PDS 2022 Focuses on the Shifting Landscape of Pharmacy

In opening remarks at the 2022 Pharmacy Development Services (PDS) conference in Orlando, Florida, PDS founder and executive chairman Dan Benamoz, RPh, discussed a few of the most exciting speakers and opportunities happening during the conference.

This year marks the 19th annual PDS conference, Benamoz said, and is the first conference in-person since 2020. He encouraged attendees to get outside of their comfort zones and interact with others, both to exchange ideas and to find ways to connect with other pharmacy owners.

“The real magic of the PDS conference is that we provide an environment for you to connect with one another,” Benamoz said.

This year, the conference has 6 main themes. In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Benamoz said these key interest areas are representative of the future of pharmacy. The themes include remote patient management programs; point of care testing expansion; pharmacy marketing; performance-based direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) mitigation; procurement and cost of goods; and showcase of success.

Several sessions during the conference will tackle these issues:

• The first keynote, delivered by Cassandra Worthy, CEO of Change Enthusiasm Global, will discuss how far the pharmacy field has come and how pharmacy leaders can encourage their colleagues to think positively about the upheaval of the last 2 years.
• In a session on Friday morning, tax expert Tom Wheelwright will discuss 3 new opportunities for tax savings in 2022. In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Wheelwright said taxes do not have to be a frustrating or negative aspect of business. Rather, they can present opportunities for growth.
• Another session on Friday, presented by Marci Strauss, PharmD, will discuss the ongoing shift to performance-based reimbursement and what that means for pharmacies. Pharmacists are in the midst of an exciting time, Strauss told Pharmacy Times, and although that can be intimidating, it also presents many opportunities.

In addition to these and other sessions, Benamoz said a main goal of the conference is to celebrate the incredible success stories from pharmacies around the country. In his opening remarks, Benamoz featured several pharmacies across the country that launched mobile vaccine clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting how these outside-the-box efforts can expand the reach and scope of pharmacy practices.

“There will be many X-factor initiatives presented here at the conference, so that you walk away from here more excited about the future than you thought possible,” Benamoz said in his opening remarks. “Remember fortune favors the bold, so the question you really need to answer is how bold and big are you willing to be?”