23 minute read
WOMEN IN THE NEWS
from DSN-1222
by ensembleiq
Health Care for All
Alethia Jackson puts sustainability and health equity front and center at Walgreens By Hannah Esper
In October, Alethia Jackson was named Walgreens Boots Alliance’s senior vice president, ESG (environmental, social and governance) and chief DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) officer for the U.S. Joining Walgreens in 2011, Jackson most recently served as vice president, federal government relations for the company.
Drug Store News talked with Jackson about what’s to come in her new role. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Drug Store News: Why has sustainability become top of mind for Walgreens and what initiatives do you plan to pursue in this area? Will you seek any partnerships to make headway in this area?
Alethia Jackson: Sustainability has become top of mind for Walgreens because we know that human activities cause climate change, which negatively impacts human health. All companies must do their part to safeguard a healthy planet, which is particularly important for us as a healthcare company.
There are several priorities I am excited about pursuing that center sustainability, and we undoubtedly cannot pursue them without our partners. I’ll start with these three priorities: Health Equity, Environmental Justice and Supplier Diversity.
Health Equity
With our large footprint in communities in every corner of the country, we have a unique ability to reach people where they are, which is what we did with the Vaccine Equity clinic. Globally, we need to apply that same sense of urgency from vaccine equity to health equity because it is crucial. It has always been critical. People are dying every day, and that is why we’re going to underserved communities to provide them with the treatments and care they need so we can knock down access barriers and affordability issues.
We’re also addressing health equity through our 8+-year partnership with Vitamin Angels. This partnership has helped over 350 million women and children access essential health care by providing vitamins and minerals to fight against malnutrition worldwide.
— Alethia Jackson Environmental Justice
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Black, Hispanic and Indigenous communities and amplified how systemic racism has led to health disparities in communities of color. Relatedly, climate change has also disproportionately impacted socially vulnerable populations in the United States. One of the reasons is the lack of access to clean water, proximity to environmental hazards, and lack of green space in urban areas. Those things take a significant toll on health, and as one of our partners likes to say, “You can’t have healthy people on a sick planet.”
Through our global, enterprise-wide climate target, we pledged to reduce our absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by the end of fiscal 2030, compared with a 2019 baseline.
With nearly 9,000 retail pharmacy locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, we’re investing heavily in energy efficiency projects and energy management systems for Walgreens. We’re making good progress. In 2021, we cut carbon emissions by 14.9% — improving on an 8.3% reduction the previous year.
Supplier Diversity
At Walgreens, our mission is to thread diversity into everything we do. When our shelves reflect our local communities, it benefits everyone, providing customers with access to a broader selection of products and services while expanding our network of diverse suppliers. Last year, our textured hair care business grew 14% year to date versus the prior year, and this year, we are introducing even more textured hair care brands. In fiscal year 2021, we spent more than $520 million with diverse suppliers, including Mielle Organics, Black Girl Sunscreen and Lorenzo’s Frozen Pudding.
DSN: Why is it important for WBA to have a chief officer dedicated to DEI?
AJ: Diversity, equity and inclusion are in our DNA and reflect our mission. At WBA, we know that diverse teams improve our performance, drive our growth and enhance engagement among ourselves and our customers, suppliers and the communities we serve. I am here to help WBA maintain a healthy and inclusive workplace and reimagine health care and well-being for all.
DSN: How do you advocate for healthcare inclusivity and foster women’s leadership?
AJ: Before my new role, I served as Walgreens vice president, federal government relations and chair of its task force to deliver COVID-19 vaccine equity. We knew our pharmacists would be at the center of helping the world fight the pandemic. We rapidly implemented a vaccine equity taskforce in the U.S., which held more than 1,200 vaccine events in medically underserved locations. We set up mobile vaccination clinics in 18 cities across the U.S. and have also installed programs to combat
TO: ME, WITH LOVE
Treat yourself to feeling your best.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
pediatric asthma and Type 2 diabetes in the most vulnerable communities in Chicago.
