Content about Pharmacy technician

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT One of the chain pharmacy industry’s top advocates is pushing hard to thaw the frozen, century-old public perception of community pharmacists as little more than pill dispensers. And she’s getting a receptive hearing about pharmacy’s critical role among business and healthcare leaders, consumer advocates and the mainstream media.

NEW YORK Like their chain pharmacy counterparts, the people who own and operate their own single-store or small-chain drug stores — as well as the advocacy groups that lobby on their behalf — are keeping close tabs on the progress of the various health-reform bills moving through the U.S. Senate and House. They should.

NEW YORK For two decades or more, independent pharmacy owners have been slammed by managed care, steady prescription reimbursement cuts, chain competition and regulatory hurdles. But in the Darwinian struggle of an unforgiving pharmacy market, the strongest are holding firm.

The fact that the online grassroots campaign by independent pharmacy operators has enlisted more than 12,000 patients in just six weeks since its launch is important because it clearly demonstrates that people believe in the value of pharmacy. It is a powerful statement as government and payers wrestle with health reform, and the future role of pharmacy hangs in the balance.

This effort by pharmacy leaders to enlist patients in their ongoing drive for recognition and respect is a key part of the effort to influence policy.