 I have hosted and produced the free Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit for the past 4 years, offering pharmacists an opportunity to learn about being an entrepreneur and while also earning continuing education credit if they choose. In 2020, more than 1,600 pharmacists registered, engaged, and gave great feedback about how valuable these resources have been for them. This year’s virtual conference also turned out to be my most profitable year, generating four times my initial investment. How can we generate profit through a free event? There is an art to it, and it’s something more pharmacists and organizations can take advantage of, especially with recent cancellations of most in-person events during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person events are gone for the foreseeable future and online - or virtual - events are the way to go. I am grateful for this shift because it’s almost forcing people to recognize the value and innovation in e-learning opportunities. While nothing compares to meeting people face-to-face, there are also many advantages to holding a conference, webinar, workshop, or training exclusively online. The key, however, is to know HOW to do it right. If you put on a virtual event that only teaches your content, you’ve given people no reason to hire you. They THINK you’ve already given them everything they need to succeed on their own. It’s important to find the right strategy to balance great content and sales to come away with valuable leads and hopefully new clients, customers, or members. If you are considering hosting a free virtual event, know that these are the three core benefits if you stand to gain if you plan correctly. 1. You Will Attract New Leads You are offering free content, so of course, you are going to attract new leads. Free is a fantastic incentive to sign up and attend a summit, webinar, or training. This helps to build your email list, increase your visibility as well as position yourself as a thought leader in the space. For example, I’ve seen cash-based consultants offering virtual group workshops that are free as well as paid. As I said before, however, the key is to balance free content with sales. You must not give everything away during the presentation because you will remove the need to hire you or join your community. You want these leads to turn into buyers. 2. You Will Generate Awareness of Your Tools and Products What is it you offer as an entrepreneur? When you hold a free event, you are putting on display the benefits of what you provide your clients or community. One example is one of the sponsored interviews we did with a telemedicine company, which is, of course, exploding considering the current pandemic. While the assumption is that telemedicine is only for getting in touch with a physician online when you can’t meet in person, there are other benefits such as using the platform to recruit patients for clinical trials during the quarantine. So if a company were to hold a free event, it could show all of the benefits and tools it provides to its target audience, potentially converting new leads into customers. 3. You Can Highlight Existing Customers Testimonials When putting on a free virtual event, you have the opportunity to highlight existing customer testimonials. Allow these individuals to showcase what you do best and sell your product or service for you. Carol Cox of Speaking Your Brand talked about how powerful case studies can be. And Melina Palmer of the Brainy Business Podcast shared how our brain processes testimonials as “social proof”. There is nothing quite like having someone who has been through your program or within your community tell others how great it is. You can strategically intermix use cases into your program, which can help convert those leads into clients or members. How To Get Started If you are interested in learning more about a virtual summit, webinar, training, or other online events, reach out to me for more information, we are working with a select number of organizations to walk through the process of putting on one of these events in a way that will most benefit you and your business. Email blairthielemier@btpharmacyconsulting.com for more information. AuthorBlair Thielemier, PharmD, is an MTM consultant pharmacist specializing in pharmacy billing models. She consults on and produces e-learning programs for state and national organizations, pharmacy wholesalers, payers, technology start-ups. She has books and online courses available for individuals looking to leverage their pharmacy knowledge into monetized clinical programs at PharmapreneurAcademy.com She speaks internationally about trends in leveraging pharmacists to improve value-based care.
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 One thing I’ve learned after being in business for five years is the truth that many professionals tend to overestimate the effort it takes to build a profitable business. Usually, our biggest critic is ourself. I wondered, why isn’t my business taking off yet? Why does it always seem to take longer than I expect to reach my goals? And, for me anyway, it comes back to my unrealistic expectations. I’ve seen pharmacists with AMAZING clinical skills quit before they even gave their business a chance to work. I’ll be honest, building a business takes TIME. Generally, Academy members on average take between 6-8 months to really reach the ‘tipping point’ in getting their business off the ground. Once it happens, though, it is a beautiful thing to watch. One of my 1:1 coaching clients experienced this recently. After getting her foot in the door after months of patiently waiting, is now surpassing the 6-month goals we set for her Chronic Care Management program in JUST TWO MONTHS! On our last call, I encouraged her to start thinking about using some of her laid-off colleagues as sub-contractors so she could continue to scale the program (and there’s even another provider that wants her help now too!). That’s when I introduced her to the world of Scaling Your Business. On Day 5 of the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, I spoke with my personal business attorney Danielle Liss and my friend Linda Miller about leadership and hiring of staff. Many pharmacists, when they reach this point will quickly see the unique expertise they have to offer and will choose to go ‘all in’ on that skill. Suzanne Feeney and Diana Isaacs provide some great examples of how we can be more mindful about being lifelong learners as well as representing our profession on a grander scale. And finally, once your business systems and staff members are in place, you can turn on the “faucet” of leads Dan Ryder and Alex Alendandrou talks about through the use of digital media. To get access to these and all 30 interviews plus the 5 Sunset Summary CE sessions, reserve your free ticket by entering your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com Don’t forget, we’ll be having “Sunset Summaries” at 8pmCT each day of the live Summit April 8-12th, 2020 that are worth 1.5 live CEU hours each for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Sign up now to receive your free ticket and more information about how to log in to our live calls! AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  The biggest issue most healthcare professionals face when creating truly innovative services for patients is when they take the plunge off the ‘insurance’ safety net. When a patient, speaking from personal experience here, is willing to forgo the use of insurance to receive an innovative service, they need to believe in it 100%. I’ve been experimenting with functional medicine using myself as a guinea pig for a few years now and so far the results have been weight loss, decreased inflammation, increased energy and balancing of hormone levels. As I was talking with Sharzad Green and Emily Kirkwold about their programs, I really got inspired to begin seeking out a long term functional medicine practitioner who could support me in my journey. Luckily I also spoke with Richard Harris and Michael Davidson about their integrative medicine practices, so I really got a better feel for exactly what I’d be looking for. Then Anna Garrett and Emily Adamopolous rounded out the discussion by talking about their experiences with hiring coaches to help them build their consulting programs. On Day 4, we really dig into the pros and cons of building a cash-based business model. To get access to these and all 30 interviews plus the 5 Sunset Summary CE sessions, reserve your free ticket by entering your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com Don’t forget, we’ll be having “Sunset Summaries” at 8pmCT each day of the live Summit April 8-12th, 2020 that are worth 1.5 live CEU hours each for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Sign up now to receive your free ticket and more information about how to log in to our live calls! AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  COVID-19 is currently challenging everyone and everything in modern society to adapt to its powerful influence on the planet. Something pharmacy owner Jesica Mills said during our Summit interview has stuck with me. She said, “You can choose to see OBSTACLES, or you can choose to see OPPORTUNITIES.” One huge opportunity I’ve seen for pharmacists during the pandemic surrounds changing the perception of pharmacy practice. It should be very clear to the public and government leaders that LOCAL pharmacies are a cornerstone of our public health system. On Day 3 of the Summit I got to speak with pharmacists Jennifer Shannon, Sally Rafie and Scott Pace about the roles they fill when it comes to public health. And for our hospital pharmacy colleagues who are battling the virus in our acute care settings, you’ll enjoy hearing Kimber Boothe and Jared Peak discuss leveraging pharmacy teams in health systems to decrease total cost of care. To get access to these and all 30 interviews plus the 5 Sunset Summary CE sessions, reserve your free ticket by entering your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com Don’t forget, we’ll be having “Sunset Summaries” at 8pmCT each day of the live Summit April 8-12th, 2020 that are worth 1.5 live CEU hours each for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. [See 2020 Agenda for more CPE information] Sign up now to receive your free ticket and more information about how to log in to our live calls! AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  When I began interviewing our Day 2 Guest Speakers, there was a central idea that began to take shape for me. I began to hear, from Nancy Myers, Tara Snyder and Melody Hartzler, in their experience, the conversations around embedding clinical pharmacists in primary care settings quickly turned from “What would a pharmacist do all day?” to “How can I refer more patients to her service?” With the stresses occurring currently during the 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, we are also seeing a huge uptick in remote management for patients with chronic conditions. Irina Koyfman, DNP and I spoke about the opportunities for providers to assist providers in offering remote chronic care management services. Veronica Vernon and Chara Reed also shared how they’ve created innovative programs for women’s health and specialty medication support in ambulatory care settings. To get access to these and all 30 interviews plus the 5 Sunset Summary CE sessions, reserve your free ticket by entering your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com Don’t forget, we’ll be having “Sunset Summaries” at 8pmCT each day of the live Summit April 8-12th, 2020 that are worth 1.5 live CEU hours each