Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1013207
Chain Drugstore Daily Monday, August 27, 2018 8 Hikma logo, including our building signage, our company collateral and our website. Our updated product packaging and labeling will be rolled out over the next 12-18 months, with the focus on maintaining consistent supply and patient access." The Hikma Group's Chief Executive Officer, Siggi Olafsson, added, "We believe that operating all our companies as Hikma in our markets will allow us to better serve customers, be more efficient and to build on the trusted Hikma name. We want to draw on the strengths we have around the world and unlock the power of a single, global brand." For more information, visit booth #3917 or go to www.hikma.com/us. Increase Sales, Not Wait Times By Jeff Ditges, President, Source Communications While you are looking for ways to improve your customer experience, it is paramount to decrease wait times and improve the customer/pharmacist rela- tionship to gain customer trust in your stores and services. According to the 2013 Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Report on Pharmacy Satisfaction, independent pharmacies continue to have the highest performance ratings in overall satisfac- tion, likelihood to return and likelihood to recommend. One of the reasons the indies score so high is they have the shortest wait times. (Many of these inde- pendent stores are our customers. They have organized their pharmacy with our Modular Pole Systems™. Our system reduces wait times and boosts staff morale.) In addition to wait times, pharma- cists and staff continue to be an important part of the overall pharmacy experience and one of the aspects that are key to cus- tomer satisfaction. To that end, many pharmacies offer counseling areas where pharmacists can talk to patients privately. If these areas are clean, organized and don't show an array of equipment and a tan- gled mess of cables, your customer is going to feel they are in a professional environment with a thought-out plan of how to best process their prescription needs. Visit Source Communications at booth #3702. Mobile Application and Web Solutions with Accessibility in Mind In 2018, there are an estimated 2.5 billion smartphone users worldwide, and over half of those phones are using either iOS or Android operating systems. With con- sumer behaviors trending toward using smartphones in the decision-making process, is your company ensuring the retention of those customers? Ninety per- cent of smartphone users keep their phones with them at all times, and 98 per- cent of messages and push notifications are seen while only 12.5 percent of e- mail communications are read. If people relied on email reminders to take their prescriptions, we would have millions more nonadherent patients costing an additional hundreds of billions of dollars. In a recent mHealth initiatives study, Walgreens reported that mobile app usage increased by over 500 percent in 2011 and smartphones account for 40 percent of all online refills requests; over 3 million Walgreens customers now receive prescription notifications directly on their smartphones. However, most pharmacy chains do not possess the resources or experience to develop solu- tions in-house. Looking externally, chains see a wide range of options and have difficulty differentiating between providers. MarkeTouch Media is the only provider offering turnkey patient com- munication solutions developed and managed 100 percent in-house. All serv- ices are developed and maintained by MarkeTouch Media employees within the United States, and it does not utilize third-party contractors. MarkeTouch Media offers a com- plete, native mobile solution with the flexibility to add features specific to its clients. MarkeTouch Media's digital divi- sion is led by former CVS Senior Manager of Digital Mobile and Web Solutions, Chris Piccirillo. Chris has led the development of MarkeTouch Media's recently released mobile app based upon the needs of customers, enhancing their experience across all channels. Its appli- cation framework utilizes both iOS and Android versions, meeting ADA/WCAG 2.0 AA-compliance specifications for accessibility. The standard application enables patients to refill and manage multiple prescriptions in real time, fill prescriptions anonymously without a login (also known as QuickFill) using scan or manual entry, manage an entire family's prescription history and transfer prescriptions internally and externally. Additionally, the standard app includes push messaging, a store locator featuring GPS or manual address entry with filters, standard reporting and access to a health portal. The newly designed web application leverages the same features as the mobile app and is both ADA-compli- ant and has a responsive, mobile-optimized design. Additionally, the web version includes printable summaries and a document center. Using MarkeTouch Media's client- managed marketing interface allows chains to easily make real-time updates to marketing banners in the mobile app and web. Additionally, MarkeTouch Media offers marketing consulting and training for all provided services. Multiple securi- ty and registration options exist to fit complex business rules, and grocery application integration is seamless. MarkeTouch Media's digital team launches innovative features on a quar- terly basis based upon an 18-month rolling roadmap. Smartphone users are increasing and technology is constantly changing. Is your company with the right provider? For more information, visit booth #509 or go to www.rxtouch.com or www .marketouchmedia.com. West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Now Hikma On June 26, 2018, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC announced that its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, West- Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp., would operate as Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. or simply Hikma in the U.S. The U.K.-based global generic pharmaceuti- cal company acquired West-Ward Pharmaceuticals more than 20 years ago and since then it has become a leading provider of high quality, oral, liquid, inhalant and injectable branded and non- branded generic medicines in the United States. The name change is part of the Hikma Group's global rebranding effort that is bringing all its subsidiary corpo- rate brands under a refreshed Hikma Group brand, which includes a new posi- tioning and visual identity. The new brand emphasizes the Hikma Group's role in improving the health of people around the world by making quality med- icines and making them affordable and accessible. The unveiling marks the Hikma Group's 40th anniversary and the beginning of a new chapter in the compa- ny's history. Other U.S. subsidiaries will also have similar name changes to align with the new Hikma brand. "This is a really important turning point for our more than 2,000 U.S.-based employees," explained Brian Hoffmann, President of the U.S. Generics Business. "In an increasingly global world, it is important that our employees, as well as our customers and part- ners, can benefit from the synergies and effi- ciencies of Hikma oper- ating all operations under one brand. While our U.S. name is changing, our commitment to our state-of-the-art U.S. manufacturing, robust R&D investments and the U.S. market overall remains as strong as ever." Dan Motto, Executive Vice President, Commercial Development Strategy for the U.S. Injectables Business, added, "For our U.S. cus- tomers and partners the transition to Hikma will be seamless with no change to our strong portfolio of products or our ongoing commitment to deliver great customer service and our dedication to patients. Beginning today, most touch- points in the U.S. will now bear the new Unique Energy Drink: Not What You Expect Unique was created after its Founder, Chris Cook, experienced heart palpita- tions at work after consuming half a can of a well-known energy drink. As an ex- professional athlete working in the finance business, Chris was still very active with daily workouts and eating habits, but consumed energy drinks for a much-needed boost after a 4:30am start. This experience compelled Chris to begin asking questions. What are the ingredients in energy drinks that can put an extremely healthy person into the hospital? Why do energy drinks make people jittery, have heart palpitations or send them into cardiac arrest? Can an energy drink be created that provides cognitive boost rather than physical overdose? These questions were the foundation of the research that ultimately developed Unique Energy. The objective became to create an energy beverage that provides a safe, sustainable feel good experience through cognitive enhancement without a crash. It begins with eliminating the five ingredients that are so prominently utilized in virtual- ly every energy drink or supple- ment on the mar- ket (taurine, guarana, nicine, yohimbe and gin- seng) combined with caffeine which have in many cases created physiological effects similar to an overdose. After experimenting with many products in his kitchen, Chris came across Red Reishi mushroom, which has been used in Asia for more than 3,000 years as a medicinal supple- ment. It's considered a foun- tain of youth throughout Asia due to many potential benefits. Lastly, but maybe best of all, is Unique Energy Drink's flavor. Unique is a fruit-based flavor like nothing else on the market – amazing function and a beautifully flavored, enjoyable bever- age – a drink that is built with health and happiness in mind. For more information, go to www.uniqueenergy.com or call 818.280.6327.