Pharmacy Technology

NEW YORK No matter how this season breaks out — in terms of numbers of people who become sick with the cold or flu, or in terms of how severe their symptoms may be — there is one sure thing: People know about the flu vaccine. And through this government Web site, they can find out where to get that vaccine if they are so inclined.

What kind of an impact can you make in 30 seconds or even two minutes?

For Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson, 30 seconds was plenty of time.

NEW YORK CVS Caremark's opening of its 7,000th store is important as it is yet another indication of the retailer's strong management, efficient execution and its ability to understand and meet the needs of its shoppers.

Serving more than 4 million customers per day, the $87 billion powerhouse has proven over the years that it is a well-oiled machine. Today, it is aggressively taking an active role on the front lines of healthcare by leveraging its PBM business and MinuteClinics.

NEW YORK Want to reach and effectively communicate with today’s diabetics? Then communicate with them through the news medium they turn to in favor of the nightly evening news, or even the morning paper that their grandparents turned to for information — the Internet.

NEW YORK The health information technology revolution is sweeping beyond urban centers and into the heartland.

Newest case in point: Harris Teeter, whose tagline is “Your Neighborhood Food Market,” and whose reach is deep in the South and Mid-Atlantic regions. The 188-store chain has adopted sophisticated electronic health record technology in 118 in-store pharmacies, giving both its customer-patients and its pharmacists a real-time, easily accessed information platform with which to make more informed health decisions.

The news that Walgreens has reached an agreement with Caterpillar to help the company curb healthcare costs for its 70,000 employees, retirees and eligible dependents is one more indicator that the private sector cannot wait for healthcare reform and that pharmacy retailers are taking a greater role on the front lines of health care.

As explained in the article, Walgreens, through its Pharmacy Management Excellence program, will make transparent the prescription drug-pricing model, in turn, eliminating unnecessary and hidden costs for Caterpillar.