In its 90th anniversary year, NACDS remains focused to advancing health and wellness.

“NACDS 2023” was first discussed in-person at the 2022 NACDS Regional Chain Conference. From left to right, NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson; Good Neighbor Pharmacy president Brian Nightengale, then-NACDS vice chair; and Kroger Health president Colleen Lindholz, then-NACDS chair.

ARLINGTON, Va. — In its 90th anniversary year, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores remains focused on leading the future of an industry dedicated to advancing health and wellness for all Americans. One of its major initiatives — NACDS 2023 — reflects this promise.

NACDS 2023 is positioning the association to add continued value to chain and supplier members. NACDS 2023 is as much about transforming pharmacy as it is about innovating health and wellness through a “total store, total person” vision and through collaboration. Specifically, NACDS 2023 focuses on making broad improvements in health and wellness, in addition to driving pharmacy innovation through reimbursement of care services and related interoperability advancements.

On March 1, as part of NACDS 2023, the association convened a Health and Wellness Stakeholder Forum in Washington, D.C. The event focused on innovation and collaboration among health and wellness leaders to address diet-related conditions. This forum continued the momentum from NACDS’ engagement in the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022. Work already is under way to build on the relationships and concepts emanating from these forward-leaning events.

NACDS 2023 is a driving force behind the association’s commitment to make its 90th anniversary a catalyst for continued action and innovation. Comments about the importance of NACDS 2023 from some of the people involved in the project follow.

Brian Nightengale, president, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, and NACDS chair

“It is an amazing time to serve as chair of NACDS — and to be part of the future vision of NACDS and of the industry. The sustained momentum behind NACDS 2023 is incredible. NACDS chain members and supplier members of all sizes and formats are passionate about delivering a new era of health and wellness for the American patient and consumer, and about reimagining what it means to be the most accessible health care destination in the country. I can’t wait to see what more we do through NACDS 2023 to further leverage pharmacy’s collaborative role in the health care ecosystem.”

At the March 2023 NACDS Health and Wellness Stakeholder Forum in Washington, D.C.: Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation (left); Cat Oakar, special assistant to President Biden for public health and disparities, The White House (center); and Rina Shah, group vice president of pharmacy of the future and healthcare segments for Walgreens and “NACDS 2023” Advisory Group chair.

Rina Shah, group vice president of pharmacy of the future and segment strategy, Walgreens, and chair of the NACDS 2023 Advisory Group

“Just a few years ago, Americans leveraged their pharmacist as their medication expert for both medications behind the counter as well as over the counter, and they may have chosen to get a flu shot. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s been proven that community pharmacy is capable of building on this trusted relationship and playing an even more critical role in the health care continuum. Our industry has an opportunity to define how community pharmacy improves health outcomes for the patients we serve, closes gaps in care and lowers overall costs for our health care ecosystem — as well as how we can do so alongside other health care providers. As chair of the NACDS 2023 advisory group, I look forward to accelerating the future of pharmacy and health care, together.”

Colleen Lindholz, president, Kroger Health, and past NACDS board chair

“As NACDS chair in 2021-2022, I had the opportunity to help launch NACDS 2023. It shows that we are very focused on the ‘retail health revolution’ — a movement toward health care professionals working ever-more collaboratively for the good of the patient, as part of an interdisciplinary team. This is a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate NACDS’ and members’ sustained commitment to core health and wellness issues, including food as medicine, chronic disease prevention and health equity. I am excited about the progress we’ve made, and for what’s to come.”

Steve Anderson, president and CEO, NACDS

“NACDS 2023 has its name because when we launched it in 2022 we didn’t want to create the misperception that it would move slowly. It can’t; the future is now. So, NACDS 2023 is bold, and we are excited for the future. The 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provided an ideal venue to accelerate this initiative. We are acting swiftly and strategically on the commitments that NACDS made as part of the White House conference — including an education campaign to help prevent diet-related disease by encouraging Americans to know their health status and participating in screenings like those available in their local pharmacy.

Arif Kamal, chief patient officer, American Cancer Society, at NACDS’ “satellite event” in support of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, which took place in September 2022 in Washington, D.C.

Arif Kamal, chief patient officer, American Cancer Society

“As I said during the NACDS satellite event in support of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, pharmacies — like the American Cancer Society — are community-based organizations. We’re in all of the communities out there, and so are you. We have a great opportunity to get together, collaborate, learn from each other, engage and leverage resources to improve nutrition, exercise, understanding of disease and eventually overall cancer outcomes.”

Warren Moore, vice president for social determinants of health actions, Walmart

“The NACDS satellite event for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health provided an opportunity to share insights on strategies that are working — and what more we can do. For example, I talked about the experience of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation in partnering with community organizations to help provide access to food and nutrition in rural communities. It is important that we maintain the momentum behind the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and it is good to see that we are doing that and more through NACDS 2023.”

Justin Heiser, chief operating officer, Thrifty White Pharmacy

“I enjoyed presenting a case study during the NACDS Health and Wellness Stakeholder Forum in Washington, D.C., in March. Even more than presenting, I loved being part of the discussion with so many collaborators who have such vision for improving health outcomes at the community level. And I appreciate being part of the regular dialogue within NACDS about the NACDS 2023 initiative. NACDS is keeping up the momentum from the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, right through to the Stakeholder Forum, and now beyond. There are so many opportunities for us to improve health and wellness together.”