2020 will be remembered for a lot of things. Staying apart, coming together, learning a new normal. Pharmacies have found innovative ways of keeping their businesses moving and operating efficiently – including an abundance of virtual communication. We are going to take it a step beyond virtual meetings and talk about virtual events in your pharmacy. This could be a product or service launch, a grand opening, a community event, etc. Big or small, there is a real advantage to hosting a pharmacy event virtually. 

Why Should You Host a Virtual Event?

The advantages of a virtual event don’t just apply during times when it has to be done, when we are all socially distanced. You can reap the benefits of a virtual event even when you can host an in-person event because it expands your reach.

Key Benefits of a Virtual Event

• Engage with an entirely separate audience (along with your community AT the event).
• Your content can be used to promote your pharmacy long after the event.
• Save time and money; virtual events will cost you less of both.

How to Get Started

The first step to hosting a virtual event (or any event!) is to decide when you want the event to take place. Even though its virtual, it will be live, so you need to decide on a date and time that will work for your audience. 

Next, you need to decide on a platform. The easiest option for a virtual event is Facebook Live. This allows you to share the experience in real-time with your audience. It won’t be perfect (it’s live, so you can’t edit), but it will be authentic, and that’s what matters. Live streams are available to viewers with or without a Facebook account. Viewers without a Facebook account just need the live stream URL. Facebook has an easy outline that talks about the technicalities of how to set this up. We are going to focus on how to promote your event and some tips and tricks to help it go smoothly!

Promoting Your Virtual Event

Just as with a regular, in-person event – you have to let people know about it or they won’t show up. At least with this, you don’t have to worry about ordering the right amount of food! So, what are the best ways to generate interest for your virtual event?

• Schedule the Live Video – Let your fans know when you’re going live! Facebook sends a notification to your followers when your stream begins.
• Create a Facebook event – Publicize the event details and invite your network.
• Promote on Facebook – Create a buzz with organic posts and paid advertisements. Think beyond just posts – include photos and videos for interest.
• Promote via other social channels – You don’t have to limit yourself to Facebook, post on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. and include the link to the Facebook event.
• Send direct mail / invites – They don’t have to be fancy (or expensive). A simple, handwritten note (copied and printed) will do just fine! Send to your patients, your community, and your broader network.
• Promote via community channels – Think about the boards you sit on; the community organizations are you involved in. Can they help promote this to their extended networks as well?
• Promote via email – Do you already have a database of email addresses? Send the invite out via email and include the link to the Facebook event.
• Utilize your colleagues and friends – Have guests, employees, friends, etc. share with their networks to broaden your reach.
• Send out a press release – If you can get local press to attend (in-person or virtually), they will help to spread the word and gain publicity for your event.

Planning is Key

Now that you have spread the word and generated interest, you need to organize the event. A virtual event isn’t the same as an in-person event. You need to be able to engage your attendees even when you’re not face to face. A well-developed plan and a smooth-running event will help you do just that. There are technical considerations you need to make as well, but we’ll talk about that in a moment.

Start with the Goal in Mind

When you start developing a plan, first define what the goal of the event is. Once you have your goal in mind, you can plan out what you need to do to achieve that goal. Do you want people to know about the excellent patient care you offer? Do you want to drive patients to a new location? Are you trying to increase awareness about a new product? Each of these examples will have a slightly different plan.

Lay out the Logistics

Take a look at the length of your event and break it out into beginning, middle, and end. Depending on what your overall goal is, set up the plan for the event. Some ideas may include a virtual tour or a look behind the scenes, a promotion for participants, a ribbon cutting ceremony, a giveaway, a speaker, etc. Each portion of the event should be engaging for viewers. Unlike an in-person event, you don’t need time built in for mingling or networking. Be thoughtful, keep it concise and keep your viewers in mind.

Add a Little Incentive

While many people will attend just to support you, you can also use incentives to entice more people. Offer something to everyone who joins the Facebook Live (a gift, discount, etc.). If you promote this ahead of time, it will increase the number of viewers and it will also help to drive business following the event. You can also design a more significant contest or giveaway that you can promote and then announce a winner during the Facebook Live.

