Quick answer: For an independent pharmacy, remote video monitoring means an operator watches your existing cameras live — most often after closing and during opening and closing routines — and alerts you to break-in attempts, people inside after hours, front-store theft, or opening and closing steps being skipped. It supports your security program; it does not replace the physical security, alarm and record-keeping rules your state board of pharmacy and federal regulations require. Digital EYE's standard plan is $600/month for 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, up to 4 cameras.
Why pharmacies need a different approach
- Medications are the target, not just cash. After-hours break-ins usually aim at the pharmacy area.
- Regulated areas. Access to the pharmacy area and controlled substances is governed by rules your pharmacist-in-charge already follows. Monitoring adds a set of eyes, nothing more.
- Front-store theft: health and beauty, over-the-counter medicines, baby formula.
- Opening and closing are sensitive moments, when the pharmacy area is unlocked or locked.
- Privacy. Cameras should not capture patient information on screens or prescription labels in readable detail. Agree camera views with your pharmacist-in-charge.
What our operators watch
| Situation | What the operator checks |
|---|---|
| After hours | Anyone testing doors or windows, movement inside, vehicles waiting outside |
| Opening | Store opened by authorized staff at the expected time, alarm disarmed in sequence |
| Closing | Pharmacy area secured, front doors locked, alarm set, no one left inside |
| Front store | Concealment in high-theft aisles, groups working together |
| Counter | Problem customers, a staff member alone with an aggressive customer |
| Receiving | Deliveries received by staff, back door closed afterwards |
We alert the contacts you name — usually the owner and the pharmacist-in-charge — with time and a clip. You decide what happens next, including whether to call the police. Digital EYE provides operations and loss-prevention monitoring, not guard or alarm dispatch services.
Camera priorities
- Pharmacy area entry points (gate, door, counter edge), without reading patient data.
- Front entrance, facing in.
- Back door or receiving.
- Highest-theft front-store aisle.
Overnight, an outside view of the entrance helps us see someone approach before they break in.
Incidents and evidence
When something happens, a clean record matters for police, insurance and any report you must file. Digital EYE keeps each incident as a case with time, camera, clips and notes, and lets you share it through an expiring link. Our guide on incident reporting and evidence explains what a good report contains.
How the attendance software helps
Pharmacies run on a mix of pharmacists, technicians and front-store staff. The workforce software:
- Schedules every role and handles time off.
- Verifies clock-ins and clock-outs on camera — see camera-verified attendance.
- Alerts you when a shift starts and a role is missing.
- Turns verified hours into payroll.
Free for 6 months, then $50/month.
Choosing hours
Most pharmacies choose closing through early morning (8 hours) to cover the after-hours risk, or split the plan between opening, closing and the first overnight hours. 24-hour coverage is quoted separately. See pricing.
Sample escalation rules
Every client agrees escalation rules in writing before monitoring starts. A typical starting set:
| Event | Who is alerted | How |
|---|---|---|
| Movement inside after closing | Owner, then pharmacist-in-charge | Call immediately |
| Door or window tested after hours | Owner | Call |
| Pharmacy area not secured at closing | Pharmacist-in-charge | Call |
| Required role missing at shift start | Store manager | Message |
| Aggressive customer at the counter | Manager on duty | Call |
You can change who is alerted, and in what order, at any time.
Frequently asked questions
Does remote monitoring meet pharmacy security regulations?
It is not a compliance product and we make no claim that it satisfies any regulation. Use it alongside the physical security, alarm and record-keeping steps your state board and federal rules require.
Will operators see patient information?
We ask you to aim cameras so screens and labels are not readable, and our operators only look for the events on your checklist.
Do you dispatch police after hours?
No. We alert you and your nominated contacts immediately with what we see. You, or your alarm company, decide whether to call the police.
Do I need new cameras?
Usually not. We connect to your existing recorder with a view-only account.