Content about healthcare

May 6, 2013
NACDS chairman Bob Narveson: Pharmacist counseling best at improving adherence

There is no substitute for the face-to-face counsel of the pharmacist in improving patient adherence — and he’s got the data to prove it. That’s the message Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson had for DSNTV in part two of a frank and broad-ranging interview about the state of the industry, the role community pharmacy can play in healthcare reform and the results of an exciting new study that validates the role companies like his can play to innovate patient care, improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

FARGO, N.D. — There is no substitute for the face-to-face counsel of the pharmacist in improving patient adherence — and he’s got the data to prove it. That’s the message Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson had for DSNTV in part two of a frank and broad-ranging interview about the state of the industry, the role community pharmacy can play in healthcare reform and the results of an exciting new study that validates the role companies like his can play to innovate patient care, improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs.

May 2, 2013
The six shades of the healthcare consumer

Courtesy of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, DSN presents excerpts from the report, “The U.S. Health Care Market: A Strategic View for Consumer Segmentation.”

Since 2008, the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions has surveyed consumers to asses their views about their own health and how they navigate the healthcare system. The result has been a consumer behavioral and attitudinal segmentation study that it has updated ever since.

Courtesy of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, DSN presents excerpts from the report, “The U.S. Health Care Market: A Strategic View for Consumer Segmentation.”

April 16, 2013
Bob Narveson on pharmacy’s role in health care

This is going to be a big year for community pharmacy, said Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson, as the nation reaches full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014. “But to be successful, we are going to have to maintain access to those patients,” Narveson told DSNTV last month in a frank and broad-ranging discussion about the state of the industry, the role community pharmacy can play in healthcare reform, and how NACDS member companies like his own are innovating patient care, driving improved outcomes and lowering costs.

FARGO, N.D. — This is going to be a big year for community pharmacy, said Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson, as the nation reaches full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014.

March 20, 2013
Pharmacy interoperability and emerging care models: Conversations from HIMSS13

One major theme resonating across the show floor at HIMSS13 was the importance of interoperability within healthcare ecosystems. Emdeon's Lathe Bigler discusses how interoperability in the pharmacy space has been centered on advances in e-prescribing and clinical messaging.

In early March, more than 30,000 healthcare industry participants swarmed upon New Orleans for the annual HIMSS conference. In the words of keynote speaker James Carville, this is the Super Bowl of conventions. Most attendees arrived on Sunday to discover a water outage warning. Even when the water pressure returned to normal, the message was clear — do not drink it! On Monday morning, there was not a latte to be found in the entire city. We were roughing it…

February 25, 2013
Dart and science

“The only real valuable thing is intuition,” said Albert Einstein. Within the consumer healthcare industry, nowhere is that more true than in the realm of brand management.

“The only real valuable thing is intuition,” said Albert Einstein. Within the consumer healthcare industry, nowhere is that more true than in the realm of brand management.

Ironically, Einstein also said “if we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”

February 19, 2013
Medication therapy management contribution to improved outcomes and cost savings in health care

By now we are all well aware of the healthcare IT transformation taking place across the nation. This transformation is expected to continue for the foreseeable future with further implementation of Meaningful Use and the expansion of state Medicaid programs in 2014 as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requirements. Providing clinical services through the coordination of care among a variety of providers in the healthcare space will continue to be a focal point in the future of healthcare as well. For example, we will likely see more elaborate collaborative care models through the expansion of accountable care organizations, patient centered medical home efforts, and the development of health insurance exchanges in one form or another.

By now we are all well aware of the healthcare IT transformation taking place across the nation. This transformation is expected to continue for the foreseeable future with further implementation of Meaningful Use and the expansion of state Medicaid programs in 2014 as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requirements. Providing clinical services through the coordination of care among a variety of providers in the healthcare space will continue to be a focal point in the future of healthcare as well.

February 5, 2013
Billions at stake in CMS’ pay-for-performance rankings

Money is a powerful motivator. Look no further than the sports world for validation. The PGA’s FedEx Cup encourages golfers to earn “points” towards participation in playoffs that offer a big season-ending payoff. Tennis has a similar format with the U.S. Open Series where performance in a series of events equates to a huge prize purse. Both instances use hefty prize money to help ensure the top performers participate and at high levels. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have applied this sports theory to its rankings system of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) plans. And there’s billions of dollars up-for-grabs for healthcare plans.

Money is a powerful motivator. Look no further than the sports world for validation. The PGA’s FedEx Cup encourages golfers to earn “points” towards participation in playoffs that offer a big season-ending payoff. Tennis has a similar format with the U.S. Open Series where performance in a series of events equates to a huge prize purse. Both instances use hefty prize money to help ensure the top performers participate and at high levels.

January 31, 2013
Walgreens talks scope of new WellTransitions program

Hospitals need retail pharmacy if they're going to reduce re-admissions, eliminate unnecessary healthcare costs and avoid penalties from Medicare for patient re-admission rates that are too high, under a new law that took effect Oct. 1. With that in mind, Walgreens created WellTransitions.

