standard operating procedures and good manufacturing processes, identifying gaps and reducing cycle times by up to 80%.
• Quote:
  "They built a compliance agent that reviews the standard operating procedures... does an actual audit which is ready to be used and would reduce their cycle time by almost 80%. That is a lot of savings for any manufacturer..." — Lori Lauderman [03:52]

4. Advice for Emerging Pharmacy Leaders

[04:30-05:33]

• The importance of mentorship: Both learning from experienced professionals and supporting the next generation.
• Lauderman attributes much of her career growth to strong mentors who helped her become a better listener and leader.
• Adaptability is essential, given the unpredictable and rapidly evolving tech landscape in pharmacy.
• Early-career pharmacists must be prepared for continuous technological change.
• Quote:
  "The most important skill is adaptability... But the next generation is going to play a key role in shaping the future of pharmacy." — Lori Lauderman [05:18]

5. Closing Thoughts on the Future of Pharmacy

[05:39-05:56]

• Pharmacy and technology are deeply intertwined.
• The profession has advanced from faxed orders to today’s autonomous pharmacy systems.
• The future will continue along this trajectory of automation and technological integration.
• Quote:
  "We've come over the last three decades of my career, watching it grow from the fax machine all the way up to autonomous pharmacy systems. So I think that's where the future is heading." — Lori Lauderman [05:41]

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On Evolution:
  "This was really how technology was started to get involved with medication management." — Lori Lauderman [00:32]
• On RFID Accuracy:
  "This has a 99% accuracy of tracking medications and verifying medications in a system." — Lori Lauderman [01:39]
• On AI in Compliance:
  "Does an actual audit which is ready to be used and would reduce their cycle time by almost 80%." — Lori Lauderman [03:58]
• Advice to Leaders:
  "The most important skill is adaptability." — Lori Lauderman [05:18]
• Outlook for the Field:
  "Pharmacy and technology go hand in hand... the future is heading [toward] autonomous pharmacy systems." — Lori Lauderman [05:41]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------| | 00:22-01:13 | Lori’s professional background and tech shifts | | 01:26-02:44 | AI & RFID trends in pharmacy | | 02:55-04:15 | AI partnerships and compliance innovation | | 04:30-05:33 | Mentorship and adaptability in pharmacy | | 05:39-05:56 | Reflections on pharmacy’s tech-centric future |

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Summary Takeaway

Lori Lauderman’s conversation offers a compelling look at how pharmacy operations are being revolutionized by AI and RFID technology. She illustrates the significant efficiency and accuracy gains enabled by these innovations, underscores the value of mentorship and adaptability for future leaders, and emphasizes that pharmacy’s future lies in seamless technological integration. The discussion is pragmatic, forward-looking, and full of actionable insights for anyone interested in the evolving healthcare landscape.

Transcript

[A]

Hello and welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. My name is Chanel Bunger and today I'm excited to speak with Lori Lauderman, a subject matter expert in pharmacy and healthcare management who joins the podcast today to share insights into her background trend she's keeping an eye on and a bit more. Lori, it's great to have you here and to get us started out. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background and work in healthcare?

[B]

So my name is Lori Lauderman and I'm the owner of Latterman Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Consulting. I have more than 30 years of experience in the pharmacy industry. I began my career as a pharmacy student at Brigham Women's Hospital where I filled medication cassettes using paper profiles. I later transitioned to computerized profiles and then we started receiving orders by fax from nursing stations. And this was really how technology was started to get involved with medication management. After graduating as a pharmacist, I moved to a suburban hospital where two clerks entered paper profile information into a database and then computers were loaded with a hospital wide software system. When the computerized hospital system was implemented, these manual processes were eliminated and so were the billing clerks. They were not interested in learning anything about computers.

[A]

That's amazing to hear that you've truly got to see the evolution of technology throughout your career and kind of with that. What trends are you currently watching either in pharmacy technology or just healthcare overall?

[B]

One of the biggest trends I'm paying attention to right now is how artificial intelligence or AI is quickly being used across healthcare. It's especially interesting that AI is improving a lot of workflows that used to be manual and time consuming, especially with paper processes. I'm also watching how technology is evolving traditional pharmacy practice. I've seen radio frequency identification devices or RFID devices replace barcodes which have been around for the last few days decades. And this has a 99% accuracy of tracking medications and verifying medications in a system. Some of the systems can actually look for expiration dates in seven seconds throughout 30 or 40 module systems. So in the past, the RFID tags were tagged directly on the medications for the tracking purposes. But over the last few years, a lot of the manufacturers have actually imprinted the adopted imprinted the tags onto the medications, which makes it a lot easier for the pharmacy staff to use. I also recently read that hospital pharmacies have increased a 30% increase of using RFID technology over the last two years.

[A]

Got it, Got it. And I already talked about a lot of exciting stuff, but kind of in that same Vein, what are you most focused on and excited about going into the next half of 2026?

[B]

So I'm actually currently partnering my company with USM Systems, which is a global AI services and staffing company founded in 1999. Some of their clients include pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and a large retailer like Walmart. They have facilities in Ashburn, Virginia and Frisco, Texas. But what stands out to me is how USM actually tailors each work order to a specific client's operations and policies. So each module is actually built around real workflows and data from the client, and you can actually put a bunch of agents together to work together to help streamline operations, but at the same time, they're actually checking compliance with the system. So one of the examples that I use is and Life Sciences. They built a compliance agent that reviews the standard operating procedures, which is the SOPs and good manufacturing processes, GMP documentation. So it's actually looking at the policies, shows where the gaps are located within their systems, and does an actual audit which is ready to be used and would reduce their cycle time by almost 80%. That is a lot of savings for any manufacturer that's out there.

[A]

Love to hear. And as somebody with all of your experience and I could tell that you're very knowledgeable in your field, I'm curious to know, what advice would you share to evolving leaders looking to have the same impact and drive in their careers as you have?

[B]

Yeah, I think the one thing that I really strive on is mentorship. If you look at mentorship in pharmacy particularly, there's two different directions. It's actually learning from people who are experienced professionals and also supporting the next generation of pharmacists. I was lucky enough and fortunate to benefit from strong mentors at all stages in my career, and their guidance actually shaped how I lead and grow. I also became a better listener, which is something that's really helped me in the long run through many of my mentors. The other portion is adaptability. So students and early career pharmacists are growing up in a rapidly changing tech environment because it's impossible to really predict all the tools they will use and will view through their careers. I think the most important skill is adaptability. Adaptability is what we use from the beginning, going from paper all the way up to computers and streaming things. But the next generation is going to play a key role in shaping the future of pharmacy.

[A]

Excellent advice. Well, Laurie, I want to thank you for your time today, but before I let you go, is there anything else that listeners should know.

[B]

Yeah. I think it's important to realize that pharmacy and technology go hand in hand. And we've come over the last three decades of my career, watching it grow from the fax machine all the way up to autonomous pharmacy systems. So I think that's where the future is heading.

[A]

I love it. Well, that's a great note to end on, Laurie. I want to thank you once again for your time today and for sharing your insights on the Becker's Healthcare podcast. Thank you so much.

[B]

You're welcome.