for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. [For CPE information see 2020 Agenda] Sign up now to receive your free ticket and more information about how to log in to our live calls! AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  We’re going to be telling a lot of pharmacists’ stories on this year’s Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, but this year I wanted to do something a little differently on Day 1. On the first day, we decided we wanted to help YOU tell your story. Carol Cox and Amanda Berlin kick off our Day 1 Sessions by sharing tips for how to speak about your value in order to change the perception of pharmacy practice. Then the dynamic duo from Flipped Lifestyle, Shane and Jocelyn Sams talk about local marketing methods you can use to help patients learn about and identify whether they are a good fit for your programs. And finally, Melina Palmer and Nikki Rausch bring it all together teaching us how to use psychology and neurolinguistic programming to motivate behavior shifts for our clients. To get access to these and all 30 interviews plus the 5 Sunset Summary CE sessions, reserve your free ticket by entering your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com Don’t forget, we’ll be having “Sunset Summaries” at 8pmCT each day of the live Summit April 8-12th, 2020 that are worth 1.5 live CEU hours each for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. [See 2020 Agenda for more information] Sign up now to receive your free ticket and more information about how to log in to our live calls! AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  I’ve been a pharmacist since 2011 and an entrepreneur since 2015. When I first started building my business, I had some major self-limiting beliefs around professionalism and business. I thought if I was being professional it meant I couldn’t do certain things I’d seen successful entrepreneurs do. Like, for example, I shouldn’t spend too much money, because it may look like I over-charge my patients. Or I shouldn’t ask for money to do presentations because healthcare professionals normally give talks for free. Finally, and arguably the most detrimental to my growth as an entrepreneur was my belief that I should never, ever be considered “salesy”. Being considered salesy was the pit of moral decline in my mind. The “anti-salesy” approach, however as Melina Palmer explained during our 2020 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit interview on behavioral psychology, can have the opposite effect when, as we try to offer patients a “generic version” of our programs, we end up doing a disservice by unconsciously pushing them towards something that isn’t the absolute best option for them. [Remember those test questions in school that were like, yes all these options are technically correct, but there’s a BEST OPTION here and that’s the only one that you’ll receive credit for?] For me, it wasn’t until I began to change my mindset around selling that I began to see big growth in my business. I finally was able to shift my belief from “selling is unethical”, to the belief that “it is unethical NOT to sell” if my services can help. As healthcare professionals, every day we spend countless time persuading patients to do what’s best for their health (or at least attempting to), which always requires an element of selling the treatment plan if we choose to look at it that way. Do you struggle with perceiving selling as unethical for medical professionals? If the answer is yes, then chances are your business may be struggling too. It a tough question to balance: “How do I do what is best for my business and also what is best for my patients?” There have been a few things that have really helped shift my mindset around selling so that I can make sure it is no longer a game of give and take, but instead a win-win scenario. So I wanted to share these three tips to help you shift your mindset around “selling”. 1. Offer a Free Discovery Call My first tip is to make sure you are offering a free Discovery Call to your potential clients. Some healthcare professionals believe the purpose of the Discover Call is to win over a client, but successful entrepreneurs know the purpose is actually to so you can pre-screen clients and make absolutely sure that you can help them. To help you do this, I recommend coming up with a set three to four “Assessment Questions” you will ask the client to assess if your services will meet their expectations. This helps make sure your consultation call stays productive and accomplishes your goal of identifying whether you can help this patient get results. The second tip is to find the selling technique that works for you. 2. Build Your Soft Skills If you’re a beginner, start with the basics. A book on sales skills or negotiation can help you learn the foundations of business outreach, like how to structure a cold call or use “closing” language when it is decision time. If you’re more advanced, consider investing in a sales coach to help you incorporate what you already know and create a system that suits your selling style. As Nikki Rausch reminds us on her Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit interview, the sales technique you use must feel authentic to you. And the final mindset shift may be the hardest for many healthcare professionals. 3. Price Accordingly There is a shift that happens when you realize “profit” isn’t a four-letter word. Your patients want you to stay in business because you help them. You need to stay in business if you’re going to help more people. It is very difficult to be at once, a successful healthcare professional AND an unsuccessful business person. When we think of how we price our services, it really comes down to using one of two models: time-based pricing and value-based pricing You can use the two models to compare your time-based price to your value-based price, then pick a pricing structure you feel confident is fair. First, let’s use the time-based pricing model. One issue with pricing cash-based services based on time alone is there are no reference ranges available for your unique expertise, years of training or niche knowledge. We can know generally what our profession would be paid in a traditional role, but not precisely what all goes into factoring that hourly rate. With value-based pricing, on the other hand, we can price our services based on the expected ROI of the service. Let’s use a tobacco cessation program as an example. The ROI of the service could be calculated based on several things:
When you look at value-based pricing, you start going, “Wow, I should charge like a million dollars for this!” But let’s be realistic too, we know that would be ridiculous and no one would pay that amount to stop smoking. So taking both into consideration, we can come up with a price that we feel both confident and ethical about. Remember, the price you choose must reflect your expertise, the value of the expected results and be enough that the patient feels confident in the perceived value of the service. According to Investopedia, “perceived value is the customers' evaluation of the merits of a product or service and its ability to meet their needs and expectations, especially in comparison with its peers.” It has been proven patients will respond differently when they believe in their treatment plan. You may know it as the ‘placebo effect’. But it can be used as a positive as well and the patient’s belief in the program will have a direct impact on a patient’s results. And finally, the bonus mindset shift you can use is to ask yourself how will you be able to grow your impact if you don’t invest in growing your self. You can build a successful business that allows you to have an even bigger impact on your patients. And you can do so with confidence by taking the steps to shift your mindset around selling your services. P.S. BLAIR’S BONUS TIP - I’m a fan of using affirmations to help you feel more confident during daily interactions. Here are a few affirmations to help you shift your mindset around selling:
If you are a pharmacist looking for new ideas about how to serve your patients in innovative ways join the 2020 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit on April 8-12th. It is a free, online virtual pharmacy conference for pharmacist-entrepreneurs and those in consulting practices. You can register for free using your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com AuthorBlair is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country.  Pharmacists have the opportunity to make an impact on community health during the first global pandemic in most of our lifetimes. We've been saying for years that we are the 'most accessible' healthcare provider and sometimes the ONLY healthcare provider in medically underserved communities. What counts as a "medically underserved" community? Medically underserved is defined as "areas or populations designated by Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) as having too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, high poverty or a high elderly population." This HRSA map shows the many areas of the country defined as medically underserved. Earlier this month I wrote about how pharmacists can impact cost savings for patients, payers, and providers and I still believe that pharmacies are being under-utilized, but that is changing rapidly. As many of our family and friends are being asked to work from home or not at all until further notice, pharmacists are actually being called into action to serve our community members during this time of uncertainty. I wanted to quickly share some ideas for how community pharmacists can step FORWARD and SHOW the value of pharmacist-led services. For more ideas about pharmacist-led clinical services that impact patient care, register for our upcoming ONLINE Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. Here are a few ideas for how pharmacies can help to educate patients and alleviate some societal pressures to be hyper-vigilant about community health. PROVIDING EDUCATION Post signage on the door that encourages people that are high risk (over the age of 60, those with a fever or symptoms or anyone who may be immune-compromised) to avoid coming inside the pharmacy. Also, encourage calling prescriptions ahead of time and reserve the "waiting" area only for those with acute needs. Sharing flyers, posters, bag stuffers and educational materials on social media like how to protect yourself, is an easy step to implement immediately. I would love to see independent pharmacy owners reaching out to local health departments, hospitals, and primary care clinics to offer to serve on committees or disaster response teams. The more we are seen as a partner in the healthcare system, the stronger we can foster an organized, inter-professional response. IMPLEMENT SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES Offer patients alternative pickup methods like drive-through, home delivery or curbside pickup to limit person to person contact. Avoiding sharing pens or passing around debit cards or other publicly used inanimate objectives if possible. NO EMPTY REFILL BOTTLES. This has always been a pet peeve of mine, but my staff knows not to accept any empty medicine bottles from the patient's home. If your dispensing or clinical services platform allows, provide telehealth consults with the pharmacist so that people can receive counseling or be referred to other healthcare providers. PROVIDING POINT OF CARE TESTING SERVICES This may be one of the more controversial ideas, but I do feel pharmacists who can provide testing services to help identify the need for screening and advanced testing. At the very least, pharmacies should share online