WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Bob Long, who led Longs Drug Stores for more than 20 years, has died after a long illness. He was 75. Long was a well-known industry veteran who was honored in 2003 with Chain Drug Review’s Ronald L. Ziegler Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognized his highly successful expansion strategies and
Bob Long died last month after a long illness that had depleted his energy and, in the end, his will to live. Finally, his body deserted him, shutting down and giving him the peace that had for so long eluded him. For a very long time, Long headed the drug chain that his father and
Whatever the ultimate fate of the Affordable Care Act, it is clear that fundamental changes in the way health care is delivered and paid for are taking place. Rite Aid understands that, and it has responded to two developments likely to endure even if Obamacare should falter — providers are increasingly being evaluated and remunerated
It’s time for the retail industry to wake up, open its wallet and ditch those loyalty cards. A little too strong? OK, then how about committing to some major out-of-the-box thinking on how to make these programs actually work — because it certainly is not happening now. For decades, loyalty cards have been pushed by
In a multipart series during 2014 our team will examine key product attributes and marketing tactics from two different perspectives — the consumer/shopper and the retail buyer. Our hope is that retail and wholesale buyers and product manufacturers will benefit from an objective picture of the viewpoints that contribute to a product’s success at retail.
The establishment of accountable care organizations (ACOs) under the Affordable Care Act is seen by many health policy professionals as one of the marquee components of the law. Certainly it is one of the few aspects of the ACA that has bipartisan political support and widespread enthusiasm among multiple stakeholders who are vested in the
The chain drug store industry is experiencing a major transformation driven by changes in how consumers interact with retailers and purchase products. Today’s newly empowered and connected consumers are increasingly turning to online stores and utilizing social and mobile technologies to access research, compare products and prices, and read reviews before making purchase decisions. They
In today’s hyper-connected, cost-pressured, health-driven environment, there’s no shortage of ideas and issues impacting the health care value chain. Understanding which disruptors are true issues or opportunities and which ones are distractions is a critical element in developing a business strategy. Most of the discussions regarding health care today in the retail pharmacy sector have
