From business education programming and innovative CE sessions to jam-packed General Sessions, this year’s National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Annual Convention and Expo is an event that independent pharmacists and pharmacy owners simply won’t want to miss. The conference kicks off on Saturday, October 1 in Kansas City, Missouri at the Kansas City Convention Center through Tuesday, October 4.

Are you ready to embrace this year’s theme and Team Up? Read on for some of our top highlights and notable events taking place at the 2022 NCPA Annual Convention and Expo.

General Session

This year’s Annual Convention features two General Session events: Sunday, October 2 and Monday, October 3, both at 9:30 AM. The first of these sessions features keynote speaker Mike Abrashoff, former commander of the USS Benfold, who will share a story from his time in the Navy to demonstrate why leadership matters and why culture is everything.

On October 3, the second General Session kicks off with Lina M. Kahn, chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Kahn will join NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA for a fireside chat and Q&A session. “As FTC Chair, Khan has been receptive to hearing the concerns of independent pharmacists, and this is a great opportunity to get her thoughts about issues in our industry and talk about the important work her agency does on behalf of consumers,” said Hoey in a press release.¹

Finally, ophthalmologist Will Flanary, MD will take the stage as the day’s second keynote speaker. Perhaps better known by his social media handle of Dr Glaucomflecken, Flanary has more than 2.5 million followers across social platforms. With a keen eye for observational humor and biting satire, Flanary provides commentary on everything from “the perils of Visine to the horrors of health insurance”² for audiences across the health care industry with the help of his loyal scribe, Jonathan.

Prescryptive Health

"As a pharmacist, the most important thing is taking time to provide the best care possible for your patients, but pharmacists don't always lean on technology for the solution," Paige Clark, RPh, vice president of pharmacy programs and policy at Prescryptive Health, told Drug Topics. "In fact, in a recent independent study³ from Prescryptive Health, independent pharmacists said they spend an average of 2 to 6 hours a week reviewing drug pricing. That is up to roughly 312 hours a year spent reviewing pricing that could be focused back on patient care."

"Intelligent pricing solutions driven by artificial intelligence can put this precious time back into pharmacy practitioners' hands, so they can do more of what they love: helping patients," Clark added.

Led by Clark, Prescryptive Health will be presenting 2 sessions in the Exhibit Hall. The first—focusing on the ways in which pharmacies can use technology to remain competitive and boost their bottom line—will take place on Sunday, October 2 from 12:30 to 1:00 PM. During the session, Clark will present a case study detailing how one multi-location pharmacy was able to sustainably grow profits while keeping consumer prices affordable.

Between 3 and 3:30 PM on Monday, October 3, Clark will be joined by Brad Gallagher, partner at Barclay Damon in Albany, New York, for a CE session combining legal and pharmacy education to raise awareness of cybercrime in pharmacy. With personal health information selling for $250 per record on the black market—compared with 50 cents for a credit card number—this session is can’t-miss.

Business Education Sessions

This 4-day event will also feature numerous business education sessions, many of which provide the opportunity to earn CE credits. On Saturday, October 1, learn more about the point-of-care testing playbook and how pharmacists can use point-of-care testing services to grow their bottom line. On Sunday, October 2, a session hosted by NCPA senior director of professional affairs Lisa Schwartz will educate attendees on what to know—and what to do—to comply with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, which goes into effect in November 23. And on Monday, October 3, Blueberry Pharmacy owner Kyle McCormick will answer pharmacists’ burning questions about the cost-plus pharmacy model.

For attendees who are too excited to wait to start their NCPA Annual Convention experience, 3 days of pre-convention programming—running September 29 through Noon on October 1—will be covering a wide range of topics, including a pharmacy ownership workshop, a guide to creating a pharmacist-led lifestyle and weight management program, and the ever-popular NCPA Pharmacy-Based Point-of-Care Test and Treat National Certificate Program.

Exhibit Hall

The Exhibit Hall will be open from Sunday, October 2 at 12 PM through 5 PM on Monday, October 3. Don’t forget to visit Drug Topics® at booth 931: Grab a copy of our latest issue, sign up for our eNewsletters, and chat with our team to learn more about how you can stay up to date on everything independent pharmacy.

Drug Topics’ coverage of the 2022 NCPA Annual Convention and Expo is sponsored Prescryptive Health.

References

1. FTC Chair speaking at NCPA Annual Convention in October. News release. National Community Pharmacists Association. September 12, 2022. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://ncpa.org/newsroom/news-releases/2022/09/12/ftc-chair-speaking-ncpa-annual-convention-october
2. Keynote speakers. National Community Pharmacists Association. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://ncpa.org/ac-keynotes
3. Rewriting the script: Independent pharmacy trends. 2022 research report. Prescryptive Health. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://prescryptive.com/2022-pharmacy-study/