As chair, I led efforts to provide education and information via Walgreens pharmacists alongside organizations like the League of United Latin American Citizens, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Faith for Black Lives, local National Urban League chapters and more than 600 different churches, community groups and elected officials.
As captured in a recent study, COVID19 vaccine hesitancy among communities of color has dropped since the start of efforts like the Walgreens Vaccine Equity Initiative in December 2020.
I consider it my purpose to champion women inside and outside of WBA, whether through increasing the representation of women in leadership at WBA or as a mentor to young women. As an active member of the Women of WBA Business Resource Group leadership team, I led efforts supporting its objective to drive and inspire inclusivity, advancement and development opportunities for women.
Women need to see themselves in leadership roles. I’ve benefited by having women mentors who served in leadership roles in Washington, as well as having male allies. We need more women leaders because women are consensus builders, insightful and have the ability to truly see the outliers.
DSN: What’s the most important advice for others seeking to promote inclusivity and diversity?
AJ: I believe that everyone should be heard. Whether you’re a leader or a contributor, I recommend connecting with people from all different walks of life to understand their perspectives, needs, ambitions and desires. I believe diverse perspectives help make for better collective ideas and a solution-driven approach.
DSN: As the year draws to an end, if you could make one wish for 2023, what would it be?
AJ: I wish for access to health care for all. Every year, millions of U.S. adults skip a medical visit, test, treatment, follow-up or prescription fill because of cost. At WBA, we’re committed to championing all patients’ health and becoming the leading partner in reimagining local health care and well-being by making health care more accessible and affordable. dsn
Say hello to OLLY: Sales@OLLY.com
Supermarket chain takes patient care and pharmacy services to new heights during critical time for retail pharmacy
2022
OF THE YEAR
BY SANDRA LEVY
From offering point-of-care testing to offering a specialty medicine platform for mental health, Albertsons Companies, which operates 2,272 retail food and drug stores with 1,722 pharmacies, has emerged as a frontrunner during one of the most challenging times for pharmacies.
The Boise, Idaho-based company’s banner stores include Safeway, Albertsons, Acme, Vons, Pavilions, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Tom Thumb and United Supermarkets.
Albertsons’ focus on providing patient-centric, integrated healthcare services and its strategic partnerships aimed at eliminating healthcare accessibility barriers and improving outcomes are among the reasons Albertsons has been named the 2022 Drug Store News Pharmacy Innovator of the Year.
2022
OF THE YEAR
One of the company’s strengths, according to Omer Gajial, chief digital officer and executive vice president of health, is its frontline associates and their deep commitment to the health and well-being of the customers and communities that Albertsons serve.
One just has to take a close look at how Albertsons’ pharmacists and technicians stepped up in the unchartered waters of the COVID-19 pandemic to see this commitment. “They were on the front lines at more than 1,700 pharmacy locations providing essential and lifesaving healthcare services,” Gajial said, noting that the company’s pharmacists have administered nearly 16 million COVID-19 immunizations to patients across the country.
“During the pandemic, we were able to demonstrate our deep commitment to taking care of neighbors and communities,” added Tony DalPonte, general vice president of pharmacy. “We saw what our patients needed and responded with timely and effective solutions.”
In addition to providing access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, in many cities, Albertsons began offering pharmacy delivery to customers. “We also continued to expand affordable access to healthier meals by accepting supplemental benefits that can be used to purchase fresh produce and wellness products at our stores,” DalPonte said.
Pointing out that the pandemic accelerated technological improvements from a customer and staff experience perspective, DalPonte said, “We began building digital solutions for customers to access healthcare services during the pandemic. In this post-pandemic environment, we are continuing to invest in technology and patient services while expanding and improving our customer experience to provide quality patient-centric, integrated health care to our communities.”
Albertsons’ digital solutions include launching a new digital platform this year, which enables pharmacy customers to refill, transfer and manage their prescriptions from its unified mobile grocery app. Customers also can pay and get their prescriptions delivered through the digital platform.
Additionally, Albertsons created a scheduling tool that makes it easier for patients to book appointments and receive COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, as well as vaccines for flu, pneumonia, tetanus and shingles.
