Winn-Dixie regains lost ground with new pharmacy, design efforts

Nothing shows a retailer that its revitalization efforts are working quite like a thumbs-up from customers. For Winn-Dixie Stores, that vote of confidence came in mid-February, when its pharmacy business was among 40 U.S. companies honored as 2011 “customer service champions” by J.D. Power and Associates.

Winn-Dixie pharmacies have undergone a major transformation since John Fegan, VP pharmacy, joined the Jacksonville, Fla.-based chain two years ago. The rebuilding process, he told Drug Store News, began with “making sure we’ve got the right people in place, and giving them the tools that would allow them to interact with the patient.” To that end, the company invested in training programs both for immunizing patients and medication therapy management. Result: all but about 30 of its roughly 800 pharmacists now are certified to provide vaccinations, and some 400 are MTM-qualified.

Winn-Dixie has launched WD RxConnect, a centralized prescription record system. Also relatively new is an automated, phone-based refill reminder program and an optional program called Ready Refill that automatically refills maintenance meds. Capping the latest efforts was the unveiling last year of a store prototype that showcases the chain’s “Fresh & Local” market image.