Believe it or not, your pharmacy plays an important role in ensuring travelers receive essential vaccines. In fact, current recommendations show that immunizations should be verified before any pretravel consultation, followed by an evaluation of risks and local requirements.
Begin with a Comprehensive Pre-Travel Consultation
Travelers often underestimate the health risks that are associated with international trips. You can bridge this gap by offering structured pre-travel assessments. These conversations should cover:
- Destination-specific risks (foodborne illness, vector-borne disease, water safety)
- Required and recommended vaccines
- Medication access and legal considerations abroad
- Chronic condition management while traveling
You can offer a simple intake form that they can complete online or in-store. This helps simplify the process and makes sure nothing is overlooked.
Provide Travel Vaccinations and Preventive Medications
You can significantly expand their clinical footprint by offering travel-related immunizations. Depending on your state’s scope, this can include:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever (if certified as a Yellow Fever Vaccination Center)
- Polio boosters
- Meningococcal vaccines for high-risk regions
You can also furnish or prescribe preventive medications such as malaria prophylaxis or traveler’s diarrhea treatments where regulations allow. Even when prescribing isn’t permitted, pharmacists can guide patients on what to request from their provider.
Whip Up Ready-to-Go Travel Health Kits
Travelers appreciate convenience. Your pharmacy can put together curated kits tailored to common travel scenarios:
- A general travel kit: analgesics, antihistamines, motion sickness remedies, rehydration salts
- Adventure travel kit: wound care supplies, blister prevention, and insect repellents
- GI protection kit: probiotic, loperamide, bismuth subsalicylate
These kits can be branded, customized, and sold as cash-pay items. They can boost both revenue and patient loyalty.
Educate on Safe Medication Used Abroad
Your pharmacy can help travelers avoid counterfeit medications by advising them to:
- Bring adequate supplies from home
- Store medicines
- Avoid purchasing drugs overseas unless it’s absolutely necessary
- Counseling on time-zone adjustments for chronic medications (like insulin or anticoagulants) is another high-value service.
Offer Post-Travel Support
Travelers who return with lingering symptoms often turn to their local pharmacy first. You can triage appropriately, recommend OTC solutions, and refer to medical care when red flags appear.
Independent pharmacies like yours that embrace travel health services not only protect your communities, but also differentiate yourselves in a competitive market. With thoughtful planning and patient-centered care, you can become essential partners in safe, healthy global exploration.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