Audio Q&A: Drug Store News sat down with Joel Wright, Walgreens VP health systems operations, to talk about the company's WellTransitions program. Hospitals need retail pharmacy if they're going to reduce re-admissions, eliminate unnecessary healthcare costs and avoid penalties from Medicare for patient re-admission rates that are too high, under a new law that took effect Oct. 1. With that in mind, Walgreens created WellTransitions.

December 27, 2012
Health reform's impact on pharmacy

One week following the re-election of President Barack Obama, DSN spoke with Mike Cantrell, president of AmerisourceBergen's Good Neighbor Pharmacy, on the impact — and opportunity — healthcare reform holds for community pharmacies.

AUIDIO Q&A: DSN spoke with Mike Cantrell, president of AmerisourceBergen's Good Neighbor Pharmacy, one week following the re-election of President Barack Obama about the impact — and opportunity — healthcare reform holds for community pharmacies.

Smartphone users can access the mp3 file here.

October 9, 2012
CVS Caremark Annual Report 2012

With healthcare reform on track to bring 32 million more Americans into the healthcare system in 2014, and with payers and patients looking for solutions to curb costs as the nation battles a shortage of primary care physicians and access to quality care, CVS Caremark’s role in reinventing pharmacy through its distinctive business model couldn’t be more imperative than it is today.

With healthcare reform on track to bring 32 million more Americans into the healthcare system in 2014, and with payers and patients looking for solutions to curb costs as the nation battles a shortage of primary care physicians and access to quality care, CVS Caremark’s role in reinventing pharmacy through its distinctive business model couldn’t be more imperative than it is today.

 

September 27, 2012
Predictive analytics' role in health care

DSN caught up with Dave Dimas — program director of engineering, sciences and information technology at the University of California, Irvine Extension — to discuss the role predictive analytics can play in health care, as well as a new certificate program on how to best translate that consumer data into action plans.

AUDIO Q&A: With the number of loyalty cards collecting reams of consumer data these days, the ability to crunch that data into meaningful insights will become more valuable.

September 21, 2012
'Life…Supplemented' launches resource app

DSN sat down with Judy Blatman, SVP communications for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, to get the details on the launch of the organization's "Life…Supplemented" resource app for iPhones and iPads.

AUDIO Q&A: DSN sat down with Judy Blatman, SVP communications for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, to get the details on the launch of the organization's "Life…Supplemented" resource app for iPhones and iPads.

September 21, 2012
Getting to know millennials

DSN sat down with Jeff Weidauer, Vestcom International VP marketing and strategy, for some insights on who the millennial is, and when it comes to shopping, what her expectations are.

AUDIO Q&A: The millennials now are the demographic with accretive buying power and they are forcing marketers to rethink how to promote brands. DSN sat down with Jeff Weidauer, Vestcom International VP marketing and strategy, for some insights on who the millennial is, and when it comes to shopping, what her expectations are.

August 27, 2012
Point-of-care perspective

AccentHealth’s Andrew Schulman, VP marketing, recently sat down with DSN to talk about a new regular DSN feature debuting in this issue called “Patient Views,” and how this series of surveys can help inform pharmacy operators and healthcare suppliers alike.

AUDIO Q&A: AccentHealth’s Andrew Schulman, VP marketing, sat down with DSN to talk about a new regular DSN feature debuting in this issue called “Patient Views,” and how this series of surveys can help inform pharmacy operators and healthcare suppliers alike.

August 17, 2012
Annual Disease State Report 2012

As the debate over healthcare reform in the United States rages — sometimes palpably so — a new report from healthcare market research firm IMS Health indicated that a major shift in drug-spending trends is under way between developed countries like the United States and developing countries.

As the debate over healthcare reform in the United States rages — sometimes palpably so — a new report from healthcare market research firm IMS Health indicated that a major shift in drug-spending trends is under way between developed countries like the United States and developing countries.

Click below to download the complete Annual Disease State Report.

April 25, 2012
Careers in Pharmacy 2012

Careers in Pharmacy prepares students and prospective students for a career in pharmacy with articles on the latest career options, how to prepare for a pharmacy career, pharmacy practice in the new healthcare system and a list of U.S. pharmacy colleges, as well as profiles of day-to-day responsibilities of pharmacists in different sectors of the pharmacy industry.

Careers in Pharmacy prepares students and prospective students for a career in pharmacy with articles on the latest career options, how to prepare for a pharmacy career, pharmacy practice in the new healthcare system and a list of U.S. pharmacy colleges, as well as profiles of day-to-day responsibilities of pharmacists in different sectors of the pharmacy industry.

March 21, 2012
Connecting Walgreens with providers

Earlier this month, Walgreens announced that immunization records would be sent directly from its more than 7,800 Walgreens and Duane Reade stores and 350 Take Care Clinics to primary care providers over Surescripts’ electronic prescribing network using Surescripts’ Clinical Interoperability services. And later this year, the company plans to share immunization data with local and state public health agencies, and share Take Care Clinic patient summaries with primary care providers. Drug Store News recently had the opportunity to speak with Surescripts president and CEO Harry Totonis about the new service.

