You all have brought up good points. I agree that we have to look at the motivation and process with a critical eye. But mostly the process. Here's why: Even if the motivation is increasing sales and stock value, if a pharmacy recruits customers by truly providing better service to those with literacy and language challenges, then it's still a good thing. If I have an option to go to a pharmacy that consistently ensures that I understand my medicines, then we all win. They get another customer and I get better service.

If pharmacies start competing by addressing health literacy issues in real and effective ways, it could push up the quality of services across the board. This is good!

Of course it all depends on a sound process.  The pharmacy must aim to be truly effective, consistent, and long-term in providing better service, and they must do it well. So, what is doing it well?

I suggest collaborating with a health agency, getting input from health literacy experts, testing the process with adult learners, making sure that there is some plain language and picture-based material to let people take home, and evaluating the program carefully. It's also important that it be a long-term program rather than a quick tease to pull people in.

What else can we suggest for a sound process?

Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org


>>> "Ann Rathbun, Ph.D." <a.rathbun at morehead-st.edu> 01/18/08 8:36 AM >>>

As pharmacies move more toward the 'big box' model, I am constantly  
amazed at the paradoxes that are present in the stores.  Stores are  
selling health promoting medications, disease preventing medications,  
and other life saving drugs.  At the same time, big box stores sell  
cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, etc....things that may kill us.   
Why are cigarettes sold under the same roof where the pills, patches  
and gums that help us quit are also sold?  Mark is right...profit  
driven, not health promoting/prevention driven.  Really confusing to  
consumers, too, I think.

Ann



Quoting MarkH38514 at aol.com:


> In late 1998, Rite Aid stock was about $50 per share; now it's  at less than

> $2. I have family members who owned stock in the company. Rite  Aid   

> has really

> struggled, in large part because of some financial  malfeasance by previous

> executives; a  former CEO got  10 years in prison.

>

> It's fair to assume that having patients bring in all their  prescriptions is

> a way for Rite Aid to try to get them to shift their  prescriptions from

> their current pharmacy to Rite Aid. In one way that may not  be a   

> bad idea, since

> pharmacists who are aware of all the drugs a patient is  taking may be more

> likely to pick up on potentially serious drug interactions.  For   

> those patients

> who get their prescriptions filled at different  pharmacies, keeping track of

> drug  interactions is almost  impossible.

>

> But that's probably not as important as increasing their  prescription drug

> sales, or even getting consumers into the store in hopes  they'll   

> buy something

> on their way to or from the pharmacy in the back of the  store. That's the

> reason pharmacies are in the back of the store to begin with.

>

> It's all about marketing and money and getting the stock price  up.

>

> Mark Hochhauser

>

>

> Mark Hochhauser, Ph.D.

> Readability Consultant

> 3344 Scott  Avenue North

> Golden Valley, MN  55422-2748

> Phone:  763-521-4672

> Cell: 612-281-1517

> Fax: 763-521-5069

> email: _MarkH38514 at aol.com_ (mailto:MarkH38514 at aol.com)

>

>

>

>

> **************Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in shape.

> http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489

>




Ann Rathbun, Ph.D.
Department of HPES
200C Laughlin Health Bld.
Morehead State University
606-783-2464


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