Ex-Governors to Pharmacists: Engage in Your State’s Political Process to Shape Medicaid, Health Reform

By Kevin Schweers

Two respected, former Governors spoke fondly this week of their first-hand experience with the services of independent community pharmacists and urged pharmacists to take an active, solution-oriented role in the political process to help preserve patient access to community pharmacies.

NCPA CEO Talks Up Community Pharmacy, Advocacy, and Medication Adherence in Convention Address

By Kevin Schweers

NCPA Executive Vice President and CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA looked back on his first year as CEO and gave independent community pharmacists a preview of some “coming attractions” in his address Monday morning to the 113^th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition.

NCPA Convention Kicks Off with President’s Address, Medicare Chief, Former Gov. Huckabee

By Kevin Schweers

Three excellent pharmacy speeches jumpstarted NCPA’s 113^th Annual Convention & Trade Exposition in Nashville this morning.

Veteran Pharmacist Advises Students on Independent Pharmacy Ownership

Before speaking to a few hundred of tomorrow’s pharmacists about the pros and cons of independent pharmacy ownership, Bill Altland took advantage of the motorcycle ride from Alaska to Philadelphia to gather his thoughts.

NCPA’s Annual Convention Gives Community Pharmacies an Edge

By Kevin Schweers

Between CVS Caremark, health care reform, mandatory mail order – you name it – there’s no shortage of challenges or opportunities for independent community pharmacists. The NCPA Annual Convention and Trade Exposition is the community pharmacist’s best chance to trade ideas with colleagues, discover a new niche service, and learn about how pharmacy’s biggest and growing customer – the government – will impact the bottom line in health care reform and other areas.

Small Steps toward Greater Medication Adherence

Resolutions for 2010 are top of mind now and living healthier is one of the most common. So it seems timely to revisit a “2 a day” approach to boosting medication adherence that was first outlined at NCPA’s most recent convention during a speech by Executive Vice President and CEO Bruce T. Roberts, RPh. Here are some excerpts:

Pharmacists Score Big in Gallup Poll – Again

By Kevin Schweers

 For more than 30 years Gallup has conducted an annual survey gauging Americans’ level of trust, or distrust, of various professions.  This week the 2009 results were announced and, if you’re a pharmacist, take a bow. 

Is Your Pharmacy a Leader or a Laggard?

By Kevin Schweers

With the year’s end fast approaching, it’s a natural time for reflection. In that spirit, here are some noteworthy pharmacy topics that you might have missed, but were covered at NCPA’s annual convention. A link to these presentations and others can be found at the end of this post.

Independent Pharmacist of the Year

By Kevin Schweers

When you consider all the contributions independent pharmacists make in this country, it’s never easy choosing just one to recognize for his or her exemplary leadership and commitment to independent pharmacy and to the community. Still, this year one stood out and his story is worth hearing (or hearing again).

Former Senate Leaders Daschle, Frist Laud Community Pharmacists’ Role

By Kevin Schweers

Former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) offered testimonials to the critical role community pharmacists play in the health care system during an Oct. 19 health care reform discussion at NCPA’s annual convention.