NHS data shows that Healthera helped its pharmacy partners outgain the prescription market by 180% in 2020, while other local pharmacies lost to distance-sellers
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Healthera Ltd announced that its pharmacy partners had outperformed the UK market in prescription item growth by 180% during 2020. Healthera’s technology solutions helped over 1000 community pharmacies serve their patients on long-term medication through its mobile apps and remain competitive under the pandemic, leading to solid top-line growth.
Healthera supplies a leading patient app that allows patients to order their repeat prescriptions and schedule home delivery from one of its partnering local pharmacies. Its pharmacy technology will enable pharmacies to bring their patient engagement, prescription orders, and clinical service bookings online. Healthera works with both independent pharmacies and large national chains such as Superdrug, as well as a network of GPs and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups.
According to dispensing data from NHS Business Services Authority, the overall market growth for NHS prescriptions in 2020 was entirely captured by large online pharmacies. Meanwhile, local pharmacies lost items and faced closure.
The biggest five distance-seller pharmacies (Pharmacy2U, Echo by Lloyds, Co-op, Well.co.uk and Boots Online) have gained 1.2 million monthly dispensing items, while more than 400 pharmacy licenses closed down during 2020. The remaining pharmacy contractors lost over 100,000 items during the same period.
Meanwhile, pharmacies partnering with Healthera through 2020 gained 300 prescription items per month on average. The top quartile of Healthera partner pharmacies gained 1650 prescription items per month, translating to an increase of £30k in annualised gross profit.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated an existing trend toward online ordering and delivery, which distance-sellers have quickly capitalised on while local pharmacies without digital capabilities struggle to retain patients. Healthera is a cost-effective and accessible solution for any independent pharmacy to offer patients a digital prescription management solution. Coupled with local delivery, independent pharmacies can retain their patients and out-compete distance-sellers within their neighbourhood.
Healthera reports that its pharmacies have varying patient engagement levels, with many pharmacies bringing on board more than 40% of its repeat patients online through the Healthera app.
Martin Hao, Healthera’s Co-Founder and COO, commented: “COVID-19 has brought unprecedented challenges to the pharmacy sector. In response, the Healthera team has remained focussed on expanding the coverage of the Healthera solution to local pharmacies so that our trusted local businesses can remain open and deliver medication to patients safely.”
About Healthera
Healthera operates a leading prescription medication, OTC and healthcare services marketplace, connecting patients to the largest digital platform of pharmacies and GPs in the UK, including national chains and independent providers. Our technology empowers patients to access faster medicine delivery and personalised medical care local to them.
Half of all medicines are not taken as prescribed, and only 2% of prescription medications in the UK are ordered or acquired digitally. The pharmaceutical industry continues to operate using more archaic systems than others and hasn’t yet evolved to make their processes more patient-centric.
Healthera’s goal is to change this by revolutionising how patients access essential healthcare products and services from their local healthcare professional. We offer a popular patient-facing app that allows patients to request, order, pay for their repeat prescription, getting it delivered by a local pharmacy. While creating the best patient experience, we also help local pharmacies digitally evolve and grow.
