pharmacy business plan

Pharmacy Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Pharmacy Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your pharmacy business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their pharmacies.

Pharmacy Business Plan Example

Below is a sample pharmacy business plan and template to help you create each section of your pharmacy business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Healthy1 Pharmacy is a new independent retail pharmacy located in Charleston, South Carolina. The company is founded by Stephen Harris, a licensed pharmacist who has spent more than fifteen years working in the pharmacy industry. Stephen is confident that his strong communication skills combined with his keen attention to detail when preparing prescriptions will help him quickly grow a loyal customer base for his new pharmacy. Stephen has recruited a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a retail pharmacy including marketing, sales, customer service, financial reporting, and operations management.

Healthy1 Pharmacy will provide all of the products and services that are available at large retail chains, only with a better price and a small-town atmosphere. At Healthy1, sales associates and pharmacy technicians will get to know each customer by name and be able to offer a more personalized service not typically offered at larger pharmacies. Healthy1 Pharmacy will be a one-stop shop for any customer in need of a prescription, flu shot, OTC medication, and more.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Healthy1 Pharmacy will provide:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medications
• Prescription medications
• Immunizations
• Travel medications
• Point-of-Care (POC) Tests
• Compounding

Customer Focus

Healthy1 Pharmacy will target all individuals in Charleston. The pharmacy will target multiple age groups from pediatric to geriatric. Healthy1 will also target patients needing prescriptions filled on a regular basis. No matter the customer, Healthy1 Pharmacy will deliver the best communication, service, and prices.

Management Team

Healthy1 Pharmacy will be owned and operated by Stephen Harris. He has recruited Emily Jackson, an experienced retail pharmacy manager to be his Store Manager and help to supervise the staff and run the day-to-day retail operations.

Stephen Harris is a licensed pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and more than fifteen years of experience working in the pharmacy industry. Stephen has been recognized by his former employer as a top performing pharmacist for five years in a row.

Emily Jackson has been a store manager at a local retail pharmacy for over a decade and has garnered a positive reputation for her exceptional organizational skills and leadership. Emily has worked in the pharmacy industry for so long, she understands all aspects required in running a successful retail pharmacy.

Success Factors

Healthy1 Pharmacy will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of sales associates and pharmacy technicians who will assist customers, answer questions, and provide a personalized approach not found in larger pharmacies.
• Comprehensive array of products and services that includes everything you would expect from a large pharmacy, only with attentive customer service and lower prices.
• Healthy1 Pharmacy offers the best pricing in Charleston. The pharmacy’s pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.

Financial Highlights

Healthy1 Pharmacy is seeking $400,000 in debt financing to launch its new pharmacy. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the retail space and purchasing equipment, inventory, and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Pharmacy and retail space build-out: $100,000
• Equipment, supplies, inventory, and materials: $100,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $160,000
• Marketing costs: $25,000
• Working capital: $15,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Healthy1 Pharmacy.

Company Overview

Who is healthy1 pharmacy.

Healthy1 Pharmacy is a newly established independent retail pharmacy located in Charleston, South Carolina. Healthy1 Pharmacy will provide all of the products and services that are available at large retail chains, only with lower prices and a small-town atmosphere. At Healthy1, sales associates and pharmacy technicians will get to know each customer by name and be able to offer a more personalized service not typically offered at larger pharmacies. Healthy1 Pharmacy will be a one-stop shop for any customer in need of a prescription, flu shot, OTC medication, and more. Healthy1 Pharmacy will be able to provide Charleson customers with the experience of a friendly, neighborhood drugstore while ensuring each prescription is handled with the highest standards of quality and care. The team of pharmacy technicians and sales associates will be highly qualified and experienced in helping customers find the right over-the-counter solutions for their individual needs as well as ensuring each prescription is filled accurately and efficiently.

Healthy1 Pharmacy History

Healthy1 is owned and operated by Stephen Harris, a licensed pharmacist with over fifteen years of experience working in the pharmacy industry. Stephen has worked for a large pharmacy chain and managed a team of pharmacy technicians for several years. Stephen’s tenure with the pharmacy chain combined with his pharmaceutical education has given him the skills and knowledge required to start his own pharmacy.

Since incorporation, Healthy1 Pharmacy has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Healthy1 Pharmacy, LLC to transact business in the state of South Carolina.
• Has a contract in place to lease the retail storefront he will use for his pharmacy.
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include experienced pharmacy technicians and sales associates to advise them of the upcoming opportunities at his new pharmacy.
• Began recruiting the management team members including a store manager, an accountant/bookkeeper, and a marketing director.

Healthy1 Pharmacy Services

The following are the pharmacy products and services that Healthy1 Pharmacy will provide:

Industry Analysis

The pharmacy industry in the United States is valued at $534.2B and is projected to grow to $862B by 2028. Major market drivers include a growing number of types of diseases, an increasing percentage of people with chronic illnesses, an aging population, and higher healthcare costs.

There are more prescription medications being developed, and the demand for more prescriptions is growing faster than ever before. In 2020, there were an estimated 860M medications prescribed by physicians and 336M prescribed by hospitals. This prescription demand is resulting in more pharmacies opening across the U.S. The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) reports an estimated 20,400 independent pharmacies in 2010. This number has grown to over 23,000 by 2019, a 12.9% increase in the number of independent pharmacies for that time period.

Industry operators in the pharmaceutical market can benefit from providing above average customer service, lower prices than competitors, and products or services that aren’t being offered elsewhere.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Healthy1 Pharmacy will target all individuals in Charleston, South Carolina. The pharmacy will target multiple age groups from pediatric to geriatric. Healthy1 will also target patients needing prescriptions filled on a regular basis.

The precise demographics for Charleston, South Carolina are:

Customer Segmentation

Healthy1 will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Parents of pediatric patients
• Geriatric patients
• People taking medications on a regular basis
• People needing compounding services
• People looking for vaccines or immunizations
• People who need lab tests

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Healthy1 Pharmacy will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Charleston Care Pharmacy

Charleston Care Pharmacy provides a wide variety of pharmacy products and services including OTC medications, lab testing, and compounding. Located in a senior neighborhood, Charleston Care Pharmacy specializes in serving the geriatric population, but welcomes customers of all ages. Charleston Care Pharmacy’s promise is to deliver effective communication, honesty, and integrity in every transaction. Charleston Care Pharmacy’s team of experienced pharmacy technicians assures customers are well taken care of and prescriptions are filled quickly and correctly.

FeelBetterNow Pharmacy

FeelBetterNowPharmacy is a Charleston-based neighborhood pharmacy that provides a full suite of services including compounding, vaccines, lab testing, local delivery, and more. The owners of FeelBetterNowPharmacy are licensed pharmacists who have extensive experience working for independent retail pharmacies so they understand what customers are looking for in a neighborhood pharmacy. Customers who choose FeelBetterNowPharmacy can rest assured they are getting the best quality products at reasonable prices.

Care Better Pharmacy

Care Better Pharmacy is a trusted Charleston pharmacy that is known for providing superior customer service. They are able to provide a one-stop shop for customers looking for convenient OTC and prescription medications, durable medical equipment, vaccines, and immunizations. Care Better Pharmacy is also able to serve customers in need of compounding, recurring prescriptions, and lab testing. They have expert pharmacy technicians to provide information about each medication and answer all of their customers’ questions.

Competitive Advantage

Healthy1 Pharmacy will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Healthy1 Pharmacy offers the best pricing in Charleston. The pharmacy offers its customers low prices on all of its products and services compared to the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Healthy1 Pharmacy will offer the unique value proposition to its customers:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled pharmacy technicians and sales associates will be able to provide personalized customer service and ensure all prescriptions are handled with care.
• Unbeatable pricing to its clients – Healthy1 Pharmacy does not mark up its products and services at a large percentage. The pharmacy will offer the lowest prices guaranteed. If a customer finds a cheaper price elsewhere, Healthy1 Pharmacy will give the customer a better price.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Healthy1 Pharmacy is as follows:

Healthy1 Pharmacy will create and maintain a company website that is well organized, informative, and lists all the products and services that Healthy1 is able to provide. The website will also list promotions and discounts, informative healthcare articles, and pharmacy-sponsored community events.

SEO/Google Marketing

The company’s marketing director will manage Healthy1’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that any time someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Charleston pharmacy” or “pharmacy near me”, Healthy1 Pharmacy will be listed at the top of the search results.

Social Media Marketing

Healthy1 Pharmacy’s marketing director will also manage the company’s social media presence on several platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. The goal of the social media strategy is to attract new customers while engaging with current customers to encourage referrals, reviews, and feedback.

Content Marketing/Email Marketing

The company will post blogs and other promotional content on a regular basis with informative health and wellness information to keep people coming back. Healthy1 will post informative content on the website, social media platforms, and through email newsletters.

Professional Associations/Networking

Healthy1 Pharmacy will become a member of professional associations such as the Independent Retail Pharmacy Association, the National Community Pharmacists Association, and the Tennessee Pharmacists Association. The company will focus networking efforts on expanding its customer base.

Print Advertising

Healthy1 Pharmacy will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events, in magazines, direct mailers, and in local newspapers.

The pricing will be lower than competitors so customers feel they receive value when they choose Healthy1 products and services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Healthy1 Pharmacy.

Operation Functions:

• Stephen Harris will be the Owner and Lead Pharmacist. He will oversee pharmacy technicians. Stephen has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Emily Jackson – Store Manager who will oversee all retail operations, sales associates, supplier relations, and inventory management.
• Jessica Johnson – Staff Accountant/Bookkeeper who will provide budgeting, tax payments, and financial reporting.
• Tim Thompson – Marketing Director who will provide marketing and sales campaigns for Healthy1 Pharmacy.

Milestones:

Healthy1 Pharmacy will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

9/1/2022 – Finalize contract to lease the retail space.

9/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Healthy1 Pharmacy team.

10/1/2022 – Finalize contracts with suppliers.

10/15/2022 – Network at industry events and initiate the marketing and promotional campaign.

10/22/2022 – Begin moving into the Healthy1 Pharmacy storefront.

11/1/2022 – Healthy1 Pharmacy opens for business.

Stephen Harris is a licensed pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and more than fifteen years of experience working in the pharmacy industry. Stephen has been recognized for his commitment to excellence in filling prescriptions accurately and efficiently as well as his communication skills and positive rapport with customers.

Emily Jackson has been a store manager at another retail pharmacy for over a decade and has garnered a positive reputation for her exceptional organizational skills and leadership. Emily has worked in the pharmacy industry for so long, she understands all aspects required in running a successful retail pharmacy.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Healthy1 Pharmacy are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the pharmacy’s products and services.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a pharmacy. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, inventory, supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Healthy1 Pharmacy is seeking $400,000 in debt financing to launch its pharmacy business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the retail space and purchasing equipment, inventory, and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

Key Assumptions

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of prescriptions filled per month: 2,000
• Average fees collected each month: $50,000
• Retail lease per year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, what is a pharmacy business plan.

A pharmacy business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your pharmacy  business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your pharmacy business plan using our Pharmacy Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Pharmacy Businesses?

There are a number of different kinds of self storage business , some examples include: Pharmacy, Home Care Pharmacy, Mail Order Pharmacy and Compounding Pharmacy.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Pharmacy Business Plan?

Pharmacy businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Pharmacy Business?

Starting a pharmacy business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Pharmacy Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed pharmacy business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your pharmacy business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your pharmacy business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Pharmacy Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your pharmacy business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your pharmacy business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Pharmacy Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your pharmacy business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your pharmacy business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

Learn more about how to start a successful pharmacy business:

• How to Start a Pharmacy Business

Where Can I Get a Pharmacy Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free pharmacy business plan template PDF here . This is a sample pharmacy business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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Pharmacy Business Plan

Many pharmacists dream of opening their pharmacies. But more often than not, the collection of funds and resources becomes an overwhelming and off-putting process.

But it doesn’t need to be. A pharmacy business plan can help you at every step of setting up your pharmacy business.

If you are planning to start a new pharmacy business, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample Pharmacy Business Plan created using Upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.

Before you start writing a business plan, spend as much time as you can reading through some samples of medical and health-related business plans .

Industry Overview

The pharmaceutical industry stood at a market value of 1.27 trillion dollars in 2020 and has shown remarkable growth in the past two decades.

The advancement of research and development in the medical field has played a significant role in the growth of the pharmaceutical industry. Also, better production and distribution have changed the way people get medicines.

From online pharmacies to home deliveries, the face of the pharmacy industry has changed and become more convenient.

Also, with the growth of access to information, it has become more competitive too. But if done the right way, the pharmacy business is an extremely profitable one as well.

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Things to Consider Before Writing a Pharmacy Store Business Plan

Check your legal requirements.

A pharmacy business requires a fair amount of licenses and permits. It is good to have a checklist of all the required licenses and to see if you have to get any of them.

Research what permits your state requires as well as the ones mandatory for everyone. It helps you stay on the good side of the law.

Pick a good location

A pharmacy setup requires a fixed minimum area. Also, a pharmacy that is easily accessible is more likely to succeed than one which is unreachable during emergencies. Hence, picking a good location is important .

Also, you can pick between starting a physical store or going online. Both business structures would have their pros and cons. You should pick the one that is the best for you.

Have a proper storage facility

Different medicines and formulas have different storage requirements. You’ll keep most of them in cool and dry places though. Bad storage can cost a pharmacy business dearly, even if you do everything else right.

Hence, it is important to have a good and ideal storage facility before you get started.

Check if your staff has the proper technical knowledge

You need technical knowledge and attention to detail to fare well as a pharmacist and so does your staff. As dealing with medicines is quite a critical job and can have consequences if not done right, it is important to find staff who know what they are doing and are well-trained and up to the job.

After you figure out some of the technical requirements, it is essential to figure out the business side of running a pharmacy. Planning, in the beginning, can save you from a lot of trouble later on.

Chalking Out Your Business Plan

A business plan helps you stay prepared for challenges, make better decisions, and formulate better business strategies. A pharmacy business takes a fair amount of legal procedures and competitive strategies, a pharmacy business plan can help you with that.

Reading some sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for. Also, it will show you the different sections that different entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.

We have created this sample pharmacy business plan for you to get a good idea about how perfect a pharmacy business plan should look and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.

Pharmacy Business Plan Outline

This is the standard business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.

• Keys to Success
• Business Ownership
• Summary Chart
• Business Model Description
• Mail order customers
• Walk-in customers
• Target Market Analysis
• Target Market Segment Strategy
• Competitive Edge
• Marketing Strategy
• Sales Forecast
• Development Requirements
• Personnel Plan
• Important Assumptions
• Break-even Analysis
• Projected Profit and Loss
• Projected Cash Flow
• Balance Sheet

Let’s understand how you can write each section of the pharmacy business plan.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary section forms the first page of your business plan. It summarises all that your business stands for.

The executive summary section consists of the following subsegments:

• Objectives : This segment consists of the reason you started your business in the first place. What is your idea behind it and what problem do you plan on solving with it?
• Mission : Your mission statement should reflect how your pharmacy business can help people, apart from providing them with medicines. It reflects how your idea can deal with a problem more optimally.
• Financial Summary : This section would consist of the funding requirements of your business, and how the said funds would be put to use. It serves the main purpose of the executive summary, which is to get your business funded.

As a pharmacy business, your executive summary would consist of the type and size of your pharmacy business, your team, your qualifications and licenses, and a summary of your financial plan.

2. Products and Services

This section consists of a description of all the products and services your pharmacy offers.

For example, apart from your general products, this section can also consist of services your pharmacy offers like home delivery of medicines, subscription packages, online orders, etc.

3. Market Analysis

Market analysis helps you understand what you are getting yourself into. It also helps you make sense of all the research you have done and how you can put it to use for your business.

It consists of the following subsegments:

• Market Segmentation : Through market segmentation, you separate your target audience from the rest of the market based on their age, gender, income, occupation, medical conditions, etc.
• Market Positioning : In this segment, you can add an analysis of where you stand in the current market. And what would be the best marketing strategy for you as per your position?
• Target Market Analysis : In this section, you’ll write down an analysis of your target market, and their tastes and preferences.

As a pharmacy business, you can list down the type of pharmacy you own, your target customer base, the kind of services they like, the location they’ll prefer, and how they buy their medical supplies.

4. Strategy And Implementation

After you carry out market analysis, the next step would be to create a marketing strategy based on the same. This section helps you promote your business to your target audience.

