Kathy Campbell, an independent pharmacist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, discussed her journey of 20 years in pharmacy ownership and her innovative weight loss program. She emphasized the importance of clinical relationships with patients and addressing financial pressures by creating new revenue streams. Campbell highlighted her program, Dr. Kathy Weight Loss, which has engaged over 350 people in six years, and her efforts to rebrand pharmacies as health centers. She advised pharmacists to leverage their expertise, create appointments, and offer services aligned with their mission. Campbell also plans to launch a subscription model for pharmacists to provide health information and recipes.
Action Items
- [ ] Explore offering a “Dr. Kathy’s Farm to Pharmacy” program, which will provide low-cost subscription access to recipes and content to help pharmacists have conversations with patients about foundational health.
- [ ] Create a product in the foundational health/weight management niche that pharmacists can sell, such as private label foods or planograms.
- [ ] Implement the “Creating Health” CE course within the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) to help pharmacists learn about Kathy’s approach to foundational health and weight management.
Outline
Introduction and Background of Kathy Campbell
- Lisa Faast introduces Kathy Campbell, highlighting her extensive experience and achievements, including TED Talks and ncpa presentations.
- Kathy Campbell introduces herself as an independent pharmacist from Tulsa, Oklahoma, celebrating her 20th year of ownership.
- Kathy reflects on the challenges and obstacles faced over the past 20 years, including her commitment to Medicap.
- She emphasizes her focus on clinical relationships with patients and her efforts to overcome financial pressures and cash flow issues.
Developing a Weight Loss Program
- Kathy discusses the shift in pharmacy and the financial pressures she faced, leading her to question how to run a pharmacy without filling prescriptions.
- She shares her interest in clinical science, particularly a study on diabetes that inspired her to address health issues earlier.
- Kathy developed a weight loss program, leveraging her personal experience with obesity and her understanding of weight management.
- The program, Dr. Kathy Weight Loss, focuses on lifestyle and health fundamentals, including biochemistry, stress pharmacology, and food pharmacology.
Challenges and Successes of the Weight Loss Program
- Lisa Faast asks about Kathy’s fears and concerns when launching the weight loss program.
- Kathy explains that her primary fear was the program’s success, not patient acceptance, and emphasizes her trust in patients to make their own decisions.
- She describes her approach to handling financial pressures and the importance of offering appointments and services that patients can pay for.
- Kathy highlights the success of the program, with over 350 people engaged and many still participating after several years.
Marketing and Overcoming Fears
- Kathy shares her journey of becoming “Dr. Kathy” as part of a marketing strategy to promote her new product.
- She discusses the discomfort of self-promotion and the importance of delivering on promises to build trust.
- Kathy emphasizes the need for pharmacists to innovate and find new ways to help patients, beyond just filling prescriptions.
- She reflects on the cultural and systemic challenges in healthcare and the importance of marketing pharmacists’ expertise.
Engaging with the Medical Community
- Lisa Faast asks about the feedback from physicians and other healthcare providers regarding Kathy’s weight loss program.
- Kathy explains that she did not engage with physicians due to the shift to corporate medicine, which incentivized them to keep patients within their network.
- She shares mixed feedback from patients about their doctors, with some encouraging her work and others criticizing her use of the “Dr. Kathy” title.
- Kathy emphasizes the importance of standing by her clinical interventions and the need for pharmacists to be secure in their commitment to patient care.
Adapting to Market Changes and Innovating
- Kathy discusses the impact of mail order and the need for pharmacists to adapt to market changes.
- She shares her experience of creating appointment options for patients and selling additional products to improve cash flow.
- Kathy highlights the importance of leveraging existing resources, such as rent and knowledge, to generate revenue.
- She reflects on the need for pharmacists to innovate and find new ways to help patients, beyond just filling prescriptions.
Foundational Health Approach
- Kathy explains her foundational health approach, focusing on diet, exercise, and other components to prevent disease.
- She shares her frustration with the current healthcare system, which often fails to address the root causes of health issues.
- Kathy emphasizes the importance of a cultural shift towards health and the need for pharmacists to play a central role in this change.
- She discusses her efforts to create a product that can be sold in pharmacies, helping them rebrand as places for health and wellness.
Advice for Pharmacy Owners
- Lisa Faast asks for Kathy’s advice on how pharmacy owners can implement new services and opportunities.
- Kathy emphasizes the importance of finding a service that aligns with the pharmacy’s mission and values.
- She advises pharmacists to start by selling their time and expertise, creating structured appointments and charging for them.
- Kathy highlights the need for pharmacists to embrace new business models and find ways to generate a return on investment quickly.
Implementing Health and Wellness Programs
- Kathy discusses the importance of starting small and implementing health and wellness programs at the point of sale.
- She shares her plans to create a low-cost subscription model for pharmacists to offer recipes and health information to patients.
- Kathy emphasizes the need for pharmacists to rebrand their pharmacies as places for health and wellness, not just sickness.
- She reflects on the potential for private label foods and other products to help pharmacists generate revenue and support patient health.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
- Lisa Faast thanks Kathy for sharing her wisdom and experiences, encouraging pharmacists to take action on their ideas.
- Kathy reiterates the importance of finding a service that aligns with the pharmacy’s mission and values.
- She emphasizes the need for pharmacists to be passionate about their work and to find ways to generate a return on investment quickly.
- Kathy shares her website and encourages pharmacists to visit her site for more information and resources.