20Ways WINTER Retail 2024

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Contents

McKesson’s Assist Line Offers

Automation

Tailored to Retail Pharmacies

McKesson Pharmacy

Automation is leading the way in automating how patients get their medication, enabling faster and safer treatment.

page 13

Increase Efficiency and Save Money With SureCost

Purchasing and Inventory Software

®

Helmer’s i.C3

Advanced Information

Center — Powerful, Intuitive, Secure

SureCost is The Smarter Purchasing Solution™ that automates purchasing and inventory processes and brings your entire catalog into one dashboard.

page 15

Integrated intelligent diagnostic information, temperature data, and security features combine to optimize performance and efficiency at the touch of a finger.

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EZ Grid™ From

Health Care Logistics® Puts an End to Misaligned Blisters and Labels

Built-in locator pins ensure precise label-to-blister alignment every time you repackage tablets or batch process prescriptions.

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Strategic Purchasing and Operations Improvement

Solutions by Innovatix

Innovatix offers differentiated, high-quality group purchasing and consultative services. We help members maximize their overall financial performance by providing the resources and educational support needed to enhance the delivery of quality patient care.

page 33

Return Solutions Offers Hassle Free Rx Returns

Reduce time spent tracking credits and get credit quickly with Return Solutions’ OneCheck Select program — the fastest pharmaceutical return credit reimbursement in the industry.

Maximize Performance With PAS Supplies

A trusted name in healthcare supplies for over 100 years, our complete line of supplies is designed for you to help patients increase their medication adherence.

page 41

PharmaLink — Reverse Distribution Services

PharmaLink has been in the pharmaceutical reverse logistics business for over 20 years and has grown to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading reverse distributor companies, providing honest, transparent reporting and exemplary reliability.

page 43

PrimeRx Pharmacy Management Software

We understand the importance of independent pharmacies and the journey they are on every day to build healthier communities and provide them with the best possible care.

Color Coded Sun and Reading Glasses Program by Franklin Eyewear®

Reading glasses price tags are color coded by strength and sunglasses price tags by category. This makes it easy to keep your displays organized and makes re-ordering simple!

Close Gaps in Care and Drive Revenue With ImmsLink

Ensure compliance with STChealth’s integrated immunization reporting. Increase operational bandwidth to accelerate immunization services.

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Dispill®-USA Medication Compliance Packaging

Distributed exclusively through Cardinal Health, Dispill®-USA is a low-cost multi-dose blister packaging solution differentiating your pharmacy by providing patients with a way to ensure they are taking the right medication and dose at the right time.

page 61

Contents

DSCSA 360™

— Designed to Ensure That You Meet Upcoming Requirements and Avoid Penalties

PRS has partnered with Advasur to develop the most convenient and complete DSCSA solution at an affordable price.

page 67

Prescription for Success: Mastering Supply Diversity With Multiple Wholesalers

Contributor: Nicholas Shanos, RPh, Owner of Suburban Pharmacy, Inc.

Start Streamlining Your Pharmacy

With Modular Pole Systems From Source Communications

Modular Pole Systems™ from Source Communications can mount more equipment, free up counter space, are easy to install, and help you build and maintain customer loyalty.

Checkout Simplified.

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PUBLISHER

RXinsider, LTD

RXinsider CEO: Gregory Cianfarani, RPh

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Email sales@rxinsider.com

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Website www.RXinsider.com

NOTICE OF POLICY

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GENERAL SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

RXinsider LTD c/o 20Ways

1300 Division Road, Suite 103 West Warwick, RI 02893

20Ways Online: www.RXinsider.com/20Ways

General Information: 20Ways@RXinsider.com

Circulation: See page 5

VP & General Manager: Steve Dennison

Founded: 2003

Stock Symbol: MCK

Toll-Free Phone: (888) 606-6337

McKesson’s Assist Line Offers Automation

Tailored

to Retail Pharmacies

McKesson Pharmacy Automation is leading the way in automating how patients get their medication, enabling faster and safer treatment.

Address: 9415 Trans-Canada Highway Saint-Laurent QC H4S 1V3

Website: www.mckesson.ca/assistline

Company Background

McKesson Pharmacy Automation has long been a market leader in providing automation technology to retail pharmacies. With a reputation of providing unparalleled service — truly second to none — they lead the way on automating how patients receive medication, enabling faster and safer treatment.

