Patients often visit the pharmacy twice a year compared to only four visits to a primary care doctor. With so many trips with your health on the line, picking a pharmacy like Flinder’s street pharmacy that meets your needs and causes you the least hassle is critical.
But there are plenty of pharmacies to pick from—in fact, 90% of people live less than two miles away from one. Therefore, we will outline the main distinctions between independent and chain pharmacies to help you decide and better understand the possibilities that are accessible to you.
Service to clients
Pharmacists and employees at independent pharmacies have more energy and time to serve consumers as persons rather than as numbers since they are not held to the same financial goals as corporate pharmacies.
Additionally, this goes beyond emotions! In Consumer Reports research, more than 50% of patients filling out the prescriptions at autonomous pharmacies conveyed that their druggist recognized them by their vocation compared to the rest, 14% of the pharmacy chain.
Convenience
Chain pharmacies provide convenience, and it’s impossible to argue against that! How could an independent pharmacy compete on convenience when there is a Walgreens on almost every corner?
The solution is to provide several pick-ups and delivery choices for prescription medications.
Independent pharmacies have the flexibility and desire to distribute pharmaceuticals to their community members—a versatility that chains don’t have. They may be outnumbered in most areas and have more limited operating hours.
Affordability
Affordability is one advantage that large box pharmacies ought to be able to tout.
Due to their inherent advantages of size and scale, large firms may charge less than their independent competitors. Nevertheless, it’s noteworthy that scale rarely translates into cheaper prices for clients in the pharmaceutical sector.
Consumer Reports conducted another smart investigation that revealed independent pharmacies might charge less for prescription drugs than chains.
Good Prices
The lower pricing may be one of the advantages you experience initially. Independent pharmacies provide far lower pricing for identical items than major chain pharmacies. It will enable you to obtain the required prescriptions without shelling out a bunch. In addition, the wait times will be substantially less than at large chain pharmacies. It will be simpler for you than in other areas to purchase your items, exit the store, and continue your journey.
Quick response and effective
In-store lineups and wait times are frequently lower at smaller, independent pharmacies. It may be partially attributable to understaffing and overworked employees in chain pharmacies, which results in long waits in line and on the phone. It is particularly true while flu and virus vaccination campaigns are underway and during periods of peak daily traffic.
Accuracy and dependability
Smaller pharmacies offer accuracy and dependability with your prescription fills, unlike chain pharmacies, which are overloaded by prescription requests and have understaffed pharmacies. Your neighbourhood pharmacist can guarantee that your prescription is filled correctly without the stress of corporate pressure and continual client churn.
Promote the community
Supporting your community by using an independent pharmacy may be quite beneficial. Your friends and neighbours are the drugstore owners, unlike going to a large chain pharmacy where they are concerned with generating as much profit as possible.
Conclusion
Ultimately, independent pharmacies like Flinder’s street pharmacy benefits over chains may be attributed to the emphasis on profits over patients. Local pharmacies prioritize the community, and this distinction is obvious in the end.