screening tools with patients. UAMS Health created an online screening tool for patients, that I would encourage pharmacies to share with their patients. Pharmacists can offer patients point of care testing for the traditional flu virus as well as strep testing to help rule out other viruses and illnesses to help lessen the burden of primary care and emergency rooms. Of course, the pharmacist should have personal protective equipment to offer these types of services and be appropriately credentialled and CLIA certified. SUPPLYING CHRONIC AND ACUTE MEDICATIONS In the state of Arkansas, the legislation allows for emergency refills. Emergency refills for 30-day supplies, when appropriate can help patients with chronic conditions continue to stay healthy. Know your state's exemptions and legislation regarding emergency refill authorizations. We must assure patients they will have access to their medications and the pharmacy will be there to support them through the pandemic. I went back and forth on whether I'd dispense a 90 day supply and for most patients, I would say that at this time it is unnecessary. I am concerned about the impact on the global drug supply chain and I think it would be more prudent to limit refills to 30-day supplies in the interest of public health. Providing people with OTC product recommendations will be important as ever, but pharmacies should consider limiting the quantities sold per person on a case by case basis to limit another "toilet paper-like" run on medications. Of course, 90-day supplies and OTC product sales would be at the pharmacy's discretion and made on a case by case basis. We should be thinking about policies and procedures to put in place now in case the crisis stretches on for months. As this recent article on the drug supply chain mentions, "Worry itself can lead to behavioral changes and risk." Either way, we need to assure patients we will be there to provide patient care, help them get their medications and/or make recommendations on alternative medication therapies and ensure patient compliance to chronic medications. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT One of the things that concerns me most about the pandemic is the global impact on the economy. Our patients, particularly the elderly and patients with limited financial means, will be especially impacted by the crisis. We must be aware of the financial pressure this will put on our patients. Pharmacists are compassionate and capable. We are here to support our patients and to help calm their fears. The Ohio Department of Health put out a COVID-19 readiness checklist for pharmacies that is will help pharmacists to put measures in place to ensure the safety of our staff members. What are some things you are doing to impact population health in your community? The American Pharmacists Association annual meeting scheduled for March 20-23rd has been cancelled due to travel and gathering restriction recommendations. If you are a pharmacist looking for new ideas about how to serve your patients in innovative ways join the 2020 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit on April 8-12th. It is a free, online virtual pharmacy conference for pharmacist-entrepreneurs and those in consulting practices. You can register for free using your email address at ElevatePharmacySummit.com AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  Last month, I wrote an article highlighting the current reality in pharmacy. Pharmacists are being pushed to work harder, faster and with less support than ever before, and the results are dangerous for our patients. Stressed pharmacists are making mistakes and filling prescriptions incorrectly, resulting in side effects, hospital visits and — in some cases — death. All to save money and increase profits. Now, I have no problem with having a profitable business. In fact, I advocate for it by empowering pharmacists to think like entrepreneurs, but I believe the current business model in pharmacy is set up for failure. Instead of pushing pharmacists to work dangerously fast (some required to fill a prescription in a minute or less, aka McPharmacy!), how about we leverage our skills to generate some REAL value? I’m talking about cost savings. I believe pharmacists can achieve cost savings for patients, providers, and payers.
According to this article, the average patient visits their pharmacy 35 times per year versus visiting their primary care physician only four times per year. That is over eight times more frequently a patient will interact with a pharmacist than with a physician. And with all pharmacists graduating with a Doctorate level degree since the early 2000s, chances are, your pharmacist is a doctor. So how can pharmacists help patients save money?
One way pharmacists can help patients save money is through weaning off inappropriate medications or by practicing alternate methods of treating conditions. Deprescribing is the process of intentionally stopping a medication or reducing its dose to improve the person's health or reduce the risk of adverse side effects. This can be achieved by adding a “stop date” to medication therapy. This article looks at the single drug class of proton pump inhibitors and shows that 68.8% of patients are being inappropriately prescribed a PPI on discharge from an inpatient hospital setting. The article estimates this one drug class, with long term use creating a cascade of downstream negative consequences for the patient, accounts for $10 billion in healthcare spending alone. If a patient has a legitimate indication for medication use, there’s still hope, however. Non-drug therapy, also known as “lifestyle modification” is an effective way to help the patient decrease their dependence on medication as well. Exercise and therapeutic nutrition plans, for example, can result in weight loss and lower blood pressure, reducing dependence on insulin or blood pressure medication. And pharmacists stand at the ready to help support patients with successful discontinuation strategies.
In these cases, pharmacists can step in with information about evidence-based treatment regimens that factor in things like insurance coverage and the difficulty of acquisition. For example, a family member messaged me the other day asking about alternatives for an expensive, brand name COPD medication they were getting. The brand name inhaler was not on the insurance formulary and the patient was left without their medication until the prescriber could be contacted, the insurance plan satisfied and the new prescription is sent back to the pharmacy. This process is sometimes taking up to 72 hours. Unfortunately, because of the way inhalers are packaged, there’s no way to dispense only a short term supply of this type of medication. If there had been a legal document in place called a “therapeutic substitution collaborative practice agreement,” it would have allowed the pharmacist to quickly identify which inhalers were on the patient’s insurance formulary and simply switch to an equivalent product. This not only saves the patient money but can also reduce the risk of a COPD exacerbation and hospitalization due to a lack of medication access. Which brings me to my next beneficiary for the value pharmacists can provide. 2. Payers Payers can indicate a number of organizations. This could be a private employer-sponsored plan. This could be a self-funded health system insurance plan, also known as a provider-sponsored health plan. Or it could be the largest third-party payer organization in the United States, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. No matter the size, whether public or private, pharmacists can help payers save money by improving overall patient outcomes and helping patients avoid costly hospitalizations.
Medication adherence is defined by the World Health Organization as "the degree to which the person's behavior corresponds with the agreed recommendations from a health care provider." But it’s the patient’s choice whether or not to follow medical advice, so why does it matter to payers? Let’s take the example of blood pressure medication. The pharmacist filled a patient’s blood pressure medicine 40 days ago and gets a “medication therapy management” (MTM) alert that the patient is overdue for a refill. The pharmacist calls the patient and the patient shares they don’t need a refill because they have stopped taking the medication due to swelling in their legs. The patient is not due to see their doctor again for another three weeks so the pharmacist decides to contact the prescribing physician and request an alternative antihypertensive, less likely to cause swelling. The pharmacist is able to quickly identify a breach in adherence and correct the issue before the patient experiences a devastating health crisis like heart attack, stroke or a hypertensive crisis. If payers want to leverage truly impact adherence, they need to invest more in their biggest ally, the pharmacist.
Preventative care benefits everyone in the system: the patient, the payer, and the provider. When a patient’s dependence on medication is reduced, they have better health outcomes. When a patient’s adherence is monitored, they have better health outcomes. This reduces the amount paid out by the payer, resulting in cost savings. But what if we could do more for our healthy patients? There’s a growing trend in functional and integrative medicine. Integrative medicine is a form of medical therapy that combines practices and treatments from alternative medicine with conventional medicine. What I like about integrative medicine is that it provides a safe opportunity for patients without a “major diagnosis” to explore non-drug, alternative therapies to optimize their health and keep them healthy. From a personal standpoint, as a healthy 33-year-old, I feel completely left out of the healthcare system. My preventative annual visits are practically a waste of my time. At best, I’m told if my weight or cholesterol levels are creeping up. At worst, I’m asked why I’m there and what my chief complaint is, to which I answer, “I have none, I’m just trying to stay healthy.” The system isn’t set up to help healthy people stay healthy. It’s certainly not set up to help healthy people improve their health. That is why I, and many others like myself, have turned to integrative medicine. Pharmacists recognize there is a time and place for medications, but we have a healthy respect for them and believe they should be used as sparingly as possible. Right now, payers have a reactive approach to healthcare. Pharmacists are waiting and willing to help shift mainstream healthcare’s focus to a proactive one. 3. Providers Providers and pharmacists have traditionally suffered from somewhat ‘strained’ relationships, but I want providers to know that pharmacists are eager to change this dynamic. Though we often share the exact same patients, we don’t share much information with one another about those patients. Providers view pharmacists as ‘bothersome’ when they request endless amounts of paperwork in the form of prior authorizations, refill requests, therapeutic substitutions (mentioned above) and not to mention questioning any “creative” dosing strategies for our patients. Pharmacists have the impossible task of questioning a prescriber on inappropriate dosing with a perfect blend of respectfulness and firmness. Since pharmacists have no access to the prescriber’s notes, we have no way of knowing ahead of time if the dosing was in error or in fact intentional on the part of the physician. If patient data were shared between providers and pharmacists, (a novel idea to be sure!) it could save the providers time and money through improved quality measures and productivity metrics.