How exactly do they deliver the best possible experience to pharmacies and their patients? It’s a precise mix of people, partners, and technology.

First and foremost are the people. People who understand what it’s like to count pills or have their eyes go blurry from filling seemingly endless blister cards. People who understand the ins and outs of pharmacy. Their collective goal is to make every process within a pharmacy’s operation safer, more accurate, and as efficient as possible.

Partners are the next ingredient in the mix: creative and enterprising engineering firms, best-in-class manufacturers, and premiere shipping and logistics companies.

Adding the two together results in leading-edge technology that automates the repetitive and manual tasks that most commonly lead to medication errors. BlistAssist and CountAssist are two such technologies.

Product Overview

n BlistAssist

When the team at McKesson Pharmacy Automation observed the extent to which pharmacists and technicians struggle with the tediousness of blister packaging and how easy it is for a pill to inadvertently end up in the wrong dosing slot, they knew there was a better solution. The idea for BlistAssist was born.

BlistAssist is a unique blister card production and verification unit ideal for small to medium-sized pharmacies that manually package blister cards. Stock bottle scanning and light-guided filling ensure patients receive the right drug and dose at the right time. There’s a simplified verification process that photographs each medication added to a blister card and provides a large, clear view of each cell’s contents. The verification

images can be accessed from anywhere within the pharmacy network, allowing team members to complete verification from a computer or portable tablet, away from the distractions of a busy dispensary. The average pharmacy has seen an increase in production efficiency, a drastic reduction in the number of fill errors (due to bottle scanning and light-guided filling), and an average reduction in verification time of 70%!

n CountAssist

When it comes to vial filling, CountAssist makes counting technology more accessible than ever before. Each compact cabinet contains 18 canisters, typically loaded with the pharmacy’s fastest moving products. All cells count individually, directly into their dedicated output chute. This means that multiple cells can count in conjunction, helping to minimize pharmacy wait times during a rush. Just one CountAssist cabinet can automate 35% of a pharmacy’s oral solid prescriptions, freeing up team members to focus on other value-added activities within the dispensary.

It’s common for pharmacies to install multiple CountAssist towers as the pharmacy’s prescription volume grows. Due to its compact design, it can be used as a bay end cap or simply mounted to the wall. This technology can truly fit in any dispensary.

Testimonials

“Since installing BlistAssist, we’ve experienced a drastic reduction in the time required to produce and verify blister cards. The software provides security by guiding users through each step of the process, ensuring that cards are filled quickly and, more importantly, correctly.’’

— James Dumont, Owner

“Since CountAssist is only accessed from the front and needs minimal space, I was able to install two cabinets in my pharmacy. It’s simple to use, so it got my staff comfortable with automation. Now our counts are more accurate, and our efficiency has improved thanks to the system’s reliability.’’

— Karim Merani, Pharmacist & Owner

Ordering Information

Whether a pharmacy owner is looking for efficiency solutions during the ongoing labour shortage, or streamlined verification and traceability for producing blister cards, there’s no doubt these innovative solutions are must-have technology for today’s retail pharmacy. Get started today at www.mckesson.ca/assistline.

Increase Efficiency and Save Money With SureCost Purchasing and Inventory Software

SureCost is The Smarter Purchasing Solution™ that automates purchasing and inventory processes and brings your entire catalog into one dashboard. Without price shopping, pharmacies save 50% of the time spent on purchasing and 2-5% on cost of goods.

CEO: David Wagner

Founded: 2002

Employees: 50+

Toll-Free Phone: (888) 363-7596

Address: Conway, NH

Website: info.surecost.com/book-a-surecost-demo-rxinsider

Company Background

SureCost Founder and Chief Product Officer, Calvin Hunsicker ran his own pharmacy business before launching SureCost. He understands how frustrating it is to lose time and potential savings because of the complex pharmacy purchasing environment. Our team of professionals has over a century of pharmacy experience supporting over 5,000 pharmacy professionals across the country who manage their purchasing and inventory through SureCost.

SureCost is the smarter purchasing and inventory software that seamlessly integrates with your current pharmacy management system and brings your entire catalog into one solution. SureCost is the only solution working with a majority of secondaries and the big three. We make it easier to shop from multiple vendors through one unified interface. Say goodbye to the tiresome task of manually comparing numerous vendors — we do the heavy lifting for you.

