It’s no secret – the flu can pose significant health issues for patients. Children, seniors, and those with underlying medical conditions are among those with the highest risk of developing flu-related complications. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated a whopping 600,000 people were hospitalized for a flu-related illness during the 2016-2017 flu season. Fast forward to the 2020-2021 flu season – and add COVID-19 to the mix – it’s clear why the experts are saying that we can expect arguably the most critical and busiest flu shot season in history.
Luckily, community pharmacists are not only up for the job, they’re perfectly positioned for it.
Frontline focus
Located within five miles of 90% of all Americans, community pharmacies are uniquely positioned to serve patients in need of care – especially those who may not otherwise be reached. As the most accessible health care provider, pharmacists are able to deliver patient-centric services, such as flu shots, that transform pharmacies into healthcare destinations to help mitigate the spread of illness and maintain population health.
According to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, pharmacy visits far outnumbered primary care physician visits in almost every patient subgroup studied. As a community pharmacist, are you ready for the demand of this year’s flu season? Let’s look at a few simple steps to ensure your pharmacy is well-equipped to provide critical care in the coming weeks.
Tips & tricks for this flu season
Preparation is key for success. Consider the following steps as you gear up for this year’s flu season:
- Buy-in
Commit to implementing a vaccination program with the education and engagement of your staff. In order to immunize successfully, your staff must be equipped and prepared with the right tools. (Tip: PrescribeWellness offers end-to-end support with vaccinations – contact our team at solutions@prescribewellness.com today)
- Be visible
Be sure to be present and available to answer flu, COVID-19, or medication-related questions that your patients may have. Remember – customers like seeing that white lab coat! - Position your products
Recommending over-the-counter medications can be a great way to drive revenue and engage with patients. Strategically position cold and flu related items near the pharmacy counter to make the customer experience easy and convenient.
- Go contact-free
PrescribeWellness now offers contact-free vaccination management as a safe and easy way to engage patients while improving pharmacy workflow. Leverage patient pre-screening and appointment-based scheduling to optimize pharmacy visits and increase patient loyalty during COVID-19.
Get ahead with PrescribeWellness
Continuing to offer vaccines is critical to the long-term health of our communities as we face the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
PrescribeWellness offers solutions for community pharmacists to identify opportunities for vaccinations across your patient population, which allows you to filter by a range of factors such as age or insurance plan. Recent product enhancements have made it easier to operate a vaccination clinic, by providing you with improved visibility and a more efficient workflow. Need additional support implementing vaccinations into your pharmacy workflow? PrescribeWellness can help your pharmacy jump-start and maintain critical vaccination services today.