This section consists of the following subsegments:

• Competitive Edge : Include your competitive advantage in this section. Include how your product is better than your competitor’s and how you’ll use that to your advantage.
• Marketing Strategy : Your marketing strategy should speak to your target audience. Your campaign should show your customers how your business solves a pressing problem.
• Sales Strategy : A sales strategy should be formulated after surveying what works best for your specific industry.

As a pharmacy business, you can center your marketing around safe products, better service, and availability. According to various surveys, KAM, clinical sales force, and service rep model are three of the most successful strategies for pharmacies.

5. Web Plan

With everything going online, a website strategy is of utmost importance. With online pharmacies like mail, my prescriptions, and Amazon pharmacy coming up, having an online presence is crucial to being seen by your consumers.

Moreover, an eCommerce website can also serve as a good alternative if you don’t want to go through the hassle of owning a physical store.

Nonetheless, building your online presence can help you in getting noticed. It is also a good method of promoting your brand idea.

6. Financial Plan

This section would consist of everything about your company’s finances. From your financial history to your projected profits, your financial plan would cover it all.

A good financial plan helps your business survive and thrive.

This segment consists of the following subsegments:

• Financial Resources : This segment would consist of the investment you can put in your business, as well as other resources for meeting your funding requirements.
• Funding Requirements : This would consist of the funding requirements to set up your pharmacy and keep it going.
• Projected Cash Flow and Profits : This section would consist of your business’s expected cash flow and profits in the long term.

Download a sample pharmacy business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free pharmacy business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your pharmacy business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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Pharmacy Business Plan Summary

In conclusion, though a pharmacy business might take a lot of work, you can make running your business a lot easier and smoother with a business plan.

A business plan helps you stay organized and updated as per market trends and changing environment of the industry.

After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample pharmacy business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your pharmacy business plan pdf or doc file.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.

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About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Pharmacy Business Plan Sample

APR.29, 2017

When someone is found doing workouts at home how to start a pharmacy, he must need relevant information, charts, table of content, independent pharmacy business plans, pharmacy business plan as well as few sample templates for pharmacy business branding. So, the entire business plans for pharmacy must include the most important points which must be well covered to start pharmacy business in full fledged.

Pharmacies must have stock of the best medications, and valuable healthcare accessories including sanitary pads, contraceptive pills and many more. Be modern and try to design a good pharmacy marketing plan before going for investment of financial resources in the industry. Get more new pharmacy business plan ideas from different sources.

Diseases, infections and virus attacks are very dangerous to shorten up the span of life of a guy. So, medications are needed to remove injuries, reinforce the immune system and increase the life expectancy to a great extent. For this reason, pharmaceutical agencies and drug manufacturing companies supply new drugs to people to resist the diseases in advance. Pharmacy business is really lucrative and profitable to an entrepreneur. Drugs are needed in hospitals, clinics, healthcare centers and in residential houses for preventive care.

Drugs are used to cure feeble patients. Children need a number of boosters and antibiotic shots to overtake a number of complicated health hazards. In large scale, medications and potions for patients are required in hospitals. Therefore, pharmacies have the jobs of selling drugs to customers. As an entrepreneur you can also start a small pharmacy or drug store in your locality. Sample pharmacy business plans and template will guide you. We, at OGSCapital, help you with this. Our executives have all the expertise for helping you to develop an appropriate strategy to fulfill your all objectives. If you wish to initiate the process, you just need to fill a contact form.

Choose Top Pharmacy Business Plans to Start Pharmacy Successfully

Well, are you a pharmacist to have licenses for running pharmacies in any town? This question is asked by many enthusiasts who are eager to know whether anyone has the permission to open a local drug store in the vicinity. Certainly, opening local drug stores, you must have an experienced pharmacist to check the prescribed drug lists. Pharmacists have the ability to read the prescriptions and identify the drugs at a first glance. His expertise in prescription reading, drug list checking and familiarity with new drugs helps the vendor to sell drugs comfortably.

If you are not a pharmacist, you need a specialist to hire in the case of inaugurating pharmacy in any popular area. He will help you to read prescriptions, handpick particular medications and understand the medical terms. Drug manufacturing companies in America have to sell only FDA approved medications. They must get authentic papers, citations and drug selling licenses from FDA as well American government.

Therefore, be familiar with local rules to starting a retail pharmacy business plan commercially. Go through a top sample pharmacy business plan and free template for more information.

Basic Requirements to Start Pharmacy Business

• A complete retail pharmacy business plan
• A preliminary financial budget
• Specific site for posting retail pharmacy business plans
• A specialist/experienced pharmacy
• Good stock of new drugs in
• Healthcare accessories like sanitary pads
• Basic amenities like refrigerators, electricity, water and good air vents
• Pharmacy needs to have a site for industry promotion
• Site map with a sample Pharma business plan as well as template
• Information brochures
• Medical aids kits to supply
• Initial affordable drug selling packages to attract customers to have drugs at low price
• Free quotes to do comprehensive studies for opening up a pharmacy.

Understand the Innovation in Pharmacy Business

Pharmacies must not be dirty and poorly managed. Expensive drugs should be stored in safer place which is much more eco-friendly. Heat, fire, rain water and bacteria destroy life saving drugs. The drug store should have excellent air ventilation, clean ambience, least toxins inside the shop and soothing ambience. Refrigerators keep stored medications in good condition.

Internet browsing is not harmful. So, regular data checking must stand you in good stead. The more you research the more you will get new ideas to launch a compact pharmacy business project with bright expectation to have excellent returns. Initially, as a newbie, your ability to design a pharmacy business plan must be limited. You are an educated person with enthusiasm to stand resilient financially. You went for getting advices from seniors to open pharmacies.

Maybe you have had dream of becoming a good pharmacist with your own outlet to sell qualitative drugs. Fake and spurious medications, potions and medical aids are destructive. These fake drug dealers must be punished. In the open market, low quality, sub-standard medications and expired healthcare tonics are sold at low prices. Therefore, every year, the death toll increases due to the exposure to the drug adulteration. Perhaps you have the setback or previous caustic experience. Someone might have died due to consumption of bad drugs. Your dream must be fulfilled.

Online planners in pharmaceutical industry have pre-designed samples, fact sheets, research papers and documents to train newcomers. Novice financers have no industry expansion ideas. Especially pharmacies are different projects to highlight. Drug is the most valuable product as it saves lives. So, definitely lot of care is needed to run pharmacies or drug stores in the city. What type of pharmacy business do you need to opt for? Basically, drug retailers, individual sellers and small size company partners like to have free consultation before establishing a start-up drug store in any known area. The advantages of opening drug stores or local pharmacies in the residential areas include

• Known ambience
• Good familiarity with local citizens
• Be accustomed to local administration
• Good relationship with doctors, patients and oldies
• Easy to find customers
• Better options to enlarge pharmacy business in the home town

However, most probably, you are trapped because you must struggle to find more genuine options to expand your drug stores to have lot of money. So, geographical barrier must not be a problem. Often, it is a lucrative business for you in case you have the plan and templates to take your drug store to backcountry. There are not many drug stores. Competition is low. You can buy and sell expensive drugs to rich persons. Poor people will get affordable medications from your shop.

So, it is good business to manage in the rural areas. However, drug stores in cities are always dazzling in vanity. The buying strength of local people is obviously higher. City based pharmacies are equipped with modern infrastructures. In villages, poor people are not able to buy costly drugs. The availability of sumptuous medical aids packages is also not good in rural belts. Urban areas are developed. Therefore, locate the place and start evaluation. Pros and cons must be checked before deciding to deal with pharmaceutical industry. Retail pharmacy business plan writers are also helpful to people to have guidance in designing the independent plan for starting retail drug store business plan .

Brand medications are not cheaper. These drugs have qualitative components used by manufacturers to produce standard medications in the market. The effect of intake of brand medications is really awesome to help patients to avoid disaster. Doctors prescribe brand medications. Great. Well, one of the best ways to sell brand medications is to find the high profile class. Online ventures must bring a new customer to you. This is a different industry for entrepreneur as there is little chance to meet vendors face to face.

Customers hit the online sites to check the pharmacies for buying the branded drugs recommended by experts. All are not financially sound to buy brand drugs. Pack of Viagra (branded) costs a customer around $1000. Or a pack of 60 pills of Soma is equivalent to $400 inclusive of overnight shipment cost. So, economical buyers find generic medications which are affordable to some extent. Therefore, your drug stores must have both branded medications for the rich and generic medications for the economical class.

It will be a strategy to win customers by providing alternative medication buying option. Generic medications are cheap and components used in manufacturing these affordable drugs are not low in quality. The impact of consumption of generic medications is equal to the effect experienced by a person who takes brand medications. Retail pharmacy business plan writer has many ideas/ template to precise the process of industry inauguration smoothly.

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Discount Pharmacies

In the pharmaceutical industry, scientific probing, research and deep analysis are inseparable. Scientists in the medical arena are trying to invent more cost efficient products which must be vehicles for economical customers to save money. Pharmacists will emulate new technologies to increase the cost effectiveness and quality of the drugs. So, doctors, scientists and pharmacists are closely connected for making a convenient customer support portal for better drug supply at low cost. Discount pharmacies are byproduct of the innovative thoughts nurtured by experts.

The collaborative venture in the pharmaceutical industry has made a strong platform for pharmacy business owners to sell affordable medications at discounts. Customers get promotional codes on different types of generic medications. It is much more cost efficient. It is much affordable to a young guy. Result is also same. So as a pharmacist, offer your customers what you have in stock. Discount pharmacies are the places for buying cheap generic medications. Brick and mortar discount drug stores reduce the cost of buying valuable medications.

Well, think whether you are fitted to drug selling industry. A discount drug store needs to have only cheap medications which must be good. Customers will get their drugs by showcasing prescriptions. Now, tailor a business plan identifying the trend in the market. You have handful options to use. As a local guy, you can apply for loan for industry running. Banks will give you support to invest in the pharmaceutical industry.

Next steps include the easy refinancing, recruitment of competent employees, assistants , the availability of good medications at discounts and drug safety programs to minimize the threat. People need proper medical assistance from a vendor. As being a professional pharmacist, it is your concern to prioritize the table work/ground work to inaugurate the drug store in your residential area. Innovation can’t be stopped. Americans are habituated to consume sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs and self-boosting capsules to have energy in excess.

They are fast, sophisticated and crazy to travel for exploration. Well, most of American customers are seen buying drugs from online pharmacies which offer discounts. These online discount pharmacies assist busy Americans to have affordable qualitative medications at considerably cheap prices. So, you must have a compatible optimized online shop with an inventory storing only new drugs/ prescribed medications/non prescription medications at discounts. The local stores for drug selling are not permitted to sell non prescription drugs.

They need prescriptions. However, comparatively online pharmacies have good options to help customers to purchase non prescription drugs. Customers don’t need to send the scanned photocopies of prescriptions to pharmacists to buy packet of Soma or Viagra. Buy medications from vendors at any point of time. So, if you want to modernize your retail drug store, design an affordable business plan to start selling generic medications at discount drug stores without putting a band of legal obligation. The online pharmacy is not a local departmental store.

Customers don’t need to visit the store for product purchasing. The virtual shopping cart or pharmacy is actually run through internet. Its customers place orders at the shopping cart and complete transactions instantly. Vendors are liable to ship products to the customers. Now you must have a site which supports mobile phones, computers and different smart devices. Consumers will cross check list of drugs available in their areas. You have a group of employees who manage customers online. Usually, online pharmacies have no go-down or small warehouses.

They are professional and hire moving companies for product shipment. It is a chain for drug supplying. No manual paperwork is conducted. Nor is there any option for meeting customers physically. So, the whole transaction is done via internet. E-commerce infrastructure is easy to operate. This marketing strategy is extensive to help local traders to go for vast venture to reach million customers on a single go. Around $829 billion is invested in global pharmacy business. So, this opportunity is also open to you to have scum of the profits to upgrade your own life.

Online discount pharmacy is open regularly round the clock. Customers from different locations hit the online drug store and buy medications. Prices of these lifesaving drugs, sanitary pads, healthcare pills and antibiotic pills are affordable. Discounts of these medications are attractive to impress economical class. Like Rite Aid, you can also have a chain meds service to bring more fluent drug delivery options to customers. Give individualized service by keeping personal records of patients after clearing transactions.

In future, if the customers have allergies or infections, try to avoid supplying medications which are not prescribed. Besides, help them to choose the prefect meds from the inventory. Unlike local drug store, online discount pharmacies have multi channels to get customers. If you have licenses or permit to export medications to market abroad, strategy vastly. Then, you are also a good exporter with permits to deal with overseas clients. Online platform for medication selling is now modernized.

The shopping carts online must have fast content management, instant credit checking while making payment, quick transactions and free registration. The prescription refill process must be fast and easy. On the other side, the non prescription generic or brand medications should be supplied to have more positive visitors to hit your e-commerce website.

So, you will also have lot of sources to track the best retail pharmacy business plan/ templates, pharmacy start up business plan, pharmacy business plan pdf and innovative pharmaceutical sales business plans. Go through ins and outs of pharmaceutical business plan, pharmaceutical business plans sample, and retail pharmacy business plan including new templates.

Product Quality – Must

In the pharmacy business, the product quality is a must. A vendor or pharmacist should not earn money by delivering expired meds to patients. He should have social obligations to maintain for fairness in pharmacy business. Same way, he is also responsible to process the orders. If meds are delivered late then patients can die. If it is urgent, then shipping process must be fast. Overnight drug supply is not cost effective. Extra processing charges are borne by the buyer.

When your pharmacy business blooms, you must have some better options to make your customers happy. Your online pharmaceutical has few exceptional features which are unbeaten to take your pharmaceutical to million customers outperforming rivals. Pharmaceutical companies must facilitate customers to have their drugs at discounts. Quality of the drugs must not be low. For this reason, there must be analysts and experts to make their comments based on the products meant for sale. Customers will talk to consultants for getting pharma template.

They will go through reports, comments and reviews to have ideas about the quality of meds kept for being sold. Your online med supply stores should be compatible with multiple devices including smart phones. Customers are interested to cross check regular information and updates on their mobile phones. Your e-commerce portal is connected with vast network to support such a sophisticated device. Online customer management center assists new customers to buy products.

For this reason, people feel free to go for buying expensive brand meds from the best pharmacy online. Jot down pros of running a discount pharmaceutical online. Why do people want to buy products online? What is the difference between a local med store and the pharmaceutical on internet? What type of med is sold online? What are the most important pros of buying meds from online pharmacies? Is it cost effective or less time consuming to make deals with online vendors? Well, there are more such questions which can be highlighted for discussion.

Basically, internet based online med stores don’t need manual paperwork. Nor is there any need to entertain customers at the shop. So, investors are not required to buy the land for constructing a big set-up to sell packets of life saving meds, boosters, and health tonics. Online meds stores are operated by pharmacists through broadband. It is a different setting to attract people for business related transaction. Many people don’t understand how to buy meds online. They must be educated.

Well, your pharmacy business promoting campaigns should encourage customers to know about the good aspects of online transactions. First of all, post few blogs, photos, slide shows and of course glossy video clips on home screen to lure newbie customers to have a fast look at the site. After visiting the site, they will be energized to read content, check photos, videos, slide shows and navigate in the site. Online free start-up pharma template will make you more confident.

Site accessibility, information delivery, transaction method, registration, product buying as well as packing for shipment, prices of medications, and way of billing must be innovated. Therefore, ask your website designers to upgrade the site nicely to make it much more compatible with the latest i-devices. Ask them to assist you to change the old policy. Crazy customers in America, Canada, the UK and other parts in Europe have tendencies to buy non-prescription drugs which are not recommended or prescribed by doctors.

They have to pay higher prices to get packets of sedatives or anti-anxiety pills from the local market. Often they are addicted to spurious drugs which enhance the scope of faster deterioration in the health management. They don’t need prescribed drugs as they are not permitted to consume multiple sedatives within 24 hours. They are drug addicted and therefore proper counseling is needed. However, when they hit the online sites or med stores on internet, the surprising gifts are waiting for them.

At a time, it is possible to buy different meds from stores without providing prescriptions. Secondly, they have facilities to deal with a number of drug stores in this online drugstore industry. Promotional offers and discounts are offered to customers as well. At first, when you establish a small size pharmacy, you require the base to stand. It is the ground for you to start building up a strong long lasting structure. It is a dynamic policy to enhance the much faster business promoting.

