SPECIAL FEATURE

Vegas Event Reflects ABC's Commitment to Pharmacy

AmerisourceBergen hosted a record 7,400 attendees at its annual National Healthcare Conference & Exposition held in Las Vegas in mid-July. The event brought together community pharmacy leaders, pharmaceutical manufacturers, health and beauty aids companies, industry experts and others for an opportunity to discuss industry issues, complete continuing education credits, and conduct business.

The event "showcases our commitment to community pharmacy," commented R. David Yost, AmerisourceBergen CEO. "We believe that the community pharmacists are key to the future of healthcare, and we are proud to offer programs and services dedicated to helping them improve the care they deliver to patients as well as grow their business."

Among the conference highlights was the presentation of awards recognizing the achievements of AmerisourceBergen's Good Neighbor Pharmacy stores in three categories: Pharmacist of the Year, Pharmacy of the Year and Home Health Care Pharmacy of the Year. All were selected from the GNP network of more than 2,500 independents.

■ GNP Pharmacist of the Year honors went to Mark Shabashov of Corner Drug Store, Hemet, Calif. Shabashov was cited for going "well above and beyond the call of duty to assist not only his patients but also his colleagues." Among his achievements, Shabashov has developed his store as a model pharmacy where other pharmacists can visit and view automation technology.

■ Named GNP Pharmacy of the Year was Stedman Drug Center of Stedman, N.C., and its owners, Dan and Alisa Hayes. The pharmacy recently relocated to a new million-dollar facility, which features an automated prescription dispensing device that has helped to decrease wait times to 15 minutes or less. Stedman holds flu clinics, screenings and educational events.

■ Honors as GNP Home Health Care Pharmacy of the Year went to Bright Plaza Pharmacy, Whittier, Calif., and its owners, Mike Rudolph and Patrick Petti. The pharmacy hired a diabetes specialist and remodeled the store to include a large area dedicated to foot care and diabetes education. It makes regular visits to nursing homes and senior centers and holds health fairs throughout the year.

In addition to the GNP awards, the Diabetes Shoppe Achievement Award went to Dryden Drug of Belton, Mo. It was just the second year for this award, with the winner selected from more than 1,100 Diabetes Shoppe pharmacies nationwide.

AmerisourceBergen noted that Dryden Drug is the only pharmacy in the greater Kansas City, Mo., area to have a full-time R.N. dedicated to serving diabetes patients, offering one-on-one counseling, fitting patients for diabetic shoes, and holding seminars at local senior centers.

Using the conference occasion as a springboard, AmerisourceBergen summarized some of the services it offers in support of community pharmacy:

■ The Good Neighbor Pharmacy network is bolstered with national and local advertising and merchandising support, as well as access to the ProGenerics program and the Performance Plus Network. Also, GNP is the only cooperative pharmacy network that is a founding member of SureScripts, the nation's largest network of e-prescribing services, AmerisourceBergen said.

■ The Performance Plus Network gives community pharmacies access to managed care organizations and other payers nationwide by negotiating and contracting on behalf of its 4,800 member pharmacies, and increasing the number of health plans served by community pharmacy, including Medicare prescription drug plans.

■ The Diabetes Shoppe program provides products, supplies, information and support to help manage the disease and offer needed support to the growing population of diabetes patients. It offers support through education of both pharmacists and patients, and through niche products, from strips and glucose meters to diabetes-specific newsletters and inspirational campaigns.

■ PatientPlus is a menu of patient care resources with four key programs: Patient Care Technology, Women's Wellness Center, Adherence Network and Medication Therapy Management. Each is geared towards helping community pharmacists expand their patient bases and improve the patient care their stores provides, AmerisourceBergen said.

■ Technology - AmerisourceBergen customers have benefited from AutoMed pharmacy automation technology and workflow solutions and have access to consulting and financing resources to ensure the best solutions for their stores, the company stated.

AmerisourceBergen's asserts that its commitment to community pharmacy extends well beyond the traditional supplier-customer relationship. "We believe our commitment to community pharmacy includes advocating on their behalf on legislative and regulatory issues at all levels," said Kurt J. Hilzinger, president and chief operating officer of AmerisourceBergen.

"We applaud the entrepreneurial spirit of community pharmacy, and work actively with colleges of pharmacy to promote store ownership," Hilzinger added. "The future of community pharmacy is bright, and AmerisourceBergen is proud to support community pharmacists as they work on the front lines of health care each and every day."

This building in Whittier, Calif., houses the Bright Plaza Pharmacy, honored asGNP Home Health Care Pharmacy of the Year during ABC's conference. It devotes much attention to the needs of diabetes patients.	Mark Shabashov of Corner Drug Store, Hemet, Calif., garnered the GNP Pharmacist of the Year award. He was honored for going "above and beyond the call of duty."
AmerisourceBergen executive Dave Neu, left, is pictured with Steve Dryden, who operates Dryden Drug of Belton, Mo., winner of the Diabetes Shoppe Achievement Award.	Dan Hayes, owner of Stedman Drug Center, Stedman, N.C., counsels a patient. The pharmacy earned AmerisourceBergen's GNP Pharmacy of the Year honors.

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