Medical Supply Distributor

I wrote this post nearly two years ago:

We frequently receive calls from physicians considering pharmaceutical dispensing.  A common theme among these calls is frustration with what it is often described as "a lack of professionalism and responsiveness" from various companies offering physician dispensing options.  Quite often, websites for groups offering to help implement dispensing systems for physicians are merely fronts for individuals selling part-time with no organization behind them.  I often hear folks say that Northwind Pharmaceuticals was one of the only companies to respond in a timely fashion.  There are a number of things a clinic/physician can do to avoid upfront difficulties:

1. Recognize that many websites are posted by brokers who are actually selling products for other suppliers.  These "firms" are often ran part-time by one individual who simply makes commission by marketing others' products.  Look for additional substance on the site geared to helping customers with the dispensing process.

2. Ask the firm if they distribute products from their own facility or just sell for a repackager.  As in any business, if there is a middleman, you are paying more.

3. Verify that they are licensed to distribute in your state. Many state pharmacy boards allow you to verify wholesaler license numbers online.  The DEA also verifies licensure for wholesalers.

4. On their website, look for an indication of how long they've been in business. There are a few repackagers that have been around for 20+ years and are proud to say it.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has been around since 1981.

5. When you talk to the supplier, ask them about their business. How do they go about helping their customers? Do they offer software?  How do their labels work?  Do they make recommendations for a start up formulary?  You want to find a supplier that can get you the products you need but will also be a good fit for you and your practice.  Talking to them is the only sure way to make sure there is a fit.

Medication dispensing offers wonderful possibilities to a clinic and does not have to be rocket science.  Focus on finding a good partner, asking basic questions and getting a "feel" for the company before you buy.  A little diligence goes a long way.  Good luck!

The information is still relevant today.  I wanted to update it with a few more suggestions:

6. Ask about tracking dispenses.  Reputable repackagers/distributors will offer manual and electronic options for tracking the medications you dispense.  Northwind offers a logbook and a system called RxTracker.  Some other organizations pay a third party to manage their software and require you to purchase it.  Make sure their model fits your needs.  Northwind does not charge for our software.

7. How easy is it to order?  Your supplier should offer email, phone, fax, online and smoke signal as options for you to submit your order.  The point is, they need to make it easy for you to order.

8. What else do they offer?  Some organization don't have the buying power to get all medications or get them at the best prices.  You should be able to get prepackaged medications but what about lotions, creams, ointments, liquids, injectables, supplies?  Your supplier should be able to offer one-stop shopping if that's what you want.

9. What are some of the flags?  Start with their website.  Do they clearly explain what they do, who they are and provide additional information if you need it?  Do they offer insurance or other financial products?  These companies are often brokers that are trying to leverage relationships; they may be a good partner but you will pay more - make sure they are worth it.  Working with a sales person?  Are they are a direct employee or a broker?  Once again, more cost in the system.  How long have they been in business?

10. Who owns the company?  I like to know who I'm doing business with.  Is it a big corporation or a family-owned business?  How important is my business to them?  Thought: the bigger the company, the less important you are.  These questions will lead to fulfilling your preferences and ultimately help meet your expectations.

No worries, nothing a little due diligence won't uncover.  Sometimes it just comes down to what type of company do you want to deal with.  Do you like corporate?  Do you prefer small business?  Do you want to work through the call center or do you want to talk to the owner?  These are cultural questions that can only be answered by you.  Regardless, give medication dispensing a try - it is still one of the easiest add-on services you can find and the returns can be very good.

Call it what you will: physician dispensing, clinic dispensing, point of care dispensing etc.  A clinic that inventories medications and provides them to patients as part of their care is engaging in dispensing.  This activity is legal in most states and has long been considered a part of the physicians tool bag in the quest to care for patients.  Now, you can find it in nurse practitioner and physician assistant tool kits as well.