New Policy for Starting Pharmaceutical Company

Minimum investment is needed to run a pharmacy business. So, the product selling base is required first to ensure the good prospect in this meds supply industry. How to achieve success depends on the strength, resilience, willing force, and lot of energy to do the hard work out. Maybe, it is time consuming but success will come through devotion, hard struggles, and meticulous research to find the best opportunities to be successful entrepreneur with a solid pharmacy business structure.

Invest in the best market where there is excellent ambience to gear up the money earning. It is one of the best things for you to locate the area where you will open the small drug store with innovated structure, and other facilities to tempt customers. It stands to reason; you require lot of plans to design. When you have the dream projects to implement for the business expansion, you must have someone to take you to the last resort successfully.

Many of start-up entrepreneurs are not well organized due to the lack of experience in pharmacy business planning as well as endorsement policy. Well, in this case, a professional business planer needs to be hired for innovating the business plans before investing in the pharmacy industry. Money is needed but you should have excellent projects which have lot of information, data, template, strategy, table of content and resources to let the pharmacy business run smoothly.

Research, probing, intuition and self-discovery study are important to aspiring pharmacy entrepreneurs. To become an experienced entrepreneur, you will have to have strong desires to probe deeply. This research oriented mind will give you a booster to scale up in the industry with success. That’s why, when you have new innovative commercial management plans, policy, programs and glossy projects to implement, you must not stop. The start-up pharmacy business must be expanded.

The profits must be generated. The mobility in the business promotion should be uninterrupted. The longevity of the pharmacy business should be surprisingly longer. Therefore, concentrate on different aspects of commercial management. Go to professional business consultants, experts and business analyzers to have new guidelines/instructions/ plans for extensive analysis.

Brand Business

Brand name of your business works as a booster. It is the workforce. It is the vehicle with a new strategy for you to start the business smoothly. Who will track your business? Brand name is the sign of identification. People will be familiar with your company through the brand name. So, choose the most suitable name for your pharmacy. Well, maybe you have lot of confusion how to configure the brand name and logo.

Really it is much important to you. A cumbersome brand name is not easy to understand. If the name of the pharmacy is long and technically intricate, people are not able to read the brand name easily. So, select the relevant short and attractive words to name your med store. Obviously you need a strategy to conduct more productive business branding.

Invest Money in Promoting Products

Million dollars are overspent in the business promotion campaigns. Giant entrepreneurs have lot of money and they spend financial resources to promote business. Gifts, discounts, and promo codes are offered by these multinational companies. Well, you are a small entrepreneur and you need to earn more money. In the beginning, you have few attractive projects to inaugurate the small business. Well, strategically, you must advertise your products. Advertisement agencies can make your dream productive through lot of ground work, plans, programs and tips.

Hire the top notch advertisers who will make a brief-up covering the most important areas of pharmacy business. Your online advertisements, ads and video clips showcase the med store to impress customers. Certainly, you must have some awesome product endorsement publicizing projects. How to promote the pharmacy business? The objective of your promotional expedition lies in the expansion of the customer management platform with more opportunities to build up the foundation for rejuvenating the business.

Business branding through internet is the weapon for you to convey the best message to people. Your strategy to run business must be effective. What type of medication do you need to sell? Are you a drug retailer? Are you able to sell cheap generic meds? What sort of med do you have in stock? People need better price tags. They are economical. They have the least interest to buy brand meds. Well, your discount drug pharmacy is very much modernized with the stock of high caliber generic medications, life saving meds and qualitative drugs at discounts.

Next step is to have all legal papers, and documents. The paperwork must be done step-wise. First of all, you have to apply for a license. It is the passport for your pharmacy to run. Certainly, it is not easy. Drug licenses are approved only after several surveys, cross verifications and probing. You can’t damage one’s precious life by supplying low quality spurious meds. Right now, government and FDI are not flexible to issue drug licenses easily. Drug addiction is now accelerating to make young generation incompetent.

They have lot of drug buying options. Fake dealers and spurious drug suppliers are seen tempting customers. That’s why; fake licenses and wrong documentation are severely increasing to threaten up people to a great extent. Therefore, you must be fair and honest to have your licenses legally. In this connection, meet an attorney who will advise you how to get the drug license from the superior authority. Smartly speaking, it is not entirely difficult. The legal power will assist you to convince the concerned authority to have the original drug license.

In the beginning, it is the most unavoidable assignment to contact a group of legal experts to ensure the advertising project completion successfully. Pharmacy business must not be dried up after few weeks. You should not backtrack in shame. Bold and strong entrepreneurs must have energy to prioritize the collection of important components to format a new strategic version of business plan to nourish the pharmacy outlet dynamically.

It is a must to maximize the vast media exposure, business branding, meticulous analysis and study to probe deep with good motif to locate the most fruitful niche to speed up the business promotion. Your decision must not be obscure because of the disorders created by your subordinates. Therefore, organize your team to finalize the business branding program and innovative commercial management strategy with the resolution of giving thousand horsepower to your small med store to gain speed.

Tailor Futuristic Advertising Projects

Design futuristic advertising projects. Calculate how much fund is required to establish a single compartment as a small street outlet for selling generic meds. Money you need must be available. If you are not so lucky to arrange fund immediately to overtake hurdle, you must not be found being in lethargic state. Business loans, short term financial aids, and good financial support from different agencies are obtained without complicated paperwork. So, search for this type of secured/unsecured business loan to finance the med store. Financial assistance must be required to buy packets of brands drugs, install computers, and other tools to decorate the drug store.

Basic Components of Discount Pharmacy Business Plan

• Basic indoor furniture pieces like table, chair, desks, small file storing cabinets
• Cash registering systems
• Front counter
• Computer terminal
• Printer for billing
• Electrical goods
• Small data storage server
• Shipping accessories
• Good insurance coverage
• Storing bins

Important Facts to Remember

Customers are different in nature. They don’t have similar mindsets. Nor are they on same strings. Well, study and then evaluate the mindsets of customers. Choose the area where you will get positive customers to sell drugs. Reinvent new strategy to promote pharma. Specific groups of customers need to make walk-in visits to the outlet to purchase meds. This sort of customer has the habit to go to the local med store to buy meds. They are literate.

However, many laymen in the lower middle class are interested to buy prescribed meds from the pharmacies. Secondly, there is another group of people. They are online buyers. They have money to go to the online pharmacy to purchase drugs. Basically, generic medications, and different types of stress management pills they buy from online stores. Prescriptions are not a must for them to buy Viagra, Cialis, Soma or any cheap generic medication to consume.

Apart from this economical class, the enriched and affluent high profile buyers opt for brand meds. Now these medications are very expensive. Even vendors of publicizing portal are not capable of storing different types of brand medications for sale. So, tailor a compact financial budget which must include the overall cost of storing brand, generic and local meds at discounts. The product sale must be fast. Drugs which stored in your refrigerator must be qualitative.

Top Strategies to Expand Pharma

Strategies are applicable to the drug selling. Promotional campaigns are conducive to the faster development of the business. However, forecast is needed to evaluate the vision of yours in the long run. In the first year, estimate the profit percentage. Then you must compare whether you are a gainer or loser. Moderate revenue collection is also good as you are a novice entrepreneur. Well, you need to improve by hook or by crook. Commercial management is not a new thing. Even local traders and informal entrepreneurs know this term.

When your pharmacy business will be launched, your target must concentrate on the store management. Employees should be duty bound. Your pharmacist must be responsible. Drugs kept in your refrigerator must be hygienic. Temperature inside the drug store must be eco-friendly. Apart from this, documentation, billing, registration process and other paper work must be carried out properly. At present, computer application is very urgent. Your tiny med store must be renovated with a set of computers, laser printer and printable papers.

Customers will get bills and invoices through automated bill generated machine. So innovation in the decoration of the med store is certainly essential. Commercial management is also done via internet. Online documentation is undoubtedly smooth. Contact customers on online chatting platform. Talk to them over phone. Make video calls to have advices from experts if required. Permit your employees to use cell phones to send emails to your inbox. Oracle based commercial management portal must be installed into your pharmacy store for taking care of back office jobs smoothly.

Understand Competition and Reset Your Marketing Strategy

You are not alone in the pharmacy advertising portal. Regularly minimum 1 million visitors check over thousand sites to buy medications in the world. Billion dollars are hovering in the med manufacturing trade. The advancement in the med field is the turning point and slowly people are showcasing their interest in buying drugs from the online pharmacies. Rivalry, competition, and struggles are basic things for a trader. To make your pharmacy business/ marketing profitable, be proactive to be much more competent.

Emulate new strategies. Borrow much innovative marketing plans and imitate successful sample business templates to bring innovation to the pharmacy business/ pharma marketing. Who is your rival in the market? Well, rivalry doesn’t mean hostility. You must not have impatience to kill someone. Nor are you a militant to spray venom for terminating the city. So, don’t be misled. Competition means the fair rivalry in advertising trade. You should upgrade your trade structure.

You should be efficient to sell drugs at more affordable prices. You should have dozens of futuristic plans to enlarge the trade faster. The cost efficiency is the objective of a newbie to reduce the cost of drugs. Similarly he will not violate the FDI law to sell drugs at lower prices. Competition is needed for the betterment of the service. Fancy how to bring a result oriented business promotion strategy to expect a sound financial structure by operating a small pharmacy store.

Be a creative person. You are budding pharmacy entrepreneurs. So, recycle your raw energy embedded in mind. Go through periodicals, brochures, and magazines to have authentic information. Research materials need to be gathered for making a giant project to enhance the superb commercial management. Therefore, create a different business plan for pharmacy. It is your draft. You have quality to express what you need. You have bundles of new concepts, and ideas to use.

So in draft assignment, feel free to describe the goals, objectives, business starting plans, budget related issues, sources of arranging fund and basic requirements and marketing to start the drug store. Well, the finishing touch needs to be added to the draft. An experienced pharmacy business planner has over hundred samples. He is a professional business plan writer for pharmacy.

He has solved complicated problems. He is one of the most successful planners in the field. So he can give you a summary of the business plan. Even his instant business plan writing backup must be fruitful to you. Do more probing in the modernized med manufacturing and pharmacy company.

Upgrade your basic knowledge for the sake of good familiarity with the pharmacy field/ marketing. Online library, data and million tons of samples boost up novice traders to track their loopholes in upgrading futuristic strategy. Through compact SWOT analysis, he is able to find the negative factors which are not helpful to him to run the small size drug store. Strength of the entrepreneurs must be identified. It is also applicable to you as well. Track where are going? If you have no vision, the area will not be resilient. You should find the niche in which you will cultivate the land for flourishing the pharmacy business dynamically.

Install Plan Software

Conventional planning needs to be replaced. Computers minimize the jobs of taking care of customers. Well, few years back, drug stores have to keep large space for entertaining customers who were found standing for buying medications. Separate counters for billing were open to all consumers. Drugs were not sold through a single counter during emergency. So, there must be extra space for drugs storing, supplying and customer management. Besides, lighting fixtures, indoor furniture pieces and other important accessories must be installed in the drug store.

Simultaneously, change the traditional billing system. Commercial management/ marketing process must undergo vast innovation. Compact highly advanced SAP software for management/ marketing software is on display in Google. Experts have reset this SAP model to help entrepreneurs to complete handful jobs perfectly. Billing, customer care, marketing, data management, invoice processing, and company analysis are conducted. You have the fast software to take decision within short span of time.

Your marketing trade must be perfectly integrated into a unique platform. Monthly you must analyze the trend. Is your pharmacy running fast or any downtime is likely to happen? Profit ratio, and revenues collected for the particular year must be cross checked. Industry remodeling must be done. However, it is really urgent to go deep and find more facts to compare. Is your drug store compatible with new technology? For instance, virtual pharmacy industry is now much sought-after.

Many American guys buy drugs from online med stores. However, in South Africa, Nigeria, and many countries located in Asia are not perfectly tuned up to run online med stores. Mail order delivery system is not innovative in the remote places as well. So, before opening a new drug store online, once again study to understand the mindsets of local people. However, online mail order marketing system is a vast business expansion portal. You will get more customers in this pharma industry.

Even if you have authentic permits and licenses to export expensive meds to overseas customers, you are a successful entrepreneur with good prospect. Drugs are not useless things. Patients must need medications to save their lives. So, the importance of online pharmacy business will not go down even after a millennium. So, slowly you must have command over the pharmacy commercial management/ marketing. Newbie entrepreneurs should do experiments to be much acquainted with the latest industry operating ethics.

It is obviously time consuming but with technical innovation, and advancement in the commercial management, it is wonderfully much more convenient for a newcomer to learn how to open a good pharmacy store in this specific industry. Starting a pharmacy business plan designed by experts is basically a tool for a newcomer to get a roadmap to innovate the pharmacy in much more dynamic way.

In this connection, OGS capital consultants online are experts to guide newcomers how to chalk out futuristic pharmacy business projects fantastically. Take valuable business promoting tips, modern strategy and free advices from these consultants. Chat with OGS capital business consultants to have new strategy, and ideas to remodel the entire corporate portal successfully.

Download Pharmacy Business Plan Sample in pdf

OGS capital writers specialize in business plan themes such as massage business plan , medical clinic business plan , cannabis dispensary business plan , nursing business plan ideas , transportation corporation health services business plan , reiki business plan and many others.

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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• Pharmacy Management

How to Start a Pharmacy: A Complete Guide

Last updated Dec 11, 2020 | Pharmacy Management

Starting any new business can be daunting and pharmacies come with their own unique learning curve. In a competitive market, pharmacists have to work hard to stand out from the crowd and scale their business successfully.

There are a lot of components to a good pharmacy, but it starts with creating a solid business plan and brand. To help you prepare, we’ve created a guide that walks you through how to start a pharmacy, from business plan to grand opening.  

Create a Business Plan

Before getting into the nuts and bolts of opening your pharmacy, it’s important to start with an overview of the business you want to build. A business plan is a roadmap for your pharmacy, laying out all the different components in one place and acting as a manual for growth.

How to Start a Pharmacy Business Plan

A pharmacy business plan should contain the following:

Executive Summary

A high-level summary, highlighting the important points to give potential investors all the information they need on a single page. 

Description of Business 

Includes details like your:

• Pharmacy niche and branding
• Target market/audience
• Location and space
• Potential team members and titles
• Potential expenses

Description of Service(s)

What services do you plan to offer your target market? This section covers your future pharmacy’s sources of revenue, including potential prescription stock, retail products, or specialty and healthcare services.

Marketing Plan 

You need to have a good handle on the competition and a plan for promoting yourself. This section should contain an in-depth competitor analysis, ideas for marketing and sales strategies, and a SWOT analysis of your business .

Financial Plan 

Projected revenue, expenses, and major costs, such as lease timelines, mortgage payments, and estimated payroll go here. Also include any financing information and an exit strategy, if possible. 

To get you started, here is an excellent example of a pharmacy business plan , broken down by section in detail. 

Define Your Pharmacy Brand

A brand encapsulates your business and determines how customers will identify you, interact with you, and use your products or services. 

What Makes a Good Brand?

Many people think of a brand as the visuals, the logo, and color schemes you see on any website or business card. But there’s a lot more to it.

Key factors of a brand include:

Mission and Vision Statements

A mission statement defines your purpose and values as a company, spelling out what you do, how, and why. Your vision statement breaks down future goals for your business and how you will act on your mission.

Value Proposition

In order to stand out in the market, you need to identify your unique value as a business and define it in a value proposition statement . This could be anything from location (“the only pharmacy in town”) or background (“family-run pharmacy”), to competitive pricing, standout customer service, or specialized services.

Naming and Trademarking

Choosing a name can be difficult, and you want it to be easy to remember and tell people who you are and what the business is about. If you pick a unique name or want to make sure no one else can use it, consider applying for a trademark before you open.

Visual Identity

The face of your brand, visual identity covers your logo, brand color palette, typography, images, graphics, and other elements businesses use to market and promote themselves.

Set up Your Website

Now you have branding in place, it’s time to introduce your business to potential patients online. Every successful pharmacy business owner should have a website and social media accounts that patients can visit to access location and service information. 

Getting Your Domain and Social Handles

The first step to setting up your pharmacy website is buying a domain name. Make sure that your ideal domain name is available by plugging it into a domain search database, such as Instant Domain Search .

