Progressive Grocer - March 2009 - (Page 88)

Nonfoods A Destination for Health The pharmacy is becoming an increasingly strong focus in turning the store into a health-and-wellness mecca, as retailers discussed at Progressive Grocer’s latest roundtable. Retailers and industry experts discusssed the relationship of the pharmacy to the rest of the store during the roundtable. By Joseph Tarnowski W 88 hether it’s by using technology, installing a convenient care clinic or simply having the pharmacist walk the OTC aisle regularly, the pharmacy is increasingly involved in making the store a destination for health and wellness. This was a main focus of Progressive Grocer’s latest executive roundtable, held at ECRM’s Pharmacy Services, Technology & Automation Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., Nov. 16, and sponsored by Destination Rx. and Star Pharmacy, Huntsville, Ala.; Anne Lynn, member relations manager, Convenient Care Association; and Jay Millikan, Destination Rx. Roundtable participants were Dan Connolly, VP of pharmacy, Bartell Drugs; Jon Cool, IT manager, Rx Direct; John Frandson, pharmacy technical support specialist, Nash Finch; Curtis Hartin, senior director of pharmacy, Bi-Lo, Greenville, S.C.; Darden Heritage, owner, Star Supermarket • Progressive Grocer • March 2009 Progressive Grocer: Since this is ECRM’s Pharmacy Technology Conference, let’s start off disA H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T cussing tech. I know some of you are using robotic prescription dispensers.What are some of the benefits and challenges of these units? John Frandson: We have four in operation now — one in each of our four busier pharmacies — and are considering them for a couple of others, particularly for the auto-fill function. In one of the stores, we typically have 150, 160 prescriptions waiting on an IVR in the morning, and we figure two-thirds of those will probably be able to be filled on the robot, and then the pharmacist would handle the processing of the “dispense as written” prescriptions the way they always have. So robotics is playing a big role in our pharmacies. However, the systems weren’t well received initially, because the staff wanted an additional pharmacist, but when you start financially justifying the cost of a pharmacist vs. the robot, considering its ROI, the fact that we don’t pay vacation, no workers’ comp, and it never complains or takes off weekends Eventually, I think we’ll have it in more pharmacies but it depends on the growth of the business. It’s very growth-related. Dan Connolly: We have them in 30 percent of our pharmacies. The nice thing about robots — and it’s not tangible but very important, nonetheless — is their impact on pharmacist retention. We’ve maintained our pharmacists at every store that uses a robot. Darden Heritage: That’s right. Connolly: I’ve never, ever saved a penny in labor. Heritage: No, it won’t save. Connolly: But I opened a store that was doing zero prescriptions with a robot, and I got to 9,000 prescriptions without adding labor. So they pay for themselves. But when you reach the point when you have too many robots and you really need to think about central fill if www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - March 2009

Progressive Grocer - March 2009
Contents
Front End: Ahold Banners Launch 'Major Consumer Wellness Initiative'
Nielsen's Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Frozen Foods/One-Food Oriental Entrees
Market Snapshot: Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Independents Report: The New Agenda at FMI - And in Washington
Lempert Report: What Shoppers Will Demand in 2009
Wake-Up Call: Back to the Future
Progressive Views: Looking Forward
Frozen & Refrigerated Trends: Staying Cool
Store of the Month: Straub's Newest Family Member
FutureView Introduction: Great Expectations
Futureview: Magnetic Core
Honey: Sweet Sensation
Organic/Natural Cereal: The New Face of Breakfast Sales
FutureView: Home-Cooked Homecoming
2009 Meat Operations Review: Solid Ground
2009 Seafood Operations Review: Rough Seas
Pharmacy: A Destination for Health
Technology FutureView: Retail 3.0
Equipment FutureView: Sustainable Differentiation
What's Next: Editors' Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - March 2009