Additional value-added services

E-trading platform Focus on highly standardized commodity chemicals Real-time auctions Financial products for risk management E-exchange Focus on intermediates, fine chemicals and specialties Auctions based on bid and ask system Additional value added services, e.g., online product testing... 

Increasing customer service new services should take the form of additional value-added services. 

Efficient/functional supply chain Additional value-added services for... 

In addition, a focus on strategic distributors assures a coordinated approach to customers and markets throughout the world, with international distributors being able to ensure an adequate level of value-added services. 

Over the course of time, chemical distributors have developed in the complex small-volume, rapid-response area of chemical distribution into playing an important role in the supply chain from chemical producers to consumers. In addition to fundamental delivery capabilities, distributors offer value-added services, skills in complying with environmental and safety standards, and economy of delivery to remote and small customers. 

A common example of a service in a community pharmacy is the filling of a prescription that is not compounded. In this case, a pharmacist, with the assistance of technicians and clerks, is adding value to the product that was made by a pharmaceutical company. The pharmacist is packaging the exact amount needed by the patient, adding information that will help the patient to take it appropriately, and billing the patients insurance company for the cost of the prescription. Pharmacists may add additional value to this product, and these value-added services illustrate the similarities to product creation. 

Professional pharmacy and medical organizations [e.g., the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the National Community Pharmcists Association (NCPA), and the American Medical Association (AMA)] and health care organizations [e.g., the American Diabetes Association (ADA) or the American Heart Association (AHA)] also provide valuable information about many health conditions and value-added services. This information is important not only in the development of a service but also in justifying the need for a service with consumers and administrators. These organizations also provide treatment guidelines and additional resources that can be used when developing an operations plan for a service (see Chapter 25). 

While learning more about potential value-added pharmacy services, it is a good idea for business planners to speak with others about their ideas. Many pharmacists who have already developed value-added services will gladly share what they have learned. Visiting a setting where value-added pharmacy services are already in place not only provides evidence of how these services actually work but also will answer many questions pharmacists may have later in the planning process. Other pharmacists, technicians, and pharmacy employees may have experienced value-added services in their prior practice experiences and may provide insights into how they work. Other health care professionals can provide feedback about additional services that they or their patients may need. Payers [e.g., in-... 

Patient data collection is an extremely critical component of a value-added service. The information collected provides pharmacists with important baseline and monitoring parameters for patients. The amount and type of information needed from the patient or other health care providers may differ depending on the service, but nonetheless, this information is the foundation on which the other components of the service are built. Forms can be developed to help pharmacists collect this information (see Figs. 25-2 through 25-4). In addition, some consideration should be given to how this information will be stored (e.g., paper charts or electronic patient database). The information that should be collected from the patient includes demographic information, medical history, family history, and medication history. Since some of the information may need to be collected from other providers and health care institutions, an authorization to release medical information should be signed by the patient and kept as part of the chart (see Fig. 25-5). Lastly, pharmacists should ensure that their site is in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and reinforce to their patients that the information they provide is confidential and secure at the pharmacy. 

While value-added services can enhance existing pharmacy services, to be maintained long term, they also must be financially feasible. Adequate compensation for these services is essential. Numerous compensation strategies are available, but they vary based on the insurance carrier and the physical setting where the service is provided. In addition to payment for direct patient care, compensation can also occur for laboratory tests and procedures. One continuing challenge for the... 

Apart from the provision of various permutations of (chemical-based) boiler water programs, it is common to find water treatment companies supplying value adding chemicals and services in other boiler plant-related areas where their expertise in applied chemical technology can deliver additional economic benefit. Such areas typically include cleaning services for boiler waterside and fireside and the provision of fuel treatments and combustion additives, dust suppressants (for coal and ash handling), acids, and cleaner products. 

At pION s analytical services laboratory, the pKa of a molecule (whose structure may not be known beforehand) is first measured by the TFA method, because very little sample is consumed. (Sometimes there is not much more than 1 mg of sample with which to work.) Only when the analysis of the data proves problematic do we repeat the measurement, the second time using potentiometry, where more sample is required. If any indication of precipitation is evident, either DMSO or methanol is added to the titrated solution and the titration is repeated 3 times (using the same sample), with additional water added between the repeats, to obtain different Rw values of the mixed solvent solutions. It has been our experience that if the TFA method fails and more sample is available, the follow-up pH-metric method always works. 

In addition to patients, who else should be considered consumers of value-added pharmacy services ... 

Perhaps the best way to determine the sizeofamar-ket for a value-added pharmacy service is to perform a market research study. Survey research methods can be used to gather information from potential customers. Not only can this information be used to determine the number of potential consumers in a specific area, but it also can provide additional information about consumers that can be useful in developing a value-added pharmacy service (e.g., if/where they currently obtain this service, their level of satisfaction with the service, and their willingness to obtain the service from a pharmacist). Some of the drawbacks of market research... 

Table 4.9 is obtained by using Eq. (4.8). For example, the direct requirement of the energy industry for service is 0.185, which is obtained by dividing 12 billion of service industry input by the total output of the energy sector, 65 billion. Table 4.9 shows that in addition to service costs of 18.5 cents, the energy sector needs 35.4 cents of input from itself, 44.6 cents of value added (mostly employee compensation), and 1.5 cents from basic industry to produce 1 of output. 

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