What every Belgian pharmacist should know about reimbursed services in 2025

The landscape of community pharmacy in Belgium is undergoing a significant transformation.  

Today's pharmacies are becoming much more than places to pick up medications. They're evolving into essential hubs for accessible, first-line healthcare. One of the biggest drivers of this change? The growing range of reimbursed pharmaceutical services.

While awareness of these services is growing, their true potential often remains untapped. With this post, we try to go beyond a list of services by basing ourselves on  APB guidelines. 

Instead, we provide the strategic context and practical advice you need to transform your approach. We help you move from simply acknowledging these services to making them a cornerstone of your practice.

The hidden opportunity in reimbursed services

Belgian pharmacies now have access to an expanding list of reimbursed services. This isn't just an administrative update. It's a fundamental shift that creates numerous opportunities.

But simply knowing these services exist isn't enough. You need to leverage them strategically. Many pharmacies recognize their availability but struggle to make them an active part of daily operations.

The real opportunity lies in taking a broader approach that goes beyond following basic requirements:

• Boosting revenue while improving patient outcomes: Reimbursed services are designed to enhance patient health. Medication reviews, adherence programs and vaccination support are just a few examples.
  
  When you actively implement these services, you create new revenue streams while helping patients stay healthier. Healthier patients experience fewer complications and hospitalizations while enjoying a better quality of life.
  
  This reflects positively on your pharmacy, creating a virtuous cycle where financial success and patient wellbeing reinforce each other.

• Building a reputation as a first-line care center: In today's complex healthcare system, patients seek accessible, trustworthy advice. By actively offering reimbursed services, your pharmacy becomes more than just a place to fill prescriptions.
  
  You become a proactive partner in your patients' health journeys and a true first-line care center.
  
  This elevated status attracts new patients looking for comprehensive care and establishes your pharmacy as an essential community health resource.
  This approach sets you apart from transaction-focused competitors.

• Strengthening loyalty among your most at-risk patients: Patients with chronic conditions, multiple medications, or adherence challenges benefit most from specialized services. When your team proactively identifies these individuals and offers tailored support through reimbursed services, you build deeper, more meaningful relationships.
  
  
  
  This personalized attention shows genuine care and commitment. It transforms occasional customers into loyal patients who trust your expertise and value your proactive involvement in their health.  Chronic patients, who will always require regular medication intake, benefit from optimal care while maintaining a trusted relationship with your pharmacy for the long term, as the services will have a positive impact on their life expectancy. 
  
  This loyalty is incredibly valuable, especially in competitive markets. Despite these benefits, many pharmacy teams struggle to consistently offer these services. The reasons are understandable: regulations, eligibility criteria, and documentation requirements can seem overwhelming.
  
  Plus, the daily demands of dispensing, managing inventory, and handling administrative tasks often push these potentially transformative services to the back burner. They become something to "get to eventually" rather than an integrated part of your core offering.

From passive to proactive: A mindset shift

The key difference between pharmacies that simply offer reimbursed services and those that truly thrive with them is their approach: reactive versus proactive.

A reactive pharmacy might offer a service only when a patient specifically asks or when an obvious trigger occurs. A proactive pharmacy actively looks for opportunities to use these services to benefit both patients and the business.

Ask yourself: Are you taking a reactive or proactive approach to these services?

To understand where you stand, consider these key questions with your team:

• How many of these services do we currently offer? And by "offer," we mean actively, consistently, and with a clear understanding of their value. Is it just one or two services, or have you embraced a broader range that addresses your community's specific needs?

• Are we identifying the right patients at the right time? Being proactive means more than waiting for patients to present with obvious needs.
  
  It involves using your pharmacy data and patient interactions to identify people who could benefit from a medication review, adherence counseling, or support with a new medication. The goal is to provide support before problems develop.

• Does our team have the knowledge and tools to implement them smoothly? Even with good intentions, your strategy will falter without a well-equipped team. This includes clinical knowledge, understanding of administrative requirements, and communication skills for patient engagement.
  
