Meijer shifts to contactless pharmacy management
A regional Midwestern discount chain is minimizing the spread of COVID-19 with a text-accessible pharmacy customer experience.
As efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 continue, Meijer is encouraging its customers to use its new contactless pharmacy tool to manage prescriptions, schedule vaccinations and fill out required forms on their smartphones before visiting a Meijer pharmacy.
The retailer launched new web app technology earlier this year and has continued to expand it in the wake of the pandemic to make customer trips to the pharmacy safer. The tool provides customers with access a personalized, app-like online experience through a link in a text message sent by Meijer pharmacists to their mobile phone.
From there, customers can confirm prescription pick-up times, prepare for and schedule vaccination visits, connect their Meijer mPerks loyalty points to their transaction, and check out on their mobile device. According to the retailer, use of the texting-based pharmacy communication platform has quickly increased among Meijer patients, with more than 600,000 new users since initial rollout began in May 2020.
"With all of the unprecedented changes this year, we know our customers feel there is nothing more important than maintaining their family's health," said Meijer VP of Pharmacy Jason Beauch. "We hope this innovative technology provides a seamless experience that makes getting vaccines and filling prescriptions as stress-free as possible."
In anticipation of flu season, Meijer has also expanded its texting-based pharmacy services to allow patients to fill out their immunization forms and give their consent online before visiting the pharmacy. Upon receiving the completed digital form from the patient, pharmacists complete the transaction and reply with a text message alerting the patient that their vaccine is ready to be administered.
Patients can also schedule a day for their flu shots as far as 10 days in advance. On their scheduled day, they will receive a reminder via text message notifying them that their flu shot is ready. The digital pharmacy system will also automatically notify the state registry for immunizations and the patient's primary care provider once the shot is administered.
Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., Meijer operates 253 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.