Overview

SureCost understands the challenges faced by pharmacies today, from shrinking profit margins to the complexities of generic deflation on the cost of goods. But there’s a silver lining. SureCost is your ally in this tough landscape. With SureCost’s customizable purchasing settings, you’ll never miss a chance to optimize your procurement strategy. SureCost has already facilitated over 8.5 billion dollars in annual purchases, making a significant impact on the entire U.S. pharmaceutical drug spending. This is why SureCost exists — to empower pharmacies nationwide to save more, stay compliant, and work smarter, all with complete peace of mind.

Features & Options

n Save More: Never miss out on savings or spend more than you should with SureCost. How?

• SureCost has the largest catalog of pharmacy vendors.

• SureCost automatically generates a “potential savings” tab.

• SureCost offers customizable reporting and automation to discover other savings opportunities.

Key Features:

• Pharmacy management system integration.

• Unlimited loading of all buying groups, GPOs, vendor catalogs, and contracts.

• Customizable reports.

n Stay Compliant: Never stress about tracking vendor compliance across multiple agreements and sources with SureCost. How?

• SureCost flags price discrepancies.

• SureCost audits receipts and deliveries against provider agreements.

• SureCost ensures consistent product across all locations.

Key Features:

• Multi-vendor purchasing.

• Contract and rebate tools/reports.

• Data receiving capabilities eliminate the extra steps pharmacies go through to comply with the DSCSA.

n Work Smarter: Never spend time reconciling multiple sources using manual processes with SureCost. How?

• SureCost offers a single interface for purchasing and inventory.

• SureCost links purchase orders, invoices, deliveries, and receipts.

• SureCost delivers improved cash flow with more accurate inventory (reduce excess/overstock).

Key Features:

• Automatic and manual imports for multiple purchasing/inventory-related data.

• SureCost Mobile App remote scanning.

• Inventory is tracked through its entire life cycle; ordering, receiving, dispensing, adjustments, and transfers.

Introducing DSCSA Compliance Packages

Our packages enable EPCIS data exchange with your vendors, capture data from traceable items during receiving, reconcile discrepancies, manage quarantined items, track traceable items across transfers and returns to your primary vendor, retain six years of data, and deliver reporting around all of it.

n Why harness SureCost for DSCSA compliance?

Pharmacies without a robust and intelligent compliance solution face a higher risk of audits, fees, and fines. Stay ahead and ensure DSCSA regulatory compliance with SureCost by integrating it seamlessly into your everyday pharmacy operations.

• Further reduce risk and save time tracing your DSCSA transaction data across purchasing, receiving, primary vendor returns, and inter-company transfers.

• Flexible quarantine options keep you safe from audits and fines while keeping your team moving.

• Keep your audit risk low and keep vendors accountable by reconciling your vendor data with your inventory scanned at receiving. (Better yet, we’ll hold your data for you for six years at no extra cost!)

Contact Information

To learn more about how SureCost can support your pharmacy, contact us at info.surecost.com/book-a-surecost-demo-rxinsider.

Integrated Temperature Monitoring with i.C3® Information System

Optimize performance and efficiency with powerful, intuitive, secure data

Real-Time Monitoring

Intuitive high-level and comprehensive performance data available at a glance.

Enhanced Alarm Capabilities

View, acknowledge, and review alarm conditions in real-time.

Advanced Reporting Features

Review up to 10 years of historical temperature, alarm, and other performance data on-screen, or via export.

FDA-Recognized Cybersecurity Conformity

Tested and passed cybersecurity vulnerability testing aligned with FDA-recognized medical device cybersecurity standards.

Learn More: helmerinc.com/iC3

General Manager: Matt Barga

Sales Leader: Betsy Cox

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 743-5637

Helmer’s i.C3® Advanced Information Center — Powerful, Intuitive, Secure

Integrated intelligent diagnostic information, temperature data, and security features combine to optimize performance and efficiency at the touch of a finger.

