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Top KPIs for a Successful Pharmacy Business: What to Track for Growth and Profitability


In today's competitive business environment, it is essential for pharmacies to measure their performance regularly and track their progress towards achieving their goals. One way to achieve this is by using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) - quantifiable metrics that provide insights into various aspects of business operations.


For pharmacy businesses, tracking KPIs is particularly important, as it allows them to assess the effectiveness of their processes, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their performance.


KPIs provide pharmacy businesses with measurable benchmarks against which they can evaluate their performance and monitor their progress over time. By tracking KPIs, pharmacy businesses can make informed decisions that improve their financial performance, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall success.


In this article, we will discuss the top KPIs that are important for a pharmacy business to track in order to achieve growth and profitability.


Here are 20 KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that can be important for a pharmacy business to track:

1. Gross profit margin - Gross margin is a financial metric that measures the profitability of a company's sales after deducting the cost of goods sold (COGS). It is calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold from the total revenue generated from sales and dividing the result by the total revenue. The gross margin is expressed as a percentage, and it represents the portion of revenue that is left after deducting the cost of goods sold.

2. Inventory turnover - Inventory turnover is a financial metric that measures the efficiency of a company's inventory management by calculating the number of times a company sells and replaces its inventory within a specific period. It is calculated by dividing the cost of goods sold (COGS) by the average inventory value for a given period.

The formula for inventory turnover is as follows:

Inventory turnover = Cost of Goods Sold / Average Inventory Value

3. Average prescription value - The average prescription value is a financial metric that measures the average amount of revenue generated by each prescription filled at a pharmacy. It is calculated by dividing the total revenue generated from prescription sales by the total number of prescriptions filled during a specific period.

The formula for average prescription value is as follows:

Average Prescription Value = Total Prescription Sales / Total Number of Prescriptions

4. Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue - Operating expenses as a percentage of revenue is a financial metric that measures the percentage of a company's total revenue that is used to cover its operating expenses during a specific period. Operating expenses are the costs incurred by a company to maintain its operations, such as rent, salaries, utilities, and supplies.

The formula for operating expenses as a percentage of revenue is as follows:

Operating Expenses as a Percentage of Revenue = (Total Operating Expenses / Total Revenue) x 100%

5. Return on investment (ROI) - Return on investment (ROI) is a financial metric that measures the profitability of an investment relative to its cost. ROI is expressed as a percentage and is calculated by dividing the net profit or gain generated by an investment by the cost of the investment and multiplying the result by 100%.

The formula for ROI is as follows:

ROI = (Net Profit / Cost of Investment) x 100%





6. Revenue per square foot - Revenue per square foot is a financial metric that measures the amount of revenue generated by a business for each square foot of space it occupies. It is calculated by dividing the total revenue generated by the business by the total square footage of its physical space.

The formula for revenue per square foot is as follows:

Revenue per Square Foot = Total Revenue / Total Square Footage


7. Revenue per employee - Revenue per employee is a financial metric that measures the amount of revenue generated by a business per employee. It is calculated by dividing the total revenue generated by the business by the total number of employees.

The formula for revenue per employee is as follows:

Revenue per Employee = Total Revenue / Total Number of Employees


8. Customer satisfaction rate - Patient satisfaction rate is a metric that measures how satisfied patients are with their healthcare experience, including the care and services they received, as well as the overall quality of their experience. Patient satisfaction rate is typically measured through surveys or feedback forms that are administered to patients after their healthcare visit.

9. Prescription fill rate - Prescription fill rate is a metric that measures the percentage of prescriptions that are successfully filled by a pharmacy for its patients. The prescription fill rate is calculated by dividing the number of prescriptions filled by the total number of prescriptions submitted or received by the pharmacy.

The formula for prescription fill rate is as follows:

Prescription Fill Rate = (Number of Prescriptions Filled / Total Number of Prescriptions) x 100%


10. Average wait time for prescriptions - Average wait time for prescriptions is a metric that measures the amount of time it takes for a pharmacy to fill and dispense a prescription to a patient. It is calculated by measuring the time elapsed between when a prescription is submitted to the pharmacy and when the medication is dispensed to the patient.

11. Employee turnover rate - Employee turnover rate is a metric that measures the percentage of employees who leave a company during a given period of time, typically on an annual basis. It is calculated by dividing the number of employees who leave the company by the average number of employees during the same period and multiplying the result by 100%.

