Pharmacy Owner Feedback, February Edition
February starts with Groundhog Day letting us know whether we are going to have 6 more weeks of winter or not. In the independent pharmacy world, it is a month where the reality of the new year begins to settle in, and owners and their staff are adjusting to the new norm. New formularies, new reimbursements, new pricing, and new regulations. The uncertainty brought on by January is becoming clearer in February.
I had the opportunity this month to meet with owners in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and New York to get feedback to share with you. We sought out those IPC members who are not accepting the new norm as an immovable force, but as the new landscape they need to explore and find ways to navigate it – to continue to serve their community, their staff, and their family by operating a successful and profitable pharmacy.
Two main concerns and solutions bubbled up to the surface during our meetings with over 20 different stores and owners.
Just like January, many owners shared their primary concern is with reimbursements. Unlike January though, this month there was a more proactive view. The next statement we heard was that we need to make our voices heard to make a change. We heard things like,
Here at IPC, we have a team dedicated to advocating for independent pharmacy full-time and they have shared a similar concern that we don’t get enough participation when we need it. Well, now is the time for us to join together to make a difference.
Thankfully due to the hard work being done by IPC’s Government Relations team, in partnership with the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), your state associations, and other key organizations, there is legislation being proposed and debated and passed to improve the landscape of independent pharmacy. We are focused on aligning the reimbursement structure with the importance of your role in healthcare.
It is not easy or immediate, and it requires all of us to stand up in unison each time to voice our support for the legislation that is on the table. To ensure you have a seat at the table we need your support when we reach out. We participate in getting legislation on the docket and communicating our position with committee members, members of Congress and state legislatures so you can be represented in this fight.
Right now, today, the one thing you can do to make your voice heard; and it will take less than 2 minutes. Contact your Congressional representatives to ask them to vote for PBM Reform. PBM reform is under threat and the critical reforms you have fought for are at risk of being excluded from the congressional funding package. Let your US Senators and Representatives know that inaction is unacceptable, and reform is needed NOW! Click the link below to visit our legislative Action Center and make your voice heard TODAY!
More opportunities to create positive momentum for our industry will be coming soon. We will keep you informed in The Dose, on our website, via social media. Stay tuned as we continue this fight together as we take it straight to Washington, DC in March.
After the challenges of reimbursements and how we advocate for long-term broad-based change, the next most popular topic was,
To meet a pharmacist and pharmacy owner, who is also good at marketing, is rare. In my seven years working in service of independent pharmacy owners, I have met a few, and the control they have on the success of their stores is immense. While there are many strategies and tactics, the one that rises to the top of the list is relationships with providers and doctor detailing. Last week we met with a very successful multi-store owner and the insights he provided were incredibly valuable.
Distilling down the conversation we had last week, here is one thing you can do today to make your doctor detailing more effective. Be specific.
To help you recognize the opposite of being specific, we asked a few owners which patients they wanted to attract, the response was “any patients”. It sounded like, “I offer (all these) products and services and can serve anyone.” When they approach a provider or their staff and ask them to send over anyone, that leaves the staff without the direction they need to connect the patient and your store.
What we heard from two successful pharmacy marketers is they recommended getting very specific by choosing just two or three of the services you offer, that differentiate you from the chains. It is also critical to be specific about the type of patient you want to attract and serve. An example we heard was,
Therefore, how do we take the two or three services and the clear understanding of what type of patient we want to attract and explain that to a provider or their staff? A better approach is to let the provider and staff know,
When making this statement you help the staff member or provider recognize someone specific. Imagine the next time a patient fitting that demographic stands at the counter and mentions how busy they are running around and now they have to add one more stop at the pharmacy. Now the staff member feels like they are offering a solution to the patient’s problem.
Here is a simple chart to help you organize yourself the next time you go doctor detailing.
| Top Three Services | Three Patient Demographic Traits |
|---|---|
| Write your description of your ideal patient and how you provide a solution here: | |
I want to thank all the owners, pharmacists, and technicians we met last week for being so generous with their time and their insight. I am grateful you allow us to serve you in supporting your success. We hear you and we will continue to bring solutions to the challenges you face today and help you overcome them to make your pharmacy future-ready.
A special thanks to Tammy Riley, Regional Director in the Northeast. Thank you for your commitment to the success of our members and customers and all the independent pharmacy owners you have served over the last 13 years.
