Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - (Page 4) Special Report Patients who monitor their blood pressure at home may have a higher rate of medication compliance. According to a controlled study in Family Practice Magazine, hypertensive patients who monitored their blood pressure at home cut their visits to physician offices by 27 percent. The peak period for thermometer sales falls between October and March, coinciding with the cold and flu season. Cross merchandising thermometers near your cold and allergy items may create add-on sales. At-Home tests cause a stir At-home testing seems to stir controversy among doctors, pharmacists, and patients every time a new test is released. When at-home pregnancy tests first appeared in the 1970's, doctors wondered if women could handle the results. HIV, drug, and cholesterol tests prompted similar discussion — would folks use them correctly? Now, a new test has been developed that can determine a child’s father. Concern over the impact this test will have on families has been the newest hot topic. Examples of at-home test kits Pregnancy Ovulation predictor Male infertility Urinary tract infection Cholesterol HIV Hepatitis C Fecal occult blood Colorectal disease Skin growth Vision Drug abuse Menopause Vaginal pH Prothrombin time Paternity Thermometer technology Personal diagnostics merchandising tips Today’s pharmacies mainly have free-standing personal diagnostics displays that are no longer behind the counter. However, it is wise to position your display near the pharmacy counter, in case a shopper has any questions. Be sure to stock a variety of thermometer types. Although some believe glass to be more accurate, others prefer digital or infrared, which tend to show results faster and are easier to read. Also keep a selection of blood pressure monitors, including varieties of both wrist and cuff models. Although these devices are purchased all throughout the year, sales show a slight peak from December through March. The variety of at-home tests you carry depends on the shoppers frequenting your store. Pregnancy tests are a drugstore staple and should be positioned with your family planning products. Menopause testing kits, on the other hand, may or may not be a strong seller depending on your shopper demographics. If most of your customers are under 40, the demand for such products may dwindle. However, some tests are popular across many age groups, such as cholesterol, drug, and urinary tract infection tests. The Pharmacist’s Role Pharmacists have an important role in helping shoppers pick the proper test kit for their health concerns. If a shopper picks up a prescription for cholesterol-lowering medication, you can mention the benefits of monitoring cholesterol levels at home. When someone purchases an at-home test, pharmacists can encourage follow up with a doctor or the return to the pharmacy for a discussion of the results. The future looks bright for the personal diagnostics category, led by at-home testing kits. Scientists are working on new technology that may lead to the at-home testing of a variety of diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and heart disease. Surely each addition will come with a new heated debate. One thing is for certain, is the role of patients co-managing their own health is here to stay. This article is contributed by the Hamacher Resource Group Personal thermometers have been used for many centuries. Only in the past 15 years, however, has technology given consumers more convenient at-home options. Though traditional glass thermometers are still available and favored by some shoppers, digital oral thermometers reveal body temperature in much less time and are easier to read. Ear thermometers that use infrared technology are ready to read in just seconds. Pharmacies are still the most popular place to purchase thermometers. According to IRI, nearly 70 percent of all thermometers sold in the past year were purchased at a drugstore. (http://www.hamacher.com/). Based in Milwaukee and with offices in the United Kingdom, HRG's comprehensive services combine the art of communicating with the science of data analysis to improve the profitability of every link in the retail healthcare supply chain. Manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, and others count on HRG for strategic solutions to their business goals. 4 DRUG TOPICS D E C . 22, 2008 W W W.D R U GTO P I C S .C O M http://WWW.DRUGTOPICS.COM
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 Special Report: Several Ways Your Pharmacy Can Benefit from Expanding Personal Diagnostics Category Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 (Page 1) Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 (Page 2) Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - Special Report: Several Ways Your Pharmacy Can Benefit from Expanding Personal Diagnostics Category (Page 3) Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - Special Report: Several Ways Your Pharmacy Can Benefit from Expanding Personal Diagnostics Category (Page 4) Drug Topics - December 22, 2008 - Special Report: Several Ways Your Pharmacy Can Benefit from Expanding Personal Diagnostics Category (Page 5)
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