The mark of a winner
SAN DIEGO — Four regional Health Mart pharmacies were recognized for their excellence with nominations for McKesson’s Pharmacy of the Year award, here at McKesson ideaShare 2015. Drug Store News caught up with each of the finalists in a series of one-on-one interviews at this year’s event, and it became clear that three traits were common among them.
First, each of the innovative Health Mart pharmacies were early adopters of many of the programs offered through Health Mart and McKesson, such as the Physician Outreach Program. Designed to help Heath Mart stores gain a competitive edge in their market by building relationships with local prescribers the program not only helps increase their patient base but also builds the stature each Health Mart has in its community.
More recently, McKesson has been emphasizing the need for independent pharmacies to implement a medication synchronization program, with a short-term goal to get 100 patients enrolled. “When we started this we actually went and marketed to 50 primary care doctors in our area, explaining to them this is what we’re going to be doing, this is how we’re going to reach out to your patients and this is how it’s going to help you,” Chas McCormick, owner of First State Health Mart Pharmacy in Wilmington, Del., told DSN. “It’s rewarding when we see something work.”
A second trait the winners share is they recognize the need to keep trying new things and looking for ways to improve the care they provide. McKesson ideaShare represents value each year because of the number of new, fresh ideas independent pharmacy owners can take home and implement in their own businesses, they said. “You cannot be status quo; you have to invest in ideas and innovation,” Shushma Patel, owner of The Prescription Shop Health Mart Pharmacy in Montebello, Calif., said. “You have to be innovative to succeed in today’s environment.”
Lastly, each of this year’s finalists weren’t merely focused on delivering good customer service. They were fanatical about it. The men and women who walked through their doors weren’t just customers or patients; they were family. “It’s a family business,” Jacob Johnson, co-owner of the Marble City Health Mart in Sylacauga, Ala., noted. “Treating employees like family, treating customers like family, it’s important. You can have all the programs you want to try to get your employees to understand your vision and buy in, but in a small environment like ours you can show them every day,” he said.
Taking that quality time with both employees and patients has certainly paid dividends for Marble City Health Mart, which was named the 2015 Pharmacy of the Year grand prizewinner by McKesson.
The editors and publishers of DSN salute the owners and the team at Marble City Health Mart, and the three other finalists — The Prescription Shop Health Mart Pharmacy, First State Health Mart Pharmacy and Towncrest Health Mart Pharmacy in Iowa City, Iowa.