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ORLANDO, Fla. — FMI will be hosting a new retail-pharmacy-focused panel here on March 18 during the association's Retail Food & Pharmacy Health & Wellness expo to be moderated by DSN's editor-in-chief Rob Eder.


NEW YORK — MinuteClinic is on track to double its clinic count in the coming years, posting a 40% revenue increase in the fourth quarter and inking 14 affiliations with health systems. This is no doubt an impressive feat for the clinic operator, but it also speaks to a larger growth trend sweeping the convenient care industry.


WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The call to Congress to reject budget proposals that would increase co-pays for prescription medications at community pharmacies for Tricare patients is important as the war between the pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager lobbies heats up.

PHILADELPHIA — CVS Caremark's chief healthcare strategy officer on Friday outlined how the company's integrated offerings — retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management and retail clinics — are helping patients achieve better health by working to increase medication adherence and targeting behaviors to improve treatment for chronic diseases during a panel discussion at the Wharton Health Care Business Conference.

In IFC’s hit comedy series “Portlandia,” there’s a sketch in which the two main characters order chicken in a restaurant. But they don’t just order: They ask which farm the chicken came from to make sure it’s sufficiently local and whether the chicken was raised according to their exacting standards. The waiter quickly responds with a portfolio featuring the chicken’s pre-mortem photograph, biography and name (“Collin”).


HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart operator Sears Holdings is emphasizing a program that it said is designed to empower African-American entrepreneurs.

The company said it would continue its "Share the Word?" program through 2012, its fifth year, and focus on African-American entrepreneurs with the Own a Sears Store program.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Retailers have always been about enhancing the shopping experience, but there are two factors this year that really should underscore the importance in that customer focus. Differentiating a retail shopping trip by experience is a lot friendlier to the margins because a shopper willing to trade on shopping experience also is willing to spend a little more.

Brian Cornell has stepped down as Sam’s Club president and CEO, and has been replaced by Rosalind Brewer, who previously served as president of the Walmart U.S. East business unit. Walmart also named Rollin Ford chief administrative officer with responsibility for information systems, global sourcing, global business processes, global shared services and global customer insights. Ford was most recently chief information officer; Karenann Terrell replaced Ford as CIO. Gisel Ruis was named EVP and COO of Walmart U.S., responsible for U.S.