Tag: Pharmacy Forward
8 Steps to Get The Most Out of Your Perpetual Inventory...
So you just installed a new inventory management system. All your worries are over because the computer magically does all the work, right? Far...
Independent, But Not Alone: Finding the “Unity” in Community
Community pharmacy has the potential to be the strongest, most influential group in healthcare, but it is no stranger to adversity. Between the retailers who are rumored to try their hand at pharmacy and the PBMs (pharmacy benefit managers) that are wreaking havoc on profits with clawbacks and DIR (direct and indirect remuneration) fees, independent owners have their work cut out for them. Now, more than ever, pharmacists need to be united in their efforts to stay ahead.
Trend to Watch: Adherence Packaging at Retail
Heather Martin, VP of sales for long-term care and retail markets at TCGRx, talks about a trend that community pharmacies need to know about: adherence packaging. Learn how you could use adherence packaging to build on the success you’re having with processes such as med sync.
When the Simplest Technology Is the Right Technology
The humble pill counter is the foot soldier of the community pharmacy. It’s come a long way since the first models of the 1970s — today’s counters are offered as either noncomputerized (in conjunction with scan-verifying first with your pharmacy management system), or a combination scan verification plus counting. Both levels eliminate tedious hand-counting, mistakes, and concerns about narcotics discrepancies. Tens of thousands of pharmacies have embraced the “KISS Principle” (keep it simple and straightforward) with their trusty tablet counter, especially when their computer system is handling the verification. Here are just a few examples.
Independent, But Not Alone: NCPA
As a pharmacy owner, it can feel like you’re out there on an island by yourself. It can be a lonely feeling because you’re dealing with problems, sometimes for the first time. You don’t have a point of reference. You don’t have a friend you can call up. There are just a lot of situations that take place as an independent pharmacy owner that you can’t look up on the internet — The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) helps independent pharmacy owners make those connections.
Making a Difference with Kirby Lester
Bartell Drugs is a family-owned, 65-pharmacy chain in Washington state’s Puget Sound region. Hand-counting prescriptions was the norm until 2015, when the company began installing Kirby Lester KL1Plus count-plus-verification devices. Chris Simard, pharmacy district manager, explains how Bartell standardized on this bench-level technology.
Refreshed Consumer Experiences with a “Connected Retail” Focus
Retail pharmacy is a highly specialized discipline that’s significantly different from exclusively prescription-focused operations. Big pharmacy chains have spent millions perfecting methods, practices, and technologies that allow them to attract new consumers, operate efficiently, and create a very positive consumer experience. And because today’s retail operations are expected to center on the consumer experience, most retailers are leaning on mobile technology to get the job done.
How Does Data Help You Manage Multiple Locations?
As a multilocation independent pharmacy grows, identifying challenges and changing course based upon data makes it much easier to expand. In this interview, Blount Discount Pharmacy‘s president and co-owner, Phil LaFoy, and Retail Management Solutions‘ VP of sales and marketing, Mike Gross, discuss how leveraging store data can help manage the store, track employee behavior, understand product movement and pricing, and ultimately allow you to make better business decisions.
Independent, But Not Alone: Mentoring
Bob Lomenick, R.Ph., has built a reputation based on his work with med sync and adherence. He’s also proven to be a generous mentor, helping pharmacy by having conversations and building relationships with his fellow pharmacists. Find out why Lomenick views mentoring as crucial to the profession.
Zitomer Pharmacy Gains Strong Financial Improvements
Zitomer Pharmacy opened its doors in the 1950s as an upscale New York City pharmacy. Since then it has grown into a unique shopping destination and a landmark on Manhattan’s chic Upper East Side. Frank Vella, VP at Zitomer, describes why the business moved over to a new point-of-sale technology platform, and a few of the benefits it has gained as a result of the switch.
