When it comes to picking up prescriptions, many Americans have a shared experience: They're waiting in line to refill a medication when a pharmacist tells them that their insurance no longer covers it. When they ask what happened, the pharmacist shrugs and asks if they still want to buy those paper towels.
Convenience may be a benefit of big-box brands, but when it comes to medical care, many people want more transparent service. The opportunity to put patients first is why Brian Franks joined Alto Pharmacy as the Director of Operations for Care after 18 years at Walgreens.
As an online pharmacy, Alto offers same-day delivery for prescription medicines and in-house experts to help patients manage their health. “Everyday we strive to find ways that allow our people to be the resource for patients to get health care access,” Franks explained.
So how does a company that is all about helping others help itself? We asked Franks about the mission behind Alto and and how it drives their services, as well as their company culture.
You came to Alto after 18 years at Walgreens. What made you transition from a big-box brand to a startup?
I was initially attracted to the opportunity to correct healthcare in the United States. Everyday we strive to find ways that allow our people to be the resource for patients to get healthcare access. At Walgreens and CVS, it’s more about the shareholder than the patient. Here, we care about service.
What makes Alto different from other retail pharmacies?
The environment at Alto is a huge change from regular retail settings. We staff different support roles for different business needs. We allow our technicians to focus on the task at hand. Stepping into our working center here in Denver, I was shocked by how calm the environment was, especially considering how many people we were helping. It was also great to see the length in which Alto goes to actually take care of our people, between quiet spaces for our team to regular team engagement events.
Tell us about the mission of Alto. How does it inspire you in your day-to-day role?
I love the mission here. Having the opportunity to explore new ideas in a free-flowing environment is exciting and rewarding. We are expected to challenge the status quo to best serve the patients and prescribers. One of our values is “think vigorously.” I am fortunate to have an outstanding team of leads and technicians that want to improve our operations on a daily basis. Everything we focus on either improves the experiences of patients, prescribers or our team members. What’s great about a startup is that every employee is capable of shaping the future of the company.
We are expected to challenge the status quo to best serve the patients and prescribers.”
What is the biggest challenge your patients are facing right now? What is Alto doing to help them overcome it?
The biggest challenge is the rising costs of health care needs and patients having to manage their own care. Patients need medications but sometimes they can’t pay for them. This is not acceptable and Alto is taking a stand against this by going through every option to lower the costs of health care for the patients. There are things we do to take pressure off of the patient, like looking for rebates and discounts. We don’t work traditionally within the pharmacy benefit manager process like big-box retailers which allows us to put the savings back with the patients.
Give one example of how Alto’s mission is exemplified in office culture or traditions.
To keep the Alto family together, we do different things in the office together like catering burgers for “National Burger Day” or recently, ordering a ton of donuts for “National Pharmacy Technician Day.” We also create several different awards to really celebrate our “Altoids” who exemplify our mission and values. We provide recognition to every level of our team.
Describe your management style.
I would classify my leadership style as collaborative. I love to get with the teams on the frontlines, give them the opportunity to be a part of the solutions and get their feedback. I think it’s important to ensure that our people, who have contact with patients, are able to drive the experience and make the necessary changes to continue to serve the community.
What excites you most about the future of Alto?
First, the opportunity to expand our business in new markets to support more patients. We just recently launched our fertility pharmacy here in Denver and are looking to move into multiple new markets this upcoming year. We are always continuing to look to support more patients and help them stay adherent to their medication needs.
Second, we are growing as a company and hiring new team members into our Alto family. It’s so exciting to see all the new hires coming on and the energy they bring. I have been fortunate to see familiar faces from Walgreens come here and am so happy to see them feel the Alto mission.
As the company grows, what's one trait Alto will be looking for in future employees?
We look for skilled people who want to make a difference in the health of others. We need patient-first people who want to work in a great environment with outstanding co-workers for above the market trend in wages. As we expand, we are looking for more technicians to help us with our mission, as well as engineers, couriers and other skilled employees to help us on this amazing journey.
