Digital Connections Help Attract, Retain Patients in Competitive Pharmacy Landscape | McKesson ideaShare

In an era of digital connections, the survival of pharmacies lies not in the traditional prescription counter, but in the virtual realm where engagement can grow the business. In a session at McKesson ideaShare, Aaron McDonough, PharmD, co-owner and chief revenue officer of Towncrest Pharmacy Corp, stated that modern pharmacies must transform from medication dispensaries to dynamic digital health platforms, leveraging everything from Google reviews to social media to attract and retain patients in an increasingly competitive health care landscape.

The key theme, regardless of strategy, is being an engaging member of the community and stepping outside of the counter. | Image Credit: Drazen - stock.adobe.com

“Ultimately, not everything is going to work,” McDonough said. “In fact, most of them, or many of them, might not work, but in order for you to find out what does work and does not work, you have to try them all.”

The key theme, regardless of strategy, is being an engaging member of the community and stepping outside of the counter. One such way is to create a sense of community and exclusivity, which can be started with discounts and rewards for patients who are in a membership program. This can include monthly subscriptions that offer some sort of discount for patients, such as a point system for every dollar spent, a “buy x, get 1” model, punch cards, or even a referral program.

“It’s important that we don't sell, sell, sell to patients, but provide an education so that they can make an informed decision on their own,” he said. “We don't just say buy and sell more money [for the pharmacy] but make them feel educated to the point that if you have a call to action at the pharmacy, they can make a purchase.”

This starts with education for not only the pharmacist but also the whole pharmacy staff. McDonough stated that one strategy when introducing a new product or service is to first identify it and then the pharmacists should become an expert. Then, they should pitch the product or service to 10 unbiased people before rolling it out to staff. Then, the team members should be properly educated and comfortable with explaining the product to patients. Then, he stated, a “champion” should be identified with team members reporting into them, with appropriate goals and incentives about the project. McDonough added that it’s important to celebrate all wins, even if they are small.

But what products and services are of interest to a specific community? McDonough stated pharmacists should look toward social media. He also emphasized user-generated social media content in order to engage specific community members.

“People like to engage with you, and people like to engage with your staff. So as uncomfortable [this] makes people feel, you need to get on social media and show your face,” he said. “That's what the community wants.”

He said that being interactive with followers on social media is a must, and it should include creative, unique, and entertaining advertising and marketing efforts. Research trends on social media that is specific to the specific community that is being served. This can also include popular searches on various search engines, such as Google. He said to pay attention to what social posts are getting the most engagement, both from the pharmacy account as well as other members in the community. Then, and perhaps most importantly, create solutions based on the trends that are found.

“We can't have a patient in our pharmacy without developing solutions for them,” McDonough said. “It might not be exactly what they thought they were going to come as, and a pharmacy board might not be more than we thought you were going to talk to them about, but we need to have identified problems.”

Besides the internet, another way to identify problems specific to the community being served is by using data-driven decision-making. He mentioned using data from the pharmacy management system and coordinating with prescribers to lead remote patient monitoring as well as deprescribing as needed. In his pharmacy, approximately 15% to 20% of patients have drug-induced nutrient deficiencies, so as a solution, his pharmacy has sold more supplements to aid those deficiencies. Dispensing data can also help identify patients who are good candidates for pharmacogenomic testing, for packaging services for pharmacy care at home, and even weight loss programs.

By keeping the patient at top of mind and prioritizing this engagement, reviews are also becoming a more essential part of driving traffic to the pharmacy. Google prioritized reviews when pushing recommendations on their search engine. By asking patients for honest reviews after every checkout, utilizing text message or email campaigns, or using bag stuffers, it will help Google prioritize certain pharmacies. It might be beneficial to offer discounts with a review as well, he said.

Differentiating a pharmacy from competitors is essential, he stated. It starts with unique products and efficient service delivery, but pharmacists must spend time doing outreach and networking to really set themselves apart from others. One such way is to utilize educational webinars and seminars, either live and in-person or on social media, to really emphasize solutions to problems that community members face.

“Again, if we are not talking about our pharmacy in our communities, people are not going to know about what services we can offer,” McDonough said.

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REFERENCE

McDonough A. Healthy Margins: Optimizing Product Placement and Service Promotion. McKesson ideaShare. July 10 to 13, 2025. Nashville, Tennessee.