Offering the shingles vaccine at your pharmacy can do more than keep your patients healthy; it’s a savvy business move as well.
AuBurn Pharmacies, a regional independent pharmacy chain headquartered in Garnett, Kan., has offered Zostavax® ever since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine in 2006.
Mike Burns, R.Ph., president and CEO of AuBurn Pharmacies, decided to provide the vaccine because it sets AuBurn Pharmacies apart from the competition, and it’s a good source of revenue. Most importantly, the vaccine prevents or minimizes the pain and complications of shingles for patients—something Burns knows about first-hand.
“I’ve already had shingles twice in my life,” Burns said. “So, obviously it makes me even more aware of the dangers of shingles.”
A source of revenue
Offering Zostavax is an opportunity uniquely suited to independent community pharmacies, Burns said, because the vaccine must remain frozen at a monitored temperature, and many physicians don’t want to deal with that extra burden.
From a profitability standpoint, offering the shingles vaccine is a good idea. Burns said each shot yields margins of about $30 with the administration fee.
That revenue is well earned, as it takes extra time to educate patients and to make sure they know the dangers of not receiving the vaccine.
Burns recommends letting reluctant patients know that they can get the vaccine right then and there. He then suggests you tell patients the facts: Nearly 40 percent of anyone who has had chickenpox will get shingles, and nearly one-third of those patients who get shingles will suffer nerve pain after the rash heals.
“After we convince them, then the biggest question is, ‘What’s it going to cost me?’,” he said.
AuBurn Pharmacies are proactive. They identify eligible patients ahead of time, bill the insurance they have on file to see what the co-pay will be and reverse the claim. They then input the information into their pharmacy software system to create an alert for the next time the patient comes in to fill a prescription.
Marketing the vaccine
The market potential for the shingles vaccine is huge. Anyone over the age of 50 is eligible for the vaccine, according to the FDA.
Burns said the first step in marketing the shingles vaccine is reaching out to local physicians to let them know that you offer the vaccine.
It’s also vital to educate patients. Burns said some of his pharmacies even call eligible patients who they know have a $0 co-pay for the vaccine. “That’s an easy sell,” he said.
“It’s our duty as pharmacists to educate patients to better take care of themselves,” he said. “I think if we do a proper job of educating patients, the majority will make the right decision.”
By the numbers
1/3- Portion of Americans who will develop shingles in their lifetime
1 million – Number of Americans who experience shingles each year
½ – Portion of all shingles cases occur in people 60 years and older
Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
