In this episode of PharmacyCrossroads, Bruce Kneeland shares examples of simple, effective and affordable marketing, advertising and management tools he has seen others use.  The real lesson, according to Kneeland, is that marketing is essential to a modern pharmacies success. But he also feels that not all marketing need involve buying ads or spending large sums of money.  Grass Roots Marketing, that is getting out, being creative and responding to local opportunities is a great way to grow.

Jed Lewis is an innovative pharmacist that owns four pharmacies in Nebraska.  But Lewis is doing something remarkable!  By working with doctors and incorporating a line of "uniquely formulated" branded generics he has found a way to increase his gross profit by thousands of dollars.  The company he works with is FH2 Pharma and in this episode he tells how he met the company's local sales rep and then started calling on doctors, with suggestions for using the new product line with specific patients, one's that would benefit most of the unique formulations. 

He shares that for nearly two years now he has found the program to be beneficial in two ways; one the products provide an unusually high reimbursement from all the major PBM's.  But, because he visits the doctors and "details" the drug, he has learned how to get-in to see them and in doing so he is picking up a lot of new business as the doctors have come to know him and know he'll take good care of their patients. 

This is a must listen episode.  

Pharmacist Liability Insurance: Do you know if you are properly covered as a pharmacist? Have you even looked at your policy? Cord Pyles, with Pharmacist Mutual, helps us understand what to look for and ask for in a complete pharmacist liability policy. 

Pharmacy CrossRoads is celebrating an incredible year of more than 60+ interviews with people in independent community pharmacy making a difference through technology, practice innovation, and networking to build stronger community pharmacies. Pharmacy CrossRoads is one of the most popular podcasts on the Pharmacy Podcast Network with an impressive 40,000+ downloads this podcast is one of the best shows about Independent Community Pharmacy.  With an increase of pharmacy deserts throughout the country threatening access to life saving medicaitons and primary care providers driven to the brink exhaustion with so many patients needing access to care, the community pharmacy is more importatnt than ever before.

Heather Haro serves as the Chief Revenue Officer for Diversify Rx, the pharmacy support company that produces the Pharmacy Profit Summit.  Heather is a true professional when it comes to pharmacy operations and marketing.  In this episode she explains how the summit is a bit different than most pharmacy shows and lays out some of the ways attendees are helped to go home after the show and actually implement a couple major changes in their operation. 

One major thing that makes K&B different from other GPO is that the people who run it are also pharmacy owners.  They created the group to help them get better prices and once they did others wanted to join.  Ken Thai, former president of the California Pharmacist Association and owner of dozens of pharmacies and Robert Ojeda, owner of several pharmacies run the group and emphsis two principle goals; bring the best possible by plan to their own stores; and build a network of pharmacy owners who want to benefit from that buy plan and are willing to share and collaborate with others on management, marketing and clinical service programs that have been proven to work.  More info can be obtained at: www.kb-rx.com and or [email protected] 

Fighting PBM abuses is hard, but necessary if independent community pharmacy is to succeed.  In this podcast two articulate and experienced leaders share insights on how pharmacy owners, and industry leaders, can be more successful in their advocacy efforts.  Going to association sponsored Hill Days is one great way to start but, according to these two experts, it takes more than that.  What, why and how is discussed in a simple and straight forward manner.  The good news, donations are not essential but getting to know your elected officials, and their staff members as people, seems to be the key to success.  Reeves and Phipps say we need many more owners to get involved if we are to win this fight.