AmerisourceBergen revamps annual pharmacy event

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. In a bow to its customers’ need to cut travel costs in a down economy, AmerisourceBergen on Monday said that it is changing its annual national retail healthcare conference to a new, multi-region format.

Under the new plan, the drug distribution and health care giant will host four regional events at strategic locations around the country for its National Healthcare Conference. Continuing education courses and certification programs will continue in the new format so pharmacists can participate at any of the four regional events.

Previously, ABC has hosted a single annual event for its independent and chain pharmacy operator customers, usually in Las Vegas. The move to a regional format was made to accommodate those owner-operators as they face declining consumer confidence and a bleak economic outlook in 2009.

“We are pleased we can offer this option for our community pharmacists,“ said David Neu, senior vice president of retail sales and marketing at AmerisourceBergen. “Our customers have asked to move the location of the conference closer to them and allow greater flexibility in scheduling.  In this economy, we continue to be cognizant of our customers’ needs.”

This year, the National Healthcare Conference will be held in Chicago (June 25-28), Stamford, Conn. (July 16-19), Birmingham, Ala. (July 23-26), and Anaheim, Calif. (August 6-9).