Over their intranet and via an interface with their PMS system, pharmacies operated by Ahold USA, Quincy, Mass., are connected to the St. Louis-based LDM CarePoints electronic messaging system, which gives Ahold the ability to print customized prescription messages for targeted patients who, based on their age and/or the medications they are taking, may have special needs. For example, if a diabetes patient has not refilled his prescribed medications in a while, the system could print out a message reminding that patient of the importance of taking the medications.
Ahold may soon experiment, said Greg Jones, director of clinical programs and marketing, with using that system to print advertising messages paid for by front-end vendors that have products that might appeal to some of Ahold's pharmacy customers — for example, perhaps the launch of a new high-fiber bread. That would introduce a new revenue stream to Ahold, as well as allow the company to deliver additional targeted advertising messages to pharmacy customers.
“These kinds of programs take something we do every day to a higher, more visible phase,” said Jones.