Building marketing clout

Created in September 2009 with the merger of Phoenix-based United Drugs and Scottsboro, Ala.-based Associated Pharmacies, AAP remains a member-owned cooperative and buying group offering independent operators the negotiating power of a national pharmacy network “working together like a chain.”

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Last year, marketing director Emily Marino said, the cooperative “focused on three main initiatives that would align our members’ goals with that of the industry.”



To that end, AAP beefed up its Quality Center, an online resource for members that analyzes claims against Medicare’s Star ratings criteria and provides pharmacies with a daily activity list to improve adherence and medication safety scores.



“To ensure our pharmacies stay ahead of the curve, we designed tools and programs, such as the Quality Center, that help our pharmacies continue to provide superior quality service and participate effectively in these pay-for-performance programs,” said Rob McMahan, president of AAP’s United Drugs division.



In 2014, AAP also launched a major campaign to help its members gain entry into specialty medicines. “AAP launched AAP Specialty in 2014 for our pharmacies to be trained in-house and given the tools they need to become a specialty pharmacy,” Marino said.



The new specialty unit “provides a centralized hub service for our member pharmacies, and manages the clinical, financial, prior authorization, data aggregation, medication safety and adherence services,” Marino said.



AAP’s third major initiative has been “focused on enhancing our member-owned warehouse capabilities,” Marino told DSN. “In 2014, AAP developed a more streamlined process by installing automation equipment located in our Memphis distribution center,” she said. “This allows the API warehouse to continue providing next-day delivery at the best prices for our members.”