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Chris Lanctot, Cardinal Health senior vice president of retail independent sales, and RBC host Eva Saha welcome pharmacists to the event.
“Independent pharmacists are trusted health care providers who fulfill a critical need in their communities,” said Chris Lanctot, senior vice president of retail independent sales at Cardinal Health. “Their steadfast passion and commitment to patient care and community wellness are truly remarkable.”
Last week, Cardinal Health hosted the 30th annual Retail Business Conference (RBC), celebrating these pharmacists for the work they do every day. Thousands of pharmacists attended the event, coming from all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
“RBC is a tremendous opportunity for us to engage with our retail independent customers and provide them with opportunities to learn from industry experts, network with one another, and see first-hand the solutions that will help them grow their businesses,” Lanctot said. “Just as important, RBC also provides us with an opportunity to hear from our customers and learn how we can best support their pharmacies.”
Adetoro Oriaifo, director of pharmacy at Total Health Care Community Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland, attended RBC for the first time this year. “One of the things I value about working with Cardinal Health is that they are truly partners with community pharmacies,” she said. “RBC has been an opportunity to see all the different types of services they offer to help us improve our services and better care for our patients.”
Two of our independent pharmacy customers were highlighted in videos shown at RBC. Milo Wells, owner of Wells Hometown Drug in Bloomfield, Iowa, and Keosauqua, Iowa, shared how Cardinal Health solutions helped him to expand the health care services his pharmacies offer. Thanks to these solutions, “we’re able to compete with larger chain pharmacies,” he said.
John “JJ” Bernabei, owner of Tristate Pharmacy in Weirton, West Virginia, talked about the Cardinal Health Pharmacy Marketing Advantage Commerce, a cloud-based solution that integrates with his existing website, and allows him to exponentially expand his over-the-counter product offerings. “Patients want to order things online from people they know,” he said.
Below are additional highlights of last week’s RBC.
Cardinal Health’s Community Leadership Award
Each year at RBC, Cardinal Health presents its Community Leadership Award to a pharmacist who demonstrates outstanding commitment to promoting the principles of community pharmacy. The winner is selected based on community leadership and involvement, the ability to inspire others, and a willingness to go above and beyond to make the community better.
This year, Cardinal Health presented the award to Kisha Christian, PharmD, founder and owner Neighborhood Pharmacy in Frederiksted, St. Croix. Christian and her team provide free medication delivery to patients on St. Croix, and offer drive-through order and pickup services, free blood pressure screenings and diabetes education classes. In addition, they regularly collaborate with community partners, charities, and government agencies to help at-risk populations on the islands.
Neighborhood Pharmacy is the only pharmacy on St. Croix that offers COVID-19 vaccines; throughout the pandemic, they have held off-site vaccine clinics at large retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, churches, and seniors’ residences.
As part of this award, Cardinal Health will donate $10,000 in Christian’s name to the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy.
Supporting the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation
As a tribute to Jeff Harrell, owner of Peninsula Pharmacies in Washington state, and his family, RBC attendees made donations to support the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation. The Harrells lost their daughter to diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a cancer that affects children almost exclusively. The ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation funds DIPG research, which is guided by a scientific advisory council made up of some of the leading experts in the field. Pharmacists and Cardinal Health employees donated nearly $32,000 to the organization.
Partnering to help feed the hungry
The Cardinal Health Foundation joined forces with United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) to host a three-day volunteer event on the RBC showroom floor, so that pharmacists, their families, and our employees could pack up food for the hungry. Collectively, volunteers packed 3,000 food kits, each with 15 food items; UWSN donated the kits to multiple nonprofit organizations to hand out to those in need in the region.
Looking ahead
“As the health care landscape changes, Cardinal Health will continue to develop innovative solutions to help retail independent pharmacies enhance their operations and grow their revenue,” Lanctot said. “Many of our newest solutions were showcased at RBC and embraced by customers to help them meet evolving consumer expectations and provide the level of care their patients have come to expect.”
Larry Schieber, owner of Schieber Family Pharmacy in Circleville, Ohio, and a long-time customer of Cardinal Health, added, “I’ve learned so much this year about new technology solutions and patient care opportunities that I may be able to incorporate into my business. It was a great event.”