Social media accounts can boost your position in search engine results and help draw visitors to your site. Set up profiles on Twitter and Instagram and a Facebook Business Page with user names that are as close to your business name as possible. 

Pharmacy Website Basics

If you plan to offer digital tools and services or collect patients’ health information, make sure that your pharmacy website is HIPAA-compliant .

A successful pharmacy website should contain your: 

• Brand identity
• Location and contact information
• Introduction to products, services, and staff
• Links to social media accounts

For more tips on marketing your pharmacy business online, check out our latest ebook .

Pick a Pharmacy Location

Before you start scouting, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few questions about your area of choice:

• How many other pharmacies are there?
• What services do nearby pharmacies offer and are they direct competitors with you?
• Is the prescription base big enough for everyone?

Assessing the level of competition in your ideal locations can help you narrow things down and assess potential opportunities. 

What Makes a Good Business Site

Real estate agents say it’s all about “location, location, location,” but what does that mean for a pharmacy business? Here are a few factors to consider when searching for a pharmacy site :

Accessibility 

The amount of daily foot and car traffic, visibility from the road, convenience of parking, entrances, and exits, and whether the site has room for a drive-thru or curbside pickup.

Is there room enough to operate and grow? Think about how many locations you want and the services, stock, and staff you’ll need to maintain. 

Previous tenants 

If there were other pharmacies in the same space, try to figure out what made them leave or close. It could mean there’s an active customer base or it could be a warning sign. 

Other business sources 

Look for sites located near complementary businesses, like doctor’s offices or other medical facilities which help guarantee good foot traffic and offer opportunities for future collaboration. 

Determine Your Financials

Your business plan should include an estimate of startup and working costs for your pharmacy , as well as the types of funding you plan to pursue. Determining your pharmacy’s financial needs will help prepare you for applying for loans or approaching potential investors. 

Here are some of the costs you should keep in mind:

Build-out costs: Includes mortgage down payment, construction, renovation, fixtures, and interior design.

Inventory: Covers your initial stock of prescription and OTC drugs and other retail or healthcare products. 

Operating expenses: Calculate how much you’ll need to cover day-to-day expenses for at least 6 months after you open to allow time for the pharmacy to make a profit.

Once you have funding in place, keep track of current and future costs with a pharmacy income statement , which calculates your:

• Sale deductions
• Cost of goods sold (COGS)
• Gross profit
• Net profit and profit margins
• Operating expenses

Get Your Licenses in Order

All new businesses require paperwork and that’s doubly true of pharmacies, which tend to be heavily regulated. Get started by registering as a business entity in your state , requesting your federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) , and opening your first business bank account . 

After you complete the business basics, check for state and federal pharmacy operating licensing requirements and permits , which will vary by location. 

Typical requirements include:

• State pharmacy license or permit
• Controlled substance registration
• National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NABP/NCPDP) number
• Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) number
• National Provider Identifier (NPI) number

Keep in mind that if you also plan to practice in your own location, you need to meet state requirements for pharmacists as well. 

Prep for Opening

You’re nearly ready to open for business, but before you do, there are some important last-minute details you’ll need to oversee. 

Investing in Digital Tools

To simplify operations, start off strong by streamlining your workflow and offering patients a multichannel digital experience. Install a pharmacy management system (PMS) to keep you running efficiently and an interactive voice response (IVR) solution to manage inbound calls. Digital communications software can offer secure messaging and help you identify clinical opportunities.

Contact us today for a free demo of our IVR solution. 

Inventory Ordering

Look for wholesalers you can develop long-term relationships with , not just ones that offer lower costs. Try and ask for sample orders of prescription and OTC medications initially to keep costs down and tide you over while your pharmacy grows.

Front of Store Flow and Design

Think about what you want patients to see when they walk through your door. Consider the overall store layout and how best to position products, staff, and counters. Generous aisle spacing and clear paths to checkout lines can make a big difference to traffic flow and revenue . 

Online and Offline Advertising 

Try to position signage towards high-traffic areas so people will see it as they drive by and contact local publications for a new business interview. If you haven’t already, start working on a digital marketing strategy , leveraging social media channels and paid ads to generate interest in your brand opening and attract visitors to your website. 

Last but not least, don’t forget to celebrate your new achievement! Throw a party for yourself and your staff to kick off this new phase of your life. 

More Pharmacy Management Resources

For more about running a successful pharmacy, check out our resources for pharmacy management . 

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Pharmacy Business Plan Template

Download this free pharmacy business plan template, with pre-filled examples, to create your own plan..

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What you get with this template

A complete business plan.

Text and financials are already filled out and ready for you to update.

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Get the most out of your business plan example

Follow these tips to quickly develop a working business plan from this sample.

1. Don't worry about finding an exact match

We have over 550 sample business plan templates . So, make sure the plan is a close match, but don't get hung up on the details.

Your business is unique and will differ from any example or template you come across. So, use this example as a starting point and customize it to your needs.

2. Remember it's just an example

Our sample business plans are examples of what one business owner did. That doesn't make them perfect or require you to cram your business idea to fit the plan structure.

Use the information, financials, and formatting for inspiration. It will speed up and guide the plan writing process.

3. Know why you're writing a business plan

To create a plan that fits your needs , you need to know what you intend to do with it.

Are you planning to use your plan to apply for a loan or pitch to investors? Then it's worth following the format from your chosen sample plan to ensure you cover all necessary information.

But, if you don't plan to share your plan with anyone outside of your business—you likely don't need everything.

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Pharmacy Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Pharmacy Business Plan & Example

If you want to start a pharmacy or expand your current pharmacy business, you need a business plan.

The following pharmacy business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning pharmacy business plan.

You can download our Pharmacy Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Sample Pharmacy Business Plan

Below are links to each of the key sections of your pharmacy business plan: I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

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Pharmacy Business Plan Home I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

Retail Pharmacy Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Starting a pharmacy business can be a daunting task, but with the right plan and guidance, it can be a great opportunity to provide quality healthcare services to customers. The #1 Retail Pharmacy Business Plan Template & Guidebook provides a comprehensive template and step-by-step guide to help entrepreneurs create an effective business plan and accurately assess the financial viability of their pharmacy business. Learn how this invaluable document can help take your retail pharmacy business to the next level.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Retail Pharmacy Business [11 Steps]

How to Write a Retail Pharmacy Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your retail pharmacy business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your retail pharmacy business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a retail pharmacy business:

Our mission is to provide our customers with an exceptional experience in the retail pharmacy, comprised of personalized and accessible care from knowledgeable and compassionate staff combined with a wide range of products and services tailored to a variety of needs.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Retail Pharmacy Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your retail pharmacy business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your retail pharmacy business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your retail pharmacy business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your retail pharmacy business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

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4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a retail pharmacy business?

In order to run a retail pharmacy business, the following equipment, supplies and permits are needed:

• Medical Supplies and Equipment
• Computers and Point of Sale System
• Pharmacy Software
• Licensing and Permits from State & Federal Agencies
• Business Licensing
• Safety Supplies
• Adequate Insurance Coverage

5. Management & Organization of Your Retail Pharmacy Business.

The second part of your retail pharmacy business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your retail pharmacy business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Retail Pharmacy Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a retail pharmacy business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a retail pharmacy business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your retail pharmacy business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your retail pharmacy business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your retail pharmacy business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Retail Pharmacy Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a retail pharmacy business.

A business plan for a retail pharmacy business is essential for the success of the business. It outlines the goals and objectives of the business, provides a road map of how the pharmacy will operate, and helps to identify any potential risks associated with running a retail pharmacy. The plan also helps to identify key personnel, define financial requirements and develop sales and marketing strategies. Additionally, it helps to establish short-term and long-term objectives and provides clarity regarding how profits will be used to grow the business.

Who should you ask for help with your retail pharmacy business plan?

You should ask a business consultant, an accountant or financial advisor, or a business plan writer for help with your retail pharmacy business plan.

Can you write a retail pharmacy business plan yourself?

Writing a business plan requires research, development and the ability to write an effective business plan. It is recommended that those wishing to create a business plan for a retail pharmacy should seek professional help from experienced business plan writers, who are familiar with the pharmacy industry and can provide comprehensive and tailored guidance. Additionally, there are online resources and templates available to help guide you through the process of creating a business plan.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

How to Start a Pharmacy

• How to Start Your Own Pharmacy Business

How Big is the Pharmacy Industry?

What are the key segments of the pharmacy industry.

• What External Factors Affect the Pharmacy Industry?

Who are the Key Competitors in the Pharmacy Market?

What are the key customer segments in the pharmacy market.

• What are the Typical Startup Costs for a New Pharmacy Business?

Is Owning a Pharmacy Profitable?

• What are the Keys to Launching a New Pharmacy Business

In this article, you’ll learn how to open and run a successful pharmacy.

Importantly, a critical step in starting an pharmacy business is to complete your business plan. To help you out, you should download Growthink’s Ultimate Pharmacy Business Plan Template here .

Download our Ultimate Pharmacy Business Plan Template here

How to Start Your Own Independent Pharmacy Business

If you want to start a successful pharmacy, follow these steps.

Write a Pharmacy Business Plan

Starting a pharmacy requires large expenditures of money upfront before generating any positive cash flow or returns. Without a solid business plan, you will have difficulty acquiring the capital necessary to start your own pharmacy.

A good, detailed business plan will contain the financial statements and data gathered from your market research about potential customers and demographics, expected location for store placement, store design ideas, equipment needs, inventory requirements, and more.

Identify Legal Regulations

Pharmacies are highly regulated businesses by both state and federal authorities so it is important to be aware of what rules apply in your area. Pharmacy rules vary greatly according to laws enacted at local levels so you must familiarize yourself with what regulations will apply to you when starting a new pharmacy in your city or state. Seek legal advice if you are unsure about any of the regulations. 

Acquire Inventory

You will also need an inventory before opening your pharmacy so you can fill prescriptions immediately when they come in. More established businesses typically deal with wholesalers who supply large amounts of drugs at a time to the pharmacy for resale.

New independent pharmacies often don’t have access to this inventory level and must order goods from their wholesaler on an individual basis until their business is well established.

Secure Insurance

You must secure your own liability insurance before opening your pharmacy or you can risk having no coverage.

General liability insurance covers pharmacy owners for incidents that happen within the pharmacy including slips and falls on the property, errors and omissions, medical malpractice, etc. while protecting your personal assets like your home, car, and bank account.

Commercial property insurance is also required which protects your physical building against damage or loss due to natural disasters or other unforeseen events including theft by employees or others who might gain unauthorized access to the property.

Finally, see if there are any other types of insurance like workers’ compensation or unemployment that you need to purchase before opening your pharmacy. Find an insurance agent who can handle all your business insurance needs in one place.

Choose a Pharmacy Location

Choosing the right location is crucial for your future business so you should choose carefully.

The easiest way to know which locations are best for opening up a pharmacy is by looking at what other independent pharmacies provide in the area and what they already share. This can tell you where people go to fill prescriptions and how many pharmacies currently exist in close proximity.

Besides customers, other resources like utilities, internet connectivity, clean drinking water sources, traffic flow patterns, nearby businesses, government offices, and more all factor into choosing where to locate your new pharmacy. Make sure that any of these resources needed by your business are available near enough to where you plan to establish your business.

Design Your Store

While getting your pharmacy established is often more important than the design of the store itself, it is still helpful to create a plan for how you will construct your new pharmacy. In addition to making sure that there are good accessibility points from all parking spaces and entrances, the layout of your business should also be taken into account.  Consider things like:

• Where do customers enter?
• How does one area flow naturally into another without overwhelming traffic on a single main pathway between areas?
• Are certain sections or rooms reserved for particular functions or restricted from being used as general walk-through space?
• What items will need to be regularly stocked regularly and how can those items be situated so they are easy to access by workers and customers?

Once you have your store layout planned out, consider how your current assets can be used like furniture, shelving units, and other items.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Obtain necessary licenses and permits.

There are both state and federal licensing requirements when opening a pharmacy.

State Licensing Requirements

Every state has its own licensing requirements which are then broken down into additional county or city licensing requirements. You will need to get an annual state pharmacy license and separate licenses for each location within that state if you plan on opening more than one pharmacy.

There are many types of permits required for opening up a pharmacy; however, not all states require the same types. Your local government office is usually responsible for providing information about specific permits that may be necessary like state licensure requirements, building code compliance documents (i.e., handicap-accessible parking spaces), environmental health department approvals (procedures for proper disposal of hazardous waste), or public works construction permits (maintenance of roads around the business).

Federal Licensing Requirements

Licenses required by the federal government usually apply to pharmacies that operate across multiple states. These may include licenses to distribute prescription drugs, mail order prescriptions, sell controlled substances, and others. These licenses can be extremely expensive so it is important to plan accordingly.

Set Up Your Business Finances Properly

Once your pharmacy begins to make sales, you will need to set up proper financial guidelines for how these funds are stored, distributed, or spent.  Basic steps include:

• Open a business bank account as soon as possible so that you can deposit sales from customers into this account rather than a personal one. This will help you to avoid misplacing sales revenues and also allows businesses to track the success of their various ventures more efficiently.
• Create a budget for your pharmacy, including income goals as well as expenses. Decide how much money you want to make monthly or yearly depending on the type of future growth you seek. Remember though that this is not an exact science since there are many variables that may change these projections at any time.
• Create a tax ID number for use by your pharmacy as an official company entity. This step is usually handled by a CPA or other financial advisors at the local, state, and/or federal levels.
• Keep track of all transactions associated with your pharmacy to make sure that you are in compliance with any regulations including drug pricing information, prescription documentation procedures, and other such information if required by law within your area. This is usually done through a POS system although you do have the option to use spreadsheets or pen and paper for this task.
• Include business plans from other successful pharmacies as well as their prices for goods and services so that you can stay competitive while still making a profit which will help ensure its continued success.
• Incorporate the pharmacy as a legal subsidiary of your company. This is done by meeting with a lawyer and having them draft the necessary documents so that you can file for recognition as an official legal entity within your local area.

Start Marketing Your Business

Once you have all of the necessary permits and licenses to run your pharmacy, you should start marketing.  While there are many different ways to go about this process, it is important to consider not only the customers in your area but also how your business may be able to reach out and support other businesses in their service goals as well.

You should always keep an eye on local news coverage as well as charitable events that may affect those around you as a way of getting free advertising for your new pharmacy.

As far as advertisements go, there are plenty of inexpensive forms like print advertisements, direct mail, or even social media platforms that can help get the word out. Just make sure that whatever methods you decide to use include information like:

• how well your pharmacy is prepared to handle customer sales, prescription renewals, and other such tasks 
• how quickly customers can expect to receive their medication
• any coupons or special discounts for first responders and other people in the community who may be particularly supportive of your pharmacy

Hire Pharmacists and Other Employees

You must make sure that any employees within the pharmacy are properly trained and capable of handling duties like prescription orientation, helping customers select medication, counseling on appropriate therapies, and other such tasks.  As far as hiring goes:

Search local schools and colleges for potential candidates to fill available positions. You should also share job listings with businesses or organizations that work closely with your pharmacy’s mission so they can help spread the word about your new business as well.

Choose candidates based on their qualifications for the specific position(s) rather than those who may be more qualified but do not fit the image you want to portray as a new pharmacy owner because this will affect how others view your pharmacy throughout its growth. Finally, before you hire, always conduct criminal background checks.

Once you have hired new employees, make sure to provide adequate training for them in all aspects of the pharmacy.  This should be done on a regular basis so that they are always aware of any changes or updates to your policies or procedures.

Launch Your Business

Finally, launch your business by beginning with a grand opening celebration, airing advertisements through social media and print forms of media, asking friends and family to spread the word about your new opening, etc. Don’t forget to include grand opening discounts or special sales in order to get customers into the store quickly which you can then begin building customer loyalty over time. Building a sufficient prescription base will be a key part of ensuring a successful startup and long-term success for your pharmacy.

The US pharmacy and drug-store industry is a profitable one with an estimated annual market size of $338.2 billion. The growth rate for the industry is expected to maintain the 7.1% annual compound growth rate that has been sustained over the last five years.

The Pharmacies & Drug Stores industry ranks as the sixth-largest retail trade sector by revenue and 29th largest overall among industries in America, according to data from IBIS World , which monitors industries all across North America and internationally, as well as within other countries and continents worldwide.

