Rite Aid is pivoting toward a new brand strategy that showcases its pharmacists as advocates for patients' overall wellness and healthcare journey, the retail pharma giant announced Oct. 14 during the HLTH VRTL 2020 conference.
Rite Aid COO Jim Peters explained the revamp, which is named Rx Evolution, saying it will be officially launched in the coming weeks. During the conference, he said the new strategy "elevates pharmacists as the everyday weapon used by providers and health plans to help keep patients and members connected to their care teams, adherent to their medications, aware of their care gaps and educated — even enlightened — on a broader spectrum of remedies that go well beyond traditional medicines."
Mr. Peters said Rx Evolution will ensure routine tasks like filling pill bottles will be reserved mainly for pharmacy technicians so that pharmacists can adopt a more interactive role and engage with patients who are in the store. Pharmacists will engage with patients to point out alternative treatments that could be a beneficial addition to their standard care, advice that could be of great interest to the rebrand's target audience, millennial and Gen-X women, who make up about half of retail drugstore patrons.
The new branding also includes the rollout of virtual care rooms, in-store rooms that will allow pharmacists to give patients consultations and lead them to other healthcare providers.