Pharmacy Crossroads

Good Things Happening in Pharmacy | Pharmacy Crossroads

Good things are happening in pharmacy. That is the core message of this podcast. Becky Snead and Garth Reynolds discuss how the scope of practice is expanding as more pharmacists are being granted provider status and the authority to diagnose and prescribe for common ailments. Reynolds explains that Illinois has recently passed legislation allowing pharmacists to prescribe birth control pills. Snead shares how many states now allow pharmacist to test-&-treat for ailments such as strep throat, flu and, COVID. On the PBM front Reynolds explains that legislative and judicial wins are helping to reign in big PBM abuses. More work needs to be done and both guests make their case for how and why more pharmacists should join and become more active in their state pharmacist association. Bruce Kneeland welcomes Rebecca (Becky) Snead, EVP & CEO, The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) and Garth Reynolds, Executive Director, Illinois Pharmacists Association See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Thai, PharmD | Pharmacy Crossroads

Ken Thai, PharmD. is a truly remarkable pharmacy owner, leader and entrepreneur. And the good news is he shares several of his management philosophies and business ideas on this podcast. A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, Thai owns, or is a partner in several pharmacies. He is the founder of the 986 Pharmacy franchise program. The web site, 986pharmacy.com, lists 13 locations in 3 states. Building on his expertise combined with that of his partners they have created a unique GPO, K&B Associates. The group focuses on helping members buy better, work smarter and share ideas on how to expand into LTC or 340B contracts or manage more effectively. If that isn’t enough, he is the immediate past president of the California Pharmacist Association with a passion for reigning in PBM abuses. He even shares information on a couple legislative battles the California association in waging. Thai shares a remarkable business venture they have started that involves a Pharmacy Fellowship supported by his pharmacy, the USC School of pharmacy and a physician clinic. In the program a pharmacist on Thai’s team is contracted to work in the clinic and provide support to doctors, nurses and physician assistants and then run a follow up clinic in one of Thai’s pharmacies.  If you are looking for information or inspiration on new, more and better things you can do to operate your pharmacy more profitably you’ll find this podcast of interest. This episode of Pharmacy CrossRoads is sponsored by Compliant Pharmacy Alliance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pharmacy Industry Living Legend: Joe Moose | Pharmacy Crossroads

Joe Moose, R.Ph., is the co-owner of 8 community pharmacies in North Carolina. He is a true innovator and leader in pharmacy. He was honored in 2015 as the NCPA Independent pharmacist of the year. In this episode of PharmacyCrossRoads, Joe shares examples of how and why independent community pharmacy can play a critical role in helping control the opioid pandemic. He says while COVID has dominated the profession for a year or more that the opioid issue is still a critical issue and deserves the attention and offers a few ideas on what types of things can be done. Joe also is also a proponent of pharmacies working together to perform healthcare services and capture the data that demonstrates that community pharmacy can be beneficial to payers. His point being that only by having hundreds of pharmacies doing this in a coordinated fashion can we capture the attention of payers. He also shares creative ideas on how personal home delivery, if done right, can help open the door for performing health risk assessments and also allow community pharmacies to being reimbursed for supporting the emerging field of social determinates of health. And, while not a topic of the podcast Joe Moose is a leader in the CPESN movement. I was able to write a two-part article – Six Things Every Pharmacist Should Now About CPESN – for ComputerTalk for the Pharmacist Magazine where I quote Joe on a few issues. A digital copy of both articles is available to PharmacyCrossRoads listeners by emailing BFKneeland@gmail.com with CPESN Article in the subject line. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill and Will Lockwood -- The American Society For Automation In Pharmacy (ASAP) | Pharmacy Crossroads

The American Society For Automation In Pharmacy – or ASAP – could be the pharmacy organization that most directly effects the daily practice of pharmacy. And, it is very likely that you, as a practicing pharmacist, have never heard of this important organization. In this episode of PharmacyCrossRoads we talk with Bill Lockwood, founder and Executive Director ASAP. Joining in the program is Will Lockwood, Assistant Director of ASAP and Bill’s son. These two industry experts explain how the standard settings services ASAP provides make it possible for your pharmacy system to provide a variety of services, without which, modern day pharmacy practice would not be possible. You’ll learn how ASAP brings industry competitors together, in a carefully coordinated and legal manner, to address issues that make it possible for Prescription Drug Monitoring programs to work, for interfaces between various pharmacy systems and services to work. And, how the organization works with the FDA, CMS and other government agencies to insure you can fill scripts quickly and accurate and that all your systems “play nice” with one another. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deborah Bowers, PharmD, Owner Yorkville Pharmacy | Pharmacy Crossroads