Practices of all flavors dispense to their patients:

1. Urgent Care
2. General Practice
3. Weight Management
4. Occupational Health
5. Employer Clinics
6. Dermatology
7. Pediatrics
8. Dental
9. Student Health
10. Internal Medicine
11. Podiatry

Clinics often purchase prepackaged medications from companies like Northwind Pharmaceuticals.  Prepackaged medications are also known as repackaged medications because the repackager purchases them in bulk, counts out the pills into smaller groupings and then repackages them into unit-of-use sizes.  In other words, that bottle of amoxicillin with 1000 pills is broken down into a bottle with 30 pills so the clinic can put it on the shelf and provide it to their patient without breaking the seal or counting pills.  Repackagers are regulated by the FDA and are required to maintain the same quality procedures as original pharmaceutical manufacturers.  Packaging, labeling and quality are all critical to this process.

After prepackaged medications are put on the shelf, the clinic must have a tracking and labeling system.  Most suppliers offer their clinic customers a manual logbook or dispensing software.  A few, like Northwind, do not charge for these systems.  The logbook system is a handwritten system with peel-off labels to place on the bottles.  Dispensing software systems typically track inventory and dispenses plus add a label printing function.  RxTracker, the Northwind system, prints a label and drug information sheet that mirrors what a patient would receive from the pharmacy. 

The medication formulary will vary from clinic to clinic and really depends on your patient base.  More generalized practices will have a broader number of medications on the shelf while specialists typically narrow their formularies.  In addition to bottles of pills, clinics also offer lotions, creams, ointments, OTC products, liquids and medical supply items.  Your supplier will be happy to help you figure out the best mix for your practice.

Medication dispensing is not complete without the financial element.  Dispensing clinics typically focus on generic medications  and cash-paying customers.  A few offer branded medications and tread in the insurance reimbursement world but this is only a fit for certain, higher volume clinics.  A cash-focused clinic typically charges about $15 per dispense depending on the product, practice and location.  With the average of 40 scripts per day, this approach will typically yield 25-30 dispenses per practitioner.

Some things to consider when looking for a supplier:

1. Do they offer the medications you need in the size you require?
2. Are they licensed in your state?  Are they VAWD accredited?
3. Does their medication tracking system work for your practice?  Make sure it fits your process and doesn't limit your flexibility in your care flow.  Also make sure it doesn't require much duplication of effort - some labeling systems can be cumbersome.
4. How are their prices?  Some organizations maintain sizeable overhead.  Make sure you're not carrying too much of that in your prices.
5. Do they require a contract?  This may work in some instances but normally limits your flexibility.  For example, Northwind does not require a contract or minimum order.
6. What other terms or deals do they offer?  It never hurts to ask, they might say yes!
7. How is the cultural fit?  In other words, do you like the people you've met/spoken with?  Often, the soft-side becomes the most critical element.
8. Do they warehouse products or are they a marketing company?  There are numerous marketing companies now offering office medication dispensing solutions that are shipped from another company's warehouse.  Typically, layers of people add cost to the product.  Service may also come from different places.  This may work for your clinic but you should be aware of it upfront.

Ok, that is a good start.  Good luck!

One of the major drivers for doctors considering dispensing pharmaceuticals from their clinics is the potential revenue.  There are many patient benefits but this post will focus on the economic impact to a medical clinic.

First of all, the facts.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows about 633,000 working doctors in the United States.  About half of them work in physician offices and 12% of them are self-employed.  Of all working physicians, about 40% are internal medicine, family practice and pediatrics; the average primary care physician earns about $186,000 per year.

With reimbursements dropping (Bluecross cutting reimbursements...), all types of physicians are forced to look for creative ways to cut costs (ex: reduce the price of medical supplies) as well as increase revenues.  Enter physician dispensing.  Medication dispensing involves offering prepackaged pharmaceuticals to patients before they leave the office.  It is estimated that just under 10,000 physicians dispense from their practices.  One study shows that general practice physicians see just 18 patients per day.  General practice docs are seeing a variety of conditions and many of them require a prescription.

