RE L EVANT HEALTH ROUNDTABL E
BRA I NS I N I T
Don’t Panic Afraid of the unknown? Start thinking like a cybersecurity expert.
“Zipdrug is the first of its kind, a unique platform that connects patients to pharmacies based on merit, based on outcomes from the claims data … so we’re kind of democratizing the pharmacy world and rewarding the best pharmacies with the best opportunities.” Technology can also streamline the delivery of medications for people who don’t feel the need to visit an in-store pharmacy. “The silver lining is that [COVID-19] propelled the pharmacy of the future to be active now. I believe that the pharmacy of the future isn’t on Mainstreet. The pharmacy of the future is in the industrial park. It’s a closed-door model where the patients are brought in digitally, and drugs are leaving the facility with messengers through existing infrastructure and going to the patient’s home,” Stu said. SO, WHAT’S NEXT FOR PHARMACIES? We wrapped up our conversation by asking our guests for quick predictions about the short-term future of pharmacy. Here’s what they expect to see within the upcoming year. // Randy: “The industry is more focusing on population health and keeping members healthy, giving them the right tools to be healthy and get to them before they have a condition or are sick.” // Brad: “I think that pharmacies will become increasingly a place for people to receive broader healthcare services beyond picking up pills.” // Stu: “I think if you build it, they won’t come. It has been: Pick the right location with the right amount of foot traffic and, BOOM, people show up. I think it will be based more on data. The pharmacies that have demonstrated they can keep a population adherent — those are going to be the winners in the short term future.” // Amy: “The growth of the pharmacy as part of the overall health continuum and supporting the member from the overall health perspective.” WANT TO LEARN MORE? Visit RelevantHealthRoundtable.com to view previous sessions and sign up for future panel events.
Amy sees an opportunity for pharmacists to operate at the top of their licenses. “So they’re not just putting pills in a bottle and meeting some sort of daily quota, but they really have an opportunity to work with their clients and help them on their care journey.” Brad agreed that most pharmacists don’t want to be “pill monkeys.” He said, “They want to interact with people and help them get better.” So how might a pharmacist lead the way to better health? “Just think about the competitive advantage, from a wellness standpoint, that a large grocery store chain [has] with their in-store pharmacy and the programs and services they can offer,” Amy said. For instance, imagine if a person who’s newly diagnosed with diabetes “could get — all packaged together with their prescription and supplies — three healthy meals to get them started.” How would that help them manage their condition from a whole-person health perspective? “The pharmacist is in a position to help do that,” she said. And yet, payments need to evolve to match an elevated role that requires more time and effort. “Pharmacists really have a role to play. We need to figure out the right set of incentives to make them do all those things,” Brad said.
“Each of them is trying to become a neighborhood health destination in building the pharmacy of the future,” said Brad. “It’s been interesting to see the different models emerge,” said Amy. “They almost took a page out of environmental design and an environmental wellness piece.” She compared the change to a cafeteria redesign where you put a discounted salad bar in the front and keep the fries way the back. Some pharmacies are reclaiming store space for health-related activities — for example, holding yoga classes or a diabetes support group. “It changes the whole notion of bopping in to pick up just a prescription or going through a drive-through, or getting your favorite laundry detergent or mascara there,” said Amy. Randy chimed in to share that pharmacy innovation isn’t limited to large chains. “It’s not only the larger pharmacies that are changing their processes and focus; we also see it in the smaller, independent pharmacies as well.”
How do we deal with all the nebulous threats in our daily lives? One way is to start thinking like a cybersecurity expert. In general, those who work in cyber security must keep level heads and quickly slip into problem-solving mode. Here are three ways to embrace and apply this mentality: 1) DEVELOP A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF POTENTIAL THREATS Cybersecurity experts learn to think like a hacker. They know the vulnerabilities hackers seek and how to shore up cyber defenses. Cybersecurity experts develop a deep understanding of what they’re up against to stay prepared when hacks occur. Similarly, it’s not a bad idea for you to become intimate with potential threats. Think about your greatest fears in the workplace. Are you concerned you won’t get a raise? Do you worry about being excluded from decision-making? Are you fearful of failure in general? We tend to fear these things because they are associated with unknowns. We don’t know whether we’ll earn that raise or meet expectations. However, we can prepare and practice risk mitigation.