The formula for employee turnover rate is as follows:

Employee Turnover Rate = (Number of Employees Who Leave / Average Number of Employees) x 100%


12. Employee productivity rate - Employee productivity rate is a metric that measures the amount of output generated by an employee in a given period of time. It is calculated by dividing the total output produced by the employee by the total number of hours worked during the same period of time.

The formula for employee productivity rate is as follows:

Employee Productivity Rate = Total Output Produced / Total Number of Hours Worked


13. Number of new patients per month - The number of new patients per month is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the number of new patients who begin receiving services from a healthcare provider during a given month. It is an important metric for healthcare providers because it provides insight into the growth and expansion of their patient base.

The formula for calculating the number of new patients per month is as follows:

Number of New Patients per Month = Total Number of New Patients


14. Number of returning patients per month - The number of returning patients per month is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the number of patients who return to a healthcare provider for additional services or follow-up care during a given month. It is an important metric for healthcare providers because it provides insight into patient loyalty, satisfaction, and the effectiveness of their care.

The formula for calculating the number of returning patients per month is as follows:

Number of Returning Patients per Month = Total Number of Returning Patients


15. Prescription accuracy rate - Prescription accuracy rate is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the accuracy of prescriptions filled by a pharmacy. It is calculated by dividing the number of accurate prescriptions by the total number of prescriptions filled during a given period of time.

The formula for calculating prescription accuracy rate is as follows:

Prescription Accuracy Rate = Number of Accurate Prescriptions / Total Number of Prescriptions Filled




16. Adherence rate for chronic medications - The adherence rate for chronic medications is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the percentage of patients who are taking their prescribed medication as directed for a chronic condition over a specified period of time. Adherence rate is an important KPI for healthcare providers because it provides insight into patient behavior and the effectiveness of treatment plans.

The formula for calculating adherence rate for chronic medications is as follows:

Adherence Rate for Chronic Medications = (Number of Patients Who Take Medications as Directed / Total Number of Patients) x 100%


17. Number of clinical services offered - The number of clinical services offered is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the variety and scope of clinical services provided by a healthcare provider. It is an important metric for healthcare providers because it provides insight into their ability to meet the needs of their patients and offer comprehensive care.

The formula for calculating the number of clinical services offered is as follows:

Number of Clinical Services Offered = Total Number of Clinical Services Provided


18. Clinical service revenue as a percentage of total revenue - Clinical service revenue as a percentage of total revenue is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the proportion of revenue generated by clinical services compared to the total revenue of a healthcare provider. It is an important metric for healthcare providers because it provides insight into the financial performance and sustainability of their clinical services.

The formula for calculating clinical service revenue as a percentage of total revenue is as follows:

Clinical Service Revenue as a Percentage of Total Revenue = (Clinical Service Revenue / Total Revenue) x 100%


19. Marketing ROI - Marketing ROI (Return on Investment) is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the financial return generated by marketing efforts. It is an important metric for businesses because it provides insight into the effectiveness of their marketing strategies and the return on their marketing investment.

The formula for calculating marketing ROI is as follows:

Marketing ROI = (Revenue Generated by Marketing - Marketing Investment) / Marketing Investment x 100%




20. Net promoter score - Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures customer loyalty and satisfaction with a business. It is an important metric for businesses because it provides insight into how likely customers are to recommend the business to others. The NPS is typically determined through a survey that asks customers to rate how likely they are to recommend the business to others on a scale of 0 to 10. Based on their responses, customers are divided into three categories:


1. Promoters (score 9-10): These customers are highly likely to recommend the business to others and are considered loyal customers.

2. Passives (score 7-8): These customers are somewhat likely to recommend the business to others but may not be as loyal.

3. Detractors (score 0-6): These customers are unlikely to recommend the business to others and may have had a negative experience.


The NPS is then calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. The formula for calculating NPS is as follows:


Net Promoter Score = % of Promoters - % of Detractors


NPS can range from -100 to 100, with a higher score indicating a higher level of customer loyalty and satisfaction. A positive NPS indicates that the business has more promoters than detractors and is considered a good score. Overall, NPS is an important KPI for businesses to monitor and improve, as it provides insight into customer loyalty and satisfaction. By improving NPS, businesses can improve customer retention, enhance their reputation, and increase revenue and profitability through word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers.


It is important to note that not all of these KPIs will be relevant for every pharmacy business, and some businesses may have additional KPIs that are specific to their operations. The choice of KPIs should be based on the goals and objectives of the business and should provide a comprehensive view of its financial and operational performance. Talk to our experts in how our solutions can help you improve your pharmacy business.

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