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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