“To date, 40% of COVID-19 vaccines have been scheduled using the scheduler, which reduces customer wait and paper waste and creates more time for our frontline staff to offer care solutions,” said Srisankar Kunniyur, vice president of product management, pharmacy and health.
Customers also can book appointments for up to five immunizations together using the online scheduler, which also sorts and recommends vaccines that are relevant by age. In the scheduler patients may request to pick up home antigen COVID-19 tests as part of their vaccine appointment.
“We know that individuals and families have busy lives and are sometimes juggling many roles and responsibilities, so we doubled-down on our efforts to develop convenient, customer-centric online web and app experiences that seamlessly integrates our pharmacy offerings into our grocery app, making it easy and more convenient for our patients to schedule vaccinations, COVID-19 tests and medication refills, as well as prescription transfers,” said Francisco Bram, vice president of marketing health, pharmacy and nutrition. “This eliminates the need for customers to manage two separate apps while engaging with our stores and pharmacies.”
The new digital experience enables customers to access their prescription medication history, enroll in automatic refills and schedule reminders for when to take their medicine and access medication-specific information such as medication guides and drug interactions. “To encourage customers to stay protected and up to date with their health needs while alleviating some of the burden of rising food prices, we began offering rewards that can be redeemed both digitally and in store,” Bram said.
Additionally, for every immunization received at an Albertsons pharmacy, recipients receive 10% off a future grocery purchase, with up to $20 off, and access to a free digital vaccine record. In many states,
embecta, formerly part of BD #1 Selling pen needles just got even better.1,2*
Patient-preferred BD Nano™ 2nd Gen Pen Needles2*
4 mm x 32G BD Nano™ 2nd Gen Pen Needles NDC/HRI #: 08290-3205-50
Patented features include:2,3
Wider outer cover easier to attach to pen device
Larger, green, inner needle shield easier to grip and remove before an injection
Contoured needle base provides greater comfort and compensates for injection force variability, supporting more reliable subcutaneous injections
Existing proven benefits of BD Ultra-Fine™ PentaPoint™ Comfort and EasyFlow™ Technology4,5
3
BD Nano™ 2nd Gen Pen Needles NDC/HRI #: 08290-3205-50 will replace BD Nano™ Ultra-Fine™ Pen Needles NDC/HRI #: 08290-3201-22
The unique features of BD Nano™ 2nd Gen 4mm Pen Needles offer a number of potential benefits, including: • Reduction in injection pain6† • Less force required to deliver the full dose4‡ • Greater confidence that the full dose has been delivered compared to other pen needles studied4§||
Available through your preferred wholesaler today!
Compatible with widely used pen injection devices7 Covered by most health plans across Commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare Part D¶
*226 patients with diabetes on insulin treatment were studied with a 150 mm visual analog scale (mean scores of >0 mm; clinically significant difference of ≥5 mm). BD Nano™ 2nd Gen demonstrated superiority vs. BD Nano™ for overall preference.†Single-blind, randomized, control trial of 209 patients with diabetes where each completed 6 pairs of abdominal injections of 0.3 mL sterile saline in random order and utilized a 150mm visual analog scale (mean scores of >0mm; clinically significant difference of ≥5mm). BD Nano™ 2nd Gen 32Gx4mm demonstrated superiority vs each comparator group for less injection pain. [(P <0.01) (Artsana 33Gx4mm mean +17.4 mm, 95% CI, +11.3 to +23.5mm); (Artsana 34Gx3.5mm mean +17.6mm, 95% CI, +11.4 to +23.7mm); (Comfort EZ 33Gx4mm mean +9.1mm, 95% CI, +3.1 to +15.3mm); (Terumo 34Gx4mm mean +7.3mm, 95% CI, +2.2 to +12.4mm)]. ‡Single-blind, randomized, control trial of 209 patients with diabetes where