SEATTLE — Over the past four decades, George D. Bartell has met many challenges in the chain drug industry as he has helped transform his family-owned business into one of the top regional chains in the country. Bartell Drugs’ deep roots in the Pacific Northwest date back to 1890, when George H. Bartell Sr., an
Health care in the United States is in turmoil. In 2020, the cause of that turmoil is clear: a pandemic that has upended daily life and thrown the entire health care system into a kind of triage at a scale never before seen, with COVID-19 cases filling ICUs even as other services, such as screening,
The chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic, a polarizing political climate and continued civil unrest have challenged us — as individuals and organizations — and given us the opportunity to learn, grow and even redefine who we strive to be in our new normal. These are the times when we cling even closer to our
2020 has been especially challenging, particularly for frontline health care workers like pharmacists. COVID-19 quickly evolved from a localized disease in one part of the world to a pandemic that, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, has infected over 63 million people worldwide and killed over 1.4 million, as of December 1. We
In 2020, the food industry has sustained, bolstered and at times shifted operations to ensure Americans have access to safe, nutritious and affordable foods and supplies in high demand, while supermarket pharmacies have continued to serve as a bridge between communities and other providers, offering patients immediate care that is close and convenient to home.
Never have we collectively wanted to seal the door to a year so firmly and decisively as 2020. I suspect most people will remember last year for its unpredictability and destabilization. Yet amidst the anxiety and instability, the overstretched hospitals, and the restrictions and closures in primary care, I will remember how pharmacy kept the
2020 has been defined by unparalleled tragedy. The global pandemic has magnified and amplified the weaknesses and failures of our current health care system, delivering a clear mandate that the health care industry must improve and expand care for the American people. As we look to 2021 and navigate a health care landscape that has
CINCINNATI — Colleen Lindholz and her team are continuing to lead initiatives and create innovative programs to help people live happier, healthier lives. As the president of Kroger Health, the health care division of Kroger Co., she heads up a group of 22,000 health care professionals. Together they provide health and wellness solutions to more
On January 10, 2020, cheers erupted in the National Community Pharmacists Association’s headquarters when we learned the U.S. Supreme Court had decided to hear Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a case to determine whether ERISA preempts a state law regulating pharmacy benefit managers. NCPA has been fighting to rein in PBMs for years, and
At the start of 2020, our members were focused on continuing their research and development of transformative treatments for the most difficult diseases, such as cell and gene therapies. We planned on making strides on new medicines for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. And we planned on pushing for policy solutions that
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered life as we know it and impacted each of us in a very personal way. The scale and magnitude of the pandemic brought sudden and unexpected challenges and opportunities for all specialty pharmacy stakeholders. As we look to the future, we must consider the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Few executives have had the impact on the chain drug industry that Larry Merlo has had. But as he gets ready to retire after a career spanning more than four decades, framing his accomplishments within the retail pharmacy alone — as enormous as they are — would be limiting. Merlo, who has
How did 2020 affect American Pharmacists Association members? “Profoundly” is an understatement. “Irrevocably” is appropriate. “Positively” may be hard to see right now, but I believe it’s the truth. Pharmacists emerged from last year — a year that few words can adequately describe — stronger, and they enter 2021 empowered like never before. The way
For most U.S. patients, affordable prescription medicines are just a short drive or walk from home to the drug store — or medicines are delivered right to their mailbox. This degree of convenience takes a lot of work behind the scenes. To get biosimilars and generics from the manufacturer to the pharmacy to the patients,
