It has been well documented that pharmacy is under siege.
Pharmacy faces a current "deregulation by stealth" with hybrid models that purport to keep the ownership of pharmacy with pharmacists.
The risk we face is that while we agree to these structures in order to protect our space, we weaken our model as far as the space that we have control in will be only be that in which the new entrants cannot control, want to control, or can make money from.

Recently ePharmacy engaged a final year pharmacy student to question both instore and online customers in regards to their views.
The objective was to understand customers use of quality sources of medication information, evaluate the influence of this information on the decision making process and explore any difference in the utilisation of this information between the two types of customers.
(Allen, A. 2003).

EPharmacy's objective was to validate assumed perceptions of our customers, and to provide a framework for future strategic management decisions in regards to the changing face of pharmacy.

Some of the interesting results included:

* Both groups selected the doctor as the primary medication information source.

* Internet customers want to know more about medications than instore customers with both customers preferring 1-2 pages of information.

* Internet group reported that information influenced medication choices more often.

* Internet group were more likely to read an entire CMI than an instore customer.

* Both groups stated that the media was the worst quality medication source, with the internet the next worse.

* The most important factors for both groups when choosing a pharmacy were price and quality medication information.

(Allen, Anthony. 2003)

The sample base was small, and only ePharmacy customers were interviewed making the results biased.
However, these results combined with other questions, surveys and internal data prove that the customer's requirements have changed rapidly in the three years we have traded online.
I will agree that the ePharmacy customer may be different to the typical pharmacy customer, but we are identifying trends that show that the services that pharmacy have provided in the past will not be sufficient to keep up with the demand of the customer, when coupled with efficiency, price, accessibility and information.

The new year represents great challenges to all who play in the pharmacy arena.

I implore all those to make sure they know where they are positioned in the new evolution, understand what their customers want, and assess very quickly whether they can deliver.
There are great opportunities for all pharmacists to exceed in the new market, but only when we you understand what your core competencies are.

[A special thanks to Anthony Allen and his work - QUM Study - UQ Pharmacy]

A safe and happy festive season to all
from Brett Clark