There are 4 main market segments of the pharmacy and drugstore industry: Large-Chain Retailers, Independent Pharmacies, Wholesalers, and Others. Each segment serves different purposes in the pharmaceutical industry as a whole.

Large-Chain Retailers such as CVS and Walgreens sell both non-prescription drugs such as over-the-counter medication as well as prescription drugs which they fill on site. The financial success for these companies is reliant upon their ability to cater to consumers’ demands which have allowed them to expand into large chain stores with hundreds of locations.

Small Independent Pharmacies typically serve small communities where customers are able to shop at stores that offer personal attention. They compete with chain pharmacies by offering personalized services and locally produced items which appeal to customers’ desire for small business support within their communities. Large independents account for about 20% of all retail pharmacy revenue in the United States, but only 2% of the number of stores.

Wholesalers sell both prescription and non-prescription drugs directly to pharmacies or hospitals at a reduced cost through large-scale distribution centers. These wholesalers then markup the cost between 300% – 400%.

Other companies in this market segment provide services to pharmacies and hospitals that help them prepare for inspections, store medical records or manage the prescription drug programs and/or insurance claims of patients. These companies are reliant on how many prescriptions are filled at each pharmacy.

What External Factors Affect the Pharmacy Market?

There are many external factors that affect how the pharmacy and drug store industries operate:

• Health & Dental Insurance : The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health insurance providers to offer free preventative care, including physical exams and vaccinations. This has increased the number of immunizations performed by pharmacies which is beneficial for both patients and providers due to savings in doctor visits.
• Generics : Generic drugs have been proven to be just as effective as name brand medications, but at a lower cost to consumers, however, they do affect where someone goes when obtaining their prescription medication. Name brands will always generate more money for retailers because they are higher priced than generics meaning people who can afford it will go to retail locations to purchase name-brand prescriptions rather than going to a pharmacy that only carries generics.
• Pharmacies & Hospital Mergers : With large hospital systems buying up private practices and acquiring smaller hospitals, they are also acquiring more pharmacies within their system. This allows them to control the prices of prescription medications that circulate through their health and pharmacy system which could potentially change the relationship between customers looking for prescriptions from pharmacies and these larger organizations.
• Home Care : Many people are choosing to be cared for in their homes rather than in a nursing home setting or facility due to improvements in healthcare technology and procedures. This means that individuals aren’t visiting retail locations as often because visits by nurses/pharmacists come directly to them at their home address saving time and expense from going to a physical location.
• Online Pharmacies & Telemedicine : The ease of using online technology has made it much easier for pharmaceutical companies to offer remote consultations with physicians, this, in turn, allows patients to have access to their prescriptions without having to leave home and travel to a local pharmacy. This convenience is changing how the consumer obtains medication because people who don’t have a prescription via their doctor can go directly online and purchase them in bulk, eliminating the need for a retail setting entirely.
• Price Transparency : Consumers are now able to use multiple resources including internet pharmacy listings, pharmacy websites/apps on mobile phones, etc., anyone can now look up the price of medications at any time or set alerts on when they want or need to purchase a certain product, making it more difficult for retail locations to increase prices without consequences on lost customers.
• Direct-to-consumer (DTC) Advertising : Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars on advertising and promoting their drugs to consumers directly who then go out and ask their doctors for the medication they saw advertised. This affects how patients request medication because they are no longer willing to accept the generic version of a drug or less expensive brand instead they want exactly what was advertised which could be an unreasonable cost to anyone not insured by the pharmaceutical company producing the drug.
• Competitors : Pharmacies compete with one another but there has been some controversy over Walgreens’ ability to open up shops within grocery store chains like Kroger or Safeway, creating pharmacy-grocery hybrids which could mean lower prices for consumers, but also puts pharmacies out of business because they are unable to compete with large retail settings offering products at less expensive prices.

Pharmacies are among the businesses in healthcare. Direct competitors include those that offer the same product lines as pharmacies, such as discount and convenience stores. Indirect competitors include pharmacists’ offices, hospitals, and clinics. For instance, a pharmacist may have their own office where they see patients.

Pharmacies generally target three main customer segments:

• Seniors (people who are 55+) who would like to receive discounts on prescriptions and other goods
• Middle Class (household income between $50,000 – $100,000) consumers who want convenient access to the pharmacy, but don’t like high prices or waiting in line
• Elite/Upper Class (household income over $100,000) consumers are looking for the most convenience when it comes to prescription medications, which may include private delivery services

All of these groups make up a desirable target market because they all purchase medication from pharmacies. The key is finding out what each one wants so you can tailor your services towards those specific needs. If done correctly, it will increase sales and keep loyal customers coming back.

What are the Typical Startup Costs for a New Pharmacy?

Average Startup Costs: $400,000 – $800,000

New pharmacy start-up costs can include rent, inventory, equipment, staff salaries, and any other items that the pharmacy needs to operate. It is important for entrepreneurs and other business owners interested in starting a pharmacy to carefully plan out how much they will need for starting costs as well as how they will pay for those expenses.

The costs to open a pharmacy can vary widely depending on such factors as whether the pharmacy is in an existing building or will need to be built from scratch and what type of equipment and inventory will be needed. Opening a pharmacy in an existing building may require less startup capital than opening one in a new location; however, acquiring permits and licenses may take longer for a new location than one that already exists.

If the pharmacy will be located in an existing building, landlords may require that the space meet certain criteria to rent it. Meeting these standards usually requires significant renovations. Renovations could include adding walls for privacy between patient areas and dispensing areas or making other changes to meet local codes. Landlords may require a tenant to meet additional criteria, such as having a certain number of parking spaces or being open a minimum number of hours. These requirements could affect the cost and timeline for opening the pharmacy location.

It’s important to note that these numbers are just a guideline and can vary greatly depending on the entrepreneur’s vision for their business. For instance, if you have plans to open a multi-location or chain pharmacy, your startup costs will be much different than someone who wants to open up a small retail shop in an area with little competition.

In addition to any funds needed to cover ongoing expenses for rent, utilities, and prescriptions, there are certain costs that are related specifically to starting your business. These are some key costs associated with starting your own pharmacy:

• Location Rent
• Licenses and Permits
• Prescription Drug Inventory
• Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
• Business Insurance
• Leasehold Improvements
• Equipment & Furniture Costs
• Staffing Costs

Yes, owning an independent pharmacy is a very profitable undertaking. To improve the profitability of your pharmacy, look to add a few different types of patients that you do not already serve, such as the elderly and the uninsured. This will increase your business volumes and help you achieve profitability faster. You can also add more staffers, such as technicians and sales representatives, to help you fill more prescriptions.

What are the Keys to Launching a New Pharmacy?

Here are the keys to launching a new pharmacy:

1. Write Your Own Pharmacy Business Plan

A pharmacy business plan will help you stay on track with your independent pharmacy by setting goals and milestones. It is a working document that can change as you go but needs to be completed before starting your pharmacy.

To enhance your planning process, incorporating insights from a  sample pharmacy business plan  can be beneficial. This can provide you with a clearer perspective on industry standards and effective strategies, helping to solidify your own business approach.

2. Determine Your Location

Deciding on the best physical location for your pharmacy will give you a head start in your business venture. 

3. Pharmacy Layout & Design

You won’t always have the luxury of selecting the layout of your pharmacy’s location, but when you do, try to optimize space by incorporating shelving units or displays to maximize foot traffic and sales.

4. Pharmacist & Staff Hires

Hiring staff can sometimes be as stressful as starting a pharmacy. Finding someone with experience who is willing to work at a startup pharmacy may be difficult so working as a team is essential from day one. You will need pharmacists to work at the pharmacy, techs to assist pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as well as support staff for accounting or customer service.

5. Insurance Coverage

Insurance coverage can make starting a pharmacy smooth sailing or a nightmare depending on the type of coverage you choose and what limits you purchase for Retail Malpractice & Shoplifting insurance. We suggest contacting an independent agent to help with your choices not only for these coverages but also Pharmacist Errors & Omissions if you plan on being a pharmacist-owned pharmacy.

How to Finish Your Pharmacy Business Plan in 1 Day!

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With Growthink’s Ultimate Pharmacy Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

How to Start a Pharmacy FAQs

What are the main things you need for your pharmacy space.

Pharmacies look for building spaces that are in high-traffic locations. Pharmacies also need great signage, easy access to municipal services, and ample on-site parking or reasonable street parking.

In terms of interior space, pharmacies are also looking for spaces that have high ceilings to allow room for product placement on shelves, large windows with lots of natural light, first-floor pharmacy locations over accessible public transportation lines, and enough room to accommodate an increasing number of employees as the business grows.

Where do I find a pharmacy business plan template?

A great starting point for creating your own customized pharmacy business plan is to use this free pharmacy business plan pdf download .

Want to quickly and easily complete your pharmacy business plan, get Growthink’s Ultimate Pharmacy Business Plan Template and write your plan in less than 1 day.

How much does it cost to start a pharmacy business?

This cost will vary depending on if you are opening a franchise or an independently-owned pharmacy and what type of licensing is required by the state. The average investment is $400,000 - $800,000. This includes the building itself and all of the medical equipment and pharmaceuticals required at the initial startup and throughout the operation.

How do I find investors for a pharmacy business?

The investment process is often dependent upon the type of pharmacy you are opening. A traditional pharmacy, which only requires the licensing and startup costs outlined above, can usually receive funding from friends and family or even your own personal finances. However, investors will take more interest in franchise pharmacies and medical dispensaries because they require higher start-up costs and may be able to contribute more capital quickly.

What are some marketing tactics for a pharmacy business?

Depending on the size of your pharmacy, you may want to purchase a banner in order to advertise in your local community. Banners are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in bulk from several online retailers for multiple locations. If your pharmacy only requires one or two employees, social media marketing is another great way to market outside of traditional methods like newspapers or billboards.

What is the time frame for opening up a new pharmacy?

Pharmacies vary in size and opening time frames, but it typically takes at least six months to open a pharmacy. In addition to extensive business planning, which includes deciding on a business structure, pharmacies need to obtain local permits, which can take up to four months. Pharmacies also need to hire staff members, order inventory, and amass the necessary equipment before grand opening day.

Where Can I Download a Pharmacy Business Plan PDF?

You can download our pharmacy business plan PDF template here. This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

500+ business plans and financial models

Pharmacy Business Plan PDF Example

• March 19, 2024
• Business Plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan is crucial for launching and running a successful pharmacy. This plan serves as your roadmap, detailing your vision, operational strategies, and financial plan. It helps establish your pharmacy’s identity, navigate the competitive market, and secure funding for growth.

This article not only breaks down the critical components of a pharmacy business plan, but also provides an example of a business plan to help you craft your own.

Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or new to the healthcare industry, this guide, complete with a business plan example, lays the groundwork for turning your pharmacy concept into reality. Let’s dive in!

Our pharmacy business plan is constructed to encompass all critical facets required for a robust strategy. It details the pharmacy’s operational processes, marketing approaches, market conditions, competitive landscape, management hierarchy, and financial predictions.

• Executive Summary : Provides a concise overview of the Pharmacy’s business concept, market analysis , management team, and financial strategy, setting the stage for the detailed plan.
• Pharmacy & Location: Details the pharmacy’s layout, amenities, and the strategic significance of its location to attract customers.
• Services & Pricing: Lists the pharmaceutical services and products available, including pricing strategy and how it caters to the target market .
• Key Stats: Shares important statistics on the pharmacy industry, highlighting the market size and growth trends.
• Key Trends: Discusses current trends affecting the pharmaceutical industry and how the Pharmacy aligns with these trends.
• Key Competitors : Evaluates main competitors in the vicinity, showcasing the Pharmacy’s unique advantages.
• SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis tailored to the Pharmacy.
• Marketing Plan : Outlines strategies for marketing, customer engagement, and loyalty building.
• Timeline : Key milestones and objectives from the Pharmacy’s startup phase through its first year of operation.
• Management: Information about the management team, their expertise, and their roles in the Pharmacy.
• Financial Plan: Projects the Pharmacy’s financial performance over the next five years, including revenue, profit margins, and significant expenses.

Pharmacy Business Plan

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Executive Summary

The Executive Summary introduces your pharmacy’s business plan, providing a concise overview of your pharmacy and its offerings. It should detail your market positioning, the range of pharmaceutical products and health services you offer, its location, size, and an outline of day-to-day operations.

This section should also explore how your pharmacy will integrate into the local market, including the number of direct competitors within the area, identifying who they are, along with your pharmacy’s unique selling points that differentiate it from these competitors.

Furthermore, you should include information about the management and co-founding team, detailing their roles and contributions to the pharmacy’s success. Additionally, a summary of your financial projections, including revenue and profits over the next five years, should be presented here to provide a clear picture of your pharmacy’s financial plan.

Make sure to cover here _ Business Overview _ Market Overview _ Management Team _ Financial Plan

Dive deeper into Executive Summary

Business Overview

For a Pharmacy, the Business Overview section can be concisely divided into 2 main aspects:

Pharmacy & Location

Briefly describe the pharmacy’s physical setup, focusing on its layout, ease of navigation, and the welcoming atmosphere for customers. Mention the pharmacy’s location, highlighting its accessibility and convenience to customers, such as proximity to medical centers, residential areas, or ease of parking. Explain why this location is strategically chosen to attract your target customer base.

Products & Pricing

Detail the range of products and services offered, from prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs to health supplements and wellness products. Include any specialized services such as pharmaceutical consultations, immunizations, health screenings, or medication management programs. Outline your pricing strategy, ensuring it is competitive yet reflects the quality and value of the products and services offered. Highlight any discount programs, insurance collaborations, or loyalty schemes that provide added value to your customers, encouraging repeat visits and customer loyalty.

Make sure to cover here _ Pharmacy & Location _ Products & Prices

Market Overview

Industry size & growth.

In the Market Overview of your pharmacy business plan, start by examining the size of the pharmaceutical industry and its growth potential. This analysis is crucial for understanding the market’s scope and identifying expansion opportunities.

Key Market Trends

Proceed to discuss recent market trends , such as the increasing consumer interest in health and wellness products, the growth in demand for prescription and over-the-counter medications, and the expansion of pharmacy services like immunizations and health screenings. For example, highlight the demand for pharmacies that offer comprehensive health management solutions and personalized medication consultations, alongside the rising popularity of digital health services and telepharmacy.

Key Competitors

Then, consider the competitive landscape, which includes a range of pharmacies from large chains to local independents, as well as online pharmacies and health tech startups. For example, emphasize what makes your pharmacy distinctive, whether it’s through superior customer service, a wide range of health and wellness products, or specialization in certain medical areas. This section will help articulate the demand for pharmacy services, the competitive environment, and how your pharmacy is positioned to thrive within this dynamic market.

Make sure to cover here _ Industry size & growth _ Key competitors _ Key market trends

Dive deeper into Key competitors

First, conduct a SWOT analysis for the pharmacy , highlighting Strengths (such as a comprehensive range of health products and services, knowledgeable pharmacists), Weaknesses (including potential inventory management issues or strong competition from large chains), Opportunities (for example, an increasing focus on healthcare and preventive measures in the community), and Threats (such as regulatory changes or online pharmacies cutting into market share).

Marketing Plan

Next, develop a marketing strategy that outlines how to attract and retain customers through targeted health and wellness campaigns, promotional discounts on wellness products, an engaging online presence that includes health tips and advice, and involvement in community health events.

Finally, create a detailed timeline that outlines critical milestones for the pharmacy’s opening, marketing initiatives, customer base growth, and potential service expansion objectives, ensuring the business progresses with clear direction and purpose.

Make sure to cover here _ SWOT _ Marketing Plan _ Timeline

Dive deeper into SWOT

Dive deeper into Marketing Plan

The Management section focuses on the pharmacy’s management and their direct roles in daily operations and strategic direction. This part is crucial for understanding who is responsible for making key decisions and driving the pharmacy toward its financial and operational goals.

For your pharmacy business plan, list the core team members, their specific responsibilities, and how their expertise supports the business.

Financial Plan

The Financial Plan section is a comprehensive analysis of your financial projections for revenue, expenses, and profitability. It lays out your pharmacy’s approach to securing funding, managing cash flow, and achieving breakeven.

This section typically includes detailed forecasts for the first 5 years of operation, highlighting expected revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures.

