Longs Drugs (CVS)

Serving the Community Beyond Healthcare

 

Community-centered initiatives and partnerships ensure peak performance for pharmaceutical services in Hawaii.

The healthcare industry inherently comes with unique challenges.

An effective healthcare organization can overcome these challenges while shielding the community from the impact of these challenges.

Among these hurdles, supply chain management and implementing meaningful social initiatives are trickier to navigate than others.

For a healthcare organization based in Hawaii, maintaining an industry-leading position and welcoming dynamic growth is all in a day’s work and is exactly what is prescribed. Originally founded in 1938, Longs Drugs has been operating under the ownership of CVS Pharmacy since 2008; it is effectively the company’s Hawaii division.

What’s truly remarkable about Longs Drugs is its capacity to plan and problem-solve as an organization in a way that not only moves its operation forward but secures its island communities as a whole.

The pharmacy provides an omnichannel experience, ensuring seamless in-store and online services. By embracing technology, the pharmacy offers a more personalized and efficient customer experience, catering to the diverse needs of Hawaii’s population.

Longs Drugs has a long track record of building strong relationships with local organizations, schools, and non-profits, solidifying its role as a community partner.

These high-level strategies are supplemented with operational strategies that foster a positive work environment.

Initiatives like training and career development opportunities are often used to enhance job satisfaction and retention.

The pharmacy is also known for organizing programs that support local talent, such as internships and partnerships with educational institutions, aiming to create a skilled workforce dedicated to the company’s mission.

Longs Drugs impact in Hawaii is evident through its strong community presence, loyal customer base, and empowered employees.

It is a trusted healthcare provider, an employer of choice, and a key player in local economic development.

 

Adapting to Community Needs

Longs Drugs holds a position within its community that many pharmacies simply can’t recreate.

As an organization, it is dedicated to serving the community by providing great healthcare and actively engaging the community areas that need the most support.

An example of what that looks like is support for local nonprofit organizations and events.

“Over the years, we’ve supported various causes like the March of Dimes, their local autism chapter, and the American Heart Association, and then more locally, the island of Maui,” says Lead Director for Marketing and Merchandising Jon Higa.

Longs Drugs takes great pride in being local and its ability to recognize the collective need for support.

Longs has been heavily involved in numerous initiatives to support the rebuilding of Lahaina and the Maui community in the wake of the 2023 wildfires.

Longs organized a donation drive at its Kealani location in Maui, running it for three weeks and providing approximately 8,000 care packages to affected families.

Employees volunteered their time and effort to support this cause. Additionally, financial resources were provided to colleagues affected by the fires through the pharmacy’s employee assistance programs.

The organization’s response to the wildfires highlights shows how closely aligned with the community’s needs Longs Drugs is, as it quickly recognized one of the community’s biggest problems: accessibility.

In response to economic struggles and hardships, Longs is making accessibility a major priority.

“We’ve invested heavily in the state of Hawaii. There is the Lahaina community, where we’ve invested $17.5 million into a Lahaina housing development to bring families back together in the community, and we’ve also invested $17.3 million to the Kapolei Parkway development,” says Regional Director Scott Sutton.

These investments are meant to provide relief for the Lahaina fire victims, and sustainable housing that addresses the severe gaps in healthcare and community access.

Beyond local efforts, Longs Drugs also hosted a nationwide PIN pad event through CVS Health, donating $2 million to various foundations in the local community.

These contributions have undoubtedly made a significant impact on the residents of Maui and beyond.

Developing Processes and Partnerships

Longs Drugs Hawaii continues to innovate and expand. Last year, the pharmacy opened a new location in Kapolei and introduced customer service initiatives like “buy online, pick up in-store” to enhance convenience.

Continuing with the theme of accessibility, the aim is to provide an omni-channel, expedited process that improves convenience and the customer experience.

The other way that Longs is trying to expand is through digital activation. Through an initiative called Extra Care Plus, Longs provides the option to enroll in an extended program of extra care that provides home deliveries.

Customers can shop online, and pick up at the store. They can get prescriptions delivered to their home and they even have special offers they can redeem every month to help them with their households or economic spending.

Additionally, to improve customer experience, Longs has updated 12 locations based on customer feedback, creating a more welcoming atmosphere.

Longs relationships with community leaders and business partners ensure we meet the needs of its customers efficiently.

Local leadership and category management teams help the organization stay connected with community needs, enabling it to respond quickly during emergencies like the Lahaina fires.

Operating in Hawaii presents unique supply chain challenges, but Longs prioritizes supporting local distributors and business partners.

Sourcing locally when possible, sustains the local economy and ensures rapid response during normal operations and emergencies.

The most prominent distributors working with Longs would be Webco Advantage Hawaii, S & K Sales Company, and The Islander Group.

However, it’s important to note that the pharmacy maintains a strict balance between the use of local and mainland suppliers to maintain these high customer service levels.

 

Preparing the Community For the Future

Another reason why Longs Drugs holds such an enduring position within the communities it serves is because it is committed to local workforce development.

“We’re partnering with different communities along with the state to not only offer workplace experience but a career path for students that may not be seeking higher education outside of a diploma,” says CVS East Honolulu District Leader Fran Nakoa.

By partnering with Job Corps, high schools, and military transition programs, Longs can offer paid internship programs offering valuable work experience and career paths for students and veterans.

The pharmacy also collaborates with the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy in Hilo, providing rewarding career opportunities for both current and prospective pharmacy students.

This collaboration was triggered by a desire for more locally-grown talent and leadership, so aside from the healthcare aspect, it also provides opportunities related to business management, real estate, law, and marketing.

This unique opportunity is also directly related to a career in healthcare with Longs itself, as the organization hopes to shed light on the immensely rewarding career options that are available within the pharmaceutical industry.

It focuses on the basic pathway to becoming a pharmacist but also highlights the advanced tracks that lead to positions like pharmacy manager or district support pharmacy leader.

Thanks to these strategies, students and adult residents understand that working at Longs Drugs is incredibly rewarding.

Its commitment to community support and employee development is evident in the numerous success stories of colleagues advancing within the company.

Many employees, starting in entry-level positions, have grown into pharmacists, pharmacy managers, and store leaders.

This focus on internal growth and community involvement is what makes Longs Drugs such a unique and fulfilling place to work and now more and more of Hawaii’s youth are starting to see that.

One thing is clear: Longs Drugs is not just a company doing business in Hawaii, it’s a dedicated healthcare organization that is actively engaged and invested in the future of Hawaii’s residents in multiple ways.

Looking ahead, Longs Drugs Hawaii is focused on enhancing the omnichannel experience, advancing digital solutions for prescription management, and improving customer convenience.

The organization is also working on expansion through its workforce initiatives.

“We recently expanded to neighboring islands… and we also are partnering with the military as they transition from full duty to the civilian lifestyle. We have a career pathway for that,” Nakoa confirms.

Reinvesting in the community remains a priority, with ongoing housing developments and partnerships with organizations like HMSA to ensure accessible healthcare for all.

In summary, Longs Drugs commitment to community support, innovation, and workforce development ensures a bright future for the Hawaiian community.

By continuing to invest in local initiatives, enhance customer experience, and develop its employees, the pharmacy is well-positioned to make a lasting positive impact on the communities it serves.

AT A GLANCE

Longs Drugs (CVS)

What:  A community-centered pharmacy that excels in overcoming healthcare challenges, and provides an omnichannel experience, integrating in-store and online services to enhance customer convenience.

Where: Hawaii, USA

Website: Longs.com