Toronto, Canada – The transformation of the neighborhood pharmacy into an increasingly important and potent point of care has been written about extensively over the past few years. Pharmacists are moving from behind the counter to become more active providers of care, being trained to be specialists in motivational interviewing, adherence, and management of specific chronic conditions.
Pharma and healthcare marketers have certainly taken notice of this, and are starting to question historic efforts aimed at the pharmacy and at pharmacists. One marketing group, McCann Health, is betting on an increased client appetite for pharmacy engagement, and in a pioneer move last year, launched McCann Pharmacy Initiative (MPI) to stay ahead of the pack. MPI is a Toronto-based agency dedicated to pharmacist-oriented communications
In case you missed it, check out a very interesting Q&A interview with Sandra Carey, MPI’s president, that MM&M published last week. In it, she discusses the factors driving the pharmacy trend, how the US compares globally, and what to expect in the near future.
Right now we are at the beginning of a seismic shift in the way that our clients see pharmacy: they know it’s become very important. Pharmacy has become like the phoenix [rising] out of the ashes. All of a sudden everybody is saying, “Wow, we’ve always done some things in pharmacy but now with them moving into the HCP role, is it enough?” It’s going to continue to grow as…pharmacists become more influential in treatment and care decisions.