If a patient’s insurance plan, for example, stipulates it won’t pay the physician full reimbursement until a patient’s diabetes is under control, the physician will receive less money for a patient that isn’t reaching the optimum goal. Pharmacists, working as a Quality Coordinator for a physician, can help the primary care provider achieve these metrics by implementing services like Chronic Care Management, Continuous Medication Monitoring, Annual Wellness Visits, and Preventative Care Services like Tobacco Cessation counseling that are aligned with the quality metrics chosen by the clinic. Pharmacists are trained in programs like tobacco cessation and because of our background in pharmacokinetics, we know that nicotine is an enzyme inhibitor in the cytochrome P450 system. This means as we help patients quit tobacco, we expect medications to be impacted and are trained to adjust dosing based on the increased effects of enzyme activities on narrow therapeutic window medications. By leveraging a pharmacist’s pharmacology and medication therapy management skills, patient outcomes may improve, increasing revenue for the physician without much additional effort required by the overseeing physician.
With increased productivity comes better revenue and cash flow for the clinic. It can also equate to less paperwork as the in-office pharmacist can be a “bridge” between the community pharmacist, the patient, the payer, and the provider. One of my favorite opportunities for increasing productivity is explained in this publication in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association “Evaluation of a pharmacist-physician covisit model in a family medicine practice.” “Compared with physician billing alone, covisits generated an additional $4924.41 in 14 half-days or $158,291.04 over 1 year. Compared with separate visits, the covisit model increased estimated clinic revenue by $2757.89 over the 14 half-days and $88,646.47 over 1 year. “During the pilot period of the covisit model, the pharmacist and physician combined billed a total of 189 visits, compared with 164 visits on matched days with separate visits. With covisits, more high-complexity codes and initial Medicare Annual Wellness Visits were billed. “The physician was able to see an additional 1.3 patients per half-day in the covisit model compared with separate visits, and there was an average of 3.2 open physician appointments per half-day with covisits compared with 1.4 with separate visits.” And that study was just looking at covisits. Now, for 2020, CMS has expanded the number of services that pharmacists can offer under the general supervision of a physician to include services like Chronic Care Management and Remote Physiologic Monitoring services that can be offered by a pharmacist without the direct supervision of the physician. Talk about a productivity hack! Why Aren’t Pharmacists Being Leveraged? The primary reason pharmacists aren’t currently being leveraged in these areas is that we aren’t healthcare providers under Medicare and, therefore, don’t have a way to bill for these services. But there is hope! Within the Pharmapreneur Academy, we are working on building a model to solve this exact problem and show the value of pharmacist-led clinical services. As a way to get paid for the services mentioned in this article, pharmacists could work directly with cash-paying patients, contract with third-party payers and/or working with primary care clinics to achieve better patient outcomes. The sooner we shift pharmacists into these roles, the sooner we can have an impact on overall healthcare spending. If you are a patient, payer, provider or pharmacist, I would like to invite you to join the 2020 ElevatePharmacySummit.com to see how pharmacists are working in practice models today that provide a huge amount of value and cost savings for the healthcare system. You’ll hear from pharmacists like Jesica Mills of Owensboro Family Pharmacy and Wellness in Owensboro, Kentucky about the integrative medicine services she’s offering her patients. Or from Nancy Myers, a pharmacist working with patients and providers in a Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) clinic in Searcy, Arkansas. Or Jennifer Shannon, a pharmacy owner in Georgia who has partnered with Emory University Hospital to offer a Transitions of Care program making a huge impact on patient readmission rates. You can register for the free, virtual conference event, LIVE April 8-12th, 2020 at ElevatePharmacySummit.com AuthorAbout Blair Thielemier, PharmD  A recent New York Times article is putting a spotlight on the pharmacy profession, giving us an opportunity to articulate our value and make big changes to our industry.
The article outlines the dangers chain pharmacies are creating through the practice of hitting refill targets, understaffing, and placing the emphasis on volume-related metrics, like speed of transaction time. Of course, this was no news to pharmacists or pharmacy technicians, like this Reddit post from 2018 (which cunningly states CVS is an acronym for Company that Values Statistics) explains, we’ve known this was a population health issue for years. One pharmacist is quoted as saying, "I am a danger to the public working for CVS." Another says, "I had two misfills in three years with the previous staffing and now I make 10-12 per year (that are caught)." Pharmacists are concerned about patient care and patient health in these chain drug stores, but they are being set up to fail both themselves and their patients due to understaffing and a focus on metrics. We need to take our power back. We have the license, we took the Oath of a Pharmacist, we should be able to act in the patient’s best interest. It doesn't matter if you are a retail, hospital, academic, or any other specialty. Pharmacy needs to stand together in this spotlight. We can do more for our patients, but we need the media to hear a unified message coming from us, not from the corporations responsible for this perilous situation. Dangerous Health Risks One of the jolting realities from this article is the unnecessary health jeopardy created due to understaffing and pressures being placed on pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly. When corporations began applying the “fast food” model to a pharmacy in order to boost profits, the patients and the pharmacists became the ones to pay the price. If you haven't read the article here’s a few examples of the scenarios we pharmacists are all too familiar with:
And that is just the patient risks. Nevermind the risk of burnout, substance abuse and the higher than normal suicide rate of the profession. Until recently, pharmacist services have traditionally been tied to a product. Like any other commodity, product prices are subject to market pressures. In order for Pharmacy to move forward, we must uncouple our profession from profitability related only to the dispensation of a commodity (medications) and instead build business models based around clinical services like medication therapy management. Pharmacists are highly trained in the management of chronic disease states, yet we are shackled to dispensing medications as our only revenue model because nationally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) does not currently recognize a licensed pharmacist (a Doctorate level degree since 2000) as a healthcare provider. Even though individual states are beginning to recognize pharmacists as providers in 'medically underserved areas,' on a national level, pharmacist provider status has been blocked due to cited "increasing healthcare costs." Though, CMS, in a response to a letter from the American Academy of Family Physicians, responded they would allow for pharmacist services to be billed to CMSunder the "incident to" billing requirements (meaning under the direct, in-person supervision) of a physician. Unfortunately, there is also a law called the Stark Self-Referral Statute that was originally intended to prevent patient 'steering' and kickbacks between physicians and pharmacists. Because of this "Stark Law" many pharmacists have shied away from partnering with physicians, even though there is a Personal Services and Management Contracts safe harbor. What Can We Do? The national spotlight on Pharmacy should motivate us to articulate our value and change the pharmacy model from what it is today. Tom Menighan, CEO of the American Pharmacists Association writes in his CEO blog, "It's perverse that we pharmacists are begging for the opportunity to practice the kind of pharmacy we were extensively educated and trained to practice." I wholeheartedly agree. Pharmacists are extensively trained in the areas of pharmacotherapy, non-drug lifestyle modification, and patient education. Unfortunately, pharmacists have not been "extensively educated and trained" in the self-promotion of these skills. I recently made three predictions for what I hope the next 10 years will hold for the profession of pharmacy:
These three predictions support a new model that will create a higher emphasis on patient care and unchaining us from dispensing medications as fast as humanly possible. Instead of setting up pharmacists to fail, we should be relying on them to provide patients with continuous, quality care. One of the many pharmacist-led service opportunities extensively studied within the Pharmapreneur Academy is chronic care management services. The reason chronic care management (CCM) is such a great opportunity is because it provides continuous, quality care and CMS says it doesn’t have to be billed under 'incident to' billing requirements. That means it can be billed under general supervision requirements (off-site - as in a community pharmacy) as long as there is a ‘relevant financial relationship’ created between the billing physician and the pharmacist. Again, not as simple as having stand-alone provider status for pharmacists at a national level, but a move in the right direction none the less. With only 9% of Medicare beneficiaries currently receiving these services, the more exciting part about CCM is that CMS is begging physicians to offer it to patients. Like TCM, however, CCM "continue[s] to be underutilized." One industry blog shares, "CMS notes that CCM is 'increasing patient and practitioner satisfaction, saving costs and enabling solo practitioners to remain in independent practice.'" What is Chronic Care Management? Chronic care management (CCM) is the oversight of patients with ongoing conditions such as diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure. Within CCM, pharmacists provide the following care plan elements:
When pharmacists are woven into the care of these patients, they can provide high-quality management of chronic conditions. It has been proven that pharmacist involvement equals better patient adherence to medications and reduction of hospital readmissions. It has been proven that pharmacists save the healthcare system money. Why then, are we still treating pharmacists as incapable of anything other than filling prescriptions quickly and accurately? Let’s Speak Up The New York Times article paints an uncomfortable picture of the current reality for pharmacists in chain establishments, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s speak up and make a change now. It’s time for pharmacists to not only be set up for success within their own careers but to provide significant benefits to patients in the ways in which they are truly capable. Here’s what you can do to help:
