ECRS Interview with David Hoyle, Manager at East Burke Pharmacy
ECRS: Has East Burke Pharmacy and Burke Pharmacy processed FSA or other health benefit debit cards since installing Catapult 5.0 in October 2008?
Hoyle: Yes, we have seen the cards coming through. We expect the frequency of card use to increase as more employers turn to this type of benefit plan. The cards are processing seamlessly with this system.
ECRS: How do you feel the IRS regulations requiring pharmacies to have an IIAS will affect independents if they do not meet compliance deadlines?
Hoyle: Not being able to accept FSA cards will definitely have a negative impact, and because of the economy, these regulations could hit independent pharmacies especially hard right now. It could mean an estimate of 20-25% loss of business. Customers will turn to big-box retailers such as CVS and Walgreens if they can't process their cards or have to keep up with receipts for auditing purposes. If you are able to accept the cards, it could result in about a 10% uplift in business because you can pull business away from retailers who are not recognized by SIGIS as IIAS certified. You can also pull in customers from big-box retailers by offering the same technology with better customer service.
ECRS: How has ECRS helped you through the SIGIS certification process and IIAS-ready Catapult 5.0 upgrade?
Hoyle: ECRS has made the entire process as seamless as possible by auto-filling our SIGIS forms, so basically, I only had to complete the final touches and send payment to SIGIS. ECRS came and upgraded our system with Catapult 5.0. It worked great from day one. ECRS support has been excellent if any issues should arise. I can open a ticket through the web-based system ticket system, and I receive almost immediate response and resolution.
ECRS: Do you plan to actively market East Burke's IIAS certification and ability to accept FSA cards? If so, what is your basic marketing plan?
Hoyle: We will begin actively marketing our ability to accept health benefit cards in the next couple of weeks. Our marketing plans include radio ads, newspaper ads and in-store advertising. We plan to include a notice with each prescription filled. We want our customers to know we are prepared to help meet their expectations.
ECRS: Do your customers expect this service from your store?
Hoyle: Absolutely. Customers expect us to be able to accept these cards without having to keep up with receipts, especially since we are moving toward more overall automation in our store. This is a very important part of doing business in the pharmacy market today.
ECRS: Do you feel there are advantages in installing a complete POS system as opposed to a fee-based system for IIAS compliance?
Hoyle: It's a no-brainer if you really think about it. Why would any busy pharmacy want a partial system that addresses one problem when you could get a complete system that can solve all your problems? With a complete POS you get full scanning capability, inventory control, pharmacy management integration, supplier integration, customer service, training and support. The ECRS basic POS solution is perfect for smaller independent retailers who want to efficiently run their business, meet IIAS requirements and not get locked into costly credit/debit authorization platforms.