For your pharmacy business plan, provide a snapshot of your financial statement (profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow statement), as well as your key assumptions (e.g. number of customers and prices, expenses, etc.).

Make sure to cover here _ Profit and Loss _ Cash Flow Statement _ Balance Sheet _ Use of Funds

Privacy Overview

Retail Pharmacy Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Healthcare and Medical » Pharmacy

Are you about starting a pharmacy (chemist shop)? If YES, here’s a complete sample wholesale / retail pharmacy business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a retail pharmacy . We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample retail pharmacy marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for pharmacies. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

Being in the pharmacy trade is a very good thing. This is because of the great returns on investment that is being guaranteed.

Starting a retail business is a very right step to take if you are looking to delve into the retail pharmacy business. It is important that you are a pharmacist ; this is so that you can get a proper hang of the business, as well as bring in your hands-on prowess into the venture.

A Sample Retail Pharmacy Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

What really is the pharmaceutical business all about? The pharmaceutical industry is known for developing, producing, and marketing medicine (drugs). Retail pharmacy business is known to be involved in the sale (retailing) of generic or brand medications; some big pharmaceutical stores even engage in the sale of medical devices.

All over the world, the pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated. This is so because of the devastating effect of fake drugs and drug abuse which can’t be quantified. As a matter of fact, there are several universal laws and regulations that govern the patenting, testing, safety, efficacy and marketing of drugs.

For example; in the united states, new pharmaceutical products must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being both safe and effective before they can be allowed to go into the market. Any entrepreneur (investor) who has a plan of starting his or her own retail pharmacy business must comply with the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses that was passed into law in 2008.

Anyone who wants to establish a retail pharmacy business must follow the regulations that guides the sourcing, storage, sale, supply and keeping of records, in respect of medicinal products. Other requirements that they are expected to comply with are; requirements that relates to staff, premises, equipment and procedures are also stipulated.

No doubt retail pharmacy business is indeed a profitable industry; at the end of 2011, there were just over 23,100 independent retail pharmacies operating domestically.

For instance; in 2012 about 62,000 retail, mail and specialty pharmacies operating in America filled more than 4 billion prescriptions. As a matter of fact, in 2012 alone, statistics indicated that the total industry revenues was between $275 billion and $290 billion.

Statistics has it that global spending on prescription drugs grew to a whopping sum of $954 billion in 2011 and The United States accounts for more than a third of the global pharmaceutical market, with an estimate of $340 billion in annual sales.

It is on record that the retail pharmacy industry is growing at an annual rate of 1.6 percent. Retail pharmaceutical stores are amongst the top beneficiaries; they have experienced high sales growth in the first aid, eye care, sun care, smoking deterrent, foot care and home healthcare categories.

Over and above, the retail pharmacy industry is indeed a growing and a profitable industry and it is open to any aspiring investor (entrepreneur) to come in and establish his or her retail pharmacy outlet.

2. Executive Summary

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will be located in one of the busiest streets in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. We have been able to lease a facility for 5 years with the option of acquiring the property once the property is put up for sale.

The facility is well positioned and it matches the ideal picture of a community retail pharmacy store. We are not going to spend much to revamp the facility because before taking over the facility, it was used as a retail shop. Although the business is launching out with just one outlet, but we have plans to open other outlets in key locations around Baltimore, MD.

Kingsley Greeno retail pharmacy store will be involved in the retailing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. We will also be involved in the sale of beauty products, cosmetic, postcards (greeting cards), convenience foods and other related products.

We are in retail pharmacy business to retail a wide range of pharmaceuticals for our customers, at the lowest prices they can get anywhere in Baltimore, MD. Our employees are well trained and qualified to handle the wide range of customers that we are positioned to serve. We will engage in the sale of prescriptions at reduced prices both at the counter and online order.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy will operate a 24 hours, 7 days a week pharmaceutical store. We shall also have customers like; walk – in customers and mail order customers. Our work force is going to be well trained to operate within the framework of our company’s corporate culture and also to meet the needs of all our customers.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will ensure that all our customers are given first class treatment whenever they visit our shop.

We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our customers no matter how large the numbers of our customers’ base grows. We will ensure that we get our customers involved in the selection of brands that will be on our racks and also when make some business decisions.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is a family business that is owned and managed by Kinsley Greeno and Family. Mr. Kingsley Greeno is going to be the Chief Executive Officer of the business; he has a first Degree in Pharmacy and an MBA from Harvard University.

He has well over 10 years of experience working as a pharmacist with the United States’ government. His son who is an undergraduate is currently studying pharmacy, with the hope of taking over the family business when he (Mr. Greeno) retires.

3. Our Products and Services

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will retail a wide range of prescription drugs from different manufacturing brands to customers who are based in Baltimore, MD. We also engage in the sale of beauty products, cosmetic, postcards (greeting cards), baby products, convenience foods and other related products (small scale medical equipment / instruments et al).

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become the largest retail pharmacy store in the whole of Maryland, U.S.
• Our mission is to establish a first class retail pharmacy store that will make available a wide range of generic and branded prescription drugs from top pharmaceutical manufacturing brands at affordable prices to the residence of Baltimore, MD.

Our Business Structure

Kinsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is a business that will be built on a solid foundation. From the outset, we have decided to recruit only qualified people to man various job positions in our organization. We are quite aware of the rules and regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry which is why we decided to recruit experienced and qualify employees as foundational staff of the organization.

We hope to leverage on their expertise to build our business. When hiring, we will look out for applicants that are not just qualified and experienced, but honest, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. This are the positions that will be available at Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store;

• CEO (pharmacy owner, superintendent pharmacist and supervising pharmacist)
• Pharmacist (Manager)

Merchandize Manager

• Pharmacist technician (3)
• Information Technologist (Contract)
• Sales agents (3)
• Cashier (Counter Agent).

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for recruitment
• Responsible for payment of salaries
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

  Pharmacist (Manager):

• Responsible for managing the daily activities in the restaurant
• provides advice about health issues, symptoms and medications in response to customer enquiries
• recruits, trains and manages staff
• processes prescriptions and dispensing medication
• orders, sells and controls medicines and other stock
• meets medical representatives
• manages budgets
• keeps statistical and financial records
• prepares publicity materials and displays
• markets services
• Interfaces with third – party providers (vendors)
• Controls the sales floor inventory
• Supervises the entire sales staff and workforce
• Any other duty as assigned by the CEO
• Manages vendor relations, market visits, and the ongoing education and development of the organizations’ buying teams
• Helps to ensure consistent quality of drugs and products on our rack
• Responsible for the purchase of goods and products for the organizations
• Responsible for planning sales, monitoring inventory, selecting the merchandise, and writing and pricing orders to vendors
• Ensures that the organization operates within stipulated budget.

Pharmacy Technician

• Ensures that the store facility is in tip top shape and conducive enough to welcome customers (This includes turning on equipment such as computers, scales, printers and fax machines)
• Ensures that goods and products are properly arranged
• Responsible for processing prescriptions
• Responsible for sterilizing the counter tops, scales, pill counting trays, and other medication measuring devices.
• Handles administrative and bookkeeping tasks, inventory control, stocking shelves, and data entry
• Performs monthly inventory counts, file paperwork, and stock inventory
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the floor manager (Pharmacist)

Sales Agents

• Manages external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Models demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer purchases
• Sources for clients for the company
• Responsible for promoting the company’s image
• Responsible for creating marketing and sales strategies, etc.
• Represents the organization in some strategic business meetings

Information Technologist

• Manages the organization website
• Handles ecommerce aspect of the business
• Responsible for installing and maintenance of computer software and hardware for the organization
• Manage logistics and supply chain software, Web servers, e-commerce software and POS (point of sale) systems
• Manage the organization’s CCTV
• Handles any other technological and IT related duties.

Cashier (Counter Agent):

• Receives payments on behalf of the organization
• Issues receipt to customers
• Prepare financial report at the end of every working week
• Handles financial transaction on behalf of the company
• Interfaces with our bankers
• Responsible for payment of tax, levies and utility bills
• Responsible for cleaning the pharmacy facility at all times
• Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
• Cleans both the interior and exterior of the pharmacy facility
• Handle any other duty as assigned by the floor manager (Pharmacist)

6. SWOT Analysis

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is not looking forward to operate a regular retail pharmacy store, because we want to become the biggest retail community pharmacy in Baltimore. We want our pharmacy to be the number one choice of all residence of Baltimore.

We know that if we are going to achieve the goals that we have set for our business, then we must ensure that we build our business on a solid foundation. We must ensure that we follow due process in setting up our retail pharmacy store.

Despite the fact that our CEO (owner) has a robust experience in retail pharmacy business, we still went ahead to hire the services of business consultants that are specialized in setting up new businesses to help our organization conduct detailed SWOT analysis and to also provide professional support in helping us structure our business. This is the summary of the SWOT analysis that was conducted for Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store;

Our location is one of our strength. The Business model we will be operating on (physical store and online store) will be opened for 24 hours daily and 7 days in a week. There would be multiple payment options; wide range of prescription drugs, home delivery services and our excellent customer service culture will definitely count as a strong strength for us.

Our perceived weakness is the fact that we are just starting out and we may not have the required finance to sustain the kind of publicity that we intend giving the business.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to retail pharmacy business is unlimited and we are going to position our business to make the best out of the opportunities that will be available to us in Baltimore, MD.

Just like any other retail business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn and unfavorable government policies (healthcare reform). It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of a new retail pharmacy outlet in same location where ours is located (Baltimore, MD.).

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The market trend in retail pharmacy industry is directly influenced by a country’s healthcare reform policies. The fact that the pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated means that any entrepreneur who wants to run a retail pharmacy store must be ready to play by the book.

Loads of other factors influences the market trend in the industry and it is normal to see bigger retail pharmacy stores (especially those with chains of outlets) weathering the storm whenever there are major shaking in the industry. In essence, the easiest way to build a solid and highly profitable retail pharmacy business is to engage in opening various outlets in key cities around the U.S. and the

No doubt the industry will continue to grow and become more profitable because the aging baby-boomer generation in United States are expected to drive increasing demand for prescription drugs.

Retail Pharmacies are now making use of technology to effectively manage their business by plugging financial leakages which happens to be one of the biggest challenges that retail businesses faces. The use of technology, i.e. CRM software et al are very effective in helping retail businesses manage their clientele base.

8. Our Target Market

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is in business to service a wide range of customers in Baltimore, Maryland. We will ensure that we target self – pay customers (who do not have drug plans), mail order customers, and walk in customers et al.

The fact that we are going to open our doors to a wide range of customers does not in any way stop us from demanding and screening prescriptions as required by the law. Our staff are trained to effectively service our customers and still play by the rules governing the industry. Our customers can be categorized into the following;

• Corporate Executives
• Business People
• Elderly people
• Expectant Mothers
• Sports Men and Women

Our Competitive Advantage

The retail pharmacy industry is known to be highly competitive in the U.S and in most parts of the world. The industry is growing and there are alternative ways through which clients / patients can get their medications / prescriptions / drugs.

There are alternative provides like mail-order firms, grocery chains, mass merchants and dollar stores; these are the real competitors in the industry. These competitors ensures that they do all that lies within their powers to gain favorable market share of the available market in any given region.

It is a fact that small retail pharmacy stores will always struggle with larger pharmacy chains when it comes to pricing power and brand recognition, which is why smaller retail pharmacy store always go out of their ways to deliver excellent customer service. It is through top notch customer service that they can secure a fair share of the available market.

Smaller retail pharmacies ensures that each order carries a printout. The printout accompany the medications providing directions on how patient are expected to take the medications, other drugs that should be avoided concurrently, and other useful information.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is coming into the market well prepared to favorably compete in the industry. Our pharmacy is well positioned and visible, we have enough parking space with good security. Our management staff are well groomed in retail pharmacy and all our employees are trained to provide customized customer service to all our clients.

We are going to be one of the few retail pharmacies in Baltimore that will be opened 24 hours a week and 7 days a week. We have enough staff that are ready to run a shift system. Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy we will ensure that we have a wide range of products (prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs.

We will also be involved in the sale of beauty products, cosmetic, postcards (greeting cards), convenience foods and other related products) available in our store at all times. It will be difficult for customers to visit our store and not see the product that they are looking for. One of our business goals is to make our pharmacy a one stop pharmacy shop.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Our source of income will be majorly in the retailing of prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy will also generate income from the sale of beauty products, cosmetic, postcards (greeting cards), convenience foods and other related products.

10. Sales Forecast

It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our feasibility studies, market survey and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field.. Below are the sales projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of operations;

• First Year-: $200,000 (From Walk – in customers) + $250,000 (From Mail Order customers)
• Second Year-: $450,000 (From Walk – in customers) + $470,000 (From Mail Order customers)
• Third Year-: $700,000 (From Walk – in customers) + $800,000 (From Mail Order customers)

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and natural disasters within the period stated above. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

The marketing and sales strategy of Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will be based on generating long-term personalized relationships with customers.

In order to achieve that, we will ensure that we offer medications at lower prices, compared to what is obtainable in Baltimore. We will also ensure that we have a wide range of drug supplies in stock for both quick shipment and storefront pick up.

All our employees will be well trained and equipped to provide excellent and knowledgeable customer service. We know that if we are consistent with offering high quality drugs and excellent customer service we will increase the number of our customers by more than 25% for the first year and then more than 30 percent subsequently.

Before choosing a location for our pharmacy store, we conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies in order for us to be able to be able to penetrate the available market and become the preferred choice for residence of Baltimore, MD.

We have detailed information and data that we were able to utilize to structure our business to attract the numbers of customers we want to attract per time.

We hired experts who have good understanding of the retail industry to help us develop marketing strategies that will help us achieve our business goal of winning a larger percentage of the available market in Baltimore, Maryland. In summary, Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will adopt the following sales and marketing approach to win customers over;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters to residence, business owners and organizations
• Advertise our business in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
• List our business on yellow pages ads
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Direct marketing
• Word of mouth marketing (referrals)
• Enter into business partnership with hospitals, healthcare provider and health insurance companies.
• Attend pharmaceutical related exhibitions / expos.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Regardless of the fact that our retail pharmacy store is well located in Baltimore, MD., we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for the business. We are going to explore all available conventional and non – conventional means to promote our retail business.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store has a long term plan of opening outlets in various locations all around Maryland which is why we will deliberately build our brand to be well accepted in Baltimore before venturing out.

As a matter of fact, our publicity and advertising strategy is not solely for winning customers over but to effectively communicate our brand to the general public. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Kinsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store;

• Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, et al to promote our brand
• Install our BillBoards on strategic locations all around Baltimore, MD.
• Engage in road show from time to time
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where our retail store is located.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will work towards ensuring that all our products (prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs and beauty products, cosmetic, postcards (greeting cards), convenience foods and other related products) are offered at highly competitive prices compare to what is obtainable in Baltimore.

The fact that we are going to be offering our products at cheaper prices does not in any way means that we will sell sub – standard goods. Selling our products at a lower price than what is obtainable in our competitors store means that we will only reduce our profit margin.

• Payment Options

At Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store, our payment policy is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that will be available in every of our outlets;

• Payment by cash
• Payment via Point of Sale (POS) Machine
• Payment via online bank transfer (online payment portal)
• Payment via Mobile money
• Check (only from loyal customers)

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our payment plans without any itches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

This is the key areas where we will spend our start – up capital on;

• The Total Fee for Registering the Business in Maryland – $750.
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits- $1,500.
• Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of People’s Choice Retail Store in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $3,580.
• Cost for hiring Consultant – $2,500.
• Cost for Computer Software (Accounting Software, Payroll Software, CRM Software, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Pro, drug interaction software, Physician Desk Reference software) – $7,000
• Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $3,400.
• Cost for payment of rent for 12 month at $1.76 per square feet in the total amount of $105,600.
• Cost for Shop remodeling (construction of racks and shelves) – $20,000.
• Other start-up expenses including stationery ($500) and phone and utility deposits ($2,500).
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $100,000
• The cost for Start-up inventory (stocking with a wide range of products) – $150,000
• Storage hardware (bins, rack, shelves,) – $3,720
• The cost for counter area equipment (counter top, sink, ice machine, etc.) – $9,500
• Cost for Supplies (Assorted bottles, boxes, envelopes, etc. for dispensing and shipment)- $3,000
• Cost for store equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $13,750
• Cost of purchase and installation of CCTVs: $7,000
• The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, tables and chairs et al): $4,000.
• The cost of Launching a Website: $700
• The cost for our opening party: $7,000
• Miscellaneous: $10,000

We would need an estimate of $500,000 to successfully set up our retail pharmacy store in Baltimore, MD. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all the staff for the first month of operation.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is a private business that is solely owned and financed by Kingsley Greeno and family.

