Having the right pharmacy for your healthcare needs is important. However, deciding what makes sense for you and your family can be challenging with many options.
In addition to straightforward courtesy and accuracy, look for pharmacies like University Compounding Pharmacy – Michigan (or one closer to you) that offer additional clinical services such as health screenings and vaccinations. They also offer convenience by providing online prescription services and delivery options.
Reputation
Pharmacy services Mason, OH healthcare professionals build a positive reputation when they are open and honest and admit mistakes. They can also gain patients’ trust by educating them on medications and empowering them to make choices about their health.
Pharmacy management software can help pharmacies boost day-to-day quality assurance and efficiency.
Experience
Have you ever visited a restaurant with a huge menu and had trouble deciding what to order? This is what it’s like for patients to choose the right clinical services at a pharmacy.
Start by understanding your customers and their needs. Consider offering niche services such as pharmacogenomics, weight-loss counseling, and smoking cessation programs.
Customer Service
The customer is always right, and that is especially true in retail pharmacies. However, the pharmacist is also right and needs to be respected.
Customer service involves active listening, empathy, and proactive follow-up. Offering self-service options enhances satisfaction. It can also improve revenues.
Technology
Pharmacy automation technologies improve dispensing accuracy and efficiency, lowering operational costs. They also help pharmacists verify prescription accuracy and identify potential drug interactions, reducing the risk of medication errors.
Specialty medications provide high-dollar revenues for pharmacies. One year of specialty drug treatment can exceed $100,000.
Pharmacies that offer prescription delivery services enable patients to receive their medications at home. These services can also reduce missed doses, improving adherence and preventing unnecessary hospitalizations.
Value for Money
Value for money looks at the cost of something and the benefits it provides. It can help businesses decide whether a product or service is worth the investment.
This method often takes into account risk and nonprice attributes as well. It also promotes transparency in decision-making. This can mean ensuring patients have the right information to make informed choices in healthcare.
Convenience
Patients want a pharmacy that offers convenient healthcare options. They want to be able to get their medications, vaccinations, and even crutches for a sprain all in one visit.
In a recent study, independent pharmacies received the highest ratings for speed & accuracy and courtesy & helpfulness. These are the types of qualities that can help a pharmacy stand out from the competition.
Brands
Consumers are embracing technology and demanding higher levels of customer service from pharmacies. Branding is one way to differentiate from competitors and increase revenues.
Personal interaction strongly influences customer perception, and pharmacy staff should be polite and friendly. Pharmacy location is also important. Industry consolidation reduces pharmacies’ negotiating power with pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy benefit managers.
Online Prescribing
Online prescribing allows physicians to send electronic prescriptions to pharmacy systems. It simplifies the workflow for pharmacists, improves patient safety, and supports medication adherence.
However, e-prescribing has its challenges. For instance, some states have regulations on how physicians can prescribe medications online. These laws often focus on the corporate practice of medicine doctrine, which seeks to prevent commercialization and protect practitioners’ medical judgment.
Medication Reminders
Research suggests medication reminders can reduce non-adherence, which results in worsening health conditions and higher healthcare costs. They can help address factors such as forgetfulness, the most common reason for non-adherence in various patient populations.
Some pharmacies have apps that allow patients to create medication schedules with pop-up notifications at the scheduled time. They can also share their lists and adherence reports with family members and healthcare professionals.
Patient Education
Patient education is essential, especially for patients starting a new medication regimen. Non-adherence can lead to complications that threaten patient safety.
Use plain language to explain disease states, medication mechanisms of action, and common side effects. Also, ask your patients to present the information using their own words to assess their understanding. This is a useful technique known as the teach-back method.
