Brian Nightengale

ORLANDO, Fla. –  AmerisourceBergen and Good Neighbor Pharmacy announced this weekend new and enhanced programs that will help independent pharmacies strengthen the core of their businesses and expand their role within their communities. The programs and solutions, which were presented at ThoughtSpot 2018, Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s annual tradeshow, reflect AmerisourceBergen and Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s continued commitment to supporting independent pharmacies today and in the future.

“We firmly believe that this is an incredible time to be an independent community pharmacy,” said Brian Nightengale, president of Good Neighbor Pharmacy and senior vice president, community and specialty pharmacy, AmerisourceBergen. “Our belief stems from what we see in communities nationwide and in changing consumer demands and demographics. Whether it is expanding their consultative role to meet growing primary care needs or improving population health through drug therapy management, independent pharmacies continue to deliver significant value. We are confident that their role will continue to grow and that their value will be increasingly recognized, which is why we continue to increase our investments and augment our programs.”

During ThoughtSpot’s general session, Good Neighbor Pharmacy leaders showcased how the company is evolving its solutions into a simple, tiered program structure. The streamlined approach, which was informed by member perspectives, makes it easier for customers to access and navigate programs and solutions. Good Neighbor Pharmacy programs are now organized within four value centers: In-store Experience, Marketing, Managed Care and Business Performance. The collective suite of solutions helps pharmacies simplify their business operations, amplify their brand and protect their independence and profitability.

AmerisourceBergen leaders also highlighted how the company is investing time, energy and resources to advocate for new, value-based payment models that are based on quality and outcomes resulting from the care pharmacists provide beyond dispensing. Part of that is driving awareness of pharmacy participation in and network adequacy for Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Networks (CPESN). During general session, Nightengale announced that AmerisourceBergen is partnering with CPESN Tennessee and the Tennessee Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation, a direct subsidiary of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, to launch a readiness program that allows for 70 CPESN Tennessee participating pharmacies to provide Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) interventions. The readiness program, which kicks off August 1, is designed to test and validate a scalable roadmap for pharmacists, payers and other providers to engage in a consistent model of community pharmacist-provided services for CHF.

General session also featured perspectives from retail consultant Michael Dart, who delivered the keynote speech on trends shaping consumer beliefs, as well as U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) on the actions independent community pharmacists can take to elevate their voice on legislation impacting their ability to provide care.

Following general session, AmerisourceBergen and Good Neighbor Pharmacy hosted “Women in Pharmacy,” a seven-member panel of high-performing pharmacists, pharmacy leaders and executives. Together, the diverse panel members shared stories about how their roles evolved over the course of their careers and revealed the challenges and opportunities they encountered while learning to balance life, leadership and the demands of a complex business.

AmerisourceBergen also recognized Shatto’s Frontier Drug from Douglas, Wyoming, and co-owners Gary and Jan Shatto as the recipient of Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s 2018 Pharmacy of the Year Award. The pharmacy, which emerged from a field of nearly 60 nominees, received the esteemed award for exemplifying what it means to be a Good Neighbor Pharmacy in their commitment to enhancing patient care and lives in local communities. Shatto’s Frontier Drug has been a staple in its community for more than 40 years. As part of the pharmacy’s patient-centered approach, pharmacists work to ensure patients have the medications they need, when they need them – even if it means driving 60 miles to pick up a medication they do not have on their shelves.

ThoughtSpot is an annual conference hosted by Good Neighbor Pharmacy, a national independent pharmacy network offered through AmerisourceBergen. It aims to equip independent pharmacists with practices and resources they can use to transform their businesses to improve profitability and maintain their position as a vital source of patient care in their local communities. For more information on the ThoughtSpot conference, please visit: www.thoughtspot2018.com.