Chain pharmacy sales boom as script count soars

Drug Store News, August 30, 1999 by James Frederick

"We strongly feel that there has to be significant change in the way we deliver the service of health care to the consumer," said Tony Civello, president of Kerr Drug Stores. "That means we're going to focus where the growth is, more on pharmacist intervention, immunization programs and the like. It is very critical to be charging for services, but immunization programs and so forth continue to create loyalty within your customers."

In the meantime, drug chains are trying to offset the costs of new automation and training by making their dispensing process as cost-efficient as possible in a bid to maintain their margins. Aided by NACDS and other pharmacy organizations, the industry also is lobbying intensively at the state level to reduce restrictions on technician-pharmacist ratios, offsite dispensing, electronic prescription transmission and other cost-saving innovations.