LETTER
A note from the publisher
I’ m often asked how I got into the business of pharmacy. There are two people I can credit with that. The first is my business partner, from Live Oak Pharmacy, and friend, Nathan Pope, Pharm. D. In my opinion, Nathan is one of the leading pharmacists in America today. His passion for the patient experience is truly inspiring. But the person who is at the core of my passion for pharmacy is my mom.
From an early age I remember her telling me“ Your pharmacist is your friend. He knows more about your medications than your doctor does.” As a kid, I thought everyone got this sage advice from their parents, but as I became an adult, I realized this isn’ t true at all. One of the main goals for Live Oak Pharmacy is to remind the public, including physicians, that pharmacists are in fact health care providers. And that brings me to the subject of Rafinha Bastos.
If you are scratching your head trying to place who Mr. Bastos is, let me help you out; he’ s a stand-up comic. A recent article in the New York Times called him the most influential person on Twitter * and quoted Mr. Bastos as saying“ I’ m a creature and creation of the Internet, and I’ m very proud of that. The Internet made it possible for me to construct my career the way I wanted to.”
So what does Mr. Bastos have to do with Independent Community Pharmacy? Everything; Mr. Bastos could have easily been replaced with an independent pharmacist. For the first time in history, independent pharmacy owners have access to the same opportunities that were once only available to the big box chain stores.
It’ s not all about social media, though. Media, in general, is changing. Technology has made it easier and less expensive to create thriving print, radio, video, and Web campaigns. Companies that once only serviced big businesses are now courting us because we are on the front lines, making a difference in our patients’ health and wellness.
Our hope for Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly is that you’ ll find inspiration, share it with your employees, connect with other pharmacy owners and grow your business by getting people to know, like and trust you. Because as my mother says,“ Your pharmacist is your friend. They know more about your medications than your doctor does.” And my mom is never wrong.
We can do this; we can become the most influential people in our communities. To the health & wellness of your pharmacy,
Scot K. Maitland Publisher
* You can follow Mr. Bastos on Twitter @ RafinhaBastos.
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