Establish Your Pharmacy Business Expertise in HIV Medications.

pharmacy businessThe pharmacy business is constantly changing each day. Now more than ever before, American pharmacists are finding greater prosperity in their pharmacy businesses by specializing in a pharmaceutical niche that they feel strongly about. With the rise of HIV and AIDS globally, it is imperative for these types of patients to be able to find local pharmacists and a pharmacy business that they trust who can guide them and provide the expertise they need. Specializing in HIV medications can be a highly rewarding pharmacy business niche to specialize in.

Developing Superior HIV Prescription Care

When HIV patients are diagnosed; they are looking for a compassionate and understanding expert in the pharmacy business who can work with them to implement the proper types of medications for their treatment. Since the nature of this disease is so life changing, and daunting, it is important that you as a pharmacist in the pharmacy business are fully aware of all of the concerns and stresses that they are dealing with so that you can best accommodate them in this emotional period of their lives.

Learning From An Expert in the HIV Pharmacy Business

pharmacy business solutionAs a seasoned veteran in HIV Medications and the Pharmacy business, Michelle Sherman of MichRX Consulting has been providing coaching, training, and consultation for pharmacists around the world who are looking to specialize in a pharmacy business niche that is very close to her heart. In over 18 years of experience in the treatment of HIV patients and the pharmacy business, Michelle has found that the concerns of these types of patients are often times very similar. By showing new patients right away that you understand their core concerns, you can quickly establish a strong relationship with them as they begin their treatment. To get you started, here are some of the most common things that a new HIV patient is looking for.

What Are the Top 5 Concerns of a Patient That Pharmacists Should Know?

1. The Pharmacist and Staff Must Be Sensitive to HIV Patients

Since medications are a crucial component of a treatment plan for HIV, the pharmacist & the pharmacy staff are important members of the Health Care Team for a patient. It is very important that the staff at the pharmacy are HIV sensitive and that patients can feel very comfortable and welcome at the pharmacy.

First and foremost, the HIV Pharmacy Business must be non-judgmental, non-homophobic and non-AIDS phobic. Since an HIV patient will have to take antiretroviral medications for the rest of his or her life, they will be building a strong relationship with their pharmacist and pharmacy staff. It is essential that they feel comfortable and at ease with their pharmacy.

2. The Pharmacist and Staff Must Be Seasoned Experts and Highly Knowledgeable About HIV

New patients want to be sure that a pharmacy staff is able to answer all of their questions and concerns with regard to HIV related issues.

Issues such as:

  • What medications are covered on their Insurance plan?
  • Can they co-ordinate your insurance billing with multiple insurance plans? Can they utilize Medicare Part D plan and then bill their co-pay to ADAP?
  • Can they get the medications covered by insurance without hassle?
  • Can the pharmacist provide consultation on various types of new and existing HIV medications?

 

3.  Is the Pharmacy Business an Advocate?

Nothing is more frustrating to a patient than finding themselves with the financial burden of being diagnosed with a serious illness and discovering that they are under-insured for their treatment. A new patient wants to know that their pharmacist is on their side in getting them the highest level of coverage that they deserve for their medication costs. If medications are not covered by your insurance, the pharmacist and/or technician must offer solutions for you.

A pharmacy business must go the extra mile and do the leg work for you to solve the problem. They must advocate on your behalf by contacting your physician and getting the medication switched to something that is covered, if appropriate or work with the insurance company so you don’t have to deal with the added stress.

 

4.   Will the Pharmacy Consistently Have Their Medications Readily Available in Stock?

It is absolutely critical that a pharmacy always has the antiretroviral medications in stock!

If they do not stock the medications properly, patients may run out of their medications and are at risk of going days without medication. This can potentially lead to viral resistance, which will cause the antiretroviral regimen to fail.

It is also important for the pharmacy to refill ALL the medications in a patient’s regimen every month, to ensure that they take the full regimen and not just part of it, which can also compromise the regimen and cause it to fail.

5. Patients Must Receive Consultation on Any and All New Prescriptions and Prescription Changes.

In the state of California and in many other states it is the law that patients must receive a consultation from the pharmacist on any new prescription, or any change in a refilled prescription. They do have the choice to decline the consultation. To do so, the patient must complete the proper pharmacy documents to decline a consultation. With all medications, the potential for drug-drug interactions and side effects is high, so it is always suggested that patients receive consultation, read the literature and always notify the pharmacist of other medications that they are taking, such as; over the counter drugs, supplements and vitamins and even street drugs that may be in use.pharmacy business plan

These 5 tips are just the beginning of a very in-depth and special conversation about specializing a pharmacy to fulfill HIV and AIDS medications. For more information on the pharmacy business and working with Michelle Sherman of MichRX Consulting, visit the website, www.MichRXConsulting.com The leading Pharmacy Business.