Facebook and Twitter


and follow my blog on Twitter @pharmacynic to receive notifications on new posts.

Friday, May 3, 2013

FastPass

I think pharmacy should adopt the Disney approach to lines at our stores. Let's have people pick up a FastPass for expedited service at our counters.
If you've never used it, it is quite impressive. You rush to the park (pharmacy) first thing when the gates open. You go to the rides/attractions (pharmacy counter) you most wish to visit that day, and retrieve special passes that direct you when to return (they give you a time window). You can enjoy the rest of the park (shop around town, go to your doctor) at your leisure then return to the ride and get in the FastPass line. You get to bypass the regular line, with a wait time of 45 minutes to 3 hours, and jump into a line with about a 15 minute wait. At the pharmacy, you'd get to drop off your prescriptions at a special window where one designated technician would immediately input your order and fill it with a time of around 15 minutes, depending on number of prescriptions, regardless of how busy the rest of the pharmacy may be. Disney distributes a limited number of these per day and the pharmacy would be no different.
Maybe we could distribute a pass for each prescription you will bring us?
There would be a limit per family and per family member.
Just for fun, we'd exempt Medicare and Medicaid patients (we already discriminate against them, remember?)
In order to receive a FastPass, we'd have to have your most current insurance on file. In fact, you'd have to scan it into the ticket box first, before a Pass would be distributed. Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket!
Yes, some people complain this system is unfair. They are the ones who didn't get a FastPass because they didn't get there early enough or didn't know about the program. Better luck next time. Now you know. Same would hold true with pharmacy. People would complain it is unfair. Next time they would know about it and could take full advantage. It would be no different than a store that offers cheap generic prices versus a competitor that does not. It is a free market and you are not obligated to shop my pharmacy. Feel free to shop elsewhere (ride another ride).
Note: This is completely different than that sham of a program certain other so-called "pharmacies" offered as a 15-minute guarantee. If a program works at a place like Disney, then it can be applied anywhere.

No comments:

Post a Comment