Cardinal Health's Retail Pharmacy Digital Advertising Network Gains Momemtum Among Retailers, Advertisers

Since launching the Pharmacy Health NetworkTM in August of last year, Cardinal Health has signed up more than 650 retail pharmacy locations to participate and has completed installations in 500 stores across the United States.

The Pharmacy Health Network streams advertisements and educational content to flat-panel LCD screens placed in retail pharmacies, enabling advertisers to target consumers while they wait for prescriptions to be filled.

Advertisers including Bayer HealthCare Diabetes Care, Upsher-Smith, Novartis Consumer Health and Salix Pharmaceuticals are already running advertisements or educational content on the Pharmacy Health Network.

“We’re thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response the Pharmacy Health Network has received from both advertisers and retail pharmacy customers, and we look forward to continuing to rapidly expand the number of stores and advertisers that participate in the program,” said Jeff Foreman, vice president of strategic purchasing for Cardinal Health.

Foreman said that some products have already experienced 15-37 percent sales increases in the retail pharmacy locations where they were promoted via the Pharmacy Health Network.

The network also features professionally produced health and wellness segments from the NBC Digital Health Network; local and national weather modules provided by AccuWeather.com®; and educational content from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other government health agencies. Participating pharmacies can also promote in-store specials, health screenings and other local information including local weather, community events and more.

Cardinal Health has been actively marketing the Pharmacy Health Network to the more than 5,000 independent retail and franchised pharmacies it serves throughout the United States, and to its retail pharmacy chain customers, too.

“Discount Drug Mart has been extremely pleased with the Pharmacy Health Network,” said Tom Nameth, director of pharmacy operations for Discount Drug Mart, a retail pharmacy chain. “It enables us to share timely, health-related information with customers in our pharmacy waiting areas, and it’s also very user-friendly, allowing us to customize content to promote store-specific programs, specials and promotions in a timely fashion.”

Nameth also said that the Pharmacy Health Network’s directional speakers are another strong feature of the program, because they ensure that customers can clearly hear the information presented on the LCD screens without interfering with the pharmacy’s functionality. He also added that by promoting over-the-counter and other health-related products, the Pharmacy Health Network has proven helpful in driving sales and “increasing Discount Drug Mart’s bottom line.”

Respario Digital Advertising Group of Dallas, Texas, manages the technology, content and ongoing management of the program. The goal of the two companies is to make the sign-up, installation and operation process as simple and convenient as possible for participating retailers.

“I really like that the Pharmacy Health Network does more than promote products to my patients – it also contains educational content that increases the overall professionalism of my store,” said Ron Johnson, owner of two Lloyd’s Pharmacy stores in Minnesota. “The installation process was also very easy – Cardinal Health and Respario handled it all, so it was a quick and easy way to improve my patients’ experience as they wait for prescriptions to be filled.”

Participating retail pharmacies receive installation and ongoing maintenance for a flat-panel LCD screen and directional, targeted audio system, on which the health-related content plays. Participants also receive a custom brochure rack to provide pharmacy customers with easy access to health-related materials, coupons, brochures, business reply card and other promotional and educational materials.

Retail pharmacies wanting to participate in Cardinal Health’s Pharmacy Health Network and companies interested in advertising on the Pharmacy Health Network can visit www.phntv.com or call 800-210-4025.

About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $96 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation’s largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #17 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.

###

Media Contact
Tara Schumacher
tara.schumacher [at] cardinalhealth.com
(614) 757-6250

Source: Real Digital Media