Cardinal Health's Retail Business Conference highlights new services
LAS VEGAS — Cardinal Health on Wednesday morning announced that the wholesaler’s annual national trade show for independent pharmacies marks the largest in the event’s more than 20-year history, with nearly 7,000 attendees.
This year’s Retail Business Conference features a 100,000-sq.-ft. trade show floor, highlighting buying opportunities with more than 330 exhibitors. At the event, pharmacists can access more than 50 continuing education courses and also can access seven full- or half-day continuing pharmacy education courses on issues ranging from pharmacy-based immunization delivery to helping patients manage cardiovascular risk.
“We believe this is one of the largest gatherings of retail independent pharmacies in one place, ever,” Cardinal Health SVP retail independent sales Steve Lawrence said. “[Retail Business Conference] is an outstanding opportunity for independent pharmacy owners to network with peers from across the country, tap into more continuing education courses than they’ll find anywhere else and learn about the many ways Cardinal Health can help them improve the efficiency and profitability of their businesses.”
New services highlighted at this year’s RBC include:
Enhancements to Cardinal Health’s Front-End Product Management solution, which helps pharmacies maximize sales of nonprescription items. Pharmacy owners now can benchmark and compare their own front-of-store point-of-sale data with that of other similar-size stores with comparable demographics, giving them valuable access to the front-end management best practices of their peers;
New pharmacy business assessments of all aspects of a pharmacy’s operations, conducted by an experienced pharmacy business consultant. Following the assessment, participating pharmacies receive store-specific, actionable recommendations on everything from store aesthetics — how a store can improve its overall look and feel — to how to improve back-end accounts receivable and inventory management processes;
A new suite of human resources services that help pharmacy owners navigate all aspects of employee management. The new services provide quick-and-easy online access to hiring guides and performance management tools, specifically created to meet the needs of small business owners. Pharmacy owners also can get one-on-one, personal phone consultations about how to most appropriately address specific employee issues;
An exclusive new “gift card” program that helps independent pharmacies offer customers the convenience of purchasing gift cards for national retailers and restaurants (ranging from Macy’s to Applebee’s), while visiting their community drug store; and
Enhancements to Order Express, the new online ordering system that the company introduced at last year’s RBC. Order Express now integrates with the company’s inventory management and mobile ordering tools, providing community pharmacists an even more convenient, seamless online ordering experience.
In addition, Cardinal Health has created a program for the children of attendees at the conference, as many community pharmacists bring their families to the show. Called “Camp Cardinal Health,” the program provides children of all ages with four days of age-appropriate, on- and off-site entertainment opportunities and special events.