We have an opportunity to rebuild the pharmacy practice model, but we need clear, unified messaging across all specialties and practice settings. This is not a "retail" pharmacist problem, it is a Pharmacy problem. Let us provide a unified front that represents better opportunities for patients, providers, payers, and pharmacists. To learn more about these and other pharmacist-led clinical service models and understand the value of pharmacists, visit pharmapreneuracademy.com. About Blair Thielemier, PharmD Blair is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country “Pharmacists in primary care can see patients in a covisit or a stand alone model in primary care RIGHT NOW, without provider status under CMS.”  Did you choose pharmacy as a career path because it was considered to be “safe?” I’ve got news for you: thanks to the explosive growth of online availability and the gig economy, paradigm shifts are happening everywhere. NO market is truly “safe” if it insists on holding onto outdated modes of thinking and operating. I thought my job was "safe", that it until my position was eliminated... These days, I believe relying on a single income stream is a riskier investment than starting a business! The job market for community pharmacists has been shrinking. Walmart has seen a 3% reduction in pharmacy staff. Walgreens is closing stores nationwide. Freds, Kroger, Kmart-- all are decreasing their investments in retail pharmacy sectors. That’s not entirely bad news, but it does require a new way of viewing our profession if we want to continue to strengthen the profession. As automation continues to replace pharmacists and technicians in retail stores, consultants pharmacists can adapt and take advantage of these market changes and create new job opportunities. We have to let go of what we thought our career would look like and build new skills to help us not only survive, but flourish during these changing times. I call this a time of Career Climate Change. To better prepare for what lies ahead, I’ve put together three predictions for the next ten years of pharmacy. The key is to not get bogged down by fear or wait for these changes to happen TO you, but rather to use these predictions as incentive to become proactive CONSULTANT PHARMACISTS, prepared for entrepreneurship and the marketing of your skills. Prediction #1: Dispensing will become increasingly automated and there will be less demand for pharmacists in retail settings. With Amazon entering into pharmacy, we are seeing the beginnings of what is to come. Demand is steadily decreasing for a pharmacist in a brick and mortar store, when many consumers are choosing to have their prescriptions conveniently delivered at home. I also expect technology, like Artificial Intelligence and 3D Printing, to be integrated into the pharmacy dispensing process in the near future as well. Remember, though, Amazon first started with books, and the bookstore isn’t dead by any means, it just looks much different for consumers today who are choosing digital and audiobooks. Amazon itself adapted to be more than just a place to buy and sell books-- and so should pharmacy. Pharmacists are so much more than just bodies putting pills in a bottle. What we have to do is educate ourselves and others about the value a pharmacist can add. To be successful, we must change the PERCEPTION of pharmacists. Prediction #2: Pharmacists will dominate the preventative services niche. There’s a trend occurring right now in holistic and functional medicine. While many physicians don’t currently embrace alternative methodologies of therapy, patients are seeking out these treatment options nonetheless. Ask any pharmacist about a common symptom (take constipation for example), and you’ll likely hear five non-drug, lifestyle modification recommendations before they’ll actually suggest an OTC drug. The pharmacist, with their foundational knowledge of biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pathophysiology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacology, can act as an interpreter for FDA-approved products with huge bodies of evidence, as well as for herbals, supplements and natural products where results must be inferred from much smaller studies. The pharmacist can be the bridge that embraces alternative options, and helps the patient and physician navigate these treatments. This keeps the door open for patients who are seeking a more holistic approach, but still need or want the supervision of a physician (and may keep some patients from completely abandoning Western medicine altogether). Again, to be successful, we must change the PERCEPTION of pharmacists. Prediction #3: A large part of pharmacy revenue and pharmacists salary will be based around clinical services, with medication therapy management being at the epicenter. It used to just be physicians only working in primary care. Today, you’re just as likely to see a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner for a sick visit. The next addition to the primary care model should be the consultant pharmacist. In one evaluation of a family medicine practice, covisits generated an additional $4924.41 in 14 half-days or $158,291.04 over 1 year when compared with physician billing alone. Compared with separate visits, the covisit model increased estimated clinic revenue by $2757.89 over 14 half-days and $88,646.47 over 1 year. “Pharmacists in primary care can see patients in a covisit or a stand alone model in primary care RIGHT NOW, without provider status under CMS.” My vision in the next 10 years is to have pharmacists in primary care as commonplace as APNs or PAs. This business model, described in detail in the Pharmapreneur Academy e-Courses, is one we can show provides a solid ROI for payers and physicians. So what next? If you agree that this is the direction the profession is heading, you can't keep doing things the same way. To ensure future stability and success, you’ll need to shift from an “employee” mindset to one of being a Pharmapreneur. That means advancing your skillset in order to monetize untapped opportunities, either in your current role, your next position-- or by starting your own consulting practice. The #1 thing that holds pharmacists back from making this change is they aren’t sure where to start and how to position themselves. This is something I have been teaching pharmacists to do for the last 5 years through business coaching in the Pharmapreneur Academy Community. Hundreds of pharmacists have implemented these techniques and found ways to increase demand for their services, basically eliminating their fear around Career Climate Change because they now know how to talk about their value. Want to learn more about my predictions and how to prepare for the future as a Pharmapreneur? This replay of my most recent webinar is a good place to start. AuthorBlair Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. Things are in full swing for the holidays and I hope 2019 has been a fantastic year for you!
I enjoy looking back and celebrating past accomplishments while also putting together my plans and goals for the following year. Here's a few highlights from 2019:
As a clinical pharmacist, you may be thinking about making the jump from your 9-5 to being an entrepreneur — especially with a new year (and new beginnings) around the corner. If you are, I have one piece of advice: don't jump in over your head. You can snuff out even the most promising budding business by taking too "healthy” a salary right away. I saw this question in one of my pharmacist groups today: "How do I transition out of retail pharmacy and still make a six-figure salary?" My answer: do the "un-fun" things first. Sacrifice time by building a side business in your area of interest. Whatever income you bring in during the first few years should be mostly reinvested into: 1) the business 2) your financial health Focusing solely on getting to "six figures" in business is a goal, but one that doesn't usually happen overnight. Stay in your role while building your side business, until you are ready financially, emotionally and mentally to transition out and into entrepreneurship. If you are ready to learn more about how to navigate that transition, join us on Jan. 5 for our LIVE webinar exploring the three predictions for pharmacy practice from 2020 to 2030: pharmapreneuracademy.com/live I truly appreciate your presence here and I'd love to take a minute today, to share a bit about what I have planned for you and this Community in 2020. For our Pharmapreneur Community followers, we have planned:
We also strive to get the best results possible for our Pharmapreneur Academy members, which means continuing to provide the best information on business and marketing on clinical services that is available. We've been committed to helping pharmacists to "think like entrepreneurs" since 2015. In 2020, we are continuing to focus in on business models for consultants pharmacists and helping improve our business skills. For our Exclusive Members-Only Trainings, we have scheduled:
Remember, this is all INCLUDED in your Pharmapreneur Academy membership. If you want to save BIG IN 2020 be sure to upgrade to the Annual Membership and save on your membership! Remember you have until December 31st to make tax deductible business expenses for 2019. AuthorBlair Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country.  If you've been following me for a while, you know my personal health journey really started up after the birth of my son. First a DTC genetic test, then pharmacogenomic testing, then nutrigenomic, epigenetic, blood testing and on and on. You know me, always the guinea pig! Anyways, I've always wanted to learn more about Functional Medicine, but the certifications out there were always...well cost prohibitive. I mean, I'm interested in Functional Medicine, but not $15,000 INTERESTED, right!? That's why I was so excited when my friend Melody Hartzler told me she was planning the Functional Medicine Continuing Education Virtual Symposium on November 9th, 2019. And even better than providing a great foundation for Functional Medicine principles is that its accredited for up to 7 hours of CE for pharmacists!  Also, since you are a part of the Pharmapreneur Academy Community, they are offering you a 10% discount using the Coupon Code: academy just for using my link. And finally, my favorite part, is I can watch from the comfort of my own home. The fun starts LIVE on Saturday, November 9th, but (in full disclosure) I upgraded so I could access the Video Recordings anytime because #momlife So if you're interested, check out the all the topics and speakers at FunctionalMedicineCE.com and use the coupon code: academy for 10% off. (This post contains some affiliate links and I earn a small commission if you choose to purchase a ticket through my link. You may contact me for more information about referral links, as always, I only recommend products that I actually use.) AuthorBlair Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. Businessese.com (my go-to resource for all my legal contracts) is having a HUGE SALE that I thought you may be interested in! From now until November 4th, you can save 50% off of every single item in the Businessese store. All you need to do is use the code pharmd50 at checkout. This includes the Customizable DIY Legal Templates for Pharmacy Consultants that we put together at Businessese.com/pharmd