They do not intend to welcome any external business partners which is why he has decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital to 3 major sources. These are the areas Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store intends to generate our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings
• Source for soft loans from family members and friends
• Apply for loan from my Bank

N.B: We have been able to generate about $200,000 (Personal savings $150,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $300,000 from our bank. All the papers and document have been signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited with the amount.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it may not be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running. We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our product a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin.

Kingsley Greeno Retail Pharmacy Store will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
• Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of facility and remodeling the shop: In Progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from family members: Completed
• Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
• writing of business plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: In Progress
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances, office appliances and CCTV: In progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
• Opening party / launching party planning: In Progress
• Compilation of our list of products that will be available in our pharmacy store: Completed
• Establishing business relationship with vendors (wholesale pharmaceutical companies): In Progress

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Business plan essentials for opening a new pharmacy

Opening a successful new pharmacy starts with a well-thought-out business plan

• RxOwnership® has helped thousands of pharmacy owners get started.
• Key lessons learned: understand the basics, develop a business plan, assemble a team and pick a good location.
• A business plan is foundational. Understand all of the essential elements.
• Focus on financing; lack of working capital is the #1 reason for failure.
• After developing your plan, regularly review and revise it.

Turning your passion into reality

Have you thought about opening your own independent pharmacy?

Perhaps you work at a chain and want to run your own business. Maybe you’ve worked at an independent pharmacy and want to go out on your own. Or, perhaps you own one pharmacy and see an opportunity to acquire another.

It is important to know the positives and challenges of starting an independent pharmacy.

The rewards of starting and running a successful independent pharmacy can be significant. But just opening a pharmacy and simply expecting it to automatically be successful is unrealistic. It takes hard work and careful planning.

Lessons from RxOwnership

To date, RxOwnership has been involved in more than 6,000 transactions involving independent pharmacies. Chris Cella, R.Ph., national vice president for RxOwnership, states, “We’ve seen it. We understand it.”

RxOwnership has found there is much to consider before opening a new pharmacy.

Business plan essentials

Among RxOwnership’s tools and resources is a list of essential elements of an effective business plan. Also, Cella points out, “There’s no need to do it alone.” Whether you choose to work with RxOwnership or another resource, “use the expertise of people who have done this before.”

• Mission statement
• Executive overview
• Ownership structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.)
• Financial plans and projections
• Competitive analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Competitive advantage: what will differentiate you?
• Pharmacy services and offerings
• Marketing plans
• Future plans/exit strategy

To highlight a few business plan essentials:

• Demographic analysis : This is about determining the opportunity in a location. It entails understanding the age, income and ethnic makeup of a community to understand who you would be serving.
• Competitive analysis : Understand how many competitors are in a market and the strengths and weaknesses of each. A “SWOT analysis” (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) is a good exercise. Cella says, “Just because there’s somebody in a market doesn’t preclude you from going in, but you need to identify their weaknesses to find your pharmacy’s advantage.”
• Differentiation : The pharmacy landscape is already competitive. So, how will your pharmacy attract and retain enough customers to build a successful business? What will set you apart? Define how your pharmacy will be different and better. For example, your pharmacy may be in a clinic setting that will fill prescriptions and work with prescribers to keep patients healthier. Also, think about distinctive services such as medication synchronization, compliance packaging, compounding, immunizations and unique offerings like DME and/or nutraceuticals.

Focus on financing

RxOwnership has seen that the #1 reason start-up pharmacies fail is not lack of intelligence or effort. It is lack of working capital.

“It can take 15–24 months to break even,” Cella said. “During that time the pharmacy still needs to pay staff, rent, utilities and its wholesaler. Better to get plenty of funding up front. Having your project properly capitalized will help keep your business plan on the right track,” he said.

Budget for marketing before and after you open

Not budgeting enough for marketing is another common mistake. “You need to build in a marketing budget both pre- and post-opening,” Cella said. At least three months before opening, you need to market to prescribers and the community, explaining when you will open and what services your pharmacy will offer. Then, budget for grand opening events and for the rest of the year.

Learn and revise your plan

After your pharmacy opens, review the plan at least quarterly. Compare where you are with what you expected and make adjustments. “Your business plan should not be created and shelved,” Cella said. “It’s a living document that needs to be changed and massaged as your business grows.”

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Top 5 Pharmacy Business Plan Templates with Samples and Examples (PDF and Editable Word Doc Included)

Lakshya Khurana

As a business, as you scan the horizon for opportunities today, it is inevitable that the next big project you zero in on is the neighborhood pharmacy. After all, a pharmacy is more than a drug store where customers pick up their prescriptions. It is a safe space where people buy medicines and have a confidant in the form of the pharmacist, someone they implicitly come to trust with their vulnerable state of health and personal information.

As you begin building this business, you must consider everything in the supply chain, from the products to the vendors and, certainly, the customers. You know you must take care of every minute detail before taking the first step. The tool that will help you in every aspect is a Pharmacy Business Plan from SlideTeam.

We have created a content-ready Pharmacy Business Plan and curated the Top 5 PPT Templates to help you succeed. The business plan comes in the form of a PDF and an editable Word document as well. This operations plan will guide you to positive, result-oriented action in every scenario. In fact, the PPT Templates are content-ready and 100% customizable and editable.

These tools from SlideTeam, available in all major formats, give you the framework to begin making your pharmacy a real, profitable corporation, and this blog will take you through the business plan.

Access the Pharmacy Business Plan Here

The business plan is divided into the following parts, represented in the Table of Contents below:

   1. Executive Summary                                                                          8. Marketing Plan

   2. Company Overview                                                                           9. Operational Plan

   3. Industry Analysis                                                                              10. Financial Plan

   4. Customer Analysis                                                                            11. Graphical Representation of Financials

   5. Competitor Analysis                                                                         12. Management Summary

   6. SWOT Analysis                                                                                   13. Exit Strategy

   7. Porter’s Competitive Analysis

Here’s a detailed look at each of these parts and the templates on offer.

1. Executive Summary

According to the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, every 9 of 10 people in the US live within five miles of a community pharmacy. This is a point that pharmacies should play a big role in public health efforts, like providing vaccinations and medicines.

However, in some areas, 8% of counties have roughly half of their residents living over 10 miles from a pharmacy. This presents an opportunity for pharmacy businesses to open shop in those places and serve the community.

The executive summary serves as a concise overview of the pharmacy business plan, summarizing key points for potential stakeholders. It highlights the pharmacy’s unique value proposition (as we did in the previous paragraph), target market, and revenue projections. The summary also emphasizes the management team’s expertise and the business’s competitive advantage. Investors can grasp the business’s potential and decide whether to buy into the plan based on the specifics outlined.

2. Company Overview

This section presents the pharmacy’s background, history, and legal structure. The company overview highlights its mission, vision, and core values, giving a glimpse into its corporate culture. It details the pharmacy’s location, facilities, and the range of pharmaceutical products and services on offer. This plan never misses critical details like the business’s goals and objectives, and a start-up summary is presented through figures and charts.

The need for the pharmacy is emphasized with a market gap analysis, a study that the business statement also serves to boost. With the base built, the services that the business offers are also documented. These include prescription refills, new prescriptions, mail-order delivery, immunizations, etc.

3. Industry Analysis 

The industry analysis delves into the pharmaceutical market, examining factors like the market size, growth trends, and regulatory landscape. It outlines key opportunities and challenges, providing insights into the pharmacy’s potential for success.

This section of the plan begins with a market analysis of the pharmaceutical industry. The analysis is current and considers the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on the industry. Some figures and charts showcase the pharmaceutical industry as it is, with a look at its rate of growth and the factors that influence it.

This segment also addresses the impact of emerging technologies and innovations in the healthcare sector. Although the report begins with insights into global trends, we focus on insights relevant to the US, such as pharmacy retail stores and pharma spending.

Let us review the first PowerPoint Presentation chosen to aid this pharmacy business plan.

Template 1: Emerging Business Model of a Pharmaceutical Company

This exhaustive PowerPoint Deck delivers on the intricacies of running a pharmacy. Use this PPT Template Bundle to present a comprehensive report on verticals like company financials, problems related to production, solutions for the same, potential business partners, etc. This PPT Set has got you covered, so download it now!

Download now

4. Customer Analysis

Understanding the pharmacy’s target market is essential for tailoring marketing strategies. This section identifies the pharmacy’s primary customer segments with an analysis of the geographics, demographics, psychographics, and behavior. This allows you to create and deliver the buyer persona and identify customers by classifications, such as the elderly, athletes, chronic disease patients, and more.

5. Competitor Analysis

What makes this the best pharmacy business plan on the Internet today is that it comes with a current competitor analysis of the major players in the US today. These competitors include CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aide, and more. The product delivers a tabulated rate comparing these businesses on revenue, number of locations, services offered, etc.

6. SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis assesses the pharmacy's internal strengths, such as a skilled team and advanced technology, and weaknesses, such as limited brand awareness. It also evaluates external opportunities, like an aging population, and threats, like new regulatory requirements. The template presents a detailed overview of these four areas as they relate to the market in the US today.

7. Porter’s Competitive Analysis

Porter's Five Forces analysis helps evaluate the pharmacy industry's competitiveness. It examines the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, the threat of new entrants, substitutes, and the intensity of competition. The product delivers the analysis in the case of these matrices being high, medium, and low and how it influences your business.

8. Marketing Plan

The marketing plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to attract and retain customers. It includes a mix of sales strategy, promotional strategy, pricing strategy, and a sales funnel template. Along with the details of each of these four methods, it provides recommendations to consider when employing these methodologies.

Template 2: Pharmaceutical Marketing PowerPoint Presentation Slides

This PPT Deck is the ultimate guide to executing marketing strategies for your pharmacy. Use this PPT Set to analyze and deliver important tasks, ranging from product introduction and launch plan to life cycle management and GAP analysis. Employ this PPT Template bundle to create the perfect marketing plan, execute it, and track its progress and outcomes. Download now.

Download Now

Template 3: Pharmaceutical Sales Plan PowerPoint Template Bundles

This PPT Set is the presentation your sales team needs to create and execute their plans. Use this PPT Deck to boost your sales with slides focused on comparative analysis, 30-60-90-day plans, revenue forecasting, and more. Grab this now from the link below.

9. Operational Plan

The operational plan details the day-to-day operations of the pharmacy as we enter the execution phase of the business plan. This section provides you with a ready-made table that classifies tasks into phases and financial quarters. The appropriate task is added in the right row and column; with that, you are ready to implement!

Template 4: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research Process Products Laboratory Analysis in a Pharmacy Business Plan

Use this PowerPoint Deck to boost the appeal of your pharmacy business plan using images and relevant icons. Some amazing slides within this PowerPoint Set are on test tubes and beakers, clinical research, drug testing, viral analysis, and other concepts. Download this PPT Template Bundle from the link below to grab the attraction of stakeholders and potential investors.

Download This Template Now

10. Financial Plan

Finances are hard to control and harder to present. This part of the product presents a tabulated analysis for financial analyses such as financial assumptions, revenue model & sales forecast, break-even analysis, projected profit and loss account, and more. The editable Word doc is ready for your own financial data to be inserted and analyzed accordingly.

11. Graphical Representation of Financials

Visual aids narrowly beat tables regarding ease of delivery. This section delivers the charts and graphs you need to represent your finances visually. Use this business plan to deliver pictograms on total revenue from operations, earnings before taxes, gross profit, cash flow, and more.

12. Management Summary

We begin to bring the plan to a close with a management summary. Use this section to present details on the organizational structure, professional summary, and job roles & responsibilities.

Template 5: Strategies To Achieve Sustainable Development in a Pharmacy Business Plan

You’re in it for the long haul, and this PPT Layout will help you set anchor and build a profitable business. Use this PPT Deck to showcase the strategies you have in mind to make your pharmacy business sustainable. This includes everything from the company’s finances and business partnerships to the environmental impact of your operations. Download this PPT Set to convert your business into a landmark of the community where you decide to open a shop.

13. Exit Strategy

The exit strategy outlines options for investors or business owners to divest their interests in the pharmacy. Many methods can be used. These can be an initial public offer (IPO), mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, or venture capital.

With our Pharmacy Business Plan Templates, you will be ready to face hurdles entrepreneurs face and, more importantly, overcome these with ease and finesse. TOGETHER, the PDF and the PPT Templates are an exhaustive self-sufficient ecosystem that will help you create your business with tranquillity and answer all these questions.

FAQs on Pharmacy Business Plan

How can i start my pharmacy business.

Starting your pharmacy business in the United States can be rewarding but requires careful planning and compliance with relevant regulations. Here are some steps to consider:

• Education and Licensing: Ensure you have the educational background and licenses to operate a pharmacy. This typically involves obtaining a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and passing state licensing exams.
• Business Plan: Develop a detailed business plan outlining your pharmacy's target market, services offered, competitive analysis, marketing strategy, and financial projections. Use SlideTeam’s Pharmacy Business Plan Templates .
• Location and Premises: Choose a strategic location for your pharmacy, considering factors such as population density, competition, and proximity to medical facilities. Ensure that the premises meet regulatory requirements and are designed to accommodate pharmacy operations.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Comply with federal, state, and local regulations governing the operation of pharmacies, including obtaining necessary permits and licenses.
• Inventory and Suppliers: Establish relationships with pharmaceutical wholesalers and manufacturers to ensure the supply of medications and products.
• Staffing: Hire qualified and licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to run day-to-day operations.
• Obtain appropriate insurance coverage to protect your business from potential liabilities.

Is the pharmacy business profitable?

The profitability of a pharmacy business can vary depending on location, competition, pricing, and services offered. Pharmacies can generate revenue by selling prescription and over-the-counter medications, medical equipment, and other healthcare-related products. Some pharmacies offer services like immunizations, medication therapy management, and compounding, which can contribute to profitability.

How much money do I need to start a pharmacy business?

Starting a pharmacy business can cost between $400,000 and $600,000 for an average location and reasonable revenue expectations. Remember that pharmacies can be set up for $250,000 as well. The major contributors to the cost are:

• Licensing and permits fees
• Rent or purchase of the premises
• Initial inventory
• Staff salaries and benefits
• Technology and equipment (POS systems, pharmacy software, etc.)
• Marketing and advertising expenses
• Insurance costs
• Security measures
• Professional fees (legal, accounting, etc.)

What is the monthly income of the pharmacy business?

As for the monthly income of the pharmacy business, it also varies widely. A successful and well-established pharmacy in a busy location can generate significant monthly revenue. In contrast, a newer or less-established pharmacy may have lower income during the initial months or years of operation. Monthly income can be influenced by factors such as sales volume, prescription pricing, insurance reimbursements, and the range of services offered.

To get more accurate and up-to-date information, it is advisable to conduct thorough market research and seek guidance from industry experts or business consultants familiar with the pharmaceutical industry in your area. Additionally, networking with other pharmacy owners can provide valuable insights into the financial aspects of running a pharmacy business.

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Plan Templates

15+ pharmacy business plan templates – pdf, doc.

When you sample plan on opening up a business, it’s very important that you know what it is that’s supposed to happen. You’ll need to figure out everything that needs to transpire for your business to reach the success that it’s supposed to. This is especially true if you plan on running your pharmacy. Similar to a marketing plan or a financial plan, a business plan for a medical store, drug shop, or new pharmacy branch can help you make a strategy for details like organizational responsibilities, risk management, education for chemist workers, and wholesale proposal. You may also check nonprofit business plans .

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How to Create Your Pharmacy Business Plan

1. know what your mission and vision for your pharmacy should be, free online clinical e-pharmacy business plan.

Free Pharmacy Council Strategy Business Plan

Business Plan for Pharmacy Technician Executive Summary

Business Plan for Pharmacy Authority Risk Management

2. Share What Kind of Pharmacy You Plan on Opening

• Community Pharmacy
• Compounding Pharmacy
• Consulting Pharmacy
• Ambulatory Care Pharmacy.
• Regulatory Pharmacy
• Hospital Pharmacy
• Industrial Pharmacy
• Clinical Pharmacy

3. Point Out Who Your Target Audience Is Going to Be

4. share how much it’s going to take to start your pharmacy, independent pharmacy business financial plan guide.

