Pharmacies as Healthcare Hubs: CVS Health’s Pandemic Pivot

October 5, 2023

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Note: The views and opinions expressed by Jessica Coppla in this episode are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance or views of CVS Health. The content discussed represents Jessica’s personal experiences and insights garnered throughout their remarkable career journey within the healthcare industry. CVS Health is not responsible for the content discussed during this podcast episode.

In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast’s Rx to Riches stream, host Michael Alexander, a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, digital health enthusiast, Co-Founder of Audirie, and the Regional Vice-President of Health Plans at Omada Health is joined by Jessica Coppla, Director of Omnichannel Merchandising Center of Excellence, CVS Health. Listen to this episode to explore Jessica’s incredible journey from a high school cashier at CVS to a healthcare leader and delve into the evolving landscape of healthcare, omnichannel strategies, and the future of the pharmacy industry. Discover how CVS Health adapts to meet the diverse needs of patients across generations in this insightful conversation.

Pharmacy View Podcast · EP 84 – Pharmacies as Healthcare Hubs: CVS Health's Pandemic Pivot

Jessica starts by talking about their inspiring career journey within CVS Health, starting as a high school cashier and evolving into various roles spanning Pharmacy product development, store operations, supply chain, logistics, merchandising, and e-commerce. They discuss the dynamic changes in healthcare and Pharmacy over the past 18 years, highlighting the shift towards comprehensive healthcare services in Pharmacies.

Jessica then explores the concept of omnichannel in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of meeting customers’ diverse needs and preferences. CVS Health’s strategy involves offering convenience through various channels, whether in-store or online, to cater to individual customer preferences. They also address CVS Health’s differentiation strategy in the face of competition, leveraging both physical and online presence to provide accessible healthcare.

The evolving preferences of different generations in healthcare, the significance of omnichannel retailing in the digital age, and the expanding role of Pharmacies in providing healthcare services during the pandemic are discussed. Jessica also delves into the challenges of maintaining customer loyalty among younger generations and shares insights into CVS Health’s preparedness and lessons learned during the early days of the pandemic.

Lastly, Jessica emphasizes key principles for organizations of all sizes, including agility, effective communication, boots-on-the-ground leadership, and the importance of meaningful KPIs and analytics. They stress the need for simplicity in using metrics and highlight the significance of innovation at the store level, driven by necessity and real-world testing.

Topics Covered

Jessica Coppla’s career journey within CVS Health
The dynamic changes in healthcare and Pharmacy over the past 18 years
The transformation of the role of Pharmacies from prescription dispensing to comprehensive healthcare delivery
The concept of omnichannel in healthcare
CVS Health’s differentiation strategy in the face of competition
Evolving preferences of different generations in healthcare and digital adoption trends
The significance of omnichannel retailing in the digital age.
The expanding role of Pharmacies in providing healthcare services during the pandemic
Challenges in maintaining customer loyalty among younger generations
Lessons on agility and effective communication

Key Quotes (Time Stamps)

“I always had a passion for healthcare and healthcare delivery. And moving into the Pharmacy, I was really able to be an integral part of our community and deliver healthcare to the people around me—people I live with and see at the grocery store or at the part. That’s deeply fulfilling work to me.” (3:05 – 3:21)

“The healthcare needs, the needs of our population have shifted for a variety of reasons.” (4:44 – 4:48)

“But you’ve seen over the years, the Pharmacy has really become a hub for people that need access to health care professionals, need advice, need immunizations, need to know what to take when they’re feeling sick. And it really goes beyond just the prescription.” (5:33 – 5:52)

“We’ve really elevated what we’re able to do now in the Pharmacy health care delivery setting versus what we were doing 18 years ago.” (5:53 – 6:00)

“The way that we think about omnichannel is meeting customers or patients where they are, getting them what they need when they need it and how they want it. And that can look very different to different people. It’s all about convenience.” (7:02 – 7:16)

“And there was sort of this personalized touch to it that we’re able to deliver along with whatever those health care needs are, whether it’s a prescription or over-the-counter supplements. We know our patients and we have their trust and we can deliver what they need in a myriad of different ways.” (10:57 – 11:16)

“I was reading an article the other day that people talk to their Pharmacists or their local Pharmacy team ten times more often than they talk to their PCP if they even have one. And so, your Pharmacist and your Pharmacy team are really available to you to help with that. And I think that the future includes leaning in there and seeing what other things we’re able to do.” (18:30 – 18:56)

“But we really have to figure out how we can be compelling, how we can be differentiated enough to these different generations to sustain this lifetime value and keep our patients coming back and deciding to use us versus a competitor over their lifetime.” (22:32 – 22:52)

“Communication is critical regardless of the size of your organization or the size of the workforce that you’re trying to mobilize to get something accomplished. And you need to be able to have a two-way forum to hear from people how things are going. So, you need to dedicate time and resources to going through that feedback, addressing things as they come up.” (28:25 – 28:47)

“We do have a ton of innovation that really is born out of necessity or just from the people that are on the ground and are really-really passionate about these things.” (39:08 – 39:18)

“What my advice would be to others who are interested in diversifying or trying things is to not be afraid to say yes. That doesn’t mean to say yes, every time you get tapped on the shoulder to do something, you should be selective and when the opportunities arise, you should think about whether or not it makes sense for you. Is it something you’re really interested in? Is it going to give you exposure to the parts of the business that you want to learn more about? And if it ticks off the boxes for you, for whatever those priorities are, then don’t be afraid to say yes.” (41:11 – 41:48)