Imagine your pharmacy is a rocket ship poised for takeoff. You've got everything you need to make a successful journey - the right crew, equipment, and a clear destination. But just like a rocket launch, getting off the ground requires a lot of energy and coordination. To boost patient engagement at your pharmacy, you need to have a clear plan of action that addresses the needs of your patients and your business goals.
To truly boost patient engagement, you must take a multi-faceted approach that addresses all the stages of the patient journey.
Stage 1: Pre-Launch Preparation
Just like a rocket launch, the success of your patient engagement effort starts long before the actual launch itself. In order to boost patient engagement, you need to have a clear understanding of your patient population and their needs. This requires collecting and analyzing patient data, including demographics, medical history, and medication usage patterns.
Once you clearly understand your patient population, you can tailor your patient engagement efforts to meet their specific needs. This involves creating targeted communication efforts, including messaging campaigns and offering personalized medication counseling sessions.
You should also ensure that you have the necessary infrastructure and tools in place to support your patient engagement efforts. This might include TDS-powered solutions like:
Overall, preparing for a successful patient engagement effort requires a combination of understanding your patient population, engaging your staff, and having the necessary tools and infrastructure in place. By taking these steps during the pre-launch phase, you can set your patient engagement efforts up for the clearance to launch and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Stage 2: Launch Sequence Initiated
With your patient engagement pre-launch plan in place, it's time to start the initiation process for your efforts. To effectively launch your patient engagement plan, there are several strategies you can implement.
Leverage Communication Channels:
- Utilize social media to reach out to patients and promote your engagement efforts. By sharing information and updates about your patient engagement plan, you can build awareness and encourage patients to participate.
Utilize Technology:
- Solutions, such as mobile apps or patient portals, make it easier for patients to engage with your pharmacy. Your PMS may offer fully integrated features for refill requests or delivery, which can be an effective way to connect with patients. Additionally, PMS-integrated texting can be a powerful tool for engaging patients and keeping them informed.
Partner With Local Healthcare Providers:
- Offering joint programs or events is another effective way to promote healthy living and disease management. By collaborating with other healthcare professionals, you can reach a wider audience and provide more comprehensive patient care.
Implement a Loyalty Program:
- Starting a rewards or loyalty program through your point-of-sale (POS) system can help incentivize patients to engage with your pharmacy and reward them for their loyalty.
By incorporating these strategies into your patient engagement plan, you can successfully begin the launch sequence for your efforts and begin the improvement of the overall health outcomes of your patients.
"T-Minus...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...LIFTOFF"
Stage 3: Boosters Engaged
As your patient engagement efforts gain momentum, it's essential to keep up the momentum by continuing to innovate and iterate. Your rocket ship needs booster engines to continue its journey into orbit, and your patient engagement efforts can benefit from new technologies and solutions that keep patients engaged and motivated to utilize your pharmacy.
Invest in eCare Plans:
- eCare Plans are digital tools that allow healthcare providers to create personalized care plans for their patients. They can be accessed from anywhere, making it easy for patients to stay on track with their health goals. eCare Plans can include reminders for appointments and medications, educational resources, and tools for tracking progress.
Implement New Patient Engagement Tools:
- Many new patient engagement tools on the market can help you reach patients in new and innovative ways. For example, telemedicine platforms can allow you to connect with patients remotely, while patient portals can provide a convenient way for patients to access their health information and communicate with their providers.
Use Social Media and Digital Marketing Strategies:
- Social media and digital marketing can be powerful tools for engaging patients and promoting your pharmacy's services. Consider using targeted ads and social media posts to reach patients in your community and encourage them to take advantage of your vaccination programs and other services.
Expand Your Vaccination Programs:
- In addition to offering flu shots and other traditional vaccines, consider expanding your vaccination programs to include new vaccines relevant to your patient population. For example, you could offer COVID-19 booster shots as they become available.
By staying up to date with new technologies and solutions and continuing to iterate and innovate your patient engagement efforts, you can keep your momentum going and continue to improve patient outcomes. Like a rocket ship constantly adapting to changing conditions, your pharmacy can stay ahead of the curve by embracing new technologies and patient engagement strategies.
Stage 4: Achieving Orbit
At this stage, your patient engagement efforts have reached critical mass, and your patients are fully engaged with your pharmacy. To maintain this engagement, it's essential to continue providing high-quality services and experiences that meet the needs of your patients.
Offer Additional Health Services:
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In addition to vaccinations and medication therapy management, consider offering point-of-care testing (POCT). POCT can help patients receive quick and accurate diagnoses and treatment, improving outcomes and keeping them engaged with your pharmacy.
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Note: Availability of POCT is subject to your State regulations.
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Use Technology to Streamline Processes:
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As your patient engagement efforts continue to grow, finding ways to streamline your processes and make it easier for patients to access your services is important. For example, you could implement a mobile app that allows patients to refill their prescriptions, schedule appointments, and receive reminders for medications or vaccinations.
Provide Education and Resources:
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Patients who are fully engaged with your pharmacy may be interested in learning more about their health and how they can improve their outcomes. Consider offering educational resources, such as webinars or blog posts, that provide valuable information on topics like nutrition, exercise, and stress management.
Continue to Build Strong Relationships with Patients:
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To maintain patient engagement at this stage, it's important to solidify strong relationships with your patients. This can involve personalized communication, such as phone calls or text messages, as well as regular check-ins to ensure they are meeting their health goals.
By continuing to provide high-quality health services and experiences, implementing new technologies, and building strong relationships with your patients, you can maintain patient engagement and achieve even greater success in the future. Like a rocket ship in orbit, your patient engagement efforts can continue to circle higher and higher, providing better outcomes for your patients and your pharmacy.
Stage 5: Successful Mission
With your patient engagement efforts in full swing, you're well on your way to achieving your pharmacy's business goals and providing high-quality patient care. By continuing to innovate and iterate, you can ensure that your patient engagement efforts remain effective and sustainable over the long term. One of the simplest ways to continue on this path is to implement solutions that work, like the new TDS enhancement to the Patient Engagement Center.
Opportunities Now:
- Takes your patient engagement efforts to new heights. This feature helps pharmacies more easily identify upcoming visiting patients with the highest value of revenue-generating opportunities. With Opportunities Now, you can identify opportunities for patients already scheduled to come in and easily launch into interventions with just a few clicks. You can see exactly how much revenue is available from each intervention and quickly sort interventions by the highest value to schedule your day more efficiently.
Of course, the ultimate result of Opportunities Now is better outcomes and patient care. By using this feature to identify and prioritize patients who may benefit from additional services or interventions, you can ensure that your patients receive the care they need to achieve new heights and speeds as your ship nears the end of its successful mission.
"HOUSTON, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM"
Boosting patient engagement at your pharmacy is like launching a rocket into space. It requires careful planning, coordination, and execution, as well as the right tools and technologies. By utilizing TDS's patient-centric solutions and taking a multi-faceted approach to patient engagement, you can create a successful mission that benefits both your patients and your business. So, get ready to ignite those boosters and take your pharmacy patient engagement efforts to new heights!
