The Hidden Revenue Opportunity Independent Pharmacies Are Missing

Pharmacy owners across North America are sitting on an untapped goldmine, and most don't even realize it. A recent review by Dr. Nardine Nakhla, published in the Pharmacy [MDPI] journal, highlights hemorrhoids as one of the most mismanaged conditions in healthcare. While one cited study suggests 1 in 20 people are affected, prevalence estimates vary widely in the literature, with some studies showing rates as high as 38% depending on the population studied and diagnostic methods used. Regardless of the exact numbers, this represents a substantial and underserved patient population—creating a perfect opportunity for independent pharmacies to generate meaningful additional revenue while providing superior patient care.

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A Billion Market Hiding in Plain Sight

Between 60 and 70 percent of Canadians will develop hemorrhoids at some point in their lifetime, with at least 50% of people over age 50 experiencing symptoms, according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. Despite this substantial prevalence, many cases go untreated or unresolved due to patient reluctance to seek care and limited access to specialized assessment.

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There is a significant opportunity to fill this gap in hemorrhoid management.

Pharmacies have the perfect storm of advantages: trusted community relationships, accessibility without stigma, and the ability to dedicate focused time to proper patient assessment. Pharmacies pride themselves on adapting to the needs of their communities, and those communities likely have many patients with hemorrhoids that desperately need thorough management from a trusted healthcare provider.

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Why This Matters for Your Pharmacy

Often, patients with symptoms of hemorrhoids either avoid seeking care due to embarrassment or receive inadequate assessment from busy healthcare providers. Here's the shocking reality Dr. Nakhla's paper highlights: 63% of patients believe they have hemorrhoids, but only 18% actually do. 

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When such a large proportion of patients are misdiagnosing themselves, there's clear demand for thorough professional assessment and guidance that goes beyond simply recommending products off the shelf. The ability to conduct comprehensive assessments, prescribe stronger therapeutic agents better suited for the specific clinical presentation, and provide ongoing monitoring of treatment outcomes represents a significant opportunity for community pharmacists to provide value and differentiate their services.

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More importantly, patients who receive comprehensive hemorrhoid care represent significant long-term value to the pharmacy. These therapeutic relationships typically expand beyond the initial condition—patients transfer their prescriptions, refer family members, and return for other clinical services. This clinical approach builds sustainable revenue streams based on professional expertise rather than product margins alone.

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The Clinical Advantage That Drives Revenue

The biggest barrier to implementing clinical services isn't lack of patient demand—it's operational efficiency. Adding clinical consultations requires streamlined workflows that many pharmacies haven't optimized.

MAPflow provides a structured assessment framework that transforms how pharmacy teams approach hemorrhoid care.

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Instead of simply recommending over-the-counter products, pharmacists can systematically evaluate symptoms to rule out other causes of their symptoms, identify red flag indicators that require medical referral, and match patients with appropriate treatments based on their specific symptom profile. Given the high rate of self-misdiagnosis, implementing expert-guided systematic assessments enhances both community well-being and safety outcomes.

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This holistic evidence-based approach accomplishes two critical objectives: it ensures patient safety through proper screening for serious conditions, and it increases revenue by addressing the whole patient, not just the acute symptoms.

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By automating documentation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and streamlining clinical workflows, MAPflow creates the operational foundation necessary for pharmacists to provide evidence-based hemorrhoid care. Instead of struggling with paperwork and compliance concerns, pharmacists can focus on the clinical evaluation and patient education that creates real value.

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The Implementation Reality

The key is starting with solid operational foundations. Pharmacies with streamlined operations can quickly add clinical consultations as a natural extension of their patient care philosophy, while those still managing basic efficiency challenges may need to address workflow optimization first. Success requires consistency and quality. This consistency builds reputation and drives the word-of-mouth referrals that make clinical services profitable.

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Beyond Hemorrhoids: Building Clinical Leadership

Hemorrhoid management is just the beginning. Once you've established clinical service capabilities and demonstrated value to patients, expansion opportunities expand rapidly. Other underserved clinical areas await pharmacists ready to provide evidence-based assessment and care.

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The pharmacies that embrace this evolution position themselves as healthcare destinations rather than commodity dispensers. They build patient relationships based on clinical value rather than price competition. Most importantly, they create revenue streams that aren't dependent on insurance reimbursements or prescription volume.

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The question isn't whether hemorrhoid management represents an opportunity for independent pharmacies—Dr. Nakhla's article makes that case definitively. The question is whether your pharmacy is ready to implement the clinical workflow optimization needed to deliver evidence-based patient care efficiently and compliantly.

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