Brix | Dispensing Software

At Healthforce, I am the product manager for Healthbrix, the new pharmacy software being developed for Dis-Chem. Initially, I also took on business analyst responsibilities until we expanded the team. Early on, I contributed to UX work, including wireframes and user flows, as we worked to replace Unisolv, the legacy system used by Dis-Chem’s 274 stores, with a modern, scalable solution.

Key Achievements So Far

• Designed the system from the ground up to ensure it maintains revenue parity with Unisolv, allowing for a seamless transition.
• Built the team from scratch, growing from a small group to a 25-person team split into two squads (core infrastructure and dispensing/patient management).
• Established structured stakeholder management with sprint reports, quarterly planning, and regular demos to keep a non-technical client aligned.
• Developed complex third-party integrations, working with vendors to adapt their services so that both Unisolv and Healthbrix can operate in parallel.
• Optimised workflows, reducing keystrokes by over 60% for key tasks through automation, validations, and improved keyboard navigation.
• Maintained strong team retention and performance, achieving 100% of KPIs for seven consecutive quarters while driving long-term product strategy.

Challenges We Are Navigating

• Unisolv is deeply embedded, and pharmacists are highly familiar with it, making change management a major challenge.
• The legacy system cannot be modified, requiring Healthbrix to run in parallel during rollout.
• Pharmacy operations are highly speed-sensitive, meaning any slowdown in software performance can impact store profitability.
• Dis-Chem has no internal technical team, so we take full ownership of discovery, planning, and execution.
• Many vendors need to adapt their systems to integrate with Healthbrix, requiring extensive collaboration and negotiation.

Current Status & Next Steps

The project is 70% through the initial build, and we are now focused on rollout planning. Healthbrix will be introduced store by store, running alongside Unisolv until full adoption. The next phase will focus on user training, ongoing performance optimisation, and preparing for a long-term nationwide transition.