My next post will focus on discussing the numbers and economic impact of pharmaceutical dispensing.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals provides pharmaceuticals to clinics for in-office dispensing.  Founded in 1981, Northwind offers a variety of products to physicians interested in providing medication dispensing services to patients.  Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Northwind is centrally located for quick shipping to locations across the United States.

Here is a summary of our offerings:

• Prepackaged pharmaceuticals - bulk product repackaged into unit-of-use sizes for physician dispensing.
• Injectables
• Lotions, creams, ointments
• Liquids
• Medical Supplies

You can view a complete list of our pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in our online catalog.

Northwind offers two dispensing systems to clinics interested in pharmaceutical dispensing.  Our manual system uses carbon labels to capture patient information and medication instructions.  The labels are kept in a logbook for accurate record keeping.  We also offer RxTracker, a web-based system which allows clinics to track inventory, print patient labels and reorder electronically.  Both systems are offered at no-charge to Northwind Pharmaceuticals customers.

We make ordering easy.  Clinics can order through our online catalog, send us an email, fax their order or call our toll free number.  We accept orders 24 hours a day and most products are shipped the same day the order is received.

For more information, please visit us at www.nwpharma.com.  You can also call us at 800.722.0772 or email info@nwpharma.com.

Beginning tomorrow, Pfizer's blockbuster treatment for high cholesterol comes off patent paving the way for less expensive generics.  The generic name for Lipitor is Atorvastatin Calcium and it presents another option for dispensing clinics to better serve their patients.  How big a deal is this?  There are currently 8.7 million Americans taking Lipitor.  Lipitor has been on the market since 1997.  Pfizer sold $10.7 billion of this drug last year.

Wholesale pharmaceutical distributors like Northwind Pharmaceuticals will have Atorvastatin Calcium available beginning Wednesday, November 30.  For the first 180 days, rules limiting generic competition will limit price decreases but significant price decreases should hit after that point.  Drug plans as well as Pfizer are offering incentives to stay with Lipitor or switch but it is difficult to say how long those incentives will be offered.  For physicians offering office medication dispensing, it is interesting to note that the average co-pay for Lipitor is $49 and the average co-pay for generic medications is $10.

As prices come down, Northwind will offer prepackaged versions of Atorvastatin Calcium to make it easier to dispense within clinics.  For more information on the change, check out this article in today's Wall Street Journal.

Continuing consolidation among repackagers is creating opportunities and challenges in the clinic dispensing market.  The challenges fall on medical clinics that are experiencing disruptions in their supply chain, changing personnel, higher prices, new processes, discontinued medications and various other issues.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals has received many calls from unhappy clinics looking for better support, steady access to medications and competitive pricing.  In the spirit of sharing, I wanted to put a few bullets from those conversations into this post.

• Why are companies merging?  Money, competitive positioning, aging owners etc.  The pharmaceutical industry is changing rapidly and pressures continue to mount for business owners.  Regulatory scrutiny continues to increase along with downward pressure on pricing.  Its tough out there.
• Why am I having difficulty getting medications?  When it comes to consolidation, many of the repackagers are ending up on the coasts.  For clinics that are located farther away from their supplier's new location, this means increased shipping times.  In addition, when companies merge, the goal is to reduce costs which often means streamlining formularies or eliminating product offerings.  Finally, you have the normal challenges of recalls, manufacturer shortages and regulatory barriers that tend to choke supply.
• How do I know if I should stay with my current supplier?  Everyone tends to stay on their current path unless something pushes them off of it.  If you need better service, better prices, better technology, better delivery times or any of a host of priorities, then it is probably time to do an evaluation of your options.
• I just don't have time to evaluate options...  Actually, looking around doesn't have to take much time.  You usually figure it out in a couple of interactions.  Is the vendor responsive?  Believe it or not, many are not very timely in responding.  Do they offer the technology or labeling that you need?  Do they offer the medications that you dispense?  Are their prices competitive?  Do they make it easy to order?

