Q&A: Niche education with Cathy Pereira of Omnis Health

Omnis Health recently launched a Gestational Diabetes Kit portfolio, representing a unique niche opportunity for retail pharmacy operators that marries a diabetes patient with the market basket of an expecting mom. Drug Store News spoke with Cathy Pereira, Omnis Health EVP global sales and marketing, to discuss that opportunity.

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DSN: How much of the conversation with retailers is around a cross-merchandising opportunity in baby?



Cathy Pereira: Gestational diabetes is diagnosed sometime between the 24th and 26th week of pregnancy. You have an active mom who’s about six months pregnant, nesting, looking for opportunities for their baby. [Approximately] 9.3% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes — so about 375,000 pregnancies will have gestational diabetes within the year. With that being said, the conversations with the retailers directly coincide with baby. ... These women are looking for education and for someone to walk them and guide them through the process of what it means now.



DSN: What do pharmacists need to know about Omnis Health’s GDK?



Pereira: What’s unique about our product offering is the product itself is bundled to provide an expecting mom everything she needs to test for a nine-week period of time. That’s important because she’s not grappling at the planogram or at the counter saying what is it that I need here, ... everything is included in the box. What is unique for the retailer is something [we’re launching in 2016], which is called our Embrace Better Care Program. The Embrace Better Care Program was designed to create connective tissue between the retailer and the consumer. ... That continuum of care is important.