Address: 14400 Bergen Boulevard Noblesville, IN 46060

Website: www.helmerinc.com

Company Background

Helmer Scientific, now part of Trane Technologies Life Science Solutions, is a U.S.-based manufacturer and worldwide distributor of medical-grade cold storage and laboratory processing equipment. We have over 45 years of experience in providing high-quality temperature-controlled environments, with our products being used in over 125 countries. Precise temperature performance and control are essential to the successful storage of pharmaceuticals, and Helmer cold storage products are designed and developed with these considerations.

Product Overview

The i.C3® Information Center delivers real-time intelligent diagnostic information and temperature data, while providing security features to keep your inventory safe.

Integrated into i.Series® +4°C refrigerators, -30°C freezers, and -80°C ultra-low temperature freezers, the i.C3® Information Center provides a robust suite of features to optimize the worldclass medical-grade refrigeration technology pharmacists have come to expect from Helmer.

n Real-Time Monitoring

The i.C3 ® Information Center provides intuitive real-time monitoring at a glance. This includes high-level and comprehensive current and historical performance data.

• Current Temperature

• Current Alarm Conditions

• Unacknowledged Alarm Conditions

• Minimum/Maximum Temperatures

• Historical Temperature Data

n Enhanced Alarm Capabilities

Users can view, acknowledge, and review alarm conditions in realtime. The event acknowledgement function captures corrective action with the necessary signature, date, and time stamps required for most SOPs.

The internal event log can display the 100 most recent events, and provide detailed information about specific events, including:

• Alarm Type

• Alarm Start/End Date and Time

• Minimum/Maximum Temperature Readings for Temperature and Compressor Probes

n Advanced Reporting Features

The i.C3® offers the ability to review historical temperature, alarm, and other performance data on-screen, or via export. Users can export up to 10 years of historical log data via CSV file or PDF reports.

n FDA-Recognized Cybersecurity Conformity

The i.C3® Information Center has passed cybersecurity vulnerability testing aligned with OWASP MSTG and in conformity with UL 2900-2-1 connected medical device cybersecurity standards.

The UL 2900-2-1 cybersecurity standard for connected medical devices has been officially recognized by the FDA and granted consensus status by ANSI.

Contracts Information

Contact a Helmer Scientific sales representative at sales@helmerinc.com.

The United States Pharmacopeia, or USP, is an independent, scientific nonprofit organization focused on building trust in the supply of safe, quality medicines.1 In this article we will focus on a couple of the important USP <795> revisions and practice pearls that will impact facilities engaging in non-sterile/non-hazardous compounding. These revisions are scattered amongst the 14 sections of the chapter and were officially enforceable starting on November 1st, 2023. It will be important for all medical professionals and facilities that work with medications (manufactured or compounded) to review the new standards and adjust their current quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs.

Practice Pearl — Create a quality-focused culture.

Add registering for free USP and FDA compounding-related alerts to your HR onboarding process. Regularly review regulatory meeting minutes and warning letters during staff meetings. Encourage employees to conversate on quality-related current events and how important it is to employee and patient safety.

In USP Chapter <795>, there were multiple exclusions made, but one exclusion that impacts the entire pharmacy community is the exclusion of reconstituting conventionally manufactured products according to the manufacturer label. This was previously included as a compounded non-sterile preparations (CNSPs) that was subject to USP <795> standards. If the reconstituted medicine is manipulated beyond the manufacturer label directions, for example adding flavor to a suspension, then the preparation will be considered a CNSP and subject to USP <795> standards.2

Another important revision to the chapter was the emphasis on personnel training. The training addition outlines requirements for exhibiting proficiencies in core competencies that are critical to safely compounding (hand hygiene, garbing, proper record keeping, etc.). It is now a requirement for anyone who oversees or engages in compounding

to be trained and qualified in the core competencies outlined in Section 2 of the chapter, then reevaluated every 12 months. Another trainingrelated revision is noted in Section 11, which now includes language that all personnel overseeing and engaging in compounding must be trained in the facility’s SOPs and be held responsible for ensuring that they are followed.2 There is also further defining of the training procedure, which includes three steps that need to be included in the training procedures:

1. Understand the requirements of the chapters.

2. Understand and interpret safety data sheets and certificates of analysis (if applicable).

3. Read/understand procedures related to compounding duties.2 Since many of the revisions place an emphasis on training and documentation, a new role is introduced to ensure standards are being met — the role of the designated person(s). The designated person(s) will primarily be responsible for the QA/QC controls and performance of the facility’s compounding practices. They play a critical role in documenting personnel training (as noted above), tracking variances, facility monitoring, cleaning, and corrective actions, in addition to many other tasks.

