3 Ways Your Pharmacy Can Use Vaccines to Boost Your Patients and Your Business - BestRx

3 Ways Your Pharmacy Can Use Vaccines to Boost Your Patients and Your Business

Posted on Sep 26, 2023

The role your pharmacy plays as part of a patient’s care team has grown over the years. Now, pharmacies aren’t just a place to get medications, but they serve as a healthcare destination for patients as well. By offering additional services from point-of-care testing and health screenings to administering vaccines, pharmacies can provide patients with more convenient access to care. This is especially true in rural areas, or for patients that may struggle with transportation issues. As independent pharmacies continue to look for ways to compete with retail chains and offset DIR-fees that threaten their bottom line, the very thing that benefits patients may also help their store as well. Here are 3 ways your pharmacy can use vaccines to boost your patients and your business:

Less Complicated Billing

Not only are vaccines administered by a pharmacy often less expensive for patients, but the administration fees are billed as a covered benefit through most health plans. That means patients can skip the office visit copay and you’ll gain DIR-free revenue for your store.

Expanded Access and Convenience

Chances are that your patients visit your pharmacy more often than their primary care physician. By offering vaccines at your store, you’re saving them from having to make a special trip to their doctor’s office. Plus, they won’t have to try and schedule an appointment in advance, they can just walk in and get vaccinated whenever it’s most convenient for them. Your pharmacy can also benefit from the vaccine visit, through OTC sales, and providing an opportunity to check in face-to-face with patients about their prescriptions, including those they may have gotten off track with.

Building Stronger Relationships

Offering vaccines at your pharmacy will attract both existing and new customers to you store. They also allow you to interact with patients more closely, as you advise them on any vaccines that may be recommended and establish your pharmacy as an important, trusted part of their care team. Overtime this builds customer loyalty and repeat business for your pharmacy. Plus, you can earn revenue for administering the vaccine and any additional patient counseling you provide.

Whether your pharmacy only offers certain vaccines, like those for influenza, pneumococcal and COVID-19, or you add others like shingles, tetanus, or travel vaccines, they can have a significant impact on the health of your patients and your business. You can even use your pharmacy management software to help streamline your:

  • Vaccine inventory
  • Administration records + reporting
  • Billing + payment reconciliation
  • Patient reminders

That way, you can use vaccines to boost your patients and your business, without adding a bunch of extra work for your pharmacy team! To learn more, request a free demo!