AUDIO Q&A: DSN spoke with Harry Totonis, Surescripts president and CEO, about its new services. Earlier this month, Walgreens announced that immunization records would be sent directly from its more than 7,800 Walgreens and Duane Reade stores and 350 Take Care Clinics to primary care providers over Surescripts’ electronic prescribing network using Surescripts’ Clinical Interoperability services.

March 19, 2012
DSN Pharmacy Technology Report

DSN's Pharmacy Technology Report takes a look at the hottest technology in the health-and-wellness space and where investors are looking to take health IT in the future. Also included is DSN's exclusive roundtable discussion with leading pharmacy retailers and executives from leading and emerging healthcare technology companies, which included new technologies to improve compliance, self-care and pharmacist-patient interactions.

DSN's Pharmacy Technology Report takes a look at the hottest technology in the health-and-wellness space and where investors are looking to take health IT in the future. Also included is DSN's exclusive roundtable discussion with leading pharmacy retailers and executives from leading and emerging healthcare technology companies, which included new technologies to improve compliance, self-care and pharmacist-patient interactions.

March 6, 2012
CHPA talks 'game change'

"Game change." That's the theme leading up to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association's 2012 Annual Executive Conference given the shifts in consumer demand and legislative focus. DSN caught up with CHPA's president and CEO Scott Melville before the meeting to get a sense of where the business of consumer healthcare products stands today, and what the association is working toward tomorrow.

AUDIO Q&A: "Game change." That's the theme leading up to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association's 2012 Annual Executive Conference given the shifts in consumer demand and legislative focus. DSN caught up with CHPA's president and CEO Scott Melville before the meeting to get a sense of where the business of consumer healthcare products stands today, and what the association is working toward tomorrow.

December 8, 2011
Walmart Annual Report 2011

Walmart's purpose — embodied by the company’s “save money, live better” value proposition — has become a more powerful force, motivating Walmart’s health-and-wellness strategies. And the retailer is much more broadly thinking about its potential role in an evolving healthcare delivery system, where cost promises to be the dominant consideration for decades to come and nutrition will play a great role.

Click below to download the full Walmart Annual Report.

October 11, 2011
CVS Caremark 2011 Annual Report

CVS Caremark has grown from a go-getting New England-based regional player to a nearly $100 billion pharmacy healthcare giant known for its vertically integrated pharmacy-PBM model via the 2007 acquisition of Caremark, its highly successful loyalty card program and its innovative beauty concepts. Now, the industry trailblazer embarks on a new chapter with a new leader and an eye on driving medication adherence, curbing healthcare costs and improving the health outcomes of its patients.

Over the years, CVS Caremark has grown from a go-getting New England-based regional player to a nearly $100 billion pharmacy healthcare giant known for its vertically integrated pharmacy-PBM model via the 2007 acquisition of Caremark, its highly successful loyalty card program and its innovative beauty concepts.

May 22, 2013
McKesson receives top award from nonprofit for promoting employee health

McKesson Corp. announced that it received Platinum certification in the 2013 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award presented by the National Business Group on Health.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson Corp. today announced that it received Platinum certification in the 2013 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award presented by the National Business Group on Health. McKesson was recognized for its ongoing commitment and dedication to promoting a healthy workplace and encouraging employees and families to pursue and maintain healthy lifestyles.

May 21, 2013
iHealth Lab adds new products and partners to mobile personal healthcare offering

iHealth Lab Inc., today announced the release of two new fitness products to its existing lineup of wireless blood-pressure monitors and scales: the Wireless Pulse Oximeter and the Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker. The company also announced new partnerships with two health and fitness communities, MyFitnessPal and RunKeeper.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — iHealth Lab Inc., today announced the release of two new fitness products to its existing lineup of wireless blood-pressure monitors and scales: the Wireless Pulse Oximeter and the Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker. The company also announced new partnerships with two health and fitness communities, MyFitnessPal and RunKeeper.

May 21, 2013
NACDS submits statements for Senate, House hearings advocating Medicare enhancements

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has announced that, in written statements submitted for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives committee hearings this week, it noted the essential role of community pharmacy in the success of the 10-year-old Medicare Part D prescription drug program and urged program enhancements focused on the quality and affordability of care.



ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has announced that, in written statements submitted for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives committee hearings this week, it noted the essential role of community pharmacy in the success of the 10-year-old Medicare Part D prescription drug program and urged program enhancements focused on the quality and affordability of care.



May 21, 2013
RxAlly white paper touts 'personalized pharmacist care'

The prevalence of chronic diseases, increased demand for patient care and failure of many patients to take their medications as prescribed calls for an increased role in the healthcare system for pharmacists, according to a national organization of pharmacies.

LEESBURG, Va. — The prevalence of chronic diseases, increased demand for patient care and failure of many patients to take their medications as prescribed calls for an increased role in the healthcare system for pharmacists, according to a national organization of pharmacies.