McKesson

LAS VEGAS — May you live in exciting times. And if you make your business in healthcare or retail pharmacy, you most certainly are — in "an exciting dynamic time," Mark Walchirk, president of McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical, told attendees of Thursday afternoon's Opening General Session, marking the official start of McKesson ideaShare 2013.

LAS VEGAS — Even before the official start of McKesson ideaShare 2013, the educational sessions broke out of the gate fast, here, Wednesday and Thursday, with a broad spectrum of critical topics available to attendees.

Thursday’s educational highlights, included —

Drug Store News talked with Chuck Wilson, vice president of Health Mart pharmacy operations, about its new Local Marketing Program designed to help Health Mart members attract new patients and drive revenue.

DSN: One of the highlights of the Health Mart Annual Meeting is the new Local Marketing Support program. Can you tell us more about that?

Desloge, Mo.-based Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy was honored with the 2013 Pharmacy of the Year Award by McKesson Corporation in Las Vegas, Thursday, at the Venetian Casino and Resort, as part of the wholesaler’s annual McKesson ideaShare conference.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — One of the greatest challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry today is medication non-adherence — a fact that has not gone unnoticed by McKesson.

A variety of pharmacy-based solutions, designed to help pharmacy owners drive better results both from a patient outcomes and a profitability standpoint by offering services that promote long-term adherence and opportunities for patients to enroll in clinical trials, will be on display for ideaShare attendees through McKesson’s Clinical Services network.

DSN talks to Health Mart president Stephen Courtman about how Health Mart is helping its members stay competitive through new programs and services aimed at improving patient lives and growing profits.

DSN: What is new for Health Mart members at McKesson ideaShare this year?

Attendees of this year’s McKesson ideaShare 2013 will have access to more than 30 accredited continuing pharmacy education courses that offer invaluable insights into the latest thinking and best practices from experts in clinical services, new drug therapies, marketing, merchandising, financial management and succession planning. The continuing education at McKesson ideaShare 2013, which is provided by the Collaborative Education Institute, will be offered June 26 to June 29.

The Pharmacy of the Year Awards presentation is always a highly anticipated part of the program at McKesson ideaShare, honoring independent pharmacy owners for driving growth and improvements both in their businesses and in the lives of their patients.