We all want to buy from people we know and trust.  When a company is bought, often the people you trust are required to follow new dictates.  They may still be trustworthy but it just might not work for your situation anymore. Your supplier needs to provide the dispensing systems that meet your office medication dispensing requirements.  Pricing, availability and service are all part of that equation.  Things are changing fast; don't be afraid to look at a little change yourself.

Has it seemed like there are more and more products that are getting harder to get?  I just read an article in the Indianapolis Recorder talking about critical drug shortages.  It is interesting that a niche Indianapolis periodical has picked up on what is becoming major issue for health care providers and patients.  For clinics that dispense medications to their patients, it can be very disruptive to practice patterns.  Patients with chronic ailments relay on that periodic visit to review their condition and receive their medication at the point of care.  For acute patients, the inability to get the right product at the right time can slow their recovery.

Why are we seeing shortages of pharmaceuticals?  Raw materials shortages, reduced production of less profitable products, FDA recalls (many of these) and the occasional medication that is declared unsafe and removed from the market (like propoxyphene) can affect drug supply.  For dispensing clinics, we are seeing shortages of corticosteroid products, ophthalmic ointments and a host of lotions and creams of varying types.  The shortage of these clinical pharmaceuticals challenges practitioners in resolving ailments.  In some cases, we've seen shortages of injectable drugs but the biggest issues in the world of medication dispensing have been common, prepacked pharmaceuticals.

What can you do?  In some cases, we've been able to identify comparable products or substitutes for our clinic customers.  Of course, those usually don't last long if it is a major shortage.  In the case of FDA recalls, manufacturers typically address the issues and get back into production fairly quickly.  Some of the raw materials shortages we're seeing right now are more challenging because the supply chain has little ability to impact availability of many of the raw materials.  Physicians and nurses are evaluating their use of many of these products and searching for alternatives to solve patient issues.  In some cases, it is simply a matter of paying a higher price for the same product.  More often, practitioner and patient must grin and bear it.

The bottom line?  These shortages are simply a part of the world we live in and will continue to challenge pharmaceutical logistics throughout the country.

Distributors that help clinics dispense pharmaceuticals normally offer a dispensing logbook and/or an electronic tracking and labeling system.  These systems enable the clinic to keep track of medications dispensed to their patients.  Medication tracking software can be simple or complex depending on your vendor.  We encourage our clinics to keep their dispensing system as simple as possible.

Practitioners that dispense to their patients typically offer a combination of pills, lotions, ointments and solutions.  Many of our customers focus on treating acute conditions so we see many orders for antibiotics, analgesics, cough & cold products as well as corticosteroids.  Vaccines are also offered as a complement to the dispensing process.  In the case of Northwind Pharmaceuticals, we will also provide medical supplies to our clinics. 

Point-of-care dispensing is not a path to riches.  There are companies that promote practitioner dispensing as a means to generate significant dollars but the simple truth is that it can provide a decent supplemental revenue stream to a healthy clinic.  If dispensing revenues are higher than those from medical treatments, something is very wrong!  A single physician/nurse practitioner can reasonably generate enough to cover one or two office staff members.

Physician dispensing continues to grow as a mechanism for practices to supplement their revenue and extend their service to patients.  Simply put, physician dispensing is the act of providing medications to patients in lieu of going to a pharmacy.  In most states, prescribers are authorized to dispense pharmaceuticals to their own patients.  Normally, the practitioner provides prepackaged medications in unit-of-use sizes.  This means that the drugs are packaged in the dispensed size so the physician or nurse practitioner doesn't have to count pills.

