ThoughtSpot 2015 offers plethora of opportunities for independent pharmacists
LAS VEGAS — There aren’t many places an independent pharmacist can gain access to more than 300 vendors, as many as 60 hours of continuing education and the kind of new pharmacy tools and services that will not only help independent community pharmacists stay in the game, but may help them improve on that game by a notch or two.
But that’s exactly what AmerisourceBergen had on its show card for the 5,000 attendees at ThoughtSpot 2015, held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.
“This is our largest gathering of customers who really interact daily and directly affect patients’ lives,” said Steve Collis, president and CEO of AmerisourceBergen. “[Good Neighbor Pharmacy] is a bedrock constituency within AmerisourceBergen. Our company would not be where it is today without the strong collaboration we’ve had with our independent pharmacy customers over the decades that we’ve worked with you,” he said. “The decisions we’re making as a company are always mindful of the impact they have on you and also the tens of thousands of other stakeholders that we serve.”
And that includes Walgreens Boots Alliance, Collis said. “The deal with Walgreens Boots Alliance has resulted in an expanded network, more scalable logistics and stronger financial performance, which has allowed us to take a big leap forward as a company. … There’s never been a time that AmerisourceBergen has had a more substantial platform,” he added. “We have a long-range vision for AmerisourceBergen and empowering Good Neighbor Pharmacy members with access to the products and solutions you all need is very much a part of that vision. …”
“We’ll do that by recapturing the sense of individualized service you’ve asked us for, while leveraging our technology and infrastructure investments with greater effectiveness. We’ll do that by staying as connected to you and as transparent to you in the development of new tools that improve the way you care for your patients. And finally, we’ll do that by continuing to grow AmerisourceBergen into a global leader of pharmaceutical services because the stronger we are as an individual company, the stronger a partner we can be for you.”
Bob Mauch later addressed ThoughtSpot 2015 participants for the first time as president of AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. and explained his own personal connection to retail pharmacy. “Growing up, I was immersed in independent community pharmacy,” he said. His father was a pharmacist; both himself and his sister became pharmacists; and he later married a pharmacist. “It’s important for you to know that independent community pharmacy is in my blood, literally,” he said. “I’ve lived your challenges. I feel the sense of urgency that you feel every single day.”
Mauch identified three primary directives that AmerisourceBergen is incorporating into its programs to the benefit of Good Neighbor Pharmacy: putting the patient first, providing the appropriate economic value and becoming more strategically relevant. “That’s what Good Neighbor Pharmacy is all about. We want to be your partner. We want to help you grow a healthy business,” he said.
At the end of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy convention, independent owners certainly had plenty to pack into their pharmacy toolbags for the trip home. First and foremost, AmerisourceBergen introduced the renamed Elevate Provider Network, which will support independent pharmacies in their efforts to improve profitability through enhanced patient care, better business practices and by leveraging centralized data to support reimbursement discussions with payers. As part of that new network, AmerisourceBergen introduced its Patient Engagement Center powered by PrescribeWellness that helps identify nonadherent patients, AmerisourceBergen opened access to pre- and post-claims editing services through Emdeon and launched a new mobile app that will notify pharmacists of information they need to manage their business at the touch of a finger, such as the next day’s bank deposits and a six-month trending view of their performance in the four highly-rated CMS Star clinical measures. AmerisourceBergen also introduced an expansion of its central pay capabilities with the addition of claim reconciliation services powered by FDS, which enables pharmacists to monitor their receivables balance.
There were also a significant number of continuing education classes made available to ThoughtSpot attendees, many of which were so well-attended they were standing room only.
The CE sessions of greatest importance to Good Neighbor Pharmacy pharmacists, judging by attendance, were:
“The Evolution of STAR Ratings,” which supplied updates on the performance model, a review of proposed changes and valuable insights to help attendees navigate STAR ratings toward a more profitable future;
“National Initiatives to Advance Pharmacists’ Patient Care Services” offered attendees information on the latest national provider status efforts, health information technology activities and the recently adopted pharmacist’s patient care process; and
“The Best Defense is a Good Offense,” which emphasized the important role front-end can play in a successful pharmacy operation.
Along with the plethora of networking opportunities, pharmacy toolbox offerings and CE sessions, ThoughtSpot attendees were treated to a keynote address from Mike Rowe, principal of CNN’s “Somebody’s Gotta Do It.” And AmerisourceBergen closed the show on a high note with a performance by Pat Monahan, the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum-selling lead singer of Train.
ThoughtSpot 2016 will return to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas next year from July 27 to 30.