Here is an invitation for pharmacy owners to start thinking about how they
will prepare for the post COVID world.
Pharmacy owners that come up with a good plan now, will find
that going forward their practice will be more profitable and professionally
rewarding. And, while I am not smart
enough to know what that plan looks like I do have a few suggestions.
First, for decades one competitive advantage independent community
pharmacies had was, delivery. The
problem, the pandemic has made delivery common.
True, most chain, grocery store and big box pharmacy delivery comes with
a fee. So, I propose that this provides
you with an opportunity to rethink your delivery program.
How? By adopting a
formal enrollment process. Create one
that ties into your loyalty program.
Educate people on the benefits of your program and establish some criteria
for participation. For example, have a
brochure that lays out in clear terms the ways your program is better than the
ones the chains offer. This would
include mentioning that your delivery person is a trained member of the
pharmacy staff, not a contractor who knows nothing about your patient. Let them know your delivery person comes with
an iPad or smart phone and can instantly connect your patients with the
pharmacy to answer questions and clarify any medication related issues.
Perhaps the time has come to adopt a scheduled delivery
process, not an on-demand or Domino’s Pizza format. Maybe even have a map that shows various
delivery zones and how the delivery area has been broken into specific times
and days you cover each area. And,
perhaps you start legitimizing a modest charge.
This can be softened by letting current patients know that as part of
your loyalty program they get one delivery per month free. Or, hat as a valued long-time customer they
get the first three or even six-months delivery under the new program for
free. The point is, your competitors are
legitimizing a delivery fee so maybe now is your chance to migrate into a fee
structure where you sell the benefits of a superior “personal” delivery
service.
Next, you may want to consider selling the benefits of being
smaller. This means you can provide a
cleaner, safer shopping experience.
Create a flyer and window signs telling how you have adopted other
sanitation practices. Tout the
benefits of your drive-thru or curbside services. Perhaps you even explain how
having fewer people in your pharmacy than the chains mean it is a safer place
to purchase their prescriptions and other healthcare products.
Most of you have adopted some sort of Plexiglas shield at
your drop-off, pick-up and cash register areas.
If they are less than professionally done, find a way to make them more
impressive.
One area I’d suggest you ponder is that of a dress
code. Having your staff in clean, logo’d
and professional looking attire will be more important as you build on the idea
that your pharmacy is clean and safe. It
should be easy for anyone coming into your pharmacy to know who is working
there. This does not have to mean shirts
and ties or smocks or lab coats. Vests,
logo’d polo shirts, scrubs, or smocks are my personal preference. Do what ever you think is best for your image
and style, but don’t simply let what you have always done be continued without
making a conscious decision on your dress code.
Finally, and this is critical. People have come to expect change and this
makes it easier than ever to make changes.
So, now is the time to make your plans for adding new, more and better
clinical services. Point-of-care testing
for strep, flu, COVID antibodies and even incorporating pharmacogenetic testing
is wide open.
Other clinical services have a long history of being
provided in pharmacies, such as A1c or lipid testing. Drug nutrient depletion programs and nutraceutical
products, particularly those with documented ability to boost immunity will be
more acceptable now than ever. And, the
good news is, many of these services on sold on a cash basis. No PBM involved!
Now
is the time for you to plan ahead and answer the question – So, now what?
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