If you aren't sure which one you need, you can check out Danielle's Masterclass on "Scripts for Success: Legal Forms for Pharmapreneurs". Here are a few other items from the Businessese site that I personally use in my business:
It feels GOOD to have your legal needs sorted out, so stock up during the Businessese annual sale and use code pharmd50 at checkout to save 50% on any purchase you make. Remember, this code is only good through Monday, November 4, 2019. As always, if you have questions on what product might be the best fit for you, email Danielle and her team at questions@businessese.com (This email contains some affiliate links and I earn a small commission if you choose to purchase a legal form through my link. You may contact me for more information about referral links, as always, I only recommend products that I actually use.) AuthorBlair Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country.  Last week, we talked about guiding a conversation from polite interest to pitching your business on the Patient Pay Path. Today, we’re talking about the consultant pharmacist who is focusing in on the Physician’s Office Pathway in the Business Blueprint. Here is the scenario: ⇢ Consultant Pharmacist works closely with Physician A in the hospital. After treatment rounds, Physician A is thanking the pharmacist for input and a job well done, and the pharmacist casually mentions their new consulting business venture. ⇢ When Physician A seems interested and asks how the Consultant Pharmacist could help them in their private practice, they aren’t sure what to say. ⇢ In a panic, they begin running through 101 ways they could work with a patient. ⇢ As the pharmacist is talking, Physician A thinks, "That sounds great, but that would probably cost a lot of money." ⇢ Physician A asks no further questions and wishes the pharmacist the best of luck. ⇢ The pharmacist leaves wondering if they should go home and make a business card to hand Physician A next time they see them. What went wrong here? Without realizing in, the consultant pharmacist blew an opportunity for new business because he or she wasn’t prepared with a concise response. Has this happened to you? If it has, don’t worry! What you can do better next time: When the Physician A seems interested, the pharmacist should instead begins with a succinct Elevator Pitch that focuses on how they help private practice physicians be more profitable and productive. Physician A says, "Wow thats great, I'm a hospitalist, but my buddy owns his own practice and I think he'd be interested!" Physician A then offers to connect the consultant pharmacist with Physician B. The pharmacist uses the "follow-up script" from the Start the Conversation module in the Pharmapreneur's Business Blueprint and has a meeting with Physician B scheduled within a few weeks. The pharmacist is excited and confident in pitching their services to Physician B and finally feel ready for their first "Yes!" What can we learn? The second situation led to a referral because the Consultant Pharmacist had prepared their Elevator Pitch the right way. In a different situation, maybe Physician A is interested! The primary takeaway is that we should keep things short and to-the-point to allow for easy conversation that will lead to profitable opportunities! If you're finding yourself struggling with the sales conversation, the Pharmapreneur Academy is hosting a free live training on October 27th at 8pm. Register for the last call of the year here! AuthorBlair is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. How to Guide Conversation from Polite Interest to Pitching Your Business on the Patient Pay Path10/10/2019 
"[The Business Blueprint] really did [help]! Have you ever experienced this scenario? You’re at a party and someone asks what you do for a living. After casually outlining your business, the person expresses interest in what you’re doing and asks to learn more. You feel like a deer in headlights. What do you say? I’ll tell you what usually happens with most new consultant pharmacists! They give the well-meaning person the most accurate description of every service they could possibly offer, followed by a recap of their career experience from graduation to present while the party goer stands glassy eyed and looking for the exits ... Obviously, this is exactly the WRONG way to approach the "Elevator Pitch.” Pharmacists ask me all the time how to confidently 'sell' their services without feeling pushy or salesly... Overhead by a Pharmapreneur Academy member, "[The Business Blueprint], it really did [help]! I would have looked like a total fool if I would have did a hard pitch to him. Also, it allowed for more of a conversation rather than a dynamic where it seemed as though I was just trying to sell him something." Here’s how I recommend guiding the conversation in the direction you want it to go! First know this: Your potential client isn't trying to vet your expertise at this point, they are trying to decide if they — or someone they know — can benefit from your services. Creating a succinct, Elevator Pitch helps to quickly articulate:
When you feel like you're getting off track or rambling about your services and you start to see a glazed look, you know you're off track. So, how do you get back on track after this faux-pas? Get things back where they should be by reminding yourself: "What this person is really wondering is what is in this for them." Then, if they seem interested in moving to the next "phase" of the relationship, provide a convenient option to follow up with them. Example: "Sounds like you'd likely benefit from this service, would you like to set up a call/email/etc. next week and continue our conversation?" HINT: At this point you should get their number/email/etc. and not leave it up to them to make the first move. Was this tip helpful? If it was, know that the Pharmapreneur's Business Blueprint gives you a step-by-step framework for creating an Elevator Pitch to help the potential client immediately identify if they are a good fit for your service, easy to use scripts for Pitching Your Services and strategies for Closing the Sale. You can also join the Pharmapreneur Academy's next live call Sunday, October 27th at 8pmCT at btpharmacyconsulting.com/webinars1! AuthorBlair is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She hosts and produces the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit, is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business, and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. We recently completed our second annual Female Pharmapreneur's Retreat and Mastermind at the fabulous Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada! Masterminding is a concept made famous by Napoleon Hill's classic "How to Think and Grow Rich". Wikipedia describes Masterminding as... "A peer-to-peer mentoring concept used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members. The concept was coined in 1925 by author Napoleon Hill in his book The Law of Success, and described in more detail in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich. In his books, Hill discussed the idea of the Master Mind, which referred to two or more people coming together in harmony to solve problems." Recently, small business owners have taken this concept to a whole new level in the "facilitated Mastermind". A facilitated Mastermind is a formal meeting of entrepreneurs who come together to help each other with their businesses. The best facilitated Masterminds are between 6 & 8 people, diverse enough to support each others strengths and weaknesses and homogeneous enough so that the business owners are at similar points in their business journey. I, myself, have been involved in Masterminds throughout my business journey. In 2016, I participated in a 6 month Mastermind with other women with online businesses. In 2017, I participated in a 9 month Mastermind with other women with 6-figure businesses which were both online and brick and mortar. And this year in 2019, I've participated in a Mastermind that combines in-person and virtual retreats. Pharmacy's First Formal Mastermind Event The Female Pharmapreneur Mastermind & Retreat is pharmacy's first (to my knowledge) facilitated Mastermind ever. Represented by our group of 9 women were 7 states: Arkansas, Florida, Ohio, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania and D.C. Also represented was various specialties, from diabetes education to health and fitness to pharmacogenomic testing to health systems. It was truly a very special group and something I hope to offer again in the near future. Upon completion of the Workshop, each attendee was presented with their own remind of how they are the Visionary of their business. Also, we committed to staying focused on actions that move us closer to those goals and give us permission to say "NO" to opportunities that don't align with those goals. As we nine women gathered together, we felt the power of diverse backgrounds, diverse ways of thinking and the collective power of the Master Mind. It was truly a magical experience and something I plan to offer again in 2020. If you're interested in our next event, let me know and I'll add you to our waiting list. To stay in contact with all the happenings in the Pharmapreneur Academy Community join our mailing list at BTPharmacyConsulting.com/Newsletter AuthorBlair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. Q: How can I be assertive, but not too pushy when providers seem skeptical about my services?7/22/2019 "When you learn to flip the conversation from 'you pitching' to one of 'you learning about the other person', it feels so much more natural. Yesterday, I asked on LinkedIn, "What questions do you have about Starting Conversations about the value of pharmacist-led clinical services?" I got several great questions about sample scripts and ROI for pharmacist services. One of the commenters, Lydia, asked a great question.... How can I be assertive, but not too pushy when providers seem skeptical about my services? I answered her question on the 37 minute mark on the video, but my short answer would be that people don't like being "sold at" and the fastest way to make someone to feel that way is to go in telling them exactly what you think they need. The other day someone I'd connected with on LinkedIn for all of about 5 minutes asked me for a phone call to "share an opportunity that would greatly benefit me". The reason it doesn't feel good to sell that way is because you really have no way of knowing if your 'opportunity' would actually be of interest. When you learn to flip the conversation from 'you pitching' to one of 'you learning about the other person', it feels so much more natural. In general, I don't even recommend you pitch until you have asked permission to and feel that you actually do have something of interest to offer. As an athlete growing up, I'd always heard the best offense is a great defense. In the approach I teach, you do not go in with a hard offense. You go in trying to ASSESS their needs and anticipate their challenges. In the Business Blueprint framework, we use the 4 A's to described a selling process that identifies the client's needs and then creates a custom program around those needs. The first A is Assess and we do that using an Assessment Questionnaire to help foster beginning those conversations. So really, there isn't a magical pitch or a 'convincing speech' to memorize, its about building personal relationships, having a solid understanding of what a pharmacist could offer the clinic and a step by step process for getting started. The Business Blueprint gives you the framework for creating programs that your clients WANT. Around the 60 minute mark I bring in Tara Snyder, a pharmacist currently working in a physician's office, to share about her experiences and how the Academy can help you get your programs in place faster. Here's the replay from last night's call! You'll see on the call, I made a Special Offer for Beta Members who join the Pharmapreneur Academy before Wednesday, July 24th. Join by midnight 7/24/19 and receive a free, physical copy of the Business Blueprint Workbook! 