Ideal Pharmacy Setups for Business Growth and Clinical Success

As with any business, starting a pharmacy does not guarantee success. That said, there are some ways that entrepreneurs can encourage business growth and clinical success. This article will focus on the ideal pharmacy setup for fostering these beneficial outcomes.

The Importance of Pharmacy Management Systems

What kind of pharmacy management system a pharmacy uses is more important than any other aspect of its setup. Look for a system designed specifically for pharmacies and other healthcare providers instead of adapting a more general-purpose customer management system to the pharmacy’s needs. New and established pharmacies can get assistance from Outcomes with setting up their operations.

Patient-centric features are the most important thing to look for in a pharmacy management system. A pharmacy’s patients are its primary customers, and filling and picking up prescriptions as easy as possible is a great way to keep them coming back. It’s equally important that the system in use be HIPAA-compliant.

Carving Out a Niche

Today’s independent pharmacies can’t compete with nationwide giants by offering all the same products and services. Instead, they should focus on finding a niche market that applies to the area's target patients. That niche could be diabetes management or health and wellness. Whatever the pharmacy chooses, it just has to apply to the local patient population.

After identifying an appropriate niche, the next step toward setting up the pharmacy for success is to provide additional training and development for the pharmacy staff. That training could come in the form of workshops or certification programs. Finally, get the word out to patients that the pharmacy is offering specific expertise.

Increasing Convenience for Patients

Today’s customers want convenient solutions for purchasing the goods they need. Around 83% of customers polled in one survey said it was important to them, and that’s no less true for pharmacy patients than any other consumer group. If the pharmacy isn’t set up to offer convenient ways to pick up medications, now is the time to make a change.

There are three primary ways to make picking up prescriptions easier. The first is to create a mobile app for prescription refills that allows patients to manage their medications and refill requests, set medication reminders, and communicate with the staff.

The second is to offer drive-thru services. Busy patients prefer this quick, hassle-free way of picking up medications. Curbside pickup is also an option for pharmacies that don’t have a way to accommodate a drive-thru.

Finally, some pharmacies go a step further to offer prescription delivery services. Prescription delivery can also expand a pharmacy’s patient base by allowing homebound patients who have difficulty getting out to run errands to order their medications and have them delivered right to their doors.

The Effectiveness of Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs effectively keep customers coming back and prevent patients from defecting to other pharmacies. Studies show that repeat customers make more money than new ones, so people who are amenable to loyalty programs are the ones you want to attract. Some pharmacies get people to sign up by offering special offers, while others do future-use rewards or even give away free items to loyal customers.

Start Making Changes

If your pharmacy isn’t currently set up for success, don’t despair. There are plenty of ways to change the way your pharmacy is set up, both physically and metaphorically, to draw in new patients and keep the ones you already have coming back for more.