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Community Pharmacy Business Plan Template

Free Chemist Pharmacy Business Plan Template

Free Pharmacy Business Plan Proposal Template

Pharmacy Business Marketing Plan Template

5. Explain Your Marketing Strategies

6. make an executive summary, more in plan templates, national pharmacist day flyer background, pets clinic flyer template, nursing flyer template, pharmacy and drug store flyer template, pharmacy services flyer template, pharmacy medical services flyer template, pharmacy and medical supply flyer template, basic healthcare flyer template, bbq summer party flyer template, nursing home care flyer template.

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Your Health is Our #1 Priority

Keystone Compounding Pharmacy is a locally owned independent compounding pharmacy in Michigan. We create custom medications tailored to each patient’s needs. It’s our mission to provide each individual with the care they need! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is happy to work with customers and answer any questions, along with making sure you’re getting the healthcare you deserve. We specialize in custom compounding, including bio-identical hormone therapy, low-dose Naltrexone, pain medications, pet compounds, and more!

Joining our pharmacy is easy! Just fill out our transfer form and we will contact you.

Meet Our Staff

At Keystone Compounding Pharmacy, our staff is ready to help you take steps toward improving your help and answer any questions you may have. Meet the team below!

David J. Miller, RPh., PhD., FACA, FAPC

Pharmacist and Managing Co-Owner

Logan Morse, PharmD

Director of Special Projects, Pharmacist

Ann Baumgard, PharmD

Anna McWilliams, LPhT

Manager/Certified Holistic Health Coach

Khaila Allen, LPhT

Compounding Pharmacy Lab Manager

Keystone Compounding Pharmacy

4021 Cascade Road, SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546

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It’s about to get easier to become a pharmacist in Michigan. Not everyone is happy.

Becoming a pharmacist in Michigan is about to get easier.

State regulators are moving to eliminate a widely used certification requirement to become a licensed pharmacist in the state.

However, the elimination of the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam, which assesses competency in state and federal drug distribution laws, is controversial. Experts are torn on whether eliminating the exam will jeopardize industry safety at a time when pharmacists are seeking more autonomy in the health care industry.

The elimination of the exam was quickly pushed through the Michigan Board of Pharmacy last month and the new set of regulator rules was submitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules in Legislature on Thursday. It’s unclear when the committee will take up the new proposed rules.

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If passed, Michigan would become just the second state to eliminate the requirement, which proponents call outmoded and a deterrent to industry advancement. Idaho eliminated its requirement in 2018.

The jurisprudence exam is a 2.5-hour, 120-question multiple choice examination of federal and state laws required in the state to become a certified pharmacist. Pharmacists are the only discipline in health care required to pass a law exam to receive licensure.

The elimination of the exam is supported by many in the industry, including national pharmacy chains and pharmacy benefits manager organizations.

During the public comment meeting for the state pharmacy board on June 2, several individuals filed comments to support axing the exam.

While none of the commenters disclosed their affiliations, at least one appears to be a representative of a major insurer.

Jessica Morris, who according to her LinkedIn profile is a clinical consultant of strategic partnerships for Optum Inc., the pharmacy benefits subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group —the largest health insurer in the U.S. — called the exam “pointless” due to stopgap technology that ensures pharmacists follow all laws, state and federal.

“Many of the specific details, such as information on prescription labels or permissible refills, are now automatically checked and enforced by these systems, alleviating the burden on pharmacists to memorize every minute aspect of the laws,” Morris wrote in support of eliminating the exam. “It is worth noting that there are currently no published articles demonstrating a direct correlation between jurisprudence competence exams and patient safety. Without concrete evidence that passing such an exam leads to safer care provided by pharmacists, the burden of cost and time associated with the (exam) becomes difficult to justify.”

The Michigan Board of Pharmacy indicated it would address a replacement protocol for the exam, but said in public comment it would take up that cause at a later date.

The Michigan Pharmacists Association also opposes removing the exam. Eric Roath, director of government affairs for the industry group, called into question the wholesale removal of the exam from licensure.

“Pharmacists are far more likely to be brought before the pharmacy board for potential legal violations than any other provider,” Roath said. “Physician cases are usually due to a clinical error. Pharmacy is the highest-regulated field in health care. To say there are no better solutions to ensuring practice competency than to just remove the exam is wrong. The competency assessment is actually effective in verifying.”

Others are also not convinced it’s the right move as pharmacists are seeking a larger role in patient care. For instance, national pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens are rapidly expanding their primary care clinics across the U.S. Walgreens’ VillageMD opened two clinics in Westland this year with plans to open more than a dozen more in the next few years.

“Pharmacists are looking to expand their scope. It seems somewhat antithetical to eliminate one of the competency exams and start deregulating the profession while also pushing for greater autonomy,” said Alan Rogalski, partner at law firm Warner Norcross & Judd in Detroit and former practicing pharmacist. “We need the greater oversight over the profession to demonstrate that pharmacists should be considered at the top of the health care food chain.”

It’s likely chain pharmacies and multi-state health care providers favor eliminating the jurisprudence exams across the country in a bid to control their own costs and consolidate operations and workforces.

“I don’t know their motivations, but the exam likely stands as an impediment to some business planning,” Rogalski said. “Chains are looking to decentralize their functions. Rather than having a nationwide presence, they would probably like the ability to process pharmaceuticals remotely without having to have a pharmacist licensed in Michigan.”

Pharmacists are also one of the more prosecuted health care professions for violating laws.

A simple Google search of health insurance fraud by pharmacists in the region reveals more than a dozen indictments in the past five years that include distributing opioids to patients without a prescription to defrauding Medicare or Medicaid for reimbursement on drugs they didn’t prescribe or sold without a prescription.

In April, regulators in Idaho published a white paper in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education that stated there has been no evidence of public safety being jeopardized by its removal of the jurisprudence exam requirement. That article was co-written by Deeb Eid, who was listed as voluntary faculty at Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy. His full-time job, though, is as a senior advisor of regulatory affairs for CVS.

Susan Davis, associate dean of pharmacy and clinical professor at Wayne State University, said it’s really the role of the state’s pharmacy schools to ensure proper legal education.

“A one-time test is redundant with the efforts of pharmacy schools and employers,” Davis wrote in an email to Crain’s. “Pharmacy schools include pharmacy law and ethics as a standard part of our curricula, so every graduating pharmacist has passed competency assessments and had that knowledge reinforced in direct practice experiences. Pharmacy employers already have staff development activities in place to ensure appropriate standard of care and adherence to all regulatory standards and laws.”

She also doesn’t believe patient safety would be impacted but calls for another a simpler more streamlined approach to replace the jurisprudence exam.

“I don’t expect elimination of the MPJE to have a negative impact on public health and safety,” she wrote to Crain’s. “Federal and state pharmacy regulations that protect public health continue to be enforced. For graduating pharmacists, the three Colleges of Pharmacy in Michigan communicate with each other and with the Michigan Pharmacists Association to help ensure that we consistently teach and assess state and federal laws. I support eventual elimination of the (exam). Ultimately the problems outweigh the benefits, and those benefits can be replaced by more efficient mechanisms. However, my preference would have been to wait for results of other deliberations happening at the national level with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, as they are considering a more streamlined national approach to jurisprudence examination. Similarly, I would prefer to have more formal assessment of data from other states that have already removed (the exam) to determine if there was any impact on disciplinary actions or patient safety events.”

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StarTribune

How to save money at the pharmacy counter.

Steve Wexler has experienced the trouble of finding affordable prescription drugs in Minnesota.

A few years ago, the 70-year-old Plymouth resident opted to cut short his prescription for Eliquis, a popular blood thinner, rather than pay nearly $1,000 out-of-pocket for his final month on the medication.

Smart shopping can't always tame high costs like that, Wexler said, yet he remains a strong advocate for health care consumers trying their best to be savvy when it comes to their prescriptions.

He's found significant savings through the years by choosing the best health plan, comparing prices at different pharmacies and using discount card programs.

"As a consumer," Wexler said, "you've just got to be your own advocate and continue checking and shopping around."

Spending on prescriptions is once again taking center stage in the nation's never-ending drama with escalating health care costs.

Last fall, the New York-based consulting firm Mercer reported the average increase for employer health plan costs exceeded 5% in 2023 and will likely do so again this year, a second consecutive year of faster growth.

Prescription drugs have been the highest-growing category of expense for several years, according to Mercer, and the rate in 2023 pushed up even higher to 8.4% in part because of the growing popularity of drugs for diabetes and weight loss, known as GLP-1s (a popular one is Ozempic).

In 2022, an AARP survey found a number of Minnesotans age 45 and above responded to drug costs by cutting back on essentials like food, fuel or electricity (13%), stretching medicine by taking less than prescribed (15%) or delaying pharmacy visits to fill a prescription (16%).

The share of Minnesotans surveyed who said being able to afford prescription drugs was an important health care issue increased from 77% in 2019, AARP found, to 83% in 2022.

"Medications don't work if you don't take them," said Cathy McLeer, state director for AARP Minnesota. "Research has shown that the main reason that older Americans don't fill their prescriptions — or they end up taking a lower dose than was prescribed for them — is simply because they can't afford to. ... We advise people just to be good consumers, and do their homework."

Here's what you need to know about how to save money at the pharmacy counter:

What your health plan covers

Minnesota has very high rates of health insurance among state residents. Health plans here typically include pharmacy benefits, so the first step for most people trying to handle drug costs is to understand the details of their insurance.

Medications are typically assigned to one of three categories — generic, brand or specialty — and then listed on a formulary that specifies which drugs the insurance covers. Patients pay more or less out-of-pocket depending on the formulary tier where a covered drug lands.

Tier 1 drugs are often called "preferred generic" medicines and have the lowest copays. "Non-preferred" generics follow in tier 2. From there, out-of-pocket spending generally increases as patients access "preferred brand" drugs in tier 3, "non-preferred brands" in tier 4 and specialty medicines in tier 5.

In higher tiers, "co-insurance" fees, which typically cause more pocketbook pain, can replace copays. So using generics when possible is one way to save.

Another tip is to stick with in-network pharmacies, since copays and co-insurance usually are higher when you go out-of-network. Finally, patients usually pay less when receiving a 90-day supply of drugs, often via a mail-order pharmacy.

All these details can vary by health plan, of course, so check your own plan documents.

"You need to understand your plan's benefits … to understand what drugs are covered and how they're covered," said Patrick Mitsch, a vice president for pharmacy at UCare, a Minneapolis-based health plan.

Talk with doctors, pharmacists

If out-of-pocket costs through the health plan are too high with a particular medication, Mitsch said, patients should ask their pharmacist and/or doctor if there's an alternative drug with comparable efficacy that has better coverage. When there's no alternative for a recommended drug that's not on the formulary, he said, patients might ask their insurer for a special authorization.

In some cases, health care providers are aware of or can help patients access special programs that can help with high costs, said Jesse Breidenbach, vice president of pharmacy at Sanford Health, a South Dakota-based health system with hospitals and clinics in Minnesota.

"I would say almost all the time, there's a path toward getting to a point where the medication becomes affordable, maybe at little or no out-of-pocket cost," Breidenbach said.

Claire Henn, 77, of St. Paul said a program at Allina Health currently covers sizable co-payments for an expensive medicine she receives via infusions every month for rheumatoid arthritis. She's thankful for the medicine as well as the program: A few years ago, Henn said, she had to stop taking a different rheumatoid arthritis drug when monthly out-of-pocket costs jumped from $60 to $1,400.

"My rheumatologist recommended it," she said of the Allina program. "It's a life-saver."

Whenever possible, patients should check in advance to see what sort of coverage they'll have for their medicines with the various health plan options they can select. It's worth watching for changes, since they can occur regularly.

Wexler of Plymouth said he's annually switched prescription drug plans during each of the five years he's been on Medicare to find the best fit between the drugs he's taking and the benefits different insurers offer.

Insurance alternatives

There are certain situations where consumers at the pharmacy counter decide to bypass their health plan benefits.

Sometimes, patients run into such snags like prior authorization rules or having to argue with their insurer for coverage, so they opt to simply pay cash in order to access the medication now, said Matt Anderson. Anderson is a member of the state's Prescription Drug Affordability Board, a new watchdog group the Minnesota Legislature created last year.

In other cases, a prescription might be cheaper without using coverage because the required out-of-pocket spending through the health plan is greater than the pharmacy's cash price or price through a discount card program.

"If you don't use your benefits, the drug cost you pay doesn't count toward your deductible," said Anderson, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of Minnesota's school of public health. "So the near-term savings of paying cash could be offset because it takes longer to satisfy your deductible."

For people who know they're not going to hit their annual deductible, cash purchases might result in savings, said Jon Hess, a health care consultant in St. Paul.

To scout the best deals using cash, consumers can look at the price they'd pay via the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs Company or prescription discount card programs, such as GoodRx . Prepare to do some homework, though, because there's been a proliferation of discount card programs in recent years, including recent offerings from OptumRx (a division of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group) and CarelonRx (part of Indiana-based Elevance, which runs many for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurers across the country).

"In November, Walgreens launched the Rx Savings Finder, which allows patients to access multiple third-party discount cards including GoodRx," analysts with BofA Securities wrote in a January report. "The most likely winner from these changes could be the consumer through lower pharmacy prices."

After making cash purchases, consumers with insurance should check if they're eligible for health plan reimbursement, said Hess, who previously ran a startup company that helped patients with medical billing problems .

For patients with nongovernmental insurance, Hess said, another option is financial and copay assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies. The trade group for drug manufacturers has launched a website called Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT) with information on these programs.

Established patients at a subset of clinics known as federally qualified health centers can gain access to prescriptions at lower costs through a special agreement between the manufacturers and the federal government. There are more than a dozen of these health centers in Minnesota.

"I would personally encourage somebody having problems paying for their medications to check out a community health center because we might be the answer that they're looking for," said Ken Nelson, a pharmacist with St. Paul-based Minnesota Community Care.

Relief, endless debate

A final option is ordering medicine from pharmacies in other countries, such as Canada. While these prices are sometimes lower, Nelson questioned whether the savings are worth the hassle for patients. Mitsch of UCare added health plan reimbursement is very uncertain for purchases from Canadian pharmacies.

For Medicare patients, there's good news on the horizon when it comes to drug costs, Mitsch said. Starting next year, Part D benefits will become significantly richer, with a cap on out-of-pocket spending on drugs at $2,000.

Longer term, the federal Medicare program is beginning to negotiate prices for a limited number of medications, including Eliquis. The first negotiated prices are effective in 2026. Democrats promise this will bring big savings for both seniors and the federal Medicare program, while manufacturers have warned it will stifle innovation by cutting funds for research.

Even as the drug cost landscape is changing, pharmacists say some patients will continue to confront big expenses.

For a patient taking prescription drugs on a chronic basis, the average annual cost of therapy in 2020 for one widely used drug reached more than $26,000, according to research AARP published in January . The annual cost of therapy would have been more than $14,000 lower in 2020, AARP said, if price changes since 2006 had only kept pace with the rate of general inflation.

Drug companies argued this study paints a misleading picture of drug costs trends by not factoring in how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and other middlemen have been ballooning what patients pay. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a trade group, pointed to a different study showing net prices for brand medicines remained flat in 2022 after accounting for rebates and discounts PBMs and insurers collected.

"Policymakers need to address the PBM and insurer abuses that lead to higher costs for patients," Reid Porter, a PhRMA spokesman, said in a statement.

Christopher Snowbeck covers health insurers, including Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group, and the business of running hospitals and clinics. 

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PBMs Should Be Health Plan Fiduciaries, Employers Tell Congress

By Sara Hansard

Pharmacy benefit managers should be required to act as fiduciaries acting in the interest of health-plan beneficiaries in providing benefits and paying plan expenses, a House subcommittee was told at a Tuesday hearing.

Three PBMs— CVS Health , Optum RX , and Express Scripts —"have taken over the market share” for self-insured health plans, controlling the prescription drugs that are covered on health plan formularies and price rebates on those drugs, said Russell DuBose, vice president of human resources for Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based manufacturer Phifer Inc. DuBose was one of several speakers at the hearing before the health subcommittee of the ...

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