Press releases

Company Partners with American Society of Consultant Pharmacies (ASCP) to Offer Retailers Training, Tools, Guidance to Help Them Serve Long Term Care Facilities

DENVER, July 22, 2010 — Delivering on its commitment to helping independent retail pharmacies diversify revenue and improve profitability, Cardinal Health today announced that it has partnered with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacies (ASCP) to offer retailers training, tools and guidance that will help them tap into one of the fastest-growing markets in health care: long term care (LTC).

The number of U.S. adults requiring nursing home or assisted living care is expected to reach 20 million by 2050¹.  According to Jay Williams, vice president of market management and product development for Cardinal Health, this fast-growing market is a great fit for independent retail pharmacists who want to expand their businesses and their health care footprint in their communities.

“Many independent pharmacists want to start serving the high-growth long term care market, but doing so requires a specialized knowledge base and skill-set,” said Williams. “That’s why we’ve partnered with ASCP – the recognized expert in geriatric pharmacotherapy – to provide our customers with the education and building blocks they need to immediately start serving the medication needs of the long term care facilities in their communities.”

Cardinal Health’s Long Term Care Specialized Care Center, officially launched this week at Cardinal Health’s Retail Business Conference in Denver, provides independent retail pharmacists with access to:

• Long Term Care Field Specialist – a knowledgeable consultant who can help pharmacists with long term care contracts and proposals, assist with marketing plan development and vendor selection and make recommendations on how to serve the LTC market.
• Discounts on ASCP’s policy and procedure manuals, which share best pharmacy practices, help ensure compliance with state guidelines and provide guidance related to medication ordering, receipt, delivery, administration, packaging, storage and disposal in a long term care setting.
• Discounts on more than 20 ASCP continuing education courses, which are designed to help pharmacists build the necessary knowledge base to understand and effectively serve the long term care market.
• Market analysis of local opportunities to serve the long term care market, complete with local prospect target lists.
• Business and marketing plan templates and customizable marketing materials, including presentations, brochures, flyers and detailed materials, all of which can help pharmacists market their services to local long term care facilities.
• Discounts on medication carts, packaging, electronic medical record systems and other infrastructure pharmacists need to target the long term care market.

At last year’s Retail Business Conference, Cardinal Health also introduced Specialized Care Centers that provided tools, training, education and marketing resources to help independent retail pharmacists target three additional fast-growing health care segments: Diabetes Care, Home Health Care and Immunizations. Hundreds of independent pharmacies have since started offering these niche services, expanding their role as community healthcare expert while also diversifying revenue beyond filling prescriptions.

Specialized Care Centers from Cardinal Health are available to all independent retail pharmacy customers; and to Medicine Shoppe International franchisees.

“Independent retail pharmacists can play a very important role in delivering personalized, quality health care to older patients in their communities,” said John Feather, executive director and CEO of ASCP. “We’re pleased to partner with Cardinal Health to help independent retail pharmacists enhance the care they provide to patients living in the growing number of long term care facilities that care for seniors, nationwide.”

About the Cardinal Health Retail Business Conference (RBC)
The Cardinal Health Retail Business Conference (RBC), held July 22 to July 26 in Denver, provides independent pharmacies and pharmacy franchise owners with the opportunity to network with and learn from thousands of their peers from across the nation while gaining new insights to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their businesses. With a 2010 conference theme of “Elevate,” Cardinal Health used the scenic backdrop of picturesque Denver to underscore its continued commitment to helping retail independent pharmacies ‘elevate’ their businesses and operate at peak performance. The annual event provides more than 5,300 attendees – including independent pharmacy owners, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other pharmacy industry professionals across the United States – with buying opportunities, continuing education sessions and programs to help improve patient care, efficiency and profitability. For more information, visit www.CardinalHealthRBC.com.

About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $96 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #17 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.