Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals, and they are able to provide lifestyle recommendations to help patients reach optimal health. There is a slew of health information available on the internet, and naturally, patients have more questions about medications, health and complementary therapies.
There is a movement to have more focus on wellness, and preventative strategies. There have been numerous studies to show that the next generation, Generation Z, is more health conscious. A recent report conducted by the Nielsen Global Health and Wellness Survey offered surprising, and detailed information about culinary habits of young people.
The most health-centric group of consumers is Generation Z. Four out of 10 people polled in this group indicated that they would be willing to spend more money for healthier products as opposed to 32 percent of millennials,, and 21 percent of baby boomers. Although you have broad demographic in your pharmacy, everyone can benefit from a wellness-centric environment at the pharmacy.
Creating a wellness environment will differentiate your pharmacy, and help increase patient rapport and retention. There are several ways to create an environment of wellness in a community pharmacy. Below are some for you to consider for your pharmacy.
- Have reputable supplements available. Be knowledgeable about supplements and train pharmacy staff to refer questions to the pharmacist. Make bag stuffers to feature unique products and have literature for patients to read.
- Create a healthy newsletter for your patients. Having an email list not only grows your patient base, it also encourages families to stay healthy. Create a newsletter with a theme for the month, and provide value with tips, recipes, and featured supplements or products available in your pharmacy.
- Incorporate a lifestyle coaching session into Medication Therapy Management. Patients are looking for reputable information on how to stay healthy. Incorporate lifestyle recommendations into MTM sessions to stress the importance of self-care.
- Host healthy lifestyle classes. If you have a designated counseling area that is large enough to hold a class, you can easily incorporate this idea. If not, many pharmacies will utilize a local library.
- Provide health materials in your waiting area. Designate a space in your pharmacy for health information, complete with pamphlets, borchures or a bulletin board with local health events. Consider setting up an arrangement of educational brochures or books patients can browse while they wait on their prescriptions.
The sky is the limit when it comes to developing creative ways to add wellness into the pharmacy. Incorporating these simple strategies into your practice will help encourage patients to stay healthy, fill a need, and differentiate your pharmacy from the competition.
