NCPA Annual Convention: Preparing Your Pharmacy for the Future

PRESS RELEASE

CEO, National Community Pharmacists Association

From October 15-19, thousands of pharmacists from around the world will gather in New Orleans for NCPA’s Annual Convention. Attendees of past conventions rightfully have high expectations and I have no doubt that those expectations will once again be satisfied.

Each year, the NCPA Convention and Trade Show provides independent pharmacy owners with access to new insights and products to stay ahead in the ever evolving health care marketplace. Many independent pharmacists experience reimbursement and access challenges, and NCPA continues to lead efforts to address them. However, it’s vital to also take advantage of the opportunities that changes to health care present to add to the bottom line to help weather the storm and be in a better position.

With this in mind, we will feature more than 16 hours of live continuing education (CE) credit learning opportunities divided into three separate tracks.

• The Expanding Opportunities Dimension will offer insights on how to thrive in a health care system that is increasingly rewarding value and outcomes.
• The Front End Dimension will offer tips on how to get the most profit out of your front end.
• The Back Office Dimension will cover an array of issues centered on the financials of the pharmacy such as accounting tips and tax strategies.

Dividing the CE into these categories allows individuals to better select the sessions that will be most valuable to their individual pharmacy.

We are also pleased that Lee Zurik, a New Orleans based investigative reporter whose series of stories have exposed the practice of patient co-pay clawbacks by PBMs, will also be speaking and spending some time in the NCPA membership booth to speak with attendees. Following Mr. Zurik’s reporting, Arkansas and Louisiana passed legislation allowing pharmacists to tell patients when the cash price of a medication is cheaper than their insurance co-payment. This success ought to be replicated in other states to benefit both pharmacies and patients alike.

The speakers and CE opportunities will provide new ideas. But we also have an outstanding trade show that will introduce attendees to new products and services. More than 200 vendors will be in attendance, offering new technologies and products to help pharmacists grow their patient base and expand their business. Several of these vendors will also be offering attendees special deals on their products and services.

While I am extremely proud of the programming we are offering, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of individuals meeting and sharing ideas with one another. To encourage this dialogue, we have scheduled numerous events and roundtable discussions such as the popular Colleagues in Consultation sessions and a special Sharing Forum that will give attendees a chance to learn and share ideas that make money, save money, and brand one's business in a new way.

The NCPA Convention provides necessary tools for independent pharmacies to thrive, but only those who attend receive guidance on how to put them to proper use. For those who have not yet made plans to join us in New Orleans, there is still time to do so, more information is available here. Don’t let your pharmacy be left behind by the changes in the health care system