Feeling sluggish, tired and fatigued is a common complaint among patients, young and old.
Your pharmacy can help. Restoring energy to patients who are feeling drained is not only an added benefit for them, but it can also significantly boost your pharmacy’s front-end sales and promote your related services.
Here are five ways you can help your patients feel more energized.
1. Vitamins and supplements
Be ready to recommend a vitamin or supplement to help patients who are looking for more energy.
Consider creating a display of energy-boosting vitamins and supplements near your prescription counter, so you can recommend them to patients as you dispense prescriptions.
Make sure you take time to explain how different vitamins might work with a patients’ specific medication regimen. These personalized health consultations will help patients get more energy while improving your front-end sales.
2. Snacks and hydration
Help patients combat the sluggishness of hunger and dehydration by stocking healthy snacks and drinks.
Make sure you have nutritious options that patients can grab if they’re feeling in need of a pick-me-up. Remind patients that by selecting healthy snack options they can feel full longer and have more energy.
You could even offer a complimentary taste test of the latest snack bar or trail mix you have in stock, so patients can find something new and healthy that they like to eat.
3. Sleep aids
Not feeling rested after sleep, struggling to fall asleep, or not being able to stay asleep throughout the night can leave your patients feeling tired all day.
A recent survey from Field Agent, a marketing company, found that 81 percent of respondents have trouble sleeping and 18 percent reported having “a lot to extreme” trouble sleeping.
Help your patients sleep better by recommending over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids or natural sleep supplements. Or, consider carrying products, such as a sleep mask to block out sunlight, so your patients can have an easier time combatting the environmental factors that lead to sleeplessness.
4. Exercise tips
Getting more exercise can help your patients have more energy, so make sure your pharmacy’s front end offers products to support and supplement patients’ workouts.
For example, you could encourage patients to exercise by incorporating physical activity into your wellness program, creating a sports nutrition section in your front end or recommending health apps that track and encourage exercise.
5. Medication counseling
You likely already counsel patients when you dispense their prescriptions, but if a patient feels especially tired after starting a new medication, offer to schedule another consultation to see if their new regimen might be to blame.
You can help patients determine if their sluggishness has something to do with their prescriptions, or if other factors, such as stress, might be causing them to feel tired. Then, you can work with them to come up with a plan. Help your patients make healthier eating choices, exercise more or make a change to their prescription regimen, if needed.
Taking the time to run through possible causes for their sluggishness will add value to your pharmacy, help your patients feel more revitalized and potentially save that patient a trip to the doctor.
Make sure your pharmacy is offering the most in-demand patient care services at your pharmacy.
