By Scott Miglin, RPh, BCACP, and Service Representative at Euclid Medical Products
Medication non-adherence can be a matter of life and death for the nearly 50% of patients who do not take medications correctly, but there is a solution. Adherence pouch packaging products offer many benefits to get patients on track and improve compliance. However, as with any new change, initiating and implementing new methods of medication delivery is difficult.
Targeted marketing and clear communication helps pharmacies spread the word and get patients on board with new medication adherence services. Learn the importance of marketing these services and the steps to do so with the tips below.
The importance of marketing adherence pouch packaging.
As an independent pharmacy, you must differentiate yourself from retail chains, or local competition to retain your current patients, obtain new ones and maximize your market share. Adherence pouch packaging machines can help smaller pharmacies gain large returns, but in order to make the investment worthwhile, you must get the word out about your services and its benefits.
Older generations tend to be more set in their routines and less inclined to try new methods, even when it comes to picking up their prescription medications. This can be a major pain point for pharmacies looking to add more patients to their pouch packaging services. To entice patients and potential patients to try pouch packaging, it’s important to communicate the many benefits these services offer.
Patient benefits to communicate.
More than 50% of older patients (ages 57 to 85) take more than five medications a day, which can lead to time consuming pill sorting and health consequences when not appropriately taken. Pouch packaging systems, designed for patients managing multiple prescriptions, help patients take their medication as prescribed in a convenient detachable pouch that holds all of their medications accompanied by the day and time to take each pill. Some key benefits to communicate in your marketing efforts include:
- Eliminate time sorting medication: Pouch packaging allows patients to eliminate the time-consuming task of pill sorting on Sunday nights. The machine does all the sorting so you can take your medication correctly and efficiently.
- Travel approved: Detachable pouches make traveling with medication easier than ever. Simply tear off the number of pouches per the amount of days you will be gone, and you will always have the correct amount. No more sorting trays or bringing all of your prescription canisters with you.
- Fewer trips to the pharmacy: Your pharmacist will communicate with your insurance provider and physician to synchronize all of your prescriptions so you can pick up your packaged medications at one time, once a month with only one predictable payment each month.
- Simplified vitamin and supplement combinations: Not only can you package your prescribed daily medications, but you can also include vitamins and supplements in each pouch.
Best marketing tactics for results.
Pharmacieshave the ability to increase patient outcomes and gain higher ROI by promoting their services through marketing. Strategies can include in-store tactics, phone calls, online content and more. However, it’s important to understand which tactics will target your patients’ demographics the best.
For instance, before you jump into a complicated social media campaign, it’s vital to keep in mind that nearly 46% of Americans over 65 are on Facebook as opposed to other social media platforms. This can be a great platform to start on if you’re looking to do social media marketing with an older demographic.
If your patients respond better to in-person tactics, there are tons of opportunities to market in-store. Word of mouth marketing can be extremely valuable, including patient referral programs, utilizing your pharmacists and more. Another strategy is to place flyers, signage and coupons in your pharmacy surrounding your new adherence services – this can lead to organic conversations between staff and patients about how you can provide the best possible patient experience.
To get the most reach out of your marketing efforts, pharmacies can also connect with local doctors’ offices to inform them of their new services. Doctors can then suggest adherence pouch packaging to patients who fit the criteria.
Setting goals.
Establishing goals and benchmarks along the way will help you define your pharmacy’s success. Each goal depends on the size of your pharmacy, the time commitment you can set aside for marketing and your patient demographic. Some general examples include setting goals for the number of new patients you would like to gain per week or number of prescriptions refills. If you are conducting social media marketing you can also set goals for posts per week, impressions and more. To continue momentum, it’s important to evaluate your progress and adjust your goals as needed.
Purchasing any new form of automation is an investment for not only your pharmacy operations but also the wellness of your patients. Developing the tools and strategies to obtain your goals will help you make your investment worthwhile, and save lives in the process.
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About the Author
Scott Miglin RPh, BCACP, worked as a pharmacist for over 25 years, now serving as service representative for Euclid® Medical Products, a leading provider of pharmacy automation equipment with a focus on helping pharmacies, long-term care facilities and third-party re-packagers improve operations and overall patient health. Scott uses his experience as a pharmacist to help pharmacies install equipment and enhance operational efficiency. For more information, visit euclidmedicalproducts.com.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