There are many companies playing in the physician dispensing market.  Most of them are brokers that resell products sitting on a distributors shelves.  There are a handful of companies that maintain state and federal licensure to distribute pharmaceuticals and some of them also have VAWD (Verified Accredited Wholesale Distributor) status.  Typically, clinics purchase generic products for their clinic dispensing programs.  Some clinics purchase programs to accept insurance but this typically creates another level of complexity with minimal profit to the practice.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals is proud to support student health centers.  The student health center is a unique environment.  Serving a very large population within a very narrow geography, student health professionals have to be flexible in their approach to care and get to know their patients in very short order.  Some student health centers focus on treating very general conditions at the most basic level; the school nurse model.  Other student health centers are mini-hospitals offering a variety of outpatient procedures to their large patient population.  The student health center is managed by nurses operating under the direction of a Medical Director.  Smaller centers may be staffed by one nurse and an assistant; larger centers may have a dozen or more nurses, multiple physicians and a support staff.

Our student health center customers are mid-sized clinics that want to provide the convenience of on site medications to their patients without the cost of opening a full-blown pharmacy.  We support clinics that offer six medications as well as clinics offering 40 or 50 medications.  Many student health centers charge their students a co-pay for services while others include health services as part of a "student services" fee paid with tuition.  From dispensing birth control to antibiotics, these clinics become a life support center for their student patients. 

Many student health centers are members of the American College Health Association.  The ACHA supports Student Health Centers with professional development opportunities, information resources, a magazine and an annual meeting.  The ACHA also bridges Federal health initiatives and college health by facilitating communication of trends and data to student health centers.  Almost all of our student health center customers belong to the ACHA.  This year's ACHA Conference will be held May 31 - June 4 in Phoenix.  We will be exhibiting on June 2nd & 3rd - look for Booth 305.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals supports student health centers by enabling pharmaceutical dispensing and providing medical supplies.  We provision these clinics with prepackaged pharmaceuticals, lotions/creams/ointments, injectables, liquid medications, medical supplies, drug information, specialty packaging options and labeling.  Some of our clinic customers work with third party payers for reimbursement while many others focus on cash pay or no-charge services to the patients.  We work to support their efforts by making ordering easy, sharing information and delivering within expected time frames.

The valuable service provided by student health centers ensures quality care for our student population.  Student health centers offer a wonderful extension of hometown primary care as these students transition to full independence.

Northwind Pharmaceuticals provides prepackaged medications and manufacturer labeled pharmaceuticals for physician dispensing within the clinic. Northwind also provides medical supplies to clinics. We ship nationwide and specialize in working with student health centers, community health centers and independent medical clinics.

Northwind's dispensing system encompasses labeling and tracking tools to make the medication dispensing process as easy as possible for the clinic.  Pre-labeled bottles display all required pharmaceutical information and provide four peel-off labels for use on patient medical records, receipts or insurance documentation.  Our dispensing log enables the clinic to write the patient's name and medication instructions on a label that is placed on the bottle.  The labels are on a carbon sheet that retains an image of the label so the clinic has a record of all dispenses.

Northwind also offers software (RxTracker) that automates the pharmaceutical dispensing process.  RxTracker allows clinics to capture dispensing information electronically and print the prescription label from any office printer.  RxTracker will also track drug inventory and automate reordering.  Northwind offers both of these dispensing solutions at no additional charge.

Clinics seeking to learn more about in-office pharmaceutical dispensing are encouraged to visit the Northwind Pharmaceuticals website or call us at 800.722.0772.

Medically-directed weight loss has become a necessity for many people.  One element of a physician-directed program is medication.  Bariatric practices that offer medication dispensing are able to bring another tool to the battle against obesity.  Northwind Pharmaceuticals helps bariatric clinics implement pharmaceutical dispensing by providing prepackaged pharmaceuticals, labeling and tracking systems as well as guidance through the process.   

