Pharmasave incorporates technology with an eye to the future

LANGLEY, B.C. — With the rise in digital and virtual technology in pharmacies, Pharmasave is starting to see many patients expecting a faster, easier, and more seamless experience. While the sky’s the limit in how Pharmasave can support their patients digitally, they are proceeding in a thoughtful way. Rather than bringing in the latest and greatest technology every year, Pharmasave is looking to adapt the way they deliver services to fit with how their specific customers are living their lives. According to Ivan Guillen, CEO, Pharmasave Drugs, “the emphasis is less on using technology to make a patient’s experience “perfect” but rather, leveraging technology to deliver a personalized experience for patients that supports them in managing their total health and wellbeing.” Pharmasave owners are positioned to tailor their approach to the communities they serve including patients who have a high demand for digital solutions, to patients who continue to value the human connection at their local pharmacy.

Behind the counter Pharmasave is looking to leverage technology as much as possible. During the pandemic, many digital solutions helped make pharmacy operations more efficient including vaccination booking and other digital tools. Pharmasave has leveraged our growing partnership with virtual health innovator TELUS Health to bring this technology to our stores. Feedback provided by Pharmasave pharmacists has confirmed that these digital solutions are helping them spend less time on the phone, or at the counter, freeing up time for them to speak with patients and focus on patient care.

Over the past year, regions across North America have expanded the scope of pharmacy practice, further recognizing pharmacists as a point of entry into the primary healthcare system. “I think governments are taking the right approach in starting with small steps and observing whether pharmacies have the solutions and services necessary to effectively deliver these new types of care,” says Guillen, “but while these expanding scopes are good, what I do think needs to evolve is the connectivity of information between pharmacists and a patient’s doctor, beyond just treatments and medications. This allied health approach will benefit both the pharmacies and the regional health systems as it can contribute to efficiencies in the delivery of care at both levels, the potential for a patient to have more touchpoints with their care providers, and ultimately better outcomes.”

With pharmacies becoming a new entry point into the healthcare system, broader health and wellbeing offerings will evolve alongside. One major shift will be an increased emphasis on preventive care that leverages the growing availability of food and lifestyle products that are now being seen in pharmacies across the continent. Says Guillen, “with the potential for pharmacies to soon have a range of interconnected allied health professionals on-site, we see stores striving to provide patients with a “total health experience” giving them access to clinical advice alongside availability of a wide range of health and wellbeing products outside of prescription medication, vitamins, and supplements.” Pharmasave pharmacists are well suited to provide preventive health support and with the potential addition of other healthcare providers, we could start seeing pharmacies become hubs for preventive health and wellbeing.

Pharmacies need to have an eye to the future but should also be observing and acting on the needs of their patients in the present. The more society changes, pharmacies that can adapt and evolve to support the needs of communities will be better poised to help their patients. As a network of community pharmacies, Pharmasave embraces this challenge as transformation, adaptability and innovation are coded in our DNA and business model.

PHARMASAVE

Headquarters: 8411 200 St., Langley, British Columbia V2Y 0E7 Canada