Every little convenience counts…
By Courtney Hardwick
We all spent the better part of 2020 navigating uncertainty about everything from our health to when we’d finally be able to see our loved ones in person again. This year has started out with a little glimmer of hope with the new vaccine for COVID-19. That being said, how Canadians shop has gone through a complete overhaul, and that will probably be sticking around for the foreseeable future. That means drugstores like Rexall, as an essential service, have had to find ways to provide a little extra convenience wherever they can.
Although adapting to a new normal that is constantly changing isn’t easy, Rexall is dedicated to doing just that. With 2020 in the past, Rexall is looking forward and continuing to come up with innovative ways to help Canadians. Here are a few ways Rexall can make your life a little bit easier.
Ongoing safety enhancements for COVID-19
Since lockdown procedures began in March, Rexall has been constantly evaluating and adjusting to changing requirements. As an essential service, stores remained open at reduced hours and capacity to allow for social distancing. Rexall also dedicated the first hour of each day to customers aged 55 and up and to individuals living with disabilities, so they could shop and refill prescriptions without having to worry about crowds or waiting in line.
Measures were also taken to keep employees safe, including providing training on proper sanitizing protocols, putting up plexiglass barriers at cash registers and making hand sanitizer available at all times. Face masks are, of course, mandatory for all staff, outside contractors and customers while in the stores. Rexall will continue to stay agile and adjust the in-store shopping experience as needed.
Growing into a one-stop shop
Now that every store has capacity limits in place and waiting in line has become the norm, being able to get a variety of different things in one place is invaluable. Rexall has been hard at work expanding its strategy of partnering with well-known brands to offer products you wouldn’t normally find at a drugstore.
A partnership with M&M Meats has been successful since before COVID-19 began, and Rexall recently launched a similar partnership with Staples. According to Nicolas Caprio, president of Rexall, the pandemic has magnified what they were already working towards, which was greater convenience for the customer. “At Rexall, we are always looking for new opportunities to expand our service offering and provide patients and customers with convenient, accessible products,” says Caprio about the Staples partnership. “Not only are we enhancing our best-in-class offerings, but we are also providing customers with quality office products that meet their day-to-day needs.” Rexall now offers Staples products at 317 of its 414 locations across Canada.
Rexall is actively looking for opportunities to partner with more brands and expand their product offering even further in the future.
Going digital
Rexall has been working on ways to expand beyond just a brick-and-mortar presence. This work includes providing more ways for people to manage their prescriptions, including refilling through the newly launched mobile app – Be Well. This past summer, Rexall began offering PrescribeIT, Infoway’s national e-prescribing service, at more than 250 locations across Canada. PrescribeIT enables prescribers and pharmacists to electronically create, receive, renew and cancel prescriptions, while improving overall patient care through secure clinician messaging. “PrescribeITis a great opportunity for us to continue strengthening our digital offering, allowing pharmacists and physicians to increase their communication and ultimately positively impact patient health,” explains Caprio.
Rexall launched Virtual MD Services in March of this year in response to the onset of the pandemic, ensuring convenient access to virtual medical care for their patients and to help relieve the burden on the healthcare system, specifically emergency rooms and hospitals. These services now include partners, Tia Health, MD Connected and Rocket Doctor. Patients can talk to a doctor from the comfort of their home by video chat or phone call, and receive safe and effective medical care. Virtual care is covered by the provincial health plans in Ontario and British Columbia but in other provinces may require payment through employer-subsidized healthcare plans.
Home delivery options
To reduce the need for frequent in-person pharmacy visits, customers and patients who have chronic conditions and are using maintenance medications can access free home delivery for their pharmacy needs within three to five days, through RexallDirect.
For customer convenience they can buy Rexall products online at well.ca and have their order delivered right to their door. Customers living in Ottawa and the GTA can also shop online using Cornershop.
Even though we’re all working towards an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, the drive to find more convenient ways to shop is here to stay. Rexall intends to keep prioritizing consumer needs and finding ways to making everyday life just a little bit easier for everyone.
—
COURTNEY HARDWICK is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Her work has appeared online at AmongMen, Complex Canada, Elle Canada and TheBolde.
POST A COMMENT