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Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Pharmacy

ByDave Stopher

Jun 9, 2020

Pharmacies are important cogs in our society and they provide so many vital medicines, treatments, and services that we really would be lost without them. In most towns, there is more than one pharmacy and with the increasing numbers of online pharmacies, customers and patients have more options than ever. No two pharmacies are the same and there are some key factors that determine which pharmacy customers should choose. 

In this article, we will discuss the important things to consider when choosing a pharmacy.

Location

Location is one of the most important factors that help determine which pharmacy customers decide to use. Quite often, doctor’s offices or hospitals will have pharmacies in the same building or very close by and so naturally people will go straight to that pharmacy after receiving a prescription or diagnosis. Alternatively, for general pharmacy visits where day to day things are needed like cough medicine or regular prescriptions, customers tend to go to the nearest pharmacy which has what they need. These days there are multiple pharmacies in every town and city and so it is very rare for people to have to travel a long distance to fulfill their pharmacy needs. 

Opening Times

Many people often nip to the pharmacy during their lunch break or on their way to and from work or their kids’ school and so it is really important that pharmacies have convenient opening times. There are some pharmacies that actually shut for lunch and this is a big problem for many customers as this is the only time when they are able to go. People who work night shifts may choose a pharmacy that’s open 24 hours or that’s open late. Other people will be too busy working or looking after children to go to the pharmacy during the week and so will choose one that is open on weekends. 

The Pharmacy Team

One really important thing that should be considered when choosing a pharmacy is how good are the pharmacist and their team. The best pharmacy teams are highly knowledgeable and can give you expert advice that is far beyond simply telling you to take one tablet daily. Whilst the customer will not be able to know if the advice their pharmacist is giving them is correct or how knowledgeable they are, they will certainly notice if a pharmacist does not seem interested in helping them or is indiscreet in the way they interact with the customer. There are many sensitive reasons that people need to visit the pharmacy and nobody wants to have their personal health issues discussed loudly in front of a group of strangers in a busy pharmacy.

Medicine Prices and Fees

This is always a big consideration that customers make no matter what they are buying. In many places when a prescription is filled, the pharmacy is legally obliged to disclose how much the drug costs and what their dispensing fee is. It is a common misconception that all pharmacies charge the same amount for the same drugs and so many customers never shop around at all for their medicine. Especially if a customer has a prescription that needs filling on a weekly basis, the extra money that one pharmacy charges compared to another can really add up. It is so important for customers to shop around the local pharmacies in their neighborhood to make sure that they are getting the best possible deal.

Online Options

These days, there are many online pharmacies available which are a great choice for many people. It is really important to review your options when choosing an online pharmacy because there are so many that you can save a lot of money by doing just a little research. Online pharmacies often ship worldwide and so location is not an issue, can be ordered from 24/7, have knowledgeable pharmacy teams to advise customers in real-time, and have highly competitive prices that customers can compare on different sites. It is vital that customers make sure they are ordering from a reputable online pharmacy because there are some fake ones online that sell counterfeit medicine. At best, taking counterfeit can be ineffective and at worst could be potentially very dangerous.

Pharmacies are so important for our health and so it is vital that due care and consideration is given when choosing a pharmacy. Location, price, opening hours, and the knowledge of the pharmacy team are all really important factors in making a decision. These days, online pharmacies have made it so convenient to order medicine and have it delivered straight to a customer’s home at a market-leading price.