The designated person(s) is also responsible for the organization and storage of quality documents, as well as managing version control. These documents need to be stored on a secure server with restricted access. All changes must be recorded, detailing who made the modifications, and previous versions should be archived.

Practice Pearl

The designated person(s) should host recurring staff quality meetings which include the entire staff.

The designated person(s) should be empowered to provide transparent summaries of successes and variances that highlight the performance of your company’s QA/QC program. Owners and managers should allow for productive conversations about process improvement or recurring variances to flow as this fosters an environment that continuously focuses on quality and safety. The final revision that has a major impact on quality and patient access to compounded medication is updated beyond-use-date (BUD) limits. A new concept was introduced that dictates the beyond-use date of CNSPs — the Water Activity (aw). Water Activity assesses the

susceptibility of a nonsterile preparation to microbial contamination and the potential for degradation due to hydrolysis.3 In the absence of stability information, the chapter revisions provide clarity to the aw, storage temperature, and BUD of all commonly compounded dosage forms. Aqueous dosage forms now have a 14 to 35-day BUD, and non-aqueous dosage forms have a 90 to 180-day BUD.

Compounders are allowed to extend the BUD with the presence of the following information:

• BUD may be extended up to a maximum of 180 days.

• Stability-indicating analytical method for the API(s), CNSP formulation, and material of composition of the container closure that will be used.

• An aqueous CNSP must be tested for <51> antimicrobial effectiveness at the end of the BUD.

Practice Pearl — Keep the updated USP <795> beyond-usedate charts printed and readily available.

• Bracketing can be utilized to provide flexibility.

• If compounding from a USP-NF compounded preparation monograph, the BUD must not exceed the BUD specified in the monograph.3

Resources

Keeping commonly referenced charts laminated at each workstation will help instill new practices and compliance, such as table four. BUD Limit by Type of Preparation in the Absence of a USP–NF Compounded Preparation Monograph or CNSP-Specific Stability Information.

As a reminder, USP does not enforce its own standards. Instead, regulatory bodies like the FDA, state boards of pharmacy, and accreditation organizations such as PCAB ensure compliance with USP standards. It’s crucial to regularly communicate with the state boards of pharmacy where you hold licenses to verify the specific standards they enforce.

1. About U.S. Pharmacopeia | USP. (2019). Usp.org. https://www.usp.org/about

2. ashp.org. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2023, from https://www.ashp.org/-/media/ assets/pharmacy-practice/resource-centers/compounding/docs/USP-795-KeyChanges.pdf

3. Pharmaceutical Compounding — Nonsterile Preparations. (2022). https://www.usp.org/ sites/default/files/usp/document/events-and-training/2022-11-08-gc-795-openforum-website-posting.pdf

Contributed by Emily Durham, MS — VP of Business Development — Revelation Pharma

Emily Durham is a lifelong compounding and pharmacy technician activist that has spent the last 16 years of her career advocating for continued access to independent and compounding pharmacies. She has worked directly with dozens of compounding pharmacies throughout her career in a variety of compounding technician and business development roles, which allows her to bring a unique perspective to the art and business of compounding.

She has served as the chair of the Academy of Pharmacy Technicians for GPhA and is currently an active committee member of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding’s Technician Services and Communication committees. In her current role, as the vice president of Revelation Pharma’s business development division, she lives out her passion by educating medical providers on the importance of quality compounded preparations.

CEO: Toshitake Takahashi

Founded: 1978

Employees: 200

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 521-8254

Phone: (714) 521-9040

Address: 6900 Noritsu Avenue Buena Park, CA 90620

Website: www.noritsu-rx.com

Company Background

Noritsu Pharmacy Automation — Packaging Systems and Workflow Software for LTC, Central Fill, and Community Pharmacies

Noritsu offers innovative multi-dose and unit-dose compliance packaging solutions for pharmacies of any size. With a company culture focused on being a key business partner to our customers, we tailor solutions to meet each pharmacy’s particular needs and goals.

