SHELF OBSESSED

More independent pharmacies are expanding into clinical services than ever before, positioning themselves to provide for care needs that have yet to be met in their communities. Many pharmacies do very well as they step into these roles, developing a solid care model and a steady, loyal patient following. Others find recruiting and retaining enough patients to justify their investment of time, resources and money into these services difficult. So why the difference in terms of success when it comes to clinical services?

Has it been a while since you upgraded your pharmacy workspace? If so, your pharmacy workflow likely isn't as efficient as it could be, which could damage your bottom line. Every business needs an occasional facelift to stay competitive, and independent pharmacies are no exception to that rule.

Competing with the big box pharmacies on every corner may be a challenge for independent pharmacies, but it isn't an insurmountable one. The fact is, despite the competitive advantages provided by all that corporate backing – bigger advertising budgets and lower supply costs, for instance – there are lots of ways that those big box types fall short in comparison to small, community pharmacies. Good pharmacy strategy for your small business means highlighting and capitalizing on those differences.

If you're an independent pharmacist who pays attention to the latest buzz on business management, chances are you've heard a bit on the topic of optimizing pharmacy workflow. Perhaps you've looked into the idea a bit, and have even identified a few problems with the way work gets done in your pharmacy, but you aren't really sure that changing them is worth the time, effort and money you'll have to put in to reorganize things. Just how much difference would it really make in terms of your bottom line?

Is your pharmacy strategy flexible? In today's world, it certainly needs to be. Over the past two decades or so, changes have been coming hard and fast to the pharmacy business. The typical independent community pharmacy has evolved from its traditional focus on dispensing medications to a more active role in providing patient care, collaborating with other health care professionals to promote wellness, provide health care information, and assist in disease management and medication compliance, among other tasks.

The key to a thriving business when you're running a small, independent pharmacy is exceptional customer service, since customer satisfaction breeds consumer loyalty. What goes on behind the pharmacy counter in that “employees only” area affects customer satisfaction, a fact that every independent pharmacist knows. What many may not realize is that it affects more than just wait times. There are several other, less obvious ways that a broken pharmacy workflow can detract from the average customer experience.

Are your profit margins not as generous as they should be? Fortunately, new technologies (features, functionality, materials, and designs) in pharmacy shelving can help.

Does your pharmacy workflow system need some work? Perhaps you're finding it difficult to consistently meet productivity goals, or your dispensing process is more time-consuming than it should be, taking time away from other necessary tasks. While the effects of inefficiencies in your workflow system may be quite clear, just where those inefficiencies lie isn't always easy to pinpoint.

As anyone who runs a small, local pharmacy knows, staying competitive is tough these days, between the big box stores, national pharmacy chains and today's difficult economic conditions, among many other challenges. So how can small pharmacies overcome these hurdles to establish and maintain a vibrant business?

Making your pharmacy as efficient as possible is important your success – and to your patients. When you are more efficient, you save time and increase net profit. Alternatively, if you think you don't need more profit, you can add services with that saved time that will be of benefit to your patients or even give you more free time outside of work.