5 Programs Your Independent Pharmacy Can’t Afford to Ignore

As an independent pharmacy owner, you have the ability to implement programs and services more easily than chain pharmacies. Often times, one of the hardest parts of expanding your services is figuring out what programs are a good fit for your pharmacy. After all, with numerous options available, how do you choose what’s right for pharmacy?
Before you decide to implement a new program, it’s important to understand the wants and needs of your patients. Determine what services other pharmacies in your area are offering and what they are not offering Talk to your patients, understand their needs, and decide what niches might help meet those needs.Do you need some help figuring out what programs and services to offer? We’ve put together a list of five programs your independent pharmacy can’t afford to ignore if you want to grow your pharmacy.

Free Children’s Vitamin Program

Offering a free children’s vitamin program is a great way to support the health and well-being of the children in your community. At home and at school, children often come in contact with an abundance of germs and bacteria. When children get  the right amount of vitamins and minerals on a  daily basis, it  boost their immune system and helps  their little bodies fight potential illnesses. If you’re worried that giving away free vitamins will cost you more than it’s worth, don’t be– a free vitamin program gives you a great opportunity to earn patient trust and loyalty.  Customers will keep coming  back to your pharmacy to fill prescriptions, buy retail merchandise and refer friends and family.

Delivery Services

Depending on where your pharmacy is located, you may find that patients can’t always make it into your store during regular hours. They  might not have access to transportation or time to get to your store before or after work, which makes a delivery service very appealing. Home delivery doesn’t mean putting medications in a box and shipping them. It means someone on your team takes the time to hand-deliver medications to a patient’s home, work, senior living facility, etc. When you set up a  delivery service program, you can assign specific delivery hours and distances your team can travel. For example, you can choose to deliver within a five-mile radius during week days. Setting up home delivery parameters ensures that you can accommodate patients who want to take advantage of this convenient service and that you  always have enough employees in your pharmacy during your busiest times.

Immunizations

Pharmacies across the country are beginning to add immunizations to their list of services. Offering various vaccines shows that you value the health and wellness of your patients and that you are willing to go an extra mile to make their life better. Offering the most common vaccinations such as flu shots, shingles, Gardasil®, Hepatitis B, and travel vaccines will help save your patients a trip to their primary care physician and once again, will help you build trust and long term connections with your customer base.

Medication Adherence Programs

One of the most difficult things for patients is remembering to take their medications consistently. Medication Adherence programs make it easy for patients to remember to fill their prescriptions on time as they fill all of the prescriptions in a single order. Successful Medication Adherence programs involve identifying patients who need help with compliance, and developing plans that will make it easier for them to consistently take their medications on a regular basis.

Diabetes Management Programs

For patients living with diabetes, maintaining health is often overwhelming and confusing. Diabetes management empowers your patients to take control of their diabetes and gives them the tools they need to manage it effectively. Some of the different services you can offer include education on blood glucose meters and nutrition as well as offering classes that cover different aspects of living with diabetes.Loooking for more ways to compete with national chain pharmacies? Download our free eBook, 3 Innovative Ways to Compete in the Pharmacy Market