NCPA campaign highlights independents' commitment to patients

The National Community Pharmacists Association is shining a light on pharmacists who are on the front lines of the pandemic via a national media campaign that kicks off today.

“Pharmacies are the most frequent point of care for most Americans,” said NCPA president Brian Caswell, owner of Wolkar Drug in Baxter Springs, Kan. “Local pharmacists see many more patients on a daily basis than any other health care provider, and that’s especially true now. They and their employees are leaning straight into this national emergency, and taking care of their neighbors.”

NCPA’s “Your Neighbor” campaign, which will feature testimonials from neighborhood pharmacy patients, is another reminder that pharmacists are the most accessible front-line health care providers, and that their service is now more important than ever.

“Independent pharmacists are compounding hand sanitizer for first responders. They’re expanding their home delivery services. They’re counseling patients who are worried about the virus and need reliable information from someone they can trust,” said Caswell. “They’re fighting for approvals to administer the tests, and as soon as the vaccine is ready, independent pharmacists will be first in line willing to immunize their patients and help the country get back to work.”

Independent pharmacists and their pharmacy teams have a uniquely personal relationship with their patients. Many are born and raised in the communities they serve. They live in the same neighborhoods, attend the same places of worship, send their kids to the same schools, and suffer the same heartbreaks as the patients in their community, said NCPA.

“Fighting the pandemic is as much a personal obligation as it is a professional responsibility,” said Caswell. “This campaign is about connecting with Americans who are frustrated and worried, and letting them know that they can rely on their local, independent pharmacist for the best advice, the best expertise, and the kind of personal commitment that comes naturally to neighbors.”