Over the past year, we’ve been inundated with analyses, blogs, tweets and lectures trying to make sense of the “new normal” caused by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, the new normal means masks in all public settings. For others, it means lasting concerns about physical contact. In retail, we’ve heard the new
Even as the swift spread of the Delta variant in the U.S. and other countries around the world brings renewed urgency to the battle against COVID-19, another, arguably graver, crisis continues to unfold. Climate change and its ability to wreak havoc on the natural environment is rapidly intensifying, a development that promises a time of
COVID-19 invoked a collective emphasis on health and wellness among Americans, causing shoppers to pay more attention to the products that they’re putting into and on their bodies. The majority of shoppers consider health and wellness issues and needs when shopping, whether they’re looking for foods that fit new lifestyles, shopping for nontoxic products, or
The last 18 months have been a tremendous reminder of the positive impact that American health care innovation delivers for patients when stakeholders work together. The coronavirus pandemic has been a terrible tragedy that challenged all of us. But the way the American health system has stepped up to that challenge is inspiring. From manufacturing
Amazon has spent the last few years methodically entering the retail pharmacy market. Powered by their day one attitude, over 100 million Prime households in the U.S., and a penchant for disrupting large, inefficient industries, Amazon is well positioned to disrupt and gain significant share of the U.S. pharmacy business. Doing this will further strengthen
The definition of population health, as we all think about it, refers to the health status and health outcomes within a group of people rather than considering the health of one person at a time. It often includes an emphasis on primary care, it’s data driven, involves physician leadership, and is focused on disease management.
There is a gap in our nation’s health care system. Pharmacies need to act now if they want to prove they are the right ones to fill it. One of the long-standing gaps in the American health care system is a lack of accessible, efficient and cost-effective services for individuals in need of a routine
As the retailization of health care accelerates post-pandemic, humanized commerce approaches will become a new-normal U.S. retail trend. Shoppers’ values will continue to shift even more in the direction of human concerns and human priorities. According to the CDC, health equity is when each person has the chance to reach “his or her full health
Pharmacies play an instrumental role in the evolving health care continuum, and COVID-19 has further underscored the need for patients to have access to trusted care. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90% of Americans live within five miles of a community pharmacy, providing easy access for patients. During the pandemic, pharmacists
This time last year, COVID-19 vaccines felt to many of us like a rather distant prospect. Community pharmacy teams were in the thick of offering home deliveries to patients, working with their drive-thru and curbside services, and compounding hand sanitizer for first responders and patients. Many were also gearing up their COVID-19 testing and scheduling
The health system is fragmented — and that’s not how people or health professionals win. New consumer trends, more box stores, decreasing profits, increasing chronic diseases. More and more, pharmacists tackle new challenges in an ever-changing landscape. And because they’re some of the most accessible health professionals on the planet, pharmacists are in a place
Each day labor shortages in America worsen, challenging retailers in the recovering U.S. economy to employ staff who will manage storefronts, stock shelves and check inventory. With the number of administered vaccines rising and COVID-19 restrictions decreasing, many American shoppers will be returning to stores with fewer associates to meet their needs. With unfilled job
Over the past several months, many Americans have walked into their local pharmacies weighed down by the constant threat of a deadly coronavirus. By the time they walked out, they got a shot in their arm that will help protect them from COVID-19. For many, getting vaccinated offers more than immunity. It provides relief after
In early August, the federal government announced that it had reached its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of American adults with a first COVID-19 shot, a month after the July 4 deadline set by President Joe Biden. Still, the progress is uneven. Just 20 states – plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam – had
