Future of pharmacy in focus at NACDS Regional
Celebrating 85 years since the inception of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the Regional Chain Conference held in Florida this past week shared the same singular focus of many NACDS conferences - a laser focus on the future prosperity of community pharmacy.
"I love it when the whole family gets together," 2018 NACDS Regional Chain Conference chairman Dan Ferrara, vice president pharmacy operations for Wegmans Food Markets, said. "As our environment evolves, we must evolve with it. We must embrace the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others through healthcare."
"Pharmacy is beautifully positioned, as it always has been, to take care of changing shifts in the customer and in the marketplace," NACDS chairman Alex Gourlay, co-COO Walgreens Boots Alliance, said. "We start, as pharmacy, with a natural advantage, being really close to where people live, where they work, and where they spend time in their communities. I have been in the industry for 40 years – 36 years as a pharmacist. I understand through personal experience and I have a huge passion for what pharmacies and pharmacists can bring, and continuing to build trust is a key part of our future."
Gourlay noted the importance of front-end focus: "I will always speak from a pharmacy point of view, because I believe pharmacy is what gives all of us the unique purpose and differentiation in the marketplace. At the same time, all of the products, services and solutions that come from retail product manufacturers are mission critical."
Gourlay also described the importance of NACDS' work on issues including direct and indirect remuneration fees, pharmacy reimbursement topics and the opioid abuse epidemic.
And while the issues of today's retail pharmacy are wholly different from those facing pharmacists 85 years ago, the common denominator of working toward the delivery of better healthcare remains constant.
"An anniversary is a great time to look at NACDS through the eyes of those who created it," Steven Anderson, NACDS president and CEO, said. "If they were operating pharmacies today, I can imagine the founders of NACDS sitting in this room joining in our talks about modern-day policy – about the need to have access to the patient; about prescription-drug reimbursement challenges; about being blindsided by a DIR fee. ... Here is an assumption that is right on. It is not sustainable for a pharmacy to be paid for prescription services, only to find out later that it must give back some of that payment. Addressing that in a meaningful, workable and effective way remains our goal, and NACDS has worked with our allies on a consistent basis on this issue."
Anderson emphasized the importance of working together through NACDS on pharmacy and front-end issues alike.
"Whatever the issue, NACDS is totally committed to bringing about workable and successful solutions, that only can be achieved by true collaboration," Anderson said.
The NACDS Regional Chain Conference brings together traditional drug and grocery chains with between four and 250 locations, and their supplier partners who help to meet consumers' needs in health and wellness and throughout the store. This year's theme of "Igniting Possibilities" tapped into the Conferences' reputation as an ideal place for chains and suppliers to address issues, share insights, learn from effective strategies and conduct business.
"I love it when the whole family gets together," 2018 NACDS Regional Chain Conference chairman Dan Ferrara, vice president pharmacy operations for Wegmans Food Markets, said. "As our environment evolves, we must evolve with it. We must embrace the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others through healthcare."
"Pharmacy is beautifully positioned, as it always has been, to take care of changing shifts in the customer and in the marketplace," NACDS chairman Alex Gourlay, co-COO Walgreens Boots Alliance, said. "We start, as pharmacy, with a natural advantage, being really close to where people live, where they work, and where they spend time in their communities. I have been in the industry for 40 years – 36 years as a pharmacist. I understand through personal experience and I have a huge passion for what pharmacies and pharmacists can bring, and continuing to build trust is a key part of our future."
Gourlay noted the importance of front-end focus: "I will always speak from a pharmacy point of view, because I believe pharmacy is what gives all of us the unique purpose and differentiation in the marketplace. At the same time, all of the products, services and solutions that come from retail product manufacturers are mission critical."
Gourlay also described the importance of NACDS' work on issues including direct and indirect remuneration fees, pharmacy reimbursement topics and the opioid abuse epidemic.
And while the issues of today's retail pharmacy are wholly different from those facing pharmacists 85 years ago, the common denominator of working toward the delivery of better healthcare remains constant.
"An anniversary is a great time to look at NACDS through the eyes of those who created it," Steven Anderson, NACDS president and CEO, said. "If they were operating pharmacies today, I can imagine the founders of NACDS sitting in this room joining in our talks about modern-day policy – about the need to have access to the patient; about prescription-drug reimbursement challenges; about being blindsided by a DIR fee. ... Here is an assumption that is right on. It is not sustainable for a pharmacy to be paid for prescription services, only to find out later that it must give back some of that payment. Addressing that in a meaningful, workable and effective way remains our goal, and NACDS has worked with our allies on a consistent basis on this issue."
Anderson emphasized the importance of working together through NACDS on pharmacy and front-end issues alike.
"Whatever the issue, NACDS is totally committed to bringing about workable and successful solutions, that only can be achieved by true collaboration," Anderson said.
The NACDS Regional Chain Conference brings together traditional drug and grocery chains with between four and 250 locations, and their supplier partners who help to meet consumers' needs in health and wellness and throughout the store. This year's theme of "Igniting Possibilities" tapped into the Conferences' reputation as an ideal place for chains and suppliers to address issues, share insights, learn from effective strategies and conduct business.