Health Mart adds Jhaveri as president

1/28/2019
Health Mart has formally announced its new president, Nimesh Jhaveri. Jhaveri has more than 30 years’ experience in the pharmacy business, having started as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens as an undergraduate. He joined the organization on Oct. 31.

In his role as president, Jhaveri — who spent 29 years in various roles at Walgreens — will spearhead the development of strategies meant to support the businesses of more than 5,000 Health Mart pharmacies.

“Nimesh is a proven leader,” said Chris Dimos, president of McKesson Retail Solutions. “He began his career as a pharmacy technician and worked his way up to managing several pharmacies before moving to field operations, corporate pharmacy operations, pharmacy systems, and health services business development. As an established industry thought leader, we are thrilled to welcome him and his leadership.”

[caption id="attachment_602109" align="alignright" width="150"] Nimesh Jhaveri[/caption]

Talking to Drug Store News, Jhaveri said he is excited about the opportunity to help independent pharmacies grow their role in the healthcare space.

“Pharmacy practice as a whole was undermined for years and years by the thinking ‘It's the corner drug store. It's the person who gives you your prescriptions,’” Jhaveri said. “I think the question that we're starting to ask — and need to continue to ask and push from a legislative standpoint — is what else can pharmacists do?”

Jhaveri said he sees independent pharmacies, in particular, as the “front door to primary care” and sees his role at Health Mart as helping drive pharmacists to play that role, which he said comes down to three elements.

“No. 1, we have got to make sure that we do everything to use the assets of McKesson and Health Mart to help our independent owners continue to thrive in their business,” Jhaveri said. “No. 2, we need to help them diversify their businesses. What McKesson does is bring that back-end infrastructure to help them diversify their business. Thirdly, we have to continue to be a voice for the independent owners in legislative bodies — in Washington and at the state level — so we can be an advocate for them.”

He said a crucial part of building up pharmacists’ role in health care is the foundation that independent pharmacies have built in their communities through their patient relationships.

“Independents have a great advantage, which is that relationship, that partnership, that longevity with that patient, and that's what gets me really excited,” he said.

McKesson said Jhaveri will be on hand at McKesson ideaShare, which is set for June 26 to 30 in Orlando, Fla.
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