One mistake clinics often make is feeling that they need to count pills and package them within the clinic.  Our service takes the pill counting risk off of the physician and staff by providing options for medications and packaging.  Some commonly dispensed medications within clinics offering medically-directed weight loss services include: 

• Phentermine
• Phendimetrazine
• Metformin
• Fluoxetine
• Furosemide
• Metoprolol

Northwind Pharmaceuticals offers clinics different packaging options for these products.  For example, some clinics will dispense Phentermine 37.5mg in a 30 count bottle and schedule patient follow ups on a monthly basis while other physician's will extend the count to accommodate a longer interval between visits.  Our clinics view themselves as providing weight management solutions and medications are simply another element of the overall solution.

Clinic business models will vary and we try to be flexible to our client's requirements.  As a wholesale pharmaceutical distributor, Northwind provides a wide variety of medications.  As  dispensing consultants, we help you figure out how best to use them in your practice.  Call us today at 800.722.0772 to learn more about dispensing in your practice.

Here we are again, the end of another year!  We've seen a lot happen in 2010 and 2011 promises to be equally intense.  Tired of hearing about Obamacare?  Well, get used to it! The battle for and against this monster legislation will rage throughout 2011 and all of us will have to be savvy in managing in and around whatever form it ultimately takes.  My suggestion?  Focus on what you can control; your practice, your operation.  As you assess 2010 and look forward to 2011, here are some things to consider that sit within your span of control:

1) What are your plans for growing revenue in 2010?  Downward pressure on reimbursements continues.  Now, more than ever, physicians are being forced to look beyond typical medical services to expand their base of revenue.  Are you evaluating pharmaceuticals, nutri-ceuticals or other products as practice enhancers?  New or existing dispensing systems may enable you to easily add products to your mix.

2) What are the biggest threats to your practice?  Are your medical supplies prices increasing? Are your referrals decreasing?  Many hospitals and physicians are reporting a decrease in procedures.  Physicians need to actively track these trends and look for ways to address them proactively.  Trends may be avoidable but you are not helpless; there are always options.

3) Who's on your team?  Does your staff mix bring additional value to patients through enhanced services or extended hours?  Clinics carrying non-value added resources need to carefully consider their options.  Many clinics are leveraging physician time with nurse practitioners and physician assistants.  Reimbursement rates may affect the viability of these resources but they should still be considered. 

4) What are you doing to be different or enhance your practice? Are you doing anything with nutrition, anti-aging, disease management or weight management?  Procedures may be down but there are people looking for specific treatments. Do you continually evaluate new options and procedures for your practice?  No time? Can you afford not to?

5) Who are your competitors? Quick clinics in pharmacies?  Practice buy-outs by hospitals?  Government funded clinics? Evaluate their value-propositions and determine if there are elements of their offer that could work in your practice.  Are there expansion risks you could take that would enhance your business?

6) If you offer medications, what is the mix of products?  Do you evaluate products on an ongoing basis?  What is moving, what isn't?  What products are moving to generics that will be viable for clinic-dispensing?  Are you carrying items that are losers for the practice?  Are you charging enough?  What worked last year might not work this year.  Don't be afraid to change it up.

Though I remain biased towards physician dispensing as a low-cost, low-risk way of enhancing your practice.  There are many alternatives.  The winners in 2010 will find ways to extend their services, add extra value to existing patients and attract new ones.  Will that be you?

Early in May, Northwind Pharmaceuticals transitioned to our new location.  With our new warehouse, we are positioned better than ever to enhance our services to all of our customers.  Though we have always offered logistical support services, we can now offer additional support for companies needing a pharmaceutical warehousing, kitting and fulfillment partner.  Based in Indianapolis, Northwind's central location enables us to ship product anywhere within the United States in a few days.

As part of our logistics operation, current services include:

• Pharmaceutical warehousing
  
• Medication drop ship
  
• Pharmaceutical kitting
  
• Medical supply kitting

Northwind's drop ship fulfillment services allow us to act as a "back-end" for our partners by warehousing the medications and shipping directly to end customers.  This let's our marketing partners focus on selling without worrying about logistics.

As an Indianapolis medical products and pharmaceuticals distributor, Northwind supports our partners with national licensing, just-in-time fulfillment and technology to manage the process.  Give us a call at 800.722.0772 to learn more.

