Secrets to Pharmacy Success Considered at PDS Conference

Secrets to Pharmacy Success Considered at PDS Conference

Eileen Oldfield, Associate Editor

The secrets to pharmacy success can be obtained by changing the way in which one views the pharmacy business, said Dan Benamoz, RPh, president and CEO of Pharmacy Development Services (PDS), in his keynote address at the 2015 PDS conference held from February 18-21, 2015, in Orlando, Florida.

In the spirit of leading by example, Benamoz delivered part of his address via a Beam telepresence robot, rolling onto the stage and observing the crowd through the robot’s large, mounted screen.

_{Photo Credit:Alex Della}

“It’s funny, because the very first training I ever did, during my first year with PDS, they said [Benamoz] was sort of like the Wizard of Oz,” said Luke Snell, PharmD, of Luke’s Family Pharmacy in Hailey, Indiana. “This was sort of epitomizing the Wizard of Oz.”

“And the last 2 letters of his name is ‘Oz’,” added Joe Jones, PharmD, of Roberts Discount Pharmacy and Parkway Discount Drugs, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Achieving innovative aims in pharmacy relies on strong leadership, in addition to adapting to the constantly evolving health care environment and the growing pains associated with new endeavors, Benamoz said in his address.

“We need to leading change rather than reacting to it,” Benamoz said. “Every person in this room has the capabilities to change our industry—and even the world.”

Now it its 11th year, the PDS Conference drew 1200 independent pharmacists from most of the 50 states, as well as Egypt, South Africa, Grenada, Canada, and Puerto Rico.

“I think all of us are here to find a way to generate profit, and to find alternative avenues to generate profit,” Dr. Jones said. “It’s nice to be around people who go through the same thing. A lot of times you go through your pharmacy life, and it’s nice to connect with people who are going through the same thing you are.”

New technology is playing a key role at the conference, as it allows pharmacists to move their practice forward. Although several technologies are still being developed, understanding them now can allow pharmacists to better integrate them into their daily practice.

“My intention is to give you a preview into what the world will look like…in the next year or 2,” Benamoz said. “Most people fear the future. I want you to be excited about it, and recognize and realize the power we all have to do great things in this world.”