  You also need access to practical tools, from consultation room resources to helpful software (such as Salvus Health's solutions for providing reimbursed services).

• Are we using technology to automate outreach and track impact? In today's digital world, manually identifying eligible patients, scheduling appointments, and tracking outcomes is inefficient and limits your growth potential.
  
  Using pharmacy management systems, CRM tools, or dedicated service platforms can streamline these processes.
  
  This frees up pharmacist time for direct patient care while providing valuable data on your services' impact. Reimbursed services shouldn't be just another box to check. They represent a significant opportunity to redefine your pharmacy's role and unlock new revenue sources.
  
  When implemented proactively and supported by effective workflows and team engagement, these services can drive sustainable growth. While financial returns vary based on volume, context, and consistency, many pharmacies taking a strategic approach are already seeing measurable benefits. This isn't about adding more tasks to your busy day.
  
  It's about working smarter, integrating services seamlessly, and capturing their full potential.

A practical snapshot of 2025 services

Understanding the strategic importance is one thing; knowing which services are actually available is another. To bridge this gap and provide a clear overview, we've created a visual table.

This table summarizes all the key reimbursed pharmaceutical services expected to be available in Belgium in 2025.

Note: This is a simplified table to help you understand the bigger picture and opportunities related to implementing these services in your pharmacy.

For specific details like clinical inclusion criteria, legal requirements, and documentation, you can always look at the APB website.

The real challenge: Integration into daily practice

Having information and understanding the potential is crucial, but the true challenge often lies in practically integrating these services into your pharmacy's busy, sometimes unpredictable daily rhythm.

Offering reimbursed services effectively isn't just about having information leaflets or knowing reimbursement codes. It requires fundamentally changing how your pharmacy operates and how your team engages with patients.

Consider these critical operational questions:

• How do you structure your internal processes? Successful integration requires defined workflows. Who identifies eligible patients? When and how are consultations scheduled? Do you have a private space for consultations? Have you created Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency and quality across team members? Without clear processes, your efforts may become unsustainable.
  
  
  
• How do you involve your team and keep them trained? Your entire team plays a role, from pharmacists to technicians. While pharmacists deliver the clinical aspects, technicians can help identify potential candidates, manage appointments, and handle administrative tasks.
  
  Ongoing training is essential. This includes clinical knowledge, communication skills, supporting software, and updates to service protocols or reimbursement rules. Creating a culture of shared responsibility and enthusiasm makes all the difference.
  
  
  
• How do you monitor follow-ups and outcomes? The true value of these services is demonstrated through their impact. Are you systematically tracking follow-up appointments?
  
  Are you collecting data on patient outcomes, improved adherence, better medication understanding, or reported wellbeing improvements? This information is vital for demonstrating value to payers and patients, as well as for your own review and continuous improvement.
  
  
  
• Are you doing this at scale, or case by case? While starting with a few motivated patients is a good way to test a new service, your ultimate goal should be to embed these services systematically so they reach all eligible patients.
  
  This means moving beyond case-by-case delivery to a structured, scalable approach. You might dedicate specific time slots for services, use pharmacy software to flag eligible patients, or develop targeted outreach campaigns.
  
  Effectively integrating reimbursed services requires strategic commitment, careful planning, and willingness to adapt existing routines.
  
  It's about building new habits and systems that make these services a natural, efficient, and impactful part of your pharmacy's daily operations.

From awareness to action: Your path to a proactive pharmacy

The reimbursed pharmaceutical services available in Belgium are much more than an administrative update. They provide a clear pathway to transform your pharmacy into a dynamic healthcare hub.

Moving from passive awareness to proactive, strategic implementation is the key to unlocking their full potential. This approach enhances patient care, builds strong loyalty, strengthens your professional reputation, and ensures your practice's financial health.

This journey requires a mindset shift, commitment to operational changes, and a well-informed team.

It's about seeing these services not as an extra burden, but as a core component of modern pharmaceutical care and a significant business opportunity.

The insights and questions in this article are designed to spark that transformation. Your next step is to equip yourself with detailed knowledge to turn strategy into reality.