All things considered, 2009 was a very good year for PCA.  I would like to thank all of our partners and clinic customers for their continued trust.  We deeply value the relationship we have with each of you.

Since 1981, PCA has served clinics around the country.  We offer prepackaged pharmaceuticals for clinic dispensing, injectable drugs, health clinic supplies and dispensing software.  PCA ships across the United States, typically having your order en route within 24 hours.  We offer an extensive array of medical clinic supplies and wholesale pharmaceuticals.  We work closely with all of our clinic customers to make sure they are getting the products they need as well as any additional services that will help them better serve their patients.    Though we offer a large number of medications prepackaged in standard sizes, we will also provide custom repackaging services to meet individual clinic needs. 

Having difficulty finding a particular product?  PCA's large network of suppliers enables us to find hard-to-get items in a timely fashion.  We provide value by meeting your unique requirements.  Not sure how to get started with clinic dispensing?  Give me a call.  I will work with you to identify legal considerations, develop your formulary, brainstorm ways to promote your services to your patients and successfully implement dispensing in your clinic.  I'll also help you get set up with PCA's services: online ordering, medication tracking software, worker's comp claims adjudication etc.  We are most successful when you succeed.

The bottom line? PCA will help you with yours.  Best wishes for an awesome 2010!

It is a great time to take a breath and count blessings.  We feel very fortunate for our customers and partners across the country who give us the opportunity to work with them.  We have also been blessed with the opportunity to provide support to many community health centers that serve those less fortunate than us.  In serving those around us we find our true purpose and discover the best within ourselves.

All of us at PCA Pharmaceuticals wish you a very Merry Christmas!

PCA, offering prepackaged pharmaceuticals, dispensing software, health clinic supplies, work comp claim filing, warehousing and fulfillment services.

With the cold, the travel and the holidays come a range of illnesses that send people in droves for treatment.  From H1N1 to the good 'ole sore throat, clinics will continue to see a variety of ailments throughout what promises to be a challenging cold and flu season.  Pharmaceutical dispensing clients of PCA continue to purchase antibiotics, throat lozenges and cold & cough products to provide to their patients.  We are also seeing many orders for medical injectables like Promethazine to alleviate symptoms.

The CDC provides great information for travelers and health professionals as it relates to flu updates, outbreaks and guidance on other health-related information.  Go to www.cdc.gov for more information.  For even more information on the flu, check out www.flu.gov.

As you consider pharma vendors for your medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, consider PCA your partner for the "season".  Bundle up!

It seems that much of our identity is wrapped up in the notion of what we do for a living.  When making casual conversation with people we've just met, the question of occupation often arises.  More often than not, the real answer to that question is far too complex for these conversations so we try to capture the essence of our livelihood in a one line bullet point: I'm a physician; I'm a banker; I'm a drug rep etc.  In sales, they call it the "elevator pitch" - the succinct answer you would give someone on a 20 second ride in an elevator.

The need to be succinct doesn't change even when talking to those in our line of business.  Though PCA provides many products, our vocation is providing pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to clinics.  The answer often changes based on your audience: PCA provides pharmaceutical dispensing services or PCA offers dispensing software or PCA distributes medical injectables. The problem with the one-liner is that it doesn't make any value judgments - it doesn't really say whether or not you do these things well.

When thinking of your clinic, the same rules apply.  Every conversation brands your operation.   Sure, you might be a pulmonary specialist but what is it you are offering your patients?  You might be able to explain your specialty in 50 words or less but what does your receptionist say when asked?  At the highest level, you could say that "we make people well" but that doesn't quite capture it, does it?  Does all of your staff really understand all that you do for patients?  These questions require no answers.  It is simply a way to look at the value you provide a little differently.  The "elevator pitch" should answer what you do but it should also give a hint as to how you do it better.  If you're curious about how your staff describes your practice in the outside world, try asking them "what do we do?" and see how they answer.  You might be surprised.