Deborah Bowers, PharmD, Owner Yorkville Pharmacy, York, SC Will consumers pay cash for medication advice? Deborah Bowers, PharmD proves that they will. As you know pharmacy owners are all being told to find ways to diversify their practice. Deborah Bowers is one owner who has taken that advice to heart and set up a cash-pay medication consulting and health coaching business. In this episode of PharmacyCrossRoads she shares the frustrations she had with people, many not even her customers, who would drop in and ask questions about their medications. Bowers says she always tried to help until one day she had an ah-ha moment and decided to be practice and set-up a formal on-line registration and pre-payment system. Now, when people ask for help, she invites them to go to the web site, review the menu of services and book an appointment. You can check out her on-line system at www.yorkvillerx.com on the top menu bar select – SERVICE – and then select ASK Dr. Deborah. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Community Leader Colton Marcum, PharmD | Pharmacy Crossroads

Colton Marcum, PharmD, took over ownership of Marcum’s Pharmacy, from his father, about 10 years ago. Marcum’s is a high-volume pharmacy and has a proud tradition of service to the residents of Kingsport, TN, since 1962. Still, as Marcum tells us on this episode of PharmacyCrossRoads the pharmacy’s work environment was hectic and constant reductions in reimbursement and DIR fees were taking a big chunk out of his profits. Joining Marcum on this podcast is Kris Rhea, now a representative of BIOLYTE, but formally Marcum’s wholesaler representative. The two of them go into some detail on how Marcum saw a need for improved workflow and how, by working with Rhea they made some remarkable changes. Marcum tells how implementing a medication synchronization program improved workflow, reduced inventory and improved relationships with prescribers in the community. To help with a total transformation of the pharmacy Rhea prepared a 12-step plan they used to turn the pharmacy around. First on the list, recognize that pharmacy is changing and the old way of doing things no longer works. One other big thing Marcum and Rhea did was schedule time to visit other successful pharmacies in the area and arrange an onsite visit. A list of the 12 Steps to Revamp and Re-energize Your Pharmacy, is available by emailing Bruce Kneeland at; BFKneeland@gmail.com Marcum says that in addition to improving work flow, pharmacies should also find ways to provide services and sell products that genuinely help people, are unique to them and generate an attractive profit margin. He has had success with nutritional and says one product that has performed well for him is Biolyte. This episode is sponsored by: BIOLYTE, a nutritional drink, sub titled IV in a bottle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NCPA 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award | Pharmacy Crossroads

Nasir Mahmood is a remarkable pharmacy owner. Indeed, so remarkable that the NCPA named him the winner of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award. And the list of honors and service he has provided to the profession and to his community justifies this high honor. In this podcast Nasir and his son, Rehan, Mahmood share with Kneeland the PharmacyCrossRoads listeners several of the personal philosophy and business practices that allow Pine Plains Pharmacy, in Pine Plains, New York to be such an important part of this small community halfway between New York City and Albany, NY. Nasir, who also earned an MBA shared his view that knowing people, calling them by name and finding ways for the pharmacy to stock the special or unique items they want is one critical success factor. While the pharmacy is small, just under 2000 sq. feet, he says they find ways to fit items into the pharmacy. Adding to that idea is a robust special-order program where he says find his willingness to orders items an important customer service. Rehan tells how he worked with suppliers, the city’s fire department and created an appointment system that allowed them to provide this small town with a successful, and ongoing, COVID vaccination program. One heartfelt aspect of Nasir’s philosophy is giving back, thus he has served President and Chairman of the Pharmacist Society of the State of New York, winner of the Bowl of Hygiea Award, serves on the State Board of Pharmacy and is active in both NCPA and APhA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Proven Ways to Market Your Pharmacy | Pharmacy Crossroads

Ask any pharmacy owner what the best form of advertising is and they’ll immediately reply, “Word of Mouth.” In this episode of PharmacyCrossRoads Bruce Kneeland shares several real live examples of what a pharmacy can do to dramatically increase the number of referrals patients provide. He also cautions that unless a pharmacy takes an active role in boosting word-of-mouth the natural tendency of people is to talk more about bad experience than good. The good news is, effectively handling things that go wrong can be one of the best ways to generate positive word of mouth.  Kneeland is interviewed by Robyn Amberg, a well-respected account manager for PrescribeWellness, a Tabula Rasa Healthcare company who introduces herself as Robyn Kneeland Amberg. She is Bruce’s oldest daughter and has garnered a well-deserved reputation as an industry expert in her own right. The podcast covers a variety of topics intended to help pharmacy owners generate more positive word-of-mouth referrals. Kneeland and Amberg share ideas and examples of things they have seen pharmacies do. They also discuss the importance of getting pharmacy staff engaged in the mission of the pharmacy and talk about the importance of having a noble cause and the owner being able to create a culture of caring and commitment among the pharmacy employees. Kneeland indicates he has digital copies of articles he has written and samples of customer referral card programs he is willing to share with listeners that request them via email: BFKneeland@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices