How has the role of pharmacists changed in recent years?
The pharmacy is an essential relay for the French health system. It is a walk-in location, open all day, all week, where patients have access to healthcare professionals. We have a territorial network that allows patients to always have a pharmacy nearby. The State expects pharmacists to play a real role in coordinating and launching services to unclog the hospital.
In this context, more and more events are being held in pharmacies. Covid has accelerated this phenomenon and has made it possible to reposition the pharmacist at the center of the care pathway; an accessible health professional capable of testing, vaccinating, screening… and tomorrow allowing patients to be hospitalized at home.
The profession has shown strong resilience and responsiveness to fulfill these new missions, forcing us to reorganize, hire new resources, rethink schedules, and create new spaces to receive patients. The method of remuneration has also evolved; until recently we were paid according to what we sold, that is, what the doctors prescribed, now they also pay us for the services rendered.
How does the market tend to concentration?
He is in for a big change. Most pharmacies have an average of 3-5 employees, which makes it difficult to implement so many services. Undoubtedly, tomorrow’s challenge will be to bring together certain pharmacies to be able to group teams, guarantee broader time slots and launch innovative and differentiating services, maintaining this territorial network that guarantees health for all. These consolidations will mean that pharmacies will have higher turnover and therefore more substantial means will be needed to buy them back. It will also be necessary that in the cities, certain pharmacies specialize in very specific services.
What services does Arpilabe offer to pharmacists?
Arpilabe accompanies the pharmacist in everything that is not his main activity. In pharmacy school we study pathologies and learn everything about medicine, from its conception to its delivery, but very little in terms of its management. When we meet the owner of a pharmacy, like any business manager, we have schedules to do, procedures, purchases, works, a balance to manage, as well as new missions. There are also “unforeseen” periods, Covid was the perfect example: how to set up a partial strike or renegotiate your debt?
Therefore, Arpilabe offers pharmacists 360° support in all facets of their role as a leader to help them establish themselves, perform and feel satisfied. We follow the entrepreneurial project of the holder so that he becomes a recognized health professional and a successful business leader.
This content was produced with SCRIBEO. The BFMBUSINESS editorial team was not involved in the production of this content.
Source: BFM TV