Clinics need to keep track of what products are dispensed to patients.  For legend products, there are normally no reporting requirements.  Some states require physicians to submit reports for any controlled substances they dispense.  The products we ship come with 4-part peel-off labels.  These peel-offs contain all of the pertinent information for that particular drug.  Clinics can put the peel-offs on patient charts, receipts or any other form for tracking purposes.  The logbook we supply contains carbon labels that are placed on the bottle itself.  Once the bottle is labeled with the patient's name, dispenser's name and date, it is a legal prescription.  The label information is carbon-copied onto the label sheet which is left in the logbook.  This becomes your record of dispenses.

I had the opportunity to participate in the American Society of Bariatric Physicians annual conference this past week.  My company, PCA Pharmaceuticals, had a booth at the conference and it offered a great chance to talk to a number of physicians about pharmaceutical dispensing and dispensing software, practice economics, patient strategies and the interesting dynamics involved in the physician-directed weight loss marketplace.  We participated in the show on the recommendation of one of our customers.

I had many interesting conversations throughout my two days at the conference, but I want to mention a specific series of interactions that is very relevant to my posts on differentiation.  One physician stopped by numerous times with questions about medication dispensing, PCA, RxTracker dispensing software and the ultimate question: why should I buy from you?  We had a great dialog.  Each time he came by, he had a new set of questions and I could tell he was getting good information from other vendors.  My last interaction with him was on the elevator and down a hall as he expressed frustration at not being able to see a clear difference between the vendors offering to help him dispense in his clinic.  I realized that he had been gathering the facts and he discovered that the general offering from the competing vendors was pretty much the same: similar products, similar software, similar policies and possibly similar prices (although we didn't really dive into pricing).  I told him he had done some great diligence on us and suggested there comes a point when he will have to follow his gut and go with "chemistry".  That is, where he felt the most comfortable.  The relationship will only be forged through the opportunities and challenges that come when working together.  No one can tell him how that will be or quantify it; he will just have to walk the path.  I very much appreciated his feedback and see some things I can improve on my end; however, the "proof is still in the pudding".  Here are some other thoughts for my diligent physician on things for him to evaluate:

1. Recognize that many websites are posted by brokers who are actually selling products for other suppliers.  These "firms" are often ran part-time by one individual who simply makes commission by marketing others' products.

2. Ask the firm if they repackage under their own label.  Have them fax you a copy of their label or ask for their FDA manufacturer's number - it will be the first set of digits on the NDC for their prepackaged pharmaceuticals.

3. Verify that they are licensed to distribute in your state. Many state pharmacy boards allow you to verify wholesaler & manufacturer license numbers online.

4. On their website, look for an indication of how long they've been in business. There are a few repackagers that have been around for 20+ years and are proud to say it.  PCA Pharmaceuticals has been around since 1981.

5. When you talk to the supplier, ask them about their business. How do they go about helping their customers? Do they offer software?  How do their labels work?  Do they make recommendations for a start up formulary?  You want to find a supplier that can get you the products you need but will also be a good fit for you and your practice.  Talking to them is the only sure way to make sure there is a fit.

6. Are they VAWD accredited?  VAWD is an expensive and cumbersome process that discourages many would-be distributors.  It is a way to verify that they have the processes and sophistication to meet the requirements of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

7. What else do they do?  For example: PCA offers a variety of services: warehousing, fulfillment, dispensing software, custom labeling, kitting, medical supplies, injectables etc.  Find out the depth of your prospective supplier to see if there might be additional services that add value to your clinic.

8. Ask them about physician dispensing. How does it normally work? How many clinics do they currently serve? What are their dispensing systems? How many different prepackaged medications do they offer? Do they offer controlled substances?  What makes them different?  Firms like PCA that serve hundreds of pharmaceutical dispensing clinics will have many stories and reference points.

Good luck!  I hope we hear from you :)