Expanded collaborative practice agreements, turnkey program to help independents take the ‘pain’ out of vaccination start-ups
Last month McKesson and Health Mart announced a broad expansion of its Collaborative Practice Agreements (CPAs) as part of the many new clinical-performance initiatives introduced at 2016 McKesson ideaShare. The program, which was first introduced last fall in two states, now covers 37 of the 40 states that require a CPA to prescribe and administer eligible immunizations to patients.
“McKesson’s CPA program helps pharmacies stay competitive and save time — the turnkey program means owners don’t have to create their own contracts,” explained Callie Barr, associate program manager of retail pharmacy product development at McKesson. Barr sat with Drug Store News during McKesson ideaShare for an in-depth discussion on how the company’s CPAs and the Vaccine Starter Kit are enabling McKesson’s independent pharmacy operators to better engage the patient during pickup — which incidentally is the fourth step of the Health Mart Pathway to Better Pharmacy Performance and Profit℠, unveiled for the first time at McKesson ideaShare last month.
The CPAs help many pharmacies get over the hurdle of adding vaccination services, Barr explained. “Sometimes vaccines can be the gateway to more complex clinical services,” Barr said. “If the pharmacy can get comfortable with providing that level of patient care with vaccines, then they can expand past that to find different ways to diversify their revenue.”
As more adults get their vaccinations in the pharmacy setting, McKesson and Health Mart are making sure independent pharmacies can take advantage of this service to retain and gain new patients and generate new revenue streams. On the McKesson ideaShare exhibit floor this year, McKesson hosted the Vaccination Nation pavilion, a one-stop-shop for immunization resources, enabling McKesson customers to easily connect with manufacturers at the show, get questions answered and pre-book flu vaccines for the 2016-2017 influenza season.
“While influenza is certainly the entry point for many pharmacies incorporating vaccinations into their clinical service offerings — as many as 25% of patients now get their flu shots at their local pharmacy — the opportunity extends well beyond flu season. Adult immunizations are the next step — shingles, pneumococcal, those types of vaccines, and depending on state law, some pharmacies may also be able to offer children’s vaccines. The next big opportunity lies in travel vaccinations,” added Barr.
Health Mart’s Guide to Pharmacy Immunizations, available to all McKesson customers, guides stores through the key steps for establishing a pharmacy-based immunization program, including reimbursement, standing orders, emergency planning, adverse events, and storage and handling. With the Health Mart Vaccine Starter Kit, pharmacies get the next-level of support that includes one year of high-touch personal coaching on how to get their vaccine services up and running, how to market to consumers in order to generate additional revenue.
Specifically, Health Mart’s comprehensive vaccine support benefits include state-specific regulatory guidelines and collaborative practice agreement templates from Bula Law, a provider of pharmacy regulatory solutions; Medicare Part B enrollment guidance for reimbursement; access to a full portfolio of flu and core vaccines, product ordering information and guidance navigating McKesson Connect; comprehensive start-up guide outlining all aspects for starting a vaccine business; online training through Health Mart University and resources for certification courses near operators’ stores; and customizable marketing materials and best practices to promote the service locally to patients and prescribers.
“From talking to so many of our customers who are doing vaccines, they kind of have to do it now,” Barr added. “The big-box pharmacies are all giving immunizations; they could lose a patient who goes to one of those stores, gets a flu shot and decides to move all their prescriptions there.”
“Vaccines offer a unique revenue opportunity for stores,” added Robin Page, Health Mart regional franchise director, during a morning educational session at McKesson ideaShare, titled “Winning in Today’s Evolving Pharmacy Performance Environment,” which was sponsored by AccessHealth, McKesson’s managed care solution.
“We’re finding a lot of independents still are not doing immunizations,” Page said. “By changing the conversation with your patients, they see you in a different light,” she added. “They see you as a person who can take care of them — not just their physicians.”
Page advised pharmacists take a five-step process to optimize the opportunity in vaccines:
Analyze the local community patient base and identify which vaccinations they need.
Talk to patients when they’re picking up their prescriptions about the vaccinations available to them through the pharmacy.
Reach out to local physicians and Medicare Part D administrators and make sure they know about the availability of your vaccination program.
Contact local schools and government offices to make sure they’re supporting their local businesses.
Last, change the perception in the community that pharmacy is just a prescription dispensary. “We are in the healthcare business. Make sure people know that,” Page concluded.