each completed 6 pairs of abdominal injections of 0.3 mL sterile saline in random order and utilized a Likert Scale where ratings range from -2 to 2; positive scores reflect less thumb force for BD Nano and negative scores reflect less thumb force for the comparator pen needle. Scores of 0 indicate no difference. BD Nano™ 2nd Gen 32Gx4mm contoured hub 5-bevel extra thin wall demonstrated superiority vs each comparator group for less injection force. [(P <0.01) (Artsana 33Gx4mm mean +0.80, 95% CI, +0.62 to +0.98); (Artsana 34Gx3.5mm mean +0.98, 95% CI, +0.80 to +1.16); (Comfort EZ 33Gx4mm mean +0.31, 95% CI, +0.13 to +0.49); (Terumo 34Gx4mm mean +0.21, 95% CI, +0.07 to +0.35)]. §198 patients with diabetes were included in this prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, 2-period, crossover study to evaluate differences in confidence that the full dose of insulin was delivered between the participants’ usual pen needle (PN) and the corresponding extra-thin wall (XTW) PN. Confidence in delivering the full dose of insulin was assessed with the use of a visual analog scale (VAS). Confidence results would be considered statistically significant if the 95% CI for the mean VAS score was either positive (XTW preferred) or negative (current PN preferred). XTW PNs had statistically significantly increased confidence that the full dose was delivered by 24.4mm ([95% CI, 19.7-29.1] [P<0.001]). ||Single-blind, randomized, control trial of 154 patients with diabetes where each completed 6 pairs of abdominal injections of 0.3 mL sterile saline. Leakage was measured with a calibrated analytical scale. The occurrence of leakage from the needle tip and the injection site (measurements combined) was defined as wet weight equivalent to ≥5% of the injection volume, [equivalent to ≥0.015 g (0.015 mL)]. Leakage frequency for BD Nano™ 2nd Gen 32Gx4mm contoured hub 5-bevel extra thin wall was 0.4% vs 3-bevel posted hub (Artsana 33Gx4mm, 6.2%; P<0.001); (Artsana 34Gx3.5mm, 18.8%; P 0.026); (No significant difference vs Comfort EZ 33Gx4mm). ¶Fingertip Formulary, as of 1/27/2022.
1. IQVIA XPT Device Retail TRx Data. United States, Nov 2020- Oct 2021. 2. Whooley S, Briskin T, Gibney MA, et al. Evaluating the User Performance and Experience with a Re-Engineered 4 mm x 32G Pen Needle: A Randomized Trial with Similar Length/Gauge Needles. Diabetes Ther. 2019;10(2):697-712.3. Rini CR, Roberts BC, Morel D, Klug R, Selvage B, Pettis RJ. Evaluating the Impact of Human Factors and Pen Needle Design on Insulin Pen Injection. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019; doi: 10.1177/1932296819836987. 4. Aronson R, Gibney M, Oza K, Berube J, Kassler-Taub K, Hirsch L. Insulin pen needles: effects of extra-thin wall needle technology. Clin Ther. 2013;35(7):923-933. 5. Hirsch L, Gibney M, Berube J, Manocchio J. Impact of a modified needle tip geometry on penetration force as well as acceptability, preference, and perceived pain in subjects with diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2012;6(2):328-335. 6. Gibney M., Fitz-Patrick D., Klonoff D., Whooley S., Lu B., Yue W., Glezer S. User experiences with second-generation 32-gauge × 4 mm vs. thinner comparator pen needles: A Prospective Randomized Trial. Current Medical Research and Opinion, DOI: 0.1080/03007995.2020.1803248, 2020. 7. BD Compatibility Confirmation for Pen Needles and Pen Injector Manufacturers, Document Number: 149OTH-0004-20, Ver S, Dated 3 February 2021.
go.embecta.com/pharmacypartner
Albertsons also offers digital coupons of up to $75 off groceries to eligible customers who transfer and fill their scripts consistently with its pharmacies.
“Our long-term vision will be to expand these digital rewards to more health and wellness services, encouraging customers to manage their overall health more effectively and with ease,” Bram said.
Albertsons also has been incorporating innovative technology solutions to help support its pharmacists and staff so that they have the time they need to focus on patient care services.
