IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING YOUR PHARMACY STAFF

• RetailerShakti
• October 18, 2023

Training in the pharmaceutical business plays an important role since the industry continues to encounter numerous challenges. Businesses must abide by a number of rules and regulations in order to guarantee the reliability and effectiveness of their goods. Moreover, companies run the risk of falling behind their rivals due to intense competition and a lack of qualified and competent staff.

The investment you make in your staff is among the most significant investments you can make for your pharmacy. Employees are the ones who determine how customers are treated at your pharmacy. You may permanently lose a consumer with only one negative experience. On the other hand, a positive interaction might make a valued customer for life.

ROLE OF PHARMACISTS IN DRUG RETAILING

Pharmacist

A Pharmacist acts as a bridge between doctors and patients. They are healthcare practitioners who are in charge of examining prescriptions, organizing the pharmacy, delivering and labeling drugs, and offering information and advice to patients. They monitor patient histories, make sure that medications are used safely, and keep up with advancements in medicine.

Registered Pharmacists

Registered pharmacists hold a license that allows them to sell prescription drugs, regulate drug therapy, and provide patient care services. To make sure patients receive safe and efficient drug therapy, they cooperate with other healthcare practitioners and work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.

Few of the major responsibilities of pharmacists are as follows:

➔      Ensuring supply of medicines is within the law

➔      Ensuring medicines prescribed to patients are suitable

➔      Advising patients about medicines, including how to take them, what reactions may occur

➔      Answering patients' questions

STAFF TRAINING

The pharmaceutical business must prioritize training. It promotes compliance, security, excellence, and accessibility to high-quality healthcare. It is important to provide pharmacy staff members regular opportunities to learn and grow, boost employee happiness, enhance productivity and accuracy, and give staff members the tools they need to deliver top-notch service.

Training pharmacy staff is important for reaping the following benefits:

➔      Patient Safety

➔      Regulatory Compliance

➔      Medication Knowledge

➔      Adherence to Best Practices

➔      Efficiency & Productivity

➔      Continuing Education

➔      Handling Emergencies

➔      Better Marketing and Promotion

➔      Improved Customer Service

➔      Builds Pharmacy Reputation

➔      Gains Neighborhood Trust

Staff Training Programs:

There are multiple avenues in the pharmaceutical business that pharmacists should explore, get proper training, and ace the required skills. Following are some of the recommended staff training programs:

• Product Knowledge
• Handling of Prescription
• Communication and Counseling Skills
• Customer Service
• Interpersonal Skills
• Health Promotion
• Sales Promotion
• Inventory Management
• Emergency Response
• Technology & Social Media
• Continuing Education

Product Knowledge:

➢      Knowing Medicine Trade Names and their Companies

➢      Knowing Compliance Related Information

➢      Generic Composition

➢      Interactions and Side effects

➢      Dosage Information

➢      Age Group Suitability

Handling of Prescription:

➢      Understanding Patient’s Health Condition

➢      Reading Doctor’s Advice to understand prescribed medicines

➢      Suggest Alternatives if prescribed medicine unavailable

Communication & Counseling Skills:

➢      Explain complex medical information in a clear understandable manner

➢      Counsel patients, if needed

➢      Suggest when to visit a doctor

➢      Learn basic etiquettes of communication

Customer Service:

➢      Understand Customer Needs and Preferences

➢      Assess their pain points

➢      Suggest Alternatives if prescribed medicine unavailable

➢      Consider Customer Feedback and Suggestion

Interpersonal Skills:

➢      Empathy 

➢      Patience

➢      Attention to Detail 

➢      Problem Solving

➢      Adaptability 

➢      Team Work

➢      Conflict Resolution 

➢      Time Management

Health Promotion:

➢      Preventive Healthcare

➢      Periodic Health Monitoring

➢      Diagnostic Health Check Ups

➢      Diet & Lifestyle Modification

➢      Vaccinations

Sales Promotion:

➢      Recommending Solutions understanding Patient Health Condition and Needs

➢      Visual Merchandising helping product display in store to encourage impulse purchase

➢      Promote Store Sales and Offers, Upcoming store linked Health Screening and Campaigns

➢      Makes customers aware about discounts, offers, rewards and loyalty programs

Inventory Management:

➢      Maintain  Proper Medicine Stock; prevents overstock and stock out

➢      Excess Stock = Raises Cost

➢      Low Stock = Bad Customer Experience

➢      Optimum Stock = Reduces Procurement Cost; Leads to Better Customer Experience

Emergency Response:

➢      Drug Allergy

➢      Providing First Aid

Technology & Social Media:

➢      Billing & Accounting Software

➢      Inventory Management Software

➢      Social Media Promotion

Continuing Education:

➢      Gain knowledge about latest developments in pharmacy and healthcare

➢      Encourage attending workshops, seminars, webinars by medicine companies

A well-trained pharmacy team can assist to improve patient care, decrease errors in medication, and promote patient satisfaction. Pharmacies may enhance the level of patient care they offer by investing in the training of their pharmacist staff. As pharmacy practice is continually changing, pharmacist staff training should be continual.

Additional advantages of pharmacist staff training include the following:

➔      Improved morale and engagement among employees

➔      Lower turnover rates

➔      Increased client satisfaction

➔      Greater reputation of the pharmacy

Overall, investing in staff training for pharmacists is a wise move that may help the pharmacy and its customers.