A tool for corporate decision making about cognitive pharmaceutical services.

Objective: To present and discuss the models, theories, ideas, and frameworks that corporate decision makers would apply to the implementation of cognitive pharmaceutical services.

Background: Large chains and integrated delivery networks dominate the pharmacy marketplace. As a result, in many instances implementing cognitive pharmaceutical services, or expanding their delivery, first requires approval of a corporate decision maker, often not a pharmacist, who is schooled in marketing, management, and finance, and who necessarily views proposals for cognitive pharmaceutical services from those frames of reference. This article focuses on the following six marketing and management questions that corporate decision makers likely want answered before approving and funding the implementation of cognitive pharmaceutical services: (1) What is our product? (2) Who will pay, and what is the price? (3) Is there a market, and can it be reached? (4) What procedures must be put in place? (5) Who will deliver the service? (6) Where are the services to be delivered, and how is the facility to be presented?

Discussion: For a pharmacy manager charged with bringing cognitive pharmaceutical services to the marketplace, consideration of the issues detailed here meets a reasonable test of due diligence in committing human, financial, and organizational resources.

Conclusion: It is natural for a pharmacist to look at cognitive pharmaceutical services through a professional lens. It is just as natural for a corporate decision marker to look at cognitive pharmaceutical services through a marketing and management lens. Unless both lenses are put together, one gets only half the picture.