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website.  "I just wanted to say thanks again for all your help. In the past year I've consulted for six pharmacies doing MTM work and have garnered over $25,000! It has been a great side gig for sure." Many pharmacists impacted by the recent Wal-Mart layoffs have been reaching out to me for advice. I know all too well what they’re going through having been laid off in 2014. I've freely shared about the year I lost my job and had to supplement my income by doing relief work. That year I took an unexpected $40,000 pay cut. The next year I was able to build a "side hustle" --- an MTM consulting business while also working 'prn' at various location. It was a slow build and something I wish I'd started BEFORE I actually needed it! The tough pill to swallow is that a pharmacy consulting business typically requires a time investment before it reaches maturity. You have to plant your seeds, lay the foundation, build a strategy, and get your first clients. That being said, my advice is the same for those who think they can’t wait and those feeling secure in a full-time job: PLANT YOUR SEEDS NOW. It’s worth it. Even if you’re looking for full-time employment, you can start that process now. My own consulting business took about six months to mature. If you secure a full-time job in that span, great! If you don’t, you’re building a sustainable income you can rely on. Don't just take it from me, hundreds of pharmacists have been able to build freelance consulting businesses on the side. Like Brad who said, "I just wanted to say thanks again for all your help. In the past year I've consulted for six pharmacies doing MTM work and have garnered over $25,000! It has been a great side gig for sure." Starting a freelance pharmacy consulting program has never been easier or taught in a more step-by-step way. Don't wait until you need a new income stream. Start building your side business now and give yourself some space to breathe. If you’re interested in hearing more, join me for my upcoming free webinar on July 21. I’ll share my outlook on our profession, which - thanks to my own business - is very optimistic. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR AND RECEIVE A VERY SPECIAL OFFER! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. 
"If more value is what payers, providers and patients are looking for, they need look no further than CONSULTANT PHARMACISTS."
The goal of this new free webinar is to help you Understand Pay for Performance Legislation and Use it to Build Your Dream Career Today!
Many pharmacists come to me with a dream of working in a physician's office but are unsure of how much value they could add to a practice. During this time of upheaval and change in the healthcare industry, it time for pharmacists to STEP UP. If more value is what payers, providers and patients are looking for, they need to look no further than CONSULTANT PHARMACISTS. Imagine working side by side with providers to help them become more Productive & Profitable! On this webinar, you'll learn: ✔ How to leverage MACRA and created Collaborative Practice Agreements that align with CMS's Provider Quality Benchmarks. ✔ Re-branding pharmacy services in order to create more VALUE. ✔ Strategies for positioning your services as a great option for high-risk patients. ✔ Examples of Consultant Services other Pharmacists have created with Collaborative providers. ✔ Pharmacist-led interventions that will IMPROVE physician quality metrics. ✔ How to create a plan to get your idea and your business off the ground with frameworks for packaging, pricing, marketing and delivering your new programs! You can do it and you don't have to have special credentials to make an impact. Learn how to leverage the skills you already have by creating clinical programs that align with the goal of MACRA. This, my friends and colleagues, is the direction of pharmacy. This is how we ADVANCE THE PRACTICE OF PHARMACY. Hop onboard or get left behind! 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website.
I've always LOVED to read, but then I went to pharmacy school, started working full time, had a few babies and built a six figure business.
Reading was relegated to 10 pages before bed each night via beside lamp with tired, strained eyes... ...and then, I became to tired for even that much focus. Then my friend suggested I try Audible, an Amazon app where you can listen to audiobooks. I began listening and since then, my love for 'reading' has returned in full force. I immediately signed up for the monthly subscription and now look forward to spending my 'credit' each month. In full disclosure, I usually DON'T WAIT until the 24th of each month and sometimes buy more than one or two books each month according to my book budget. Some of these are business books, some are biographies, but all of them have added value to my life so I wanted to share them with you. Note: these are affiliate links through Amazon, they don't cost you anything extra they just give me a small percentage of the book price for a referral. Generally I spend my Amazon affiliate income on buy more books! 1. The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery
My friend Chrissie introduced me to the Enneagram and its helped my get a better grasp on why people act the way they do and what their motivations are in relationships.
I'm a 7 and my husband is a 9. 2. Clockwork
This is a great book for the established entrepreneur running a six-figure business.
I can help you stay in your 'genius' and work on hiring out the rest. THIS is my Achilles heel! 3. Notorious NBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg
I'm totally not in to politics, but I AM in to strong women. RBG is the strongest, literally, at 80+ she's still lifting weights and pulling her weight on the Supreme Court.
4. Capital Gaines: Smart Things I've Learned By Doing Stupid Stuff
We love Chip and Joanna -- Who DOESN'T???
I love they've built a business around being themselves and supporting their community. This bio provided laughs and insights about how to succeed by doing what you love and most importantly: how to enjoy the journey. 5. Becoming
Again, couldn't care less about politics, but I love Michelle Obama's message of stepping out of other people's expectations and creating your own rules for living authentically.
6. Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!
The title put me off at first. I don't believe I'm lucky or a b-word.
However, this book is more about building a business by changing your mindset around money and your own WORTH. Key takeaway, great business book with though provoking essay questions! 7. Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine
The beginner's guide to not stressing about your taxes, what to pay yourself or how much you should be investing in your business.
I recommend this book for all Academy members who need to create 'buckets' for 1099 revenue. Personally, I feel so much better about my financial picture after implementing the strategies outlined in this book. 8. The Big Leap
A thought provoking discussion on getting out of our own way and letting abundance come into our lives. Its not too 'woo-woo' but it is a good introduction to self-awareness.
If you are:
This is the book for you! 9. Rocket Fuel
Examining how Visionary entrepreneurs are best supported by practical Integrators.
A great look at who you need to be in order to grow your business. 10. Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact
For the pharmacist who needs 'scripts' for working on their communication and sales techniques.
This is a quick read/listen that I refer back to constantly. 11. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
If you're just getting started with branding and identifying your target market, this book will get you thinking about how you can succinctly share your message.
12. Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think
I love any book by Peter Diamandis , but this one is my favorite.
If you think the future is doom and gloom, this book provides a great argument for why its actually going to be pretty awesome! 13. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Definitely an advanced course in mindset and the 'woo'.
Provides great mantras and practical steps for becoming self aware and changing the way you talk to yourself by examining thoughts and beliefs. 14. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
If you like Elizabeth Gilbert and her take on creativity, this book is the best on the subject.
Listen to get inspired to take big creative leaps! 15. The Seven Figure Pharmacist
Written by colleagues and friends Tim Church and Tim Ulbrich, this book is the financial 'Bible' for pharmacists.
So much great stuff on student loans, debt payoff, investing and retirement. I'm even mentioned in the Building a Side Hustle chapter! 
16. The Beautiful No
I just finished reading this brilliant book and had so many 'ah-ha' moments. Probably because Sheri Salata learned from the best working with the Oprah Winfrey for 25 years!
A fantastic books about boundaries, accepting oneself and living authentically. 17. How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business: Your Rx for Finding Freedom and Loving Your Career
Yes, this is my own book, but when recently re-released in Audible I re-listened to it and it reminded me of how excited I am about sharing my message of pharmacy entrepreneurship.
Note: For your listening pleasure, I did not read it myself, I hired a lady with a much more lovely voice than my own! Want a free promo code for this audio book? Email me at blairthielemier@btpharmacyconsulting.com and I'll send ya one!
That's a wrap!
