Digital Health and the Pharmacy: A Prescription for Success

Much has been written about the emergence of digital health, the changing role of the physician and the more active role that patients will be taking in care. But there’s one voice that is occasionally missing from the discussion and it very well may be one of the most important voices in the changing health care environment: the pharmacist.

Much has been written about the emergence of digital health, the changing role of the physician and the more active role that patients will be taking in care. But there’s one voice that is occasionally missing from the discussion and it very well may be one of the most important voices in the changing health care environment: the pharmacist.

Donald Hackett & Lou Scalpati have been in the healthcare space for nearly 25 years. With their latest venture, RxWiki, Inc. Don and Lou are focusing on one trend they believe is here to stay—digitally connecting patients to their pharmacist.  The big question was how the company would leverage its innovative platforms and health content to change the way pharmacists and patients communicate. The answer has been two-part: trusted, pharmacist-created content and synchronized digital distribution. Or simply put, digital health was now part of the pharmacy experience.  Disclosure:  I have consulted with RxWiki in the past.

RxWiki has developed a suite of digital solutions that enables pharmacies and pharmacists to reach and engage patients with actionable news and medication information through a number of media distribution outlets and digital devices.

RxWiki Digital Pharmacist™ Solutions

Social Media

With RxWiki’s social media solutions, pharmacists can share the latest health and medication news directly on their social media channels. RxWiki creates and customizes social properties for pharmacies and pharmacists on Google GOOG -0.47%+, Facebook FB +5.16%, and Twitter and automatically updates each page with timely, trusted RxWiki content. RxWiki also optimizes each page’s settings, language and keywords to maximize visibility.

Mobile

RxWiki’s custom mobile apps are branded for each pharmacy. Patients can access the news that’s important to them, at any time, with customizable health and medication news feeds delivered to their smartphones. Each custom app also includes a click-to-call feature that connects patients directly with their pharmacy.

Website

RxWiki also offers news and search tools to enhance functionality on pharmacists’ existing websites. RxWiki’s Active News feature keeps website content fresh with the latest medication and health news. Pharmacies can also integrate RxWiki’s search widget to enable patients to access RxWiki content directly from their website.

“As pharmacists transition into their new roles as the ‘primary-care-pharmacist,’ our goal is to empower them with the tools to extend their real-world patient relationships into the digital landscape,” Hackett said. “RxWiki has recently partnered with the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) to offer community pharmacists the content and tools needed to stay relevant with patients outside of the pharmacy. Digitally engaged patients are generating 6x more revenue than ‘in-store only’ patients.”

RxWiki’s Digital Pharmacist™ offering includes website, social media, and mobile solutions that enable pharmacists to easily deliver medication news and information to patients at any time, on any digital device. RxWiki is embracing the power of social media and mobile devices to share content with patients and bring pharmacists into the digital conversation. Social media, in particular, has developed into a space where RxWiki brings pharmacists and patients together to communicate and collaborate.

RxWiki’s Digital Pharmacist solutions also serve as marketing tools for pharmacies, enabling pharmacists to increase brand awareness, attract new customers, and strengthen relationships with existing patients. “It’s a hassle-free way to increase your pharmacy’s digital presence, save time and money, and build patient loyalty,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, Pharmacist, MBA.“RxWiki’s content is top-notch, written by licensed pharmacists for patients on an 8th grade reading level. It is designed to broaden your relationship with your patients and keep a healthy conversation going,” he added.

RxWiki publishes the leading digital medication encyclopedia created by pharmacists, for patients. From original medication news to FDA alerts and manufacturer updates, RxWiki’s pharmacist-created content is written is positive, neutral language targeted to an 8th grade reading level. RxWiki also publishes video news and information segments that are integrated within relevant text to provide patients with a versatile multimedia experience.

“RxWiki’s patient-centric publishing model focuses on transparency, velocity, and accessibility. Our editorial team strives to deliver trusted, multimedia medication news and information within hours, not weeks, of when new research is released,” Hackett said.

As I’ve presented in the past, 2013 is the year of digital health.  And it seems that the reality is now taking hold in the pharmacy too. From advice to device, the pharmacy has always represented a first line of defense for health information and wellness.  The digital revolution shouldn’t diminish this much, but further entrench the pharmacy practice as an essential component of care–with a human touch and a digital reach. For more information, go to http://www.rxwiki.com/pharmacists/ncpa 

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