Tips and Tricks for a Seamless Virtual Event

A virtual event does involve technology, so it’s important to be prepared. Here are just a few pieces of advice that will help ensure your event goes smoothly.

• Stick to the plan (generally) – It’s live so you may go off script a bit, but in general, if you stick to your plan you will feel more prepared and your confidence will come across to the audience.
• Use a tripod and mic – Nothing is more frustrating than bad audio or visual when you are trying to watch something virtually. Invest in some equipment (you can get them inexpensively on amazon)and test it beforehand.
• Make sure lighting is good – See above. You want people to see what you are showing them.
• Make sure bandwidth is sufficient – You’re depending on the ability to stream your event. Make sure your connection is reliable.
• Make sure the background reflects the brand – We all know people stage photos (eh-hem, you who just took a photo of your kids and your house looks spotless, meanwhile there is a pile of unfolded laundry in the corner). Same concept. Show the viewers what you want them to see (even if you have to stage it!).
• Use a horizontal frame – This will give viewers a more comprehensive view of the pharmacy or location and allow them to feel like they are part of it.
• Interact with the viewers – Pretend you are in the same room. Acknowledge people who join, give people shout-outs, encourage questions, address comments, etc.
• Have back-up – Backup might include a person – someone to help with the technical aspect or problem solve any issues that may arise. That also includes backup equipment (computer, phone, etc.).

That’s a Wrap. Now What?

You’ve made it through your event with minimal footage for the blooper reel and you’re feeling good. It’s not time to sit back and relax just yet. Following your virtual event, there are steps you will want to take to maximize and repurpose the content.

Once you complete the Facebook Live and post it to your page, you will want to add some context around it. Edit the post with a brief and actionable summary about the event and tell people why they should watch. You can also add closed captioning to the video since many videos on Facebook are listened to without sound.

Once your video is cleaned up, you will want to address comments and answer questions that you maybe didn’t get to during the live broadcast. This will continue the conversation and the engagement with your audience. Continue to keep an eye on the post in case questions and comments come in from people who didn’t watch it live.

Finally, don’t forget to repurpose the video. Post it on your website, on other social channels, create a blog about it, etc. The create thing about a virtual event is that it doesn’t have a hard end time. You can extend the shelf life of the video and reach more people by continuing to push it out to your network. Think “In case you missed it” or “Did you miss our grand opening? Check it out now for a special discount code.”

Don’t Stop There

Your pharmacy deserves to thrive and there are many (both traditional and out-of-the-box) strategies you can implement today to make that happen. For more marketing ideas and advice to help grow your pharmacy, check out the webinar – How to Market Your Pharmacy During COVID-19, our Podcast – Marketing Strategies for Your Pharmacy and the blog – Marketing Your Pharmacy: Four Steps to Get You Started.

Your pharmacy is your business, your livelihood. The industry is evolving, and you need to evolve with it so you aren’t left behind. In this blog we will explore the shift, what the future of pharmacy looks like, and the easy way you can gain more control over your business and serve your patients better. The bottom line is you deserve to be paid for the services you are providing.

A Changing Industry

Our lives have been turned upside down by COVID-19. We are experiencing a new normal. Our healthcare industry especially, has been pushed to its limits. Beds are full, and the long-term concern is whether we will have enough healthcare professionals to provide essential care.

The US doctor shortage preceded the pandemic, but this situation has exposed the severity of it.

Independent pharmacists are positioned to play a more significant role in healthcare than they currently do. In fact, we are seeing evidence how essential pharmacists are as we navigate the COVID-19 situation. This evolution has the potential to help patients while impacting the entire healthcare system for the better. The fact is that pharmacies are the most convenient and accessible place for patients to receive the care they need. Our pharmacists are on the front lines of healthcare and deserve to be recognized as providers.

Take vaccinations for example. As pharmacists administer them, inoculation rates increase and the burden on hospitals and doctors decreases. Independents are more than just medication dispensing machines, they are healthcare providers with a depth of knowledge and the education to prove it. It is critical that we begin to expand their role to provider status. Pharmacy has transformed over the years and our communities need these front-line healthcare workers more than ever.