What are your favorite reads? What's on your Summer Reading List? Send me your link and I'll add it to my Audible Wishlist! 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. 
Imagine gathering for one day with a small group of brilliant female pharmacists to help grow each other's careers and businesses! Why come?
This is a business retreat for female Phamapreneurs who are ready to focus on Growing Their Careers. The Retreat and Mastermind is Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas, NV. Breakfast and lunch are included with your ticket. We'll have a working lunch that leads into our intimate Mastermind session. Tentative Schedule: Friday, September 13th 9-11am The Retreat to help you plan and develop new projects for the year ahead and discuss opportunities for growing your business! In the Workshop, you'll get one-on-one help to create a the Career of Your Dreams. Including specific exercises on:
Friday, September 13th 12-2:30pm During the Mastermind, each participant will have a 20-30 minute "Thought Seat". In the Thought Seat, we'll shine a spotlight on your business. You'll have a chance to ask for the advice and resources of the group and get feedback on your Strategic Plan. Everyone will get a chance to talk about their businesses, work on their strategic plan for the year and get help from the team. Half the Attendees will have their Thought Seats on Friday afternoon and the rest will have them on Saturday afternoon The Mastermind portion will end around 2:30pm leaving plenty of time for implementation and reflection. Friday evening free period The Red Rock Resort has a ton of amenities and attractions for you to enjoy! Saturday, September 14th 9am-12pm The Business Development Workshop to help you plan and develop new projects for the year ahead and discuss opportunities for growing your business! In the Workshop, you'll get one-on-one help to create a the Career of Your Dreams. Including specific exercises on:
Saturday, September 14th 12-3pm During the Mastermind, each participant will have a 20-30 minute "Thought Seat". In the Thought Seat, we'll shine a spotlight on your business. You'll have a chance to ask for the advice and resources of the group and get feedback on your Strategic Plan. Everyone will get a chance to talk about their businesses, work on their strategic plan for the year and get help from the team. Half the Attendees will have their Thought Seats on Friday afternoon and the rest will have them on Saturday afternoon The Mastermind portion will end at 3pm. The remainder of the day can be spent on your choice of activities at the spa, the pool, the casino, a nike hike or some other relaxing activities until dinner. Saturday evening 7pm Goodbye Dinner + Show Put your fancy clothes on we're going out on the town for a fabulous dinner and a show. We will leave the hotel promptly at 6:45pm You'll leave the Retreat refreshed and re-energized, with a plan to move your business and vision forward! /
Blair, I'm so impressed with the level of detail that you put into this. From creating a special planner to having gifts, it was very well thought out and I think you had some good content prepared.
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The mastermind experience was a great way to get away from my business and babies and focus on planning. It was an investment and time dedication to planning- which means that planning would happen.
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It was a great small group experience that helped me see people in all walks of life trying to achieve a dream. Totally different than what I expected because it wasn't a group of just independent pharmacy owners trying to make ends meet. I did love that it was all women as most groups are mixed. I would love to do this again!
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 Think you may be interested?
Its application only so please email blairthielemier@btpharmacyconsulting.com for an application! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website.  We have something for everyone in nearly any pharmacy practice site: the Academic Aces, the Community CEOs, the Hospital Heros, the Primary Care Pros and many more! Truth: Being a pharmacist is not for the faint of heart. It can be stressful, challenging and yes, overwhelming. And did I mention stressful? Then... why do we do it, day in and day out? One simple reason: We believe in serving people so we can add that little bit of hope and happiness to a patient's life. BUT At the end of the day, you have a ton of responsibility and pressure placed on you. Like your patients depend on you, you depend on your career to provide FINANCIAL STABILITY and PERSONAL FULFILLMENT. However, with all the negativity swirling around the these days with pitiful reimbursement and job market instability, it can be easy to get discouraged. But not these pharmacists... I've gathered some of the most influential, inspiring pharmacists in the industry to share their stories. They share tips and advice on how they were able to SUCCEED DIFFERENTLY. NOW I'M SHARING THEIR STORIES WITH YOU! The best part? The Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit is FREE. Don't get me wrong, there is a TON of value in attending in-person conferences, however, the truth is more often than not, you can't attend those because of budget, time constraints, kids, staffing issues, etc. Needless to say, pharmacy is also so diverse, it would be nearly impossible to attend ALL the THINGS. With Elevate, however, you get instant access to high-quality information and new ideas to grow your business and career. We have something for everyone in nearly any practice site: the Academic Aces, the Community CEOs, the Hospital Heros, the Primary Care Pros and many more. It's cost-effective and convenient, and you don't even step out of the comfort of your home or pharmacy! 5 days of info-packed sessions, 20+ expert brains waiting to be picked, 48-hour access to each day's interviews & 9 hours of CE credit up for grabs. With all that amazing content, you're going to need a plan! Click here to download our exclusive Summit Playbook with the Event Agenda It's all yours, all free, and it starts on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019! This year's Summit is back and it's going to be even bigger and better than last year, click here to check out our Agenda! Day 1 – Collaborating with Synergistic Healthcare Professionals Day 2 – Growing Revenue through Clinical Services Day 3 – Marketing Strategies for Your Pharmacy Skillset Day 4 – Innovating to Provide Value-Based Care Day 5 – Niching Down and Positioning Yourself as an Expert Last year, we registered 1,800 pharmacists from around the globe and a good percentage of them decided the content was so valuable, we got messages like these:
And did I mention those 9 CE hours up for grabs are accredited for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians through our partners at the NCPA Innovation Center? Are you ready to Elevate Your Practice? Click here to register before you forget! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. If you’ve ever wondered how to legally protect yourself as a pharmacy consultant, I’ve got good news: Getting the legal documents you need doesn’t have to take tons of time spent in meetings with lawyers or even gobs of $$$ to make it happen. No matter what stage your business is in, it does have legal needs that can’t be ignored. However, I understand that time and money are often a concern, so having the option to do it yourself with the right forms can make all the difference when it comes to just getting it done quickly and correctly. And that’s exactly why I’ve partnered with Businessese to offer you an array of super-affordable DIY legal templates, custom-created by an attorney for the distinct needs of your pharmacy consulting business! CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TEMPLATES WE'VE PUT TOGETHER Believe me, this is THE simplest, fastest way to protect yourself and your business as a consultant pharmacist. No stuffy sit-down meetings with lawyers required (I've already done that part for you!). In our recent live training webinar, we proudly presented the 4 new Businessese Legal Templates designed exclusively for consultant pharmacists:
Danielle and I created these DIY legal forms to save you tons of time, money and prevent legal headaches down the road. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. 
As a new or established small business owner, you’ve no doubt got tons on your mind—ensuring you’re providing the highest quality of support to your patients, generating more traffic to your website to bring in new clients, staying up-to-date on the latest resources and knowledge in your field—the list continues. Something you may not have thought about, however, is preparing legal documents for your business. When I first started this blog, I didn't have a clue which privacy policies or terms and conditions were required to protect my website visitors! And, let’s face it — dealing with your legal needs isn’t exactly the most exciting part of your business. After all, you trained as a pharmacist, not a lawyer. But here’s the deal: no matter what stage your pharmacy consulting business is in, it does have legal needs that can’t be ignored. Handling the legal items for your business now so they don’t become a problem later means your business has a SOLID FOUNDATION going forward. The Pharmapreneur Academy has partnered with Businessese to create super-affordable DIY legal templates, custom-created by an attorney for the specific needs of consultant pharmacists! Join us LIVE, Sunday April 7th at 8pm CENTRAL for a free training on how to getting "Scripts for Success: Legal Forms for Pharmapreneurs" Danielle Liss, Esq. Founder of Businessese and myself will be co-hosting a free, LIVE webinar discussing the forms that will save you tons of time, money and prevent legal headaches down the road:
With all the complexities that come with running a consulting business — particularly as a pharmacist — doing so without legal protection simply isn’t worth the risk. So, join us live Sunday, April 7th at 8pm CENTRAL for a free, live training on how to using Scripts for Your Legal Needs as a Pharmapreneur! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD is an independent consultant pharmacist living in Arkansas with her husband and two children. Her latest project is the host and producer of pharmacy’s first virtual conference, the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit in partnership with the NCPA Innovation Center. She is the founder of Pharmapreneur Academy, an online e-Course and Community where she guides pharmacist-entrepreneurs through the process and barriers of building a pharmacy consulting business. She is the author of How to Build a Pharmacy Consulting Business and facilitates in-person Business Planning Workshops and Mastermind Retreats for female Pharmapreneurs across the country. More information about Dr. Thielemier can be found on her website. 
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