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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pharmacy-automation system maker PDX has made a deal with CoverMyMeds to help pharmacies using PDX's system to expedite the submission of prior-authorization forms to health insurance plans, PDX said.

The service, which will be offered at no cost to pharmacies, is meant to decrease the administrative hassles of prior authorizations, improve turnaround time and help to stop prescription abandonment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The developer of a retail app is partnering with marketing company Baesman Group to offer a location-based, geo-fencing mobile app that it said would drive in-store traffic by sending sales and promotional offers to consumers' smartphones.

After downloading the app, which has a built-in GPS system, users opt-in to retail brands and choose how often they would like to receive offers. Once near a store, the app will contact their smartphone with a discount or promotion designed specifically for them, which they can redeem immediately.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal court has turned down Cardinal Health's request for an injunction against the Drug Enforcement Administration's suspension of the its ability to ship controlled medications from one of its distribution centers, the company said Wednesday.

Reggie Walton, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, ruled against Cardinal's request to enjoin the DEA from preventing the company from shipping controlled substances from the distribution center, in Lakeland, Fla.

CHICAGO — The Network of Executive Women has elected five new members at large to its board of directors.

New board members are Mike Byron, president of supplier diversity for Supervalu; Sarah Chartrand, SVP diversity, talent management and organizational development for Ahold USA; Marnette Perry, SVP Kroger; Suzanne Sears, VP global market development at Kimberly-Clark; and Karen Stuckey, SVP merchandising and general merchandise manager of the home division for Walmart Stores.

PITTSBURGH — Giant Eagle this past week introduced the NuVal nutritional scoring system throughout locations in Columbus, Ohio, and Frederick, Md.

Intended to help customers make quick, informed food choices, the NuVal nutritional scoring system gives more than 20,000 food and beverages a score ranging from 1 to 100 — the higher the score, the better the nutrition. Scores are posted right on the shelf tag, along with nutritional attributes like “gluten free” and “good source of fiber.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Electronic prescribing network Surescripts has certified Definitive Homecare Solutions' CPR+ specialty pharmacy software for e-prescribing.

Definitive Homecare Solutions said CPR+ incorporates e-prescribing capabilities into a workflow queue that is designed specifically for specialty pharmacies, helping meet specialty pharmacies' needs by providing a step-by-step process to guide them through patient intake, medication dispensing and refill, clinical patient assessment and reimbursement.

TAMPA, Fla. — Winn-Dixie is putting the pedal to the metal for its Fuelperks! rewards program.

The retailer announced that beginning this week, shoppers that use the new Winn-Dixie customer reward card at any of the retailer's 95 stores in the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and Gainesville, Fla.; and Albany and Columbus, Ga., markets can earn significant fuel discounts at participating Shell stations.

WASHINGTON — AARP magazine last week identified the top 10 retirement destinations, which potentially could be growth opportunities for pharmacy, that offer comfortably affordable lifestyles for seniors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio Department of Health study released Wednesday estimated that Ohio’s H1N1 vaccination efforts prevented 64 deaths, 1,400 hospitalizations and 310,402 cases of influenza during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The study also estimated that Ohio’s vaccination efforts saved the state $8.4 million in H1N1-related hospitalization costs.

WASHINGTON — The American Pharmacists Association wants to ensure that pharmacists continue to play a significant role in health care, and made the pharmacist’s ever-expanding role the main focus of its annual meeting in Seattle, which ended Monday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Elmer’s Products revamped its hardware line in November with the addition of two products that offer consumers enhanced strength and performance. Elmer’s believes that by concentrating on the performance of products, it can help reduce consumer confusion at the shelf by providing all-in-one formulas.


COLUMBUS, Ohio Huntington on Thursday announced the opening of the first of its Giant Eagle in-store branches, part of an exclusive, 15-year agreement announced in September to install seven-day-a-week, full-service branches in at least 103 Giant Eagle supermarkets.