n Noritsu Understands That Your Equipment is Business Critical

We focus on reliability in our products, employees, and practices. This is why Noritsu has been a trusted partner to businesses for over 40 years. Nationwide, many long-term care and central pharmacies entrust their operations to Noritsu solutions and support.

n Noritsu Values the Voice of its Customers

With input from our customers, Noritsu has a legacy of solving problems and advancing technology to help businesses achieve their goals. With a trusted technology partner, you’ll have peace of mind that allows you the freedom to focus on your customers.

n Noritsu Solutions are Customized

Every pharmacy is unique. We tailor solutions to fit your pharmacy’s workflow and to allow you to meet the needs of your customers. We learn about your business, workflow, and goals before developing a solution with you. Contact us for a no-obligation discussion about your pharmacy and its potential with Noritsu’s automation solutions.

Product Overview

n Noritsu Packagers: Built to last, with speed and efficiency in mind, our extensive line of automated pill packagers truly offers something for every business. From high-production central fill pharmacies, long-term care pharmacies, and hospitals to community pharmacy operations, we have a solution that will not only fit your needs but streamline your workflow and efficiency.

n Noritsu Medication Detection/Verification: Our innovative verification systems will drastically reduce the time your pharmacists spend checking medications. Pouch strips are continuously analyzed using a patented separation and imaging system that automatically detects and flags anomalies. Pharmacists can quickly check flagged pouches and entire rolls using our powerful and extensively customizable MDC workstation, improving throughput and accuracy with minimal need to physically handle pouch rolls. All orders are archived, making searching and building custom reports a breeze.

n Perfect Pouch: All of our pouch packaging systems include our incredibly versatile Perfect Pouch Printing System. Fully customize your pouches with over 50 key data points — patient info, Rx names, NDC, doctor info, and much more, even patient photos. Pouches are quickly and easily editable and can be assigned per facility to help give your customers exactly what they want from location to location.

n Noritsu Tray Loading System: Increase production and efficiency of lesser-used and split pills using our unique tray loading system. Our tray system uses a system of intuitive LED guides and clears bins after each medication load to help operators quickly and accurately load trays. Multiple trays can be preloaded and will be inserted seamlessly into production thanks to our NexusRx software, which builds a production workflow behind the scenes to maximize efficiency.

n Accessories and Materials: We offer a wide array of accessories and consumables for use in your production workflow. Pill splitters and counters, winders and unwinders, pouch material, even custom designed pill pouch boxes. Find out more by visiting our website www.noritsu-rx.com.

Testimonials

Imagine if your packaging equipment and workflow were a strategic selling advantage! Our customers understand the edge Noritsu gives them to satisfy their customers and to win new business.

“One of our goals with this pharmacy was to bring ‘next gen’ technology and processes to the marketplace. Noritsu Medical became a great decision and a key business partner for us. They’ve helped us gain significant labor and operational efficiencies using their products, and their technical support is always there for us when we need it. They have become the best and most significant strategic partner I’ve ever selected.”

— Doug Smock/Owner, Infinity Pharmacy, Richardson, TX

“We have been using automation for more than 10 years in our pharmacy. With the installation of the Noritsu Medical Solution, we were able to expand our production capabilities while decreasing our workday, moving from more than two shifts of production to one shift. They have been a great partner for us.”

— Mik Blazier, Pharmacy Director of Operations, EverSpring Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO

Markets Served

Noritsu has developed solutions for many types of pharmacies:

• Long-Term Care

• Central Fill

• Community

• Nutraceuticals

Medi-Dose, Inc./EPS, Inc. Your Community Pharmacy Supply Experts

For over 50 years, Medi-Dose/EPS has been working with pharmacists to design and support cost-effective products, solving the specific needs of their pharmacies.

President: Robert Braverman

Founded: 1971

Employees: Private

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 523-8966

Phone: (215) 396-8600

Toll-Free Fax: (800) 323-8966

Address: 70 Industrial Drive Ivyland, PA 18974

Website: www.medidose.com

Email: info@medidose.com

Company Background

Medi-Dose/EPS was founded in 1971 when Milton Braverman, a former pharmaceutical company territory manager, saw the need for inexpensive, manual unit-dose packaging. He developed the Medi-Dose System to package, handle, and dispense predetermined amounts of medication so they would be accessible for one regular dose.

