Maximize Disease Awareness Months in the Pharmacy

Forget Labor Day barbecues and New Year’s Day champagne. In pharmacy, a different kind of holiday calendar is observed throughout the year—this one focused on health awareness.

Disease awareness months—such as American Heart Month recognized in February or Mental Health Awareness Month observed in May—offer sustained opportunities for pharmacies to connect with the community, educate patients on important and sometimes underrecognized health issues, and attract new customers. In spotlighting different conditions, these powerful public health tools encourage health interventions such as screening and vaccination, promote better treatment outcomes, and help patients feel less alone in their disease states. From stocking relevant products to displaying informative visuals and offering specialized consultations, boundless opportunities exist in the pharmacy to leverage these “health holidays” year-round.

Understanding the relevant patient base is the first step in maximizing disease awareness initiatives. From there, pharmacists can target patients who may benefit from additional care. This support can manifest in several ways, such as through special screening events, educational courses or workshops, or informational handouts.

Building a patient-centric environment extends beyond these direct interventions; regularly updating store displays to reflect each disease awareness month can enhance a pharmacy’s campaign. Think beyond medications: Group sunscreens, aloe vera gel, and rash guards together for UV Safety Awareness Month in July. Stock blood sugar monitors, diabetic foot care products, and alcohol wipes together for National Diabetes Month in November. This approach not only benefits patients by making it easier to find what they need, but it can also boost revenue and save staff time.

“Make sure you’re rotating stock seasonally. If I don’t see it, I’m not going to be reminded that I need it,” said Tiffany Capps, CPhT, pharmacy operations and communications lead at CPESN. Capps is also the social learning coordinator at Flip the Pharmacy, a program designed to improve pharmacy operations and marketing through practice transformation services and staff support. “And if you’re promoting something, make sure it’s easily accessible, because your front store staff is going to get that question 100 times of, ‘Where is it?’ So, save yourself and your staff time and [promote] efficiency, and push those impulse buys.”

Once a strong internal initiative is implemented, partner with other health care professionals in the area to amplify its reach. Ginny Langbehn, vice president of marketing and communications at American Associated Pharmacies (AAP), suggests collaborating with physicians to create a more supportive landscape for patients.

“Make sure other health care providers are aware of any special offerings your pharmacy has for the month and arm them with printed marketing materials they can share with [patients with the disease or patients with a similar demographic profile of those patients],” said Langbehn. “If there are no specials at your pharmacy associated with the recognition month, produce educational or informative materials addressing typical concerns, challenges, treatments or other topics of interest to patients [with that condition or disease].”

For these informative materials, pharmacists must craft messaging that is clear, focused, and action oriented. Rather than describe a service you are offering (eg, a diabetes management program), explain to patients how it could benefit their health (eg, control your blood sugar and live a healthier life with our personalized diabetes program). Tailor the tone and content of messaging using language and visuals that resonate with different demographics. Use prompts such as “get screened,” “learn about supplements,” or “sign up for our program” that not only educate patients but motivate action.

“Let’s say you offer a Wednesday testing or blood pressure monitoring special,” said Capps. “It’s great to educate our patients and let them know that, but [that messaging] needs to end with ‘schedule your appointment’ or ‘schedule your blood screening with us’ so that they know what to do.”

What’s more, effective branding is key to redirecting attention back to the pharmacy. “Make sure the material you produce is branded with your pharmacy’s information and a call to action for patients to visit your store,” said Langbehn.

In addition to health care providers, partner with others in the community to boost the impact of disease awareness initiatives. It’s likely that settings such as senior centers, civic groups, churches, or other nonprofit organizations may have health-related initiatives already in place—leverage these existing networks to spread awareness much more effectively. Local events—such as health fairs, festivals, or community screenings—provide greater opportunities for patient engagement.

“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” said Capps. “It’s hard for independent pharmacies to find time to do all these things. There are [people who] are already doing these events—if you can partner with them, you’re not only getting your pharmacy’s name out there, but it’s saving you a ton of time.”

Beyond engagement, partnering with trusted community organizations adds credibility to disease awareness messaging. People are more likely to trust information coming from a familiar source, and establishing a strong community connection creates a distinct advantage over other pharmacies that may be running similar monthly campaigns.

Using channels such as social media, local news outlets, or word-of-mouth, capitalize on this advantage to explain what sets your pharmacy apart from others. Whether it’s personalized services, compounding, its convenient location, extended hours, telehealth, or other offerings, explain to customers why they should be utilizing your care.

Langbehn also recommends using “storytelling and imagery” to create a unique voice for your pharmacy. Spotlight pharmacists, technicians, or other staff members who go above and beyond to serve patients in the community. Share testimonials from customers who benefited from your pharmacy’s disease awareness initiatives to build trust with a wider audience year-round.

“Let’s say your technician is doing Wednesday screenings. Have community members take pictures with them,” suggested Capps. “Make your campaigns appear very much local, because people will want to come to you if they feel a connection outside of those, let’s say, giant nationwide pushes that you see in commercials.”

Make every month a celebration of well-being at the pharmacy with disease awareness initiatives. By building bridges with health care providers and trusted community partners, crafting a relatable brand voice through storytelling and imagery, and delivering clear, action-oriented messages, pharmacists can empower customers to embrace proactive health—and keep them coming back year after year.

READ MORE: In This Issue: Total Pharmacy August 2024

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