“Through centralized prescription processing, we introduced additional support for our pharmacy teams,” Kunniyur said. “For example, many non-patient facing tasks, such as typing and checking prescriptions, can now be completed centrally to allow pharmacists to focus on providing high-quality care to our patients.”
Albertsons also has responded to the needs of patients with complex chronic conditions by creating a streamlined and customer-focused specialty care platform to meet the needs of its patients and provider partners. “Patients can visualize where their medication is in the specialty care process,” Gajial said.
Patients also can gain insights into prior authorization statuses and obtain co-pay and foundation assistance, and they also are connected to a care coordinator from the convenience of their phone. “Providers can access real-time patient updates on specialty care therapies as well as utilize a two-way messaging system with our care coordinators,” Gajial said.
“We understand the healthcare needs of our patients who are living with complex conditions such as cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel, migraine, mental health, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and substance abuse recovery,” said Erin Shaal, vice president of specialty pharmacy and procurement. “We offer personalized support, expert pharmaceutical care and comprehensive medical administration services and medication-specific programs to help make it easier for our patients, as well as caregivers, to manage their health.”
Albertsons delivers these prescriptions to the patient’s door, their local Albertsons pharmacy or their prescriber’s office. The company also provides proactive refill reminders, identifies adherence barriers and helps with patient-tailored adherence aids. “In addition, Albertsons helps patients navigate their insurance by providing expert advice to keep out-of-pocket costs low and coordinate financial assistance, if needed,” Shaal said.
The ability to form strategic partnerships aimed at reducing accessibility barriers is another area in which Albertsons excels, as evidenced by a recent partnership with WinnCompanies, a leader in affordable, mixed-income and market-rate housing that will bring essential services directly to more than 133,000 residents across 520 properties nationally. The collaboration will provide on-site vaccination opportunities as well as prescriptions and groceries to seniors and families.
Another prime example is a partnership in Arizona with Native American Connections, an organization based in the Southwest region that assists with multiple tribal nations and touches about 10,000 lives. “As part of the partnership, our pharmacies assist by dispensing and delivering recovery injectable medications to their inpatient recovery facilities in Phoenix. We also are reaching out to patients living in more remote areas by making it easy for them to transfer their prescriptions and establish continuity of care,” Gajial said.
Beyond these innovations, Albertsons is leading the pack when it comes to telehealth services and the company has entered several partnerships to stand out in this area.
- TONY DALPONTE, GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT OF PHARMACY, ALBERTSONS
2022
OF THE YEAR
Telehealth services include general care, chronic care, behavioral health, children’s health and more. In addition to customized treatment plans, patients can request prescriptions to be sent electronically to any of the company’s local pharmacies.
“We understand the importance and value of patient relationships with care providers and strive to build relationships with and connect our customers to local care and providers whenever possible,” Gajial said. “Our partnerships are key to helping us provide quality healthcare services and more options that fit our patients’ needs. In addition, our partnerships help us to provide access and convenience for those in the communities we serve.”
To that end, Albertsons is partnering with a prominent local health system in Washington state to offer convenient, on-demand virtual care services. Customers can connect with a nurse practitioner within minutes to discuss possible COVID19-related symptoms, general care, chronic care and behavioral health.
Additionally, Albertsons launched a telemedicine initiative this past summer in Washington state, for which people who have tested positive for COVID-19 can receive prescriptions for therapeutics.
“To operationalize this effort, we are working with one of their partners to offer prescription pickup. The goal of the effort is to bring equity to community care, specifically rural areas where in-person visits may be more challenging,” Gajial said.
If that weren’t enough, Albertsons also has two partnerships that provide substance use recovery medication administration services for telehealth providers within select communities. “Our two partners offer telehealth consults, and then they send patient referrals to our specialty care teams. We then coordinate with the patient and their insurance to have the medication covered and administered at our pharmacy,” Gajial said.
“Through one of our key partnerships, we are able to offer personalized, on-demand virtual care for our patients. It’s convenient and easy to schedule on our website. Patients can get connected to a board-certified healthcare professional in minutes without leaving their home,” Gajial said.
