NCPA Launches Enhanced Services Initiative for Independent Community Pharmacists

NCPA Press Conference

[New Orleans] The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) announced a partnership with Community Care of North Carolina CCNC to form a new company designed to encourage local networks of pharmacies to provide enhanced services.

“Services that independent pharmacies often provide-- such as true same day home delivery, special medication packaging to encourage better adherence, and medication synchronization,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey RPh, MBA.

“We believe that the value that patient’s get by patronizing an independent pharmacy will lead to value to the payers and better cost savings and better health outcomes,” Hoey said.

At a press conference at NCPAs Annual Convention in the city, Hoey said that NCPA members want to learn more about enhanced services and are starting to form local networks in their own states.

NCPA also released the results of its annual NCPA Digest. The Digest, sponsored by Cardinal Health, is an overview of independent community pharmacy, including a comprehensive review of the financial operations of the nation’s independent community pharmacies for 2015.

Among the highlights of the Digest’s findings: the number of independent pharmacies has declined from 22,478 to 22,160, 81% of pharmacists offer medication therapy management, while 67% provided immunizations.

In addition, the average independent community pharmacy location dispensed 60,493 prescriptions (194 per day) in 2015, a decrease from the 61,493 in 2014.

[Read the November issue of Drug Topics for an in-depth look at the Digest’s findings]

Deanne Mullins, BPharm, CDE was named the new president of NCPA. A certified diabetes educator, Mullins owns Mullins Pharmacy, WeCare Wellness, and the WeCare Diabetes Education Program in Lynn Haven, Fla. She is a past member of the Florida Board of Pharmacy and graduated from Samford University's McWhorter School of Pharmacy.