MYTH: I’ll never be able to compete with the big national chains, mail order and now, Internet Pharmacy. I’m pretty much on my own.

FACT: Pharmacy First’s Rx$hare operates as a “virtual”chain of independent retailers from coast to coast that rivals even the largest monolithic chain store operation. By acting as your “back office”and negotiating market share and patient management contracts on your behalf, Pharmacy First’s Rx$hare levels the playing field and provides a solid foundation for you to receive deals and discounts similar to those offered to the chains and mail order houses. In addition,Pharmacy First provides information, guidance and tools on how to maximize revenue for any member pharmacy that requires assistance.

Remember that the personal relationship you have with your patients is one of your greatest assets. It’s what sets you apart, and is virtually impossible to replicate at the chain level. That’s why Pharmacy First works to ensure that you are able to provide quality front-line healthcare services to your patients, and are fairly recognized and compensated for doing so.

MYTH: Wholesalers, for their own self-interest, created the Pharmacy First Network.There must be a hidden agenda.

FACT: Nothing can be farther from the truth! Pharmacy First wascreated by the Wholesale Alliance, a national consortium of regional pharmaceutical wholesalers that share the common goal of ensuring the profitability and economic viability of independent and regional chain pharmacies. These wholesalers have placed their own competitive interests aside and committed considerable dollars and hours to help ensure that a rapidly changing marketplace does not unfairly disadvantage you or your patients.Although the vast majority of member pharmacies have a relationship with a network-sponsoring wholesaler, it is absolutely not required.

MYTH: My local buying group,software vendor and pharmacy association all say they can do these things for me.

FACT: Buying groups and associations typically do not have access todispensing data. Plus, in order for your transaction data to return the highest value back to your pharmacy,it must become ‘statistically’ significant. Unlike Pharmacy First, regional groups or organizations simply cannot achieve the volume of prescription data necessary for it to realize its greatest value. Nor do they have the manpower and expertise to negotiate and obtain the best contracts with manufacturers and third parties on your behalf.

MYTH: Pharmacy First just wants to get my prescription data and sell it.

FACT: Not at all! Fact #1- network members retain ownership of their prescription data. Fact #2 - Pharmacy First does not sell the data to pharma! Your data is used to measure the results of the various Rx$hare programs and to evaluate other potential revenue generating opportunities with Pharma. Pharmacy First simply transmits transactional dispensing data to our central data warehouse where it is aggregated,measured and processed so that you may receive maximum return on its value.

MYTH: By participating in the Pharmacy First’s Rx$hare program,my patient’s confidentiality is at risk.

FACT: Patient privacy is always a priority! Third party security firewalls function under strictly
enforced patient confidentiality agreements. The only prescription data released to contracted
parties is aggregated and non-patient specific. (For pharmacies participating in our Compliance and Persistency program, that requires a separate business associate agreement <Compliance Services Agreement>.)

MYTH: Data collection fees are very high and little money is being returned to my pharmacy.

FACT: Like most network organizations,Pharmacy First charges a per prescription data transmission fee to cover our cost of collecting, storing and processing the data. These fees are subtracted from your quarterly earned rebate so there are no upfront costs to participate or enroll. Pharmacy First must aggregate and process data from a wide array of independents and small chains that operate with many different computer systems and software capabilities. While we have been successful in providing technology options to reduce transaction fees,we are continually working to reduce fees even further, so that member pharmacies can achieve.

Pharmacy First’s Rx$hare offers greater opportunity to earn performance-based rebates and special marketing program dollars than any other network organization. Without your active participation in helping to shift market share in favor of rebate eligible products,maximizing rebate dollars will be difficult to achieve. Using sound professional judgment and protocols, Pharmacy First members should dispense Rx$hare products whenever possible instead of the directly competing products. Remember - market share and the resulting rebate is not measured by the volume of one particular product. Market share and the resulting rebate is measured by the amount of one particular product you dispense instead of other directly competing products within the same therapeutic category. Ultimately, it’s up to you and your staff to make the most out of the tremendous profit potential Pharmacy First offers.

MYTH: Pharmacy First spends a lot of money by tying up my fax machine.

FACT: The most direct and convenient way to make you and your staff aware of our products and services is through your fax machine. Not everyone has access to their e-mail at work. In most cases, our communication is limited to one page and is transmitted in the early morning hours. And in all cases, the communication is beneficial and profitable to you and your practice. Plus,we pass on fees generated by the communication back to the retailer in your Rx$hare quarterly rebate check. So, in this case, receiving a fax is profitable for your pharmacy.

MYTH: OK,so all I have to do is sit back, relax and Pharmacy First does the rest.

FACT: Not really.Rx$hare network members who have achieved the greatest success with Pharmacy First programs and services take a proactive role. Pharmacy First has been extremely successful in providing our members with access to a wide array of market share, special marketing and patient management services, but it is ultimately up to you to take full advantage of what is offered.For example,by making informed dispensing decisions and providing educational and cognitive services to your patients, additional sources of revenue can be earned.

Besides, other than not having the ability to access your dispensing data, there is no valid reason why you should not be a Rx$hare network member!

For more information on how you can take full advantage of the benefits in
belonging to the Pharmacy First’s Rx$hare Network of Independent Pharmacies,
contact us at 1-888-800-DRUG(3784).