Roughly three-quarters of Americans (76%) have visited at least one other country, according to the Pew Research Center.
While international travel can bring new experiences, opportunities, and connections, it can also bring new health risks that your pharmacy can minimize from right within your four walls.
NCPA estimates that 61% of community pharmacies offer vaccine services — and if you’re part of that 61%, you can make an easy transition to travel vaccines. Here’s how:
1. Do Your Research
Before starting any new services — travel vaccines included — you should spend some time researching.
Get familiar with the destinations your patients are traveling to, as well as the vaccines recommended for those destinations. This can help you decide which vaccines you want to offer and which patients you should target when marketing your service.
The most common travel vaccines, according to the World Health Organization, are:
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid fever
- Cholera
- Encephalitis
Aside from knowing these standard vaccines, you should stay up to date on travel health advisories issued by organizations like the CDC and WHO. If you see a new advisory, you can add a new vaccine and stay ahead of the curve.
2. Stay Compliant
Any time you start a new service, you should do your due diligence in meeting its requirements.
For travel vaccines, this means getting standard immunization certifications, as well as certifications from your state health department. In some cases, like with yellow fever vaccines, you may have to complete additional training.
To make sure you check off all the boxes, reach out to your state board of pharmacy. They can help you meet administration, reporting, and billing requirements in your area and stay compliant.
3. Create a Workflow
On this note, your pharmacy software system can be your greatest asset in all things vaccine administration.
In your system, you can create a workflow for travel vaccines, schedule appointments, input patient information, submit claims, and follow-up with patients.
This can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend filling out paperwork and increase the number of travel vaccines you give — and since they’re a cash service, why wouldn’t you want to get more travelers in the door?
Visit our Compare Software page to learn more about the top pharmacy software systems and how they can help you streamline your new travel vaccine service.
4. Get Your Team Involved
It takes a village to run a pharmacy — and especially to give vaccines. Make sure your team is up to date on getting their vaccine certifications, conducting consultations, and using your pharmacy software to make sure your service runs smoothly.
You may find it helpful to delegate different parts of the vaccine workflow to different team members: someone to handle scheduling, another to administer vaccines, and another to submit claims.
However you choose to do it, make sure your team stays on the same page with your service and adjust accordingly.
5. Create a Referral Network
When you start a new service, networking is among the best ways you can attract new patients. Work with other providers, travel agencies, and community organizations in your area to promote your travel vaccine program and reach potential customers.
If you already have partnerships with primary care physicians, urgent care clinics, or even travel medicine specialists, you can set up a referral network and connect your services.
On the other hand, you can work with travel agencies to give special promotions or discounts on travel vaccines.
You can even work with local organizations to host workshops on travel health, which can raise awareness on the issue and keep your pharmacy in prospective patients’ minds.
6. Make a Marketing Strategy
A simple flyer in your pharmacy isn’t enough to get new patients to try your new service.
Instead, work with your team — or delegate a particular team member — to create a marketing campaign for your vaccines.
Advertise on your pharmacy's website, use social media platforms, send out email newsletters, and hang up some in-store signage to educate patients about travel vaccines and let them know what you’re offering.
You can also offer information on travel health, recommended vaccine schedules, and what travelers should know before they head to their next destination.
When it comes to marketing, your content should be helpful for your patients; and it should always point back to how you can help them.
7. Monitor Your Service
Once you launch your travel vaccine service, your work doesn’t stop . As you get the ball rolling, monitor the performance of your program, identifying areas for improvement as you go.
Ask your patients for feedback — from surveys to reviews — to get an idea of how you can better serve them and incorporate feedback moving forward.
Again, make sure to stay up to date on health notices, emerging infectious diseases, and any changes to CDC vaccine recommendations. Regularly review your inventory management processes, staff training protocols, and customer service practices.
If you approach your service with the goal of constant improvement, you’ll be set for success.
Conclusion
Now more than ever before, Americans are traveling internationally .
As they prepare to get their travel vaccines, make sure they know that your pharmacy is the best place to go — with adequate training, technology, and expertise to keep them safe.
As you set out to start your new service, see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and better serve your patients. Be flexible, be adaptable, and get ready to take on the challenge.