Why is the Future of Pharmacy Happening Now?

Frankly, it’s long overdue. In the last several years pharmacies have struggled – especially with the pressures of higher DIR fees, aggressive audits and other clawbacks. The typical pharmacy has somewhere between 90-97% of their revenue coming from the prescription part of their business, under the control of the PBMs, which means that they don’t control a majority of their revenue stream.

It is no longer sustainable to sit back and wait for things to change. The good news is that there is a way forward. Diversification allows pharmacy owners to take control by creating new revenue streams. By working at the top of their license, they can bring services to their pharmacy that will increase their bottom line. They will also provide accessible care, which will positively impact the healthcare industry overall.

Pharmacy Services to Help Patients and Your Bottom Line

Pharmacists have the means and the knowledge to provide healthcare services to patients. Think about the time you spend consulting with patients or administering immunizations, you should be compensated. But how? Implementing a Service-Based Pharmacy model allows for easy medical billing so pharmacists can get paid. It is the future of pharmacy.

The good news is that you don’t have to change your operations. Start small, within your current scope. That’s the low hanging fruit. That’s where you can see immediate results.

1 FLU SHOTS: Flu season will be here before we know it and the pharmacy is the most accessible place for your patients to get their shots.

The flu shot on a commercial plan averages $142. If you administer 50 shots, that’s $7,100*.

2 EDUCATIONAL CLASSES: Engage your patients and help them learn more about a topic that is top of mind for them (smoking cessation, weight loss, wellness). This is fully covered by insurance for in-network providers so most patients can attend at no cost.

Educational classes can range from $50 – $150/hr per patient. If you hold 3 classes a month for 15 patients each at an average of $100, that’s $4,500*.

3 15-MINUTE CONSULTATIONS: You are already spending time with your patients, you should be charging for your time. Whether it’s substance abuse or diabetes, you have an opportunity to formalize these consults and get paid.

Consultations average $142. If you have 20 consults a month, that is $2,840*.

*These examples are based on national averages, rates vary by plan and state.

Opportunity to Scale with Service-Based Pharmacy

While these are just a few things that are easy to implement, there are many opportunities to build upon this, when you’re ready. Whether you have a small pharmacy and are working the bench yourself, or you have multiple locations with several employees – you are able to scale the program to work within the framework you have already created. You don’t need to add extra work. You can bill for the pharmacy services you are already providing. No added work for added revenue? Yes, please!

Reduce reliance on PBMs – reduce your percentage of revenue that flows through a PBM.

Improve cash flow – increase your margins with high margin professional services revenue.

Add new revenue streams – get paid for the non-dispensing services you already provide.

Improve patient care – give your patients the care they deserve.

How does the Service-Based Pharmacy model work?

Service-Based Pharmacy is a turn-key program that provides pharmacies with the means to provide professional healthcare services. This model enables you to continue to provide excellent education and consulting to your patients AND get paid for it, outside of the PBMs influence. You can bill for the services you already provide directly to the medical insurance plans as an in-network credentialed provider.

1. Get Credentialed. Become an in-network provider for Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial plans of your choice.
2. Utilize an EHR. Get access to an easy-to-use, fully certified EHR platform for maintaining patient charts and clinical notes.
3. Innovate. Continuously develop new ways to use the tools to improve patient care and monetize your services.
4. Bill for Your Services. An easy-to-use platform makes medical billing simple and having access to an affordable complete do-it-for-you option can eliminate all billing challenges.
5. Further Your Education. Learn to think like a provider, understand your scope of practice and be guided through the intricacies of medical plans.
6. Implement. Get the training and coaching to evolve and bring services to life.

Act Now

As we move into the next evolution of the healthcare industry and the future of pharmacy, you as pharmacists will undoubtedly make a difference in the lives of your patients. You went to school to perform at the top of your license and to help people. The future of pharmacy will allow you to do just that. Your pharmacy is likely already providing many services for patients and now you just need to set up the infrastructure so that you can perform at the top of your license and get paid for it.

Visit the PDS Service-Based Pharmacy page to learn more.