3 Ways Pharmacies Can Market a Pharmacogenomics Program

Are you thinking about launching a pharmacogenomics (PGx) program in your pharmacy, but aren’t sure if people in your community will pay for it? The answer is yes, they will! In fact, multiple PDS Members are selling numerous tests and clinical consultations per week for cash (often a $150 profit!) and are experiencing tremendous growth while branding themselves as the go-to resource for PGx.

As more labs go to market and pharmacogenomics – personalized medicine – becomes mainstream, people will seek a reliable source. Thankfully, when they think of medicine, they think of their pharmacist and will come to you first. However, neglecting to offer the tests could sadly result in losing patients to other local providers.

In a recent members-only Pharmacy Advancement Academy module, How to Create a Profitable Pharmacogenomics Servicewe worked with PDS Members Amina Abubakar and Olivia Santoso Bentley of Rx Clinic Pharmacy to outline the ins and outs of implementing a PGx program and adding $25,000 to the pharmacy’s bottom line.

Throughout the how-to webinar, they shared their best tips for spreading the word throughout the community. To get your wheels turning, here are three of the seven marketing strategies shared on the members-only call:

Mine Your Existing Database

While traditional pharmacy models have you waiting for patients to come to you, we encourage PDS Members to create more opportunities by mining their existing databases and identifying and anticipating needs. When it comes to marketing your PGx services, there’s a wealth of opportunity with your current customers. Before you market to the masses, run reports on the following patient categories to identify which customers and specialized doctors to speak with first. These disease states will most likely benefit the most from PGx and quickly become raving fans and spread the word.

1. Asthma
2. Cancer
3. Cardiovascular disease
4. Psychiatric conditions
5. Cholesterol
6. Epileptic seizures
7. Depression
8. HIV/AIDS
9. Hypertension
10. Concierge medicine
11. SyncRx patients

Bonus! Millennial patients – these patients spend money on themselves. In additional to healthy food and expensive exercise routines, many millennials invest in health apps, FitBits, etc. It’s likely that if they have to take medicine, they will want to see genetically what will and won’t work for them.

PDS Members: Want to learn which specific computer reports to pull to capitalize trends in your business, identify your most profitable customers train your team to switch low-margin prescriptions  to higher ones? Access the Pharmacy Advancement Academy module Profitability Pathways by searching “pathways” in the PDSadvantage Resource Library.

Tap into Lab-Provided Materials

The pharmacogenomics lab you partnered with to offer the tests in your pharmacy should be willing to provide marketing materials for patients and doctors. They are the experts in this

arena and have likely invested a lot of money in research, branding and marketing campaigns. Request to have their brochures and training materials customized with your logo and information and printed for you. Related: 9 Questions to Ask a Prospective Pharmacogenomics Lab

Present the Value with Interactive Presentations In the webinar, Amina and Olivia recommended two types of presentations – one for physicians that discusses the value of pharmacist-driven MTM and the pharmacogenomics test and the second for the community. For example, identify niche businesses where people pay extra money for a higher level of care. This could include adult day care centers and Parkinson’s groups, to name a few.

To help explain the process and value, offer the test for free to a doctor or administrator and with their permission, share the results and experience in the presentation.

PDS Members: search “PGx” in the PDS Advantage Library to access a customizable PowerPoint template for promoting pharmacogenomics in the community.

Want to Access ALL SEVEN Pharmacogenomics Marketing Strategies and Quickstart Your Program?

PDS Members, log into PDSadvantage and search “PGx” to access a seven-step implementation manual, webinar, a project plan and turnkey templates that outline how to…

1. Provide the most comprehensive care to your community
2. Pick a reputable lab
3. Sell your PGx and MTM services
4. Collaborate with doctors
5. Seamlessly integrate PGx into your workflow
6. Properly train your team
7. Add $25,000 to your bottom line

Not a PDS Member? Speak with one of our Business Advisors today and immediately gain access to the PDS Resource Library with 100s of templates, tools and programs for growing and differentiating your business. You can also learn more by watching the free webinar, Introduction to Pharmacogenomics.