Mobile solutions empower consumers every day. Why not in healthcare?
By: Prescryptive Health
Consumers expect mobile solutions to enhance every aspect of their lives, including their healthcare. Our industry needs to better connect to this mobile-first approach so we can provide the seamless experience patients demand.
Admit it, your smartphone is never out of arm’s reach. Everything you want and need is always right there, ready to research and buy at the swipe of the finger.
The stats are eye-opening:
That’s a lot of curbside pickups and next-day deliveries! But mobile technology should empower consumers beyond buying stuff. It should make access to healthcare easier, too.
Cost-conscious customers are creating change. With new and better ways to shop, consumer expectations keep evolving. And constant shift in our industry, including more patients on high-deductible health plans, means more people looking for ways to save money on their prescriptions.
1 Pew Research Center, 2021
2 eMarketer Insider Intelligence
3 eMarketer Insider Intelligence
Mobile-first technology can help employers empower employees
Busy people want to be able to shop for their prescriptions on their phone, just like they shop for everything else. And in the process, they want to make informed decisions about their medications, where they fill them, and what they pay. Mobile technology puts prescription power in their hands, and these empowered consumers have the ability to enhance the way our industry works.
Employers have the opportunity to make an impact here. A pharmacy benefits program that incorporates proactive mobile text alerts can positively influence the risk of medication abandonment and adherence, in a softer way than prior authorizations and other current methods of many PBMs.
Text alerts can be utilized to:
But the capabilities, convenience and savings don’t stop at the customer. Prescription shopping via mobile can save employers money, too. Currently, under PBM control, price information is not available to consumers until they arrive at the pharmacy counter. This limits choice, leading the consumer to believe the closest pharmacy is their best option, when in fact they could save themselves and the plan money by driving one more mile.
Prescryptive’s pharmacy benefits program has mobile solutions built in, driving deeper member engagement and savings. Read more about our solution here.
Pharmacists, it’s time to embrace mobile solutions for customers
As consumers look to pay less, community pharmacists need to be ready with smart technology that keeps customers happy and boosts the bottom line.
In our recent study, Rewriting the Script: Independent Pharmacy Trends, 91% of independent pharmacy customers indicated they want technology to enhance their experience. Yet only 40% of pharmacy decision makers say they’re using technology to the fullest extent.
So, what’s holding more than half of all independent pharmacies back from implementing the right tech tools? For many, knowing where to begin is half the battle. Providing mobile-friendly solutions that bring more customers to your counter is a great place to start.
Nearly half
of consumers rated “technology” and “modern communications” as top requirements
95%
of consumers say they are aware drug costs vary by pharmacy
86%
of decision makers believe technology enhances the patient experience
The numbers don’t lie. Independent pharmacies face greater challenges every day, but the opportunities for innovation and customer engagement are even greater. For pharmacies that truly embrace modern technology to meet shifting consumer needs, the future is bright, and mobile-first.
For more independent pharmacy insights, download the full Rewriting the Script Report.