Albertsons recently piloted mobile vet clinics in Texas to provide exams and low-cost vaccinations for dogs and cats, and it has partnered with a pet telehealth program in California, offering customers a reduced subscription rate that includes 24/7 telehealth consultations with licensed veterinarians and monthly store credit on pet products for the first year.
Albertsons’ expansion into pet health also includes the ability for its pharmacists nationwide to fill pet prescriptions, including veterinary-grade medications, and the company offers customers a free Pet Health Savings Card for pet medications.
Additional areas in which Albertsons has expanded include mental health and substance use recovery services for patients, including long-acting injectables in a stigma-free environment.
The company also offers travel vaccinations and travel medications prior to traveling overseas, at convenient times,
2022
— ERIN SHAAL, VICE PRESIDENT OF SPECIALTY PHARMACY AND PROCUREMENT OF THE YEAR
including evenings and weekends.
It has expanded its prescriptive services in its pharmacies, depending on state allowances, to offer strep and flu treatment prescribing, naloxone, birth control prescribing, PREP/PEP services, cold sore treatment and UTI medications.
Albertsons is a standout in providing point-of-care testing for seasonal flu and diagnostics/treatment for strep throat, thyroid function, cholesterol and more. “Our pharmacy teams can assist customers with the next steps in addressing the issue and taking care of their health, including appropriate referrals to healthcare providers,” Gajial said.
Lastly, Albertsons’ pharmacists play a role in helping patients in the grocery store.
Earlier this year, the company announced that customers can now use supplemental benefits to purchase over-the-counter medications and fresh produce in its banner stores. This program provides convenient access to customers using prepaid cards funded by Medicare Advantage plans, employer incentives, healthcare providers or local governments. “Our pharmacists also are available to assist shoppers with their health and pharmacy needs by providing recommendations and consultations on OTC medications,” Gajial said.
With so many hours in a day and a goal to offer patients access to a plethora of services, training has become an essential key to Albertsons pharmacies’ operations.
The company trains its pharmacy technicians so they are able to assist pharmacists by administering vaccines, assisting in the prescription filling process, preparing for clinical consultation services and providing point-of-care testing in several states.
“They are an invaluable resource for our patients while also enabling our pharmacists to spend more time caring for patients,” Gajial said.
Trevor Ennis, vice president of human resources, pharmacy and health, said that Albertsons provides enhanced pharmacist and technician training programs to understand the day-today operations of its pharmacies but to also encourage and grow leadership and management skills.
“Our pharmacists and technicians receive immunization training and CPR training, and we are proud to provide medication administration enhanced training for our pharmacists to administer long-acting injectable therapies,” Ennis said.
Albertsons’ pharmacy intern programs help develop PharmD students while in pharmacy school. And its post-graduate residency programs help educate and train pharmacists in patient care, leadership and management, advancement of practice, teaching, education and dissemination of knowledge.
Lastly, supporting pharmacists is crucial to Albertsons’ success in enabling them to provide the full range of services to patients.
“We continue working on simplifying the workflows of our pharmacists to increase the time spent by the pharmacists on patient care and prescriptive services,” DalPonte added.
Albertsons also supports its pharmacy teams by providing clinical service guides, training and implementation information for every clinical program initiated.
“We listen to our frontline staff through roundtables and, as a result, we work to continuously make improvements at our pharmacies,” Gajial said. “We share best practices among our banner stores across the country to constantly improve our clinical practices and work environment. We empower our pharmacists to work to the top of their licensure and be recognized as an integral part of the healthcare team.”
What does the future hold for Albertsons’ pharmacies?
The company’s goals, Gajial said, include providing 50 million evidencebased nutrition recommendations to digital customers by 2024 to help them make healthier choices while shopping with Albertsons banner stores, and launching six health campaigns by 2025 to increase awareness of MyPlate Dietary Guidelines, established by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
“We recognize that Albertsons’ pharmacies play a vital and expanding role in our healthcare system and the health of our communities across the country,” Gajial said. “Our focus is to continue building a patient-centric, integrated healthcare business that unlocks convenient care, access and affordability for millions of Americans.” dsn
2022
OF THE YEAR
