Raise awareness about public health issues—and promote your pharmacy—during National Public Health Week, which starts today!
For almost 20 years, the American Public Health Association (APHA) has sponsored this national campaign to recognize the contributions of public health professionals, to highlight public health issues afflicting the nation, and to educate the public, policy makers and practitioners about issues related to public health.
As an independent community pharmacist, you’re already a public health advocate. And, this nation-wide, week-long event is a perfect opportunity to promote your pharmacy and public health in your community. Here are five easy ideas to promote National Public Health Week.
1. Engage on social media
Choose a different public health issue to raise awareness for each day during National Public Health Week and post about it on social media. You can find health metrics and statistics from your state to post about, like this list of health challenges, from the United Health Foundation or use these daily public health themes from the National Public Health Week. Be sure to point out how your pharmacy can help with any of these health issues too!
2. Create a scavenger hunt
Promote National Public Health Week with a community-wide scavenger hunt. Start the hunt at your local park, and incorporate fitness by asking participants to complete exercise challenges to earn a clue for the next location.
Make each stop along the hunt a location that promotes public health in your community. For example, stops could include an area running trail, your local farmer’s market, and you could even partner with local physicians and make their offices some of the stops.
Promote your business by ending the quest at your pharmacy. Hand out information about your services and be sure to reward the winners. Advertise the prizes ahead of time to encourage people to participate.
3. Host a “screening” event
Host an event at your pharmacy to promote your screening services. Provide health screenings for issues like diabetes, cholesterol, weight or general wellness. Make the screening free, but ask recipients to consider contacting their elected officials to promote public health. Encourage patients to pick a topic from the list of public health issues APHA advocates on behalf of. Provide a screen bank at the event by setting up a computer, laptop or tablet for patients to contact their representatives before they leave. You’ll raise awareness about the screening services you provide, and you’ll help promote public health issues at the same time.
4. Incentivize education
When patients come in to pick up prescriptions during National Public Health Week, ask them if they have a few minutes to learn more about public health. Tell them about a public health concern you’re interested in promoting, like smoking, obesity, drug deaths or immunizations, and then hand out a discount off your front end to the patients who make time to listen. You’ll raise awareness about public health while encouraging patients to pick up an extra purchase in your front end.
5. Organize a fitness challenge
Host a week-long educational fitness challenge during National Public Health Week. Encourage your patients and your employees to create teams and compete to rack up the most steps walked, calories burned or another fitness metric. During the week, send emails updating participants about team standings. In the email, include educational information about National Public Health Week’s daily public health themes, and information about your pharmacy’s services that can help people interested in becoming healthier. You’ll be promoting awareness about public health, educating patients about your services, and encouraging them to get fit at the same time.
Use these tips to promote public health awareness and your pharmacy during National Public Health Week. Your patients, your community and your pharmacy will benefit from more awareness about these issues.
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