McKesson Corp. continues to assist pharmacists to become independent retail pharmacy owners.
With the help of McKesson’s RxOwnership team and its
checklist for starting a pharmacy, a pharmacist can transition from an employee
to a small business owner.
Recently featured on the McKesson blog, pharmacist and pharmacy owner Adrienne Cervone said, "I wanted to be able to act on my own ideas without having to jump through a number of corporate hoops or restrictions to get answers. I much prefer being in a community pharmacy where I can develop programs and services tailored to the changing needs of my customers.” She now owns a pharmacy in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Customer service is crucial to success in small businesses. In addition to good service, licensing, obtaining financing and operating capital, cash flow and an effective staff are essential to the aspiring pharmacy owner.
“The secret to our success absolutely is service,” Cervone said. “We are just so personalized with everything that we do. We give each person who walks through our door our full attention.”
The pharmacy profession is in a transitional period. Although it was traditionally a man's field, pharmacy schools are graduating more female than male pharmacists — 8,355 women and 5,482 men in 2014. With the influx of women into pharmacy services, the percentage of female pharmacy owners has also grown from 14.6 percent in 2000 to 27.5 percent in 2014.
McKesson's RxOwnership program offers free advice and resources to pharmacists who wish to open their own pharmacies. Pharmacists can also contact their state's pharmacists association and licensing board for more information and resources before beginning the process of owning a pharmacy.
Alerts Sign-up