Pharmacy U news

All pharmacists have at least one thing in common: we passed a few multiple-choice exams. Remember when your classmate said he would know the answer when he saw it listed in the options? He was right. And this was the first clue that pharmacists have teleprompter brains.

If pharmacists are to be the Hope of Healthcare, we must be alert to the conformities all around us and the results they deliver. Additionally, we must have the courage to explore new models, systems and services which deliver better results.

When Ontario pharmacy owner Mike Cavanagh pioneered an appointment-based model of practice in 2018, which is anchored by the synchronization of chronic medications to facilitate quarterly follow-ups with patients, little did he know he would be ramping up the model to new heights during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once we invest (or waste) time doing (or not doing) something, we do not get it back. Staffing your pharmacy is much the same, since time spent recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, training and support a new employee will never be given back. Thus, bringing on the wrong person comes with significant costs.

When I began my career as an intern, the stories were still common about preparing prescription labels on typewriters. Yes, you read that right. That was the prevailing technology at one time. When printers came along, all sorts of things changed. And for the better. However, if you were a pharmacy that did not improve your technical skill and adopt the printer over the typewriter, you would quickly find yourself at a disadvantage in the care you could provide patients.

Marketing can seem like large feat when you aren’t sure where to start. There are a number different tools and strategies you can utilize to market what you are looking to share but what is the right strategy for you. How do you want to approach marketing in your practice?

This sounds harsh, but it often goes unrecognized so here it is straight: no matter what your pharmacy role is, you are replaceable. While you may not imagine that someone else is capable of taking over your job, there is. If you think your exit from your pharmacy will result in its closing, you are wrong.

Pharmacists are known for eliciting positive reviews from patients and the public, who increasingly view their services as indispensable. But even pharmacists are not immune from bad online reviews.