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Elephant Pharmacy

If pharmacy is about building a vibrant prescription file, then developing a relationship between patient and pharmacist has got to be a key component of that. Elephant Pharmacy, whose sole location is in Berkley, Calif., and Pharmaca, a Boulder. Colo., chain of eight stores , practice an integrated pharmacy approach that incorporates both Eastern and Western medical approaches in its pharmacy practice, have identified consumer interaction as the key ingredient to each chain's success.

"What is so different from our Pharmaca pharmacists versus the typical chain pharmacy operator or the typical hospital pharmacist is that they really enjoy the interaction with the patient," said Jason Atlas, Pharmaca's manager of pharmacy operations. "Anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent of their day is spent engaging customers."

That's not to say chain operators aren't about pharmacy customer service, rather it's a testimony to the heavier emphasis other chains may place on speed-of-service targets or the reality of contending with a greater volume of prescriptions. Pharmaca handles between 150 and 180 prescriptions per day in its more mature locations, Atlas said.

Pharmaca schedules an overlap of pharmacists to facilitate that customer interaction. "We do not follow your typical chain store model--one pharmacist, no overlap," Atlas said. "We typically have two to four hours ere you have two pharmacists work in together." That overlap is scheduled when most prescriptions are picked up, during the middle of the day versus when they are initially dropped off.

For Pharmaca, every employee that comes into contact with a customer is a knowledgeable health expert of one discipline or another. Pharmaca's store associates complement the pharmacist's health knowledge base, especially when it touches on areas outside their Western medicine expertise. If someone has questions about alternative remedies, Atlas explained, the pharmacist has an opportunity to point that customer in the direction of a homeopath.

At Elephant, head pharmacist Dave Lastra is likely to be in front of the pharmacy bench interacting with the customers in the OTC selection. "Seventy-five percent of my time is spent with customers, he said. There are two licensed professionals on hand to serve customers. A traditionally trained pharmacist dispenses advice according to Western medicine training and works in conjunction with a licensed acupuncturist who is well-versed in Eastern herbal remedies.

Elephant stresses neutrality as part of its proactive health environ, rather than taking a position promoting homeopathy or herbs over traditional Western medicines.

In addition, Elephant rotates a team of health professionals, including fitness experts, a nurse practitioner and a naturopathic doctor, to name a few, for daily afternoon health consultations.

"The bulk of our customers accept herbs as a viable alternative [to traditional health care]. But they need a place to get the information in a neutral environment-not pro-herb, not pro-Western," Lastra said.

Pharmaca places information placards above corresponding front-end segments to educate customers. Elephant incorporates similar educational material with a pull-out shelf-talker.

Both stores feature a reference library that customers can peruse for free while sipping a complementary herbal tea, or they can buy the books. Elephant merchandises additional titles above each front-end segment that augments its proactive approach to health.

At Pharmaca, health education is not only geared toward customers, pharmacists are targeted, as well. "As far as education, we had every pharmacy team outsource with a consultant and develop a training seminar to address the whole idea of nutrient depletions," Atlas said.

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