PRICELINE is set to roll out a new online booking system for in-pharmacy professional services as well as beauty and make-up appointments, under a new agreement between Mylan subsidiary Alphapharm and listed online health portal group 1st Available.
Under the initial phase of the partnership the group will roll out 1stAvailable and GObookings services to "a chain with 320 pharmacies and 90 retail stores," according to the official announcement yesterday.
The company already provides these services for GP clinics, dentists, vets and a range of other allied health providers - as well as other pharmacy groups.
1ST Group md Klaus Bartosch told Pharmacy Daily, "We are very pleased to welcome Alphapharm as a new client, and to assist it with its strategic business relationships.
"We were selected due to our pharmacy market leadership and for the unique business solutions that we offer," Bartosch explained.
"Booking services online help to reduce customers' waiting times, whether on the phone or walking in for healthcare services.
"Knowing when to expect patients and customers also enables pharmacists and cosmeticians to organise their services more effectively."
Bartosch said 1st Group services more than 40% of the pharmacy market (up from 5% 12 months ago), and customers include Terry White Chemmart, Wizard Pharmacies, Friendlies Pharmacies and others.
1st Group also has agreements in place with other major generics suppliers such as Arrow and Apotex, he added.
Bartosch said Alphapharm's participation in the program was seeing the supplier "supporting strategic engagements with pharmacies," further entrenching the generics giant's relationships within the sector.
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