WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health is saying thanks to its 26,000 pharmacists during October’s American Pharmacists Month for their dedication to serving patients in the company’s retail pharmacies, mail service pharmacies and specialty pharmacies nationwide.

CVS said Wednesday that it also will celebrate National Pharmacy Technician Day on Oct. 22 to recognize its more than 50,000 pharmacy technicians for the support they provide to CVS pharmacists and pharmacy teams across the organization.

"Last month, we changed our company name to CVS Health to reflect our broader health care commitment and our expertise in driving the innovations needed to shape the future of health," president and chief executive officer Larry Merlo said in a statement. "Our pharmacists are playing a critical role in our evolution, delivering breakthrough products and services and enabling patients and clients to manage health in more affordable, effective ways through medication adherence programs, specialty pharmacy services and other innovative pharmacy programs we are developing."

CVS cited some of its programs as examples of the company’s high level of pharmacy care. At all 7,700 CVS/pharmacy locations, a personalized smoking cessation program provides access to pharmacists who can perform a smoking cessation assessment with a customized quit plan, as well as give advice on support resources and recommendations on stop-smoking aids.

Meanwhile, pharmacists from CVS Health’s retail business and specialty services have teamed up to improve access to specialty medications and clinical support for specialty pharmacy patients via the Specialty Connect program, launched this spring. The partnership gives patients the option to bring their specialty prescriptions to any CVS/pharmacy while still receiving insurance guidance and clinical support by phone from a team of specialty pharmacy experts at CVS/specialty.

Also, CVS said its Pharmacy Advisor program leverages the company’s integrated business model to raise medication adherence and identify gaps in care to improve the health of people with chronic diseases via pharmacist consultations combined with clinical patient data.