Just like a cybersecurity expert, acknowledge the problem at hand, let your emotions pass, and switch your focus into problem-solving mode. Instead of allowing frustrations to consume you, ask yourself, “What can I do to fix this?” Then, get started! Jot down ideas, talk with others, and concentrate your energy on the solution rather than the issue.
BY: LAURA WOODWARD CEO of The Disruptive Element
L et’s say you work for an accounting firm that performs audits for large companies. As you’re sifting through email, you find one from a former client that asks you to click on a link to double-check some figures. You’re in a rush and don’t bother to look closely at the sender’s name. So…you click. In an instant, malware takes over your computer, and your heart floods with DREAD.
3) ENGAGE IN CONSTANT LEARNING
Cyber threats are constantly evolving. Hackers are coming up with clever new ways to break through security measures and steal information. Cybersecurity professionals must continually learn new techniques to prevent attacks and deal with breaches. Why not follow their lead? In your industry, what are the areas that are quickly evolving or shifting? What kind of training might help you get ahead of the game? What will you need to learn or fine-tune if you’re making a career transition? Remaining inquisitive and developing a love of learning will take you far in any career. Like a cybersecurity expert, absorb information as if your career depends on it – because it just might! Life is teeming with unknowns and modern-day threats. Even though our brains are primed to deal with these everyday frustrations emotionally, it is possible to take a step back and engage your problems with the cool rationality of a cyber security expert. Start thinking about the potential issues that might crop up, commit to lifelong learning, and, when you’re in a pinch, call upon your rational, problem-solving brain to lead the way. If you’d like to learn how to leverage your rational brain, let us know! We connect business excellence with neuroscience to create sustainable change.
What’s your first instinct? Probably, panic.
That’s a natural reaction rooted in brain chemistry. Your amygdala signals you to react to the threat by either confronting it or fleeing from it (the famous “fight or flight” instinct). There’s nothing to run from or fight in this scenario, so confusion and panic set in. Your neurological system might give you a jolt of adrenaline or cortisol, which can cause an increase in heart rate, sweaty palms, shallow breath, anxiety, and feeling ‘frozen.’ This nightmare scenario is a genuine, abstract threat filled with unknowns. Will the hackers be able to access sensitive data? Will email accounts and passwords be compromised? Is this a localized threat that affects your computer or will this impact your company? Here’s the thing: it doesn’t take a cyber threat to invoke this kind of neurological reaction. In our modern lives, we face any number of abstract threats daily. They aren’t as straightforward as encountering a saber- toothed tiger in the woods (throw a spear at it or run away!), but our neurological reaction is just as real. For example, if your co-worker sends a sharply-worded email, your brain might think, “Threat!” If a client seems less-than- happy with your performance, your brain goes, “Threat!” If your team excludes you from a meeting, your brain alerts, “Threat!”
ELEVATING THE ROLE OF THE PHARMACIST
“The pharmacy is the front line,” Stu said. “The member talks to their pharmacist ten times more often than they talk to their primary care provider, on average. It’s really underutilized.” The problem is that, all too often, the interactions with pharmacists are extremely limited. But are there ways to reimagine the pharmacist-client interac- tion to be more valuable? The growth of the pharmacy as part of the overall health continuum and supporting the member from the overall health persepective.” ‘‘
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR BETTER OUTCOMES
Creating the pharmacy of the future will likely take more than redesigning stores and the customer experience. A significant opportunity for pharmacies is technology innovation. “One of the things that’s interesting in the industry right now is the application of AI to try to target why people aren’t adherent on a person-by-person basis,” Brad said. “The potential is getting some of that targeted messaging out to consumers to help them stay adherent.” Another opportunity is to use technology to encourage better performance from the pharmacies. Stu explained how his company, Zipdrug, does just that:
2) USE YOUR RATIONAL BRAIN When faced with a threat of unknown
proportions, it’s easy to have an emotional reaction. The central part of the brain governs emotion and is known as our limbic system. This area is the oldest, most instinctual part of the brain. It’s natural to have an instant emotional reaction when faced with a tough situation. Emotions are not a bad thing, of course. The trouble comes when emotions hamper your rational brain’s ability to problem-solve. Engaging your rational brain can be difficult when you’re frustrated, and all you want to do is throw something! But with patience and practice, you can normalize rational thinking for yourself.
– AMY SAYERS, INGENIORX
Visit thedisruptiveelement.com to learn more.
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