Q&A: QS/1’s new president looks to emphasize customer service

In June, QS/1 named Saul Factor president, succeeding Tammy Devine, who retired after 35 years with the company. Factor is no stranger to the industry and throughout his various roles has been especially focused on customer service. Beginning his career as a retail pharmacist, Factor moved to sales and brand management roles at such companies as PCS and Eli Lilly. As COO at RxAmerica, he developed a customer experience improvement strategy before starting a 10-year career at McKesson, first as SVP global generics, then as president of global sourcing and procurement, followed by a move to EVP corporate strategy at Accord Healthcare.

 

Factor brings his experience in various sectors of the pharmacy industry and his knack for growing businesses while improving customer experiences to his new role at the helm of QS/1. DSN spoke to him about his plans for continuing to expand QS/1’s footprint and its role as a partner to pharmacists looking to deliver on patient health.

 

Drug Store News: You’re bringing to QS/1 a whole host of experience from the pharmacy industry. As you take the helm of QS/1, what role do you see pharmacy technology solutions playing in the pharmacy world, and how does the company help deliver on that role?

 

Saul Factor: Technology has been, and will be, critical to pharmacy. As our healthcare system continues to evolve, pharmacy must also evolve to keep pace. That means new tools and better use of technology to help pharmacists focus on patient care and be a step ahead of changes in the business. Since its inception in 1977, QS/1 has delivered world-class pharmacy management solutions that enable pharmacists to provide enhanced patient care. We will continue to be at the forefront of pharmacy technology. 

 

DSN: Much of QS/1’s work in the past several months has been expanding its offering, most recently through its partnership with Updox to help make care coordination between pharmacists and a patient’s care team easier. How do these partnerships reflect QS/1’s larger mission with respect to making a pharmacist’s life easier and better enabling them to foster patient outcomes? 

 

Factor: With each change in the business of pharmacy, technology becomes an even greater factor, particularly as pharmacy’s role in the patient care team expands. We are looking to deliver every advantage possible to our customers so they can provide excellent service to their customers, better coordinate with patients’ healthcare teams and be a vibrant presence in their communities.

 

DSN: What would you say are your biggest goals for helping continue QS/1’s growth into, as you have put it, a “premier pharmacy partner?” 

 

Factor: First, we want to be the premier partner that pharmacies turn to for success. As one of the parents of pharmacy technology, we will provide a vision for the future of pharmacy. Customers will be at the center of all we do. We will actively solicit their input for solutions, and operational excellence will continue to underpin this successful vision.

 

DSN: You have touted a customer-centric approach to business that also fosters talent within an organization. Are you planning to bring this approach to QS/1, and how might that manifest itself? 

 

Factor: We plan to combine what QS/1 has already done so well in the areas of customer service and talent development with the experiences and perspectives I’ve gained from working with some great companies. We’re very fortunate because our employees share our goal of advancing the pharmacist’s role in healthcare to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

 

DSN: What would you say is the bottom line of what you’re hoping to do with QS/1 and its future trajectory? 

 

Factor: We appreciate that QS/1 is already an exceptional company with great people and products that support thousands of the best healthcare providers in America. We will continue to learn and grow in order to provide pharmacies with the tools they need as their roles evolve in the healthcare continuum. By placing the customer at the core, we lead in innovative development and comprehensive support. I look forward to being a part of QS/1’s very bright future.