PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Thrifty White Pharmacy’s focus is “It’s All About the Patient and Healthy Outcomes.” And that focus has been implanted into the mind-set of its pharmacists and other store personnel as well as those who work at the corporate level.

“Thrifty White Pharmacy is actively looking to enhance patients’ experience and engagement with their pharmacy teams through increasing and broadening clinical services and programs, such as adherence programs, immunizations and biometric screenings, and through new pharmacy layouts and relocations that are focused on enhancing pharmacist engagement with patients through ‘Ask your Pharmacist’ stations,” says president and chief executive officer Robert Narveson.

The retailer, with 96 corporate stores in six Midwestern states, has also added clinical rooms and enhanced work flow in its pharmacies, and its pharmacists have become more engaged in local communities that are served through their health care services and other involvement with employer groups, health system and provider relations, schools, and service clubs.

At the front end, Thrifty White continues to redefine its product mix to best fit the 3,500-square-foot Healthy Outcomes format along with the other formats that it operates in the rural communities of the Midwest.

“The core categories of health and beauty, along with greeting cards, gifts and seasonal, account for 75% of our total merchandise sales,” notes Narveson. “Our focus will continue to be on these key ­categories.”

Another strength at Thrifty White is demonstrated in the success it has achieved in the private label arena.

“Private label has continued to grow in both sales and margin penetration across the health and beauty aids categories. Thrifty White carries over 600 private label SKUs that promote value and quality for our customers. Private label margin exceeds 40% of the total margin generated for the analgesics, antacids, blood pressure, cough and cold, foot care, and first aid departments.”

Achievements in this area have been attributed to strong in-store merchandising and sign­age systems, employee training (e-learning), in-store digital branding and a year-round promotional calendar.

Although the expanded interest in the social media has challenged some sectors of greeting cards, Thrifty White — particularly in its larger store formats — sees the gift and cards business continue to thrive as a niche category.

“This category, with years of focus and branding, has continued to grow and expand in both sales and revenue. These two departments account for one-third of the general merchandise sales and have made Thrifty White the card and gift destination in many of its communities,” comments ­Narveson.

In health care, Thrifty White Pharmacy continues to focus on disease states such as diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension and the chronic maintenance medications associated with them, points out chief operating officer Tim Weippert.

He adds that pharmacists work with patients through a number of avenues, including an appointment-based medication synchronization program to drive adherence to the medications the patients take, with the ultimate goal to improve the patients’ health outcomes.

“Thrifty White Pharmacy continues to grow its RxMedSync adherence program, and today, as a result of the program, has expanded its clinical offerings, growing the breadth of immunizations offered, enhanced biometric and rapid diagnostic screening activities, and delivering greater numbers of medication therapy management offerings. Thrifty White, through its Healthy Outcomes pharmacy design, along with enhanced and newly designed central site technology, continues to deliver more opportunity and time for its pharmacists and pharmacy teams to engage with the patients in their stores and within the communities they serve,” says Weippert.

He adds that Thrifty White provides multiple technology-based solutions to help patients manage their prescriptions.

“We offer both a mobile app and an on online refill option for home PC users to refill their prescriptions online. With the mobile app patients can also activate medication reminders via email or text to assist in staying adherent on their medications,” he says.

Thrifty White utilizes Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote the company’s Healthy Outcomes programs, which include immunizations and flu clinics as well as Medication Synchronization, Ready Refill, Healthy Pack RX and patient education.

“This is an exciting time for pharmacy, and the opportunities are great with the push for provider status for pharmacists growing, with increased state collaborative practice approaches being put in place and with MTM growth,” says Weippert.