Community Practice

Instead of merely complaining about the tactics of pharmacy benefit managers, the National Community Pharmacists Association is working on a game plan to take the Rx drug benefit play away from their arch enemies.

Mad as hell about mandatory mail-order contracts, some independent pharmacists have launched petition drives to put pressure on state legislators to ban a practice they feel is bad for their patients and may be even worse for their businesses.

In an attempt to help more nursing home patients take advantage of the Medicare drug discount card program, Community Care Rx has sweetened the reimbursement deal for participating long-term care pharmacists.

Trying to protect their ability to compound veterinary drugs, 10 pharmacy owners in six states have filed a federal lawsuit against the Food & Drug Administration for banning the use of bulk ingredients.

The popular PBS television series, "History Detectives," has raised awareness of the challenges of documenting oral history. Pharmacy's own history detective, A. Jean Matuszak, can attest to the satisfaction of solving some mysteries from the past.

Who are the shining lights among independent pharmacies for 2004? Once again, Drug Topics invited wholesalers across the country to nominate their independent pharmacy customers who have done a superlative job of providing pharmacy and nonpharmacy services, merchandising or promoting their stores, overcoming competition, and handling crises.

Hoping to create a little buzz in the senior set about Medicare prescription drug discount cards, Uncle Sam is-for the first time-helping beneficiaries do some comparison-shopping.

Uncle Sam's belated recognition that pharmacists play a critical role in managing patients' medications is why Medicare's top administrator intends to encourage seniors to use their local retail pharmacy as a point of care when the prescription drug benefit goes live in 2006.

If practice makes perfect, Florida pharmacists should be the most adept disaster specialists in the nation. Four hurricanes in barely more than a month have given community and hospital pharmacists plenty of practice.

The public is way ahead of the two Presidential candidates when it comes to healthcare reform. That's according to a new nonpartisan poll that found a majority of Americans favor giving the government the power to buy drugs in bulk, to set limits on pharmaceutical company profits, and to limit spending on drug advertising. And they think Uncle Sam should follow Canada's lead by guaranteeing health care.

Oregon's governor wants to make his state the first to put retail pharmacies in the Canadian drug importation loop, but pharmacy leaders would just as soon forego the honor.

Trying to counter the current public focus on price, price, price that's reducing drugs to just another commodity, several pharmacy groups and pharmaceutical manufacturers have teamed up to deliver the message that medications work and community pharmacists help them work better.

Building on their rousing diabetes disease management success with the Asheville Project, North Carolina pharmacists have been given another opportunity to strut their patient care stuff. State officials have set up a pilot program in two counties using pharmacists to help state employees manage multiple medications.

Pharmacists don't get enough respect. That's an aspect of modern life that the California Pharmacists Association wants to change. CPhA and the nonprofit Pharmacy Foundation of California (PFC) launched what may be the nation's first radio campaign designed solely to elevate the image of pharmacists.

Things are finally starting to brighten up for Battery Park Pharmacy.

Independent pharmacies reported higher gross margins and higher net profits on average sales of $3.2 million, according to preliminary data from the 2004 NCPA-Pfizer Digest.

Pharmacist Martha Lyon pilots a pharmacy disguised as a 34-foot motorhome around the North Carolina mountains delivering free medications to folks in need.

A Catholic pharmacist, Neil Noesen, faces disciplinary action by the Wisconsin pharmacy board for refusing to dispense a legal prescription for oral contraceptives on the basis of conscientious objection.

With the average independent pharmacy owner over 50 years of age, the National Community Pharmacists Association is working to attract new, younger entrepreneurs into the ownership ranks.

Future CE programs will focus on biomedical technology. This story offers insights as future applications of medical technology

Wholesalers pick independent superstar pharmacies for 2003

New cough, cold, and sore throat products for upcoming season.

George Kloda, owner and operater of Eliot Drug in the small town of Eliot, Maine operates an international Internet radio station from a back office at the store.

For the first time in nearly a decade, independent pharmacies posted higher gross margins, according to preliminary data from the 2003 NCPA-Pharmacia Digest.

How to develop and implement a community pharmacy residency program from FMI supermarket pharmacy conference session 2003.

Net profits may have fallen but independent pharmacy owners earned, in terms of 2003 dollars, $200,000 compared to $61,000 when the Lilly Digest began tracking the sector in 1932, according to a new study.

Ethics in biotech research.

NCPA annual meeting highlights

Independent Superstars of 2002

Once again, readers nominated pharmacists they considered a cut above the rest.