Because of the continued success of the Medi-Dose System, Medi-Dose/EPS expanded its product line to include a full-line of compounding supplies, disposable products, liquid packaging, labeling, and oral syringes designed specifically for the pharmacy professional. We pride ourselves on being the “old friend of the family” and have long-standing products designed to meet the needs of your retail, community, and compounding pharmacy.

Product Overview

n Products for the Compounding Pharmacist

With Steri-Dropper Bottles, liquid packaging, oral syringes, labeling, safety products, and software, Medi-Dose/EPS is your pharmacy’s source for compounding supplies!

The science of pharmaceutical compounding poses unique challenges to pharmacists in the community setting. Whether caring for people or animals, pharmacists have to meet the stringent requirements of USP 797, 800, and other pertinent guidelines, address the unique concerns and conditions of their patients, and do it economically and efficiently. Medi-Dose/ EPS compounding products are integral solutions helping you manage this vital but complex process while providing the care and protection your patients need.

Product Specifications

n Sterile IV Accessories

• Safety Products

• Labeling Products

• Filtering Products

• Dispensing Products

n Steri-Dropper

• Sterile Packs of Either Two or 10 Bottles, Tips, and Caps

• Special Zinc Stearate-Free Resin

• Four Sizes: 3, 7, 10, and 15 mL

n Labeling

• Pharmacy Auxiliary Labels

• Liquid Packaging Labels

• Tamper-Evident Labels

n Safety Products

• Care Giver Protection

• Identification

• Disposal

Additional Products

We are the source for all your pharmacy’s ancillary products! Bags, bottles, trays, and totes are among a few of the many other supplies we carry. Anything that’s necessary for proper handling in a retail pharmacy setting — you can count on Medi-Dose/EPS!

Ordering Information

For additional information, please call us at (800) 523-8966, visit our website at medidose.com, or email us at info@medidose.com.

American BioTech Supply — The Optimal Temperature You Need, the Cold Storage Brand You Trust

The NSF/ANSI 456 Standard for Vaccine Cold Storage ensures that certified units protect pharmaceuticals at optimal temperatures, prioritizing patient safety, preventing waste, lowering energy costs, and allowing for peak delivery of vaccines.

President: Laura Steiner

Founded: 1994

Employees: 150+

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 648-4041

Phone: (843) 821-8010

Address: 125 Varnfield Drive Summerville, SC 29483

Website: americanbiotechsupply.com

Company Background & History

American BioTech Supply (ABS), a Horizon Scientific, Inc. brand, provides a full range of temperature-controlled equipment to our customers across the healthcare, laboratory and clinical research, pharmaceutical, and industrial segments. The extensive portfolio of quality products ranges from small capacity countertop refrigerators and freezers, including special purpose, application-specific models, as well as cryogenic freezers for long-term sample preservation. Ensuring customer requirements are met, all products are designed in a variety of configurations, from general purpose cold storage to medical and pharmaceutical storage with stringent temperature performance requirements. With over 25 years of experience, ABS excels at quickly developing customer solutions at competitive price points while providing industry-leading service levels. The ABS advantage includes a comprehensive array of products and services to meet your temperature-controlled storage needs, an industry leading warranty, a dedicated support team, and many models are available from in-stock inventory and ready to ship.

Product Overview

ABS is an active member of the committee that developed the NSF/ANSI 456 Standard, and our units incorporate the stateof-the-art technology specified by the CDC. We have the largest selection of cold storage certified to the NSF 456/ANSI Standard adhering to the specifications regarding temperature consistency, unit design, and product features. Refrigerator and freezer models in compliance with this standard provide a new level of vaccine preservation, optimizing cold storage performance and maximizing safety.

ABS offers both small capacity undercounter models, as well as large capacity, upright units that meet or exceed the NSF 456/ ANSI Standard for Vaccine Storage. Our growing portfolio of models are tested and certified by a third-party laboratory to ensure all requirements are met. Rigorous testing covers the construction details, controller requirements, and temperature variation of each certified unit.

These premium models include user-friendly digital temperature displays for precise readings, audible and visual high/low temperature excursion alarms for added security, and self-closing doors to ensure temperature recovery after door openings. With ABS, each vaccine dose experiences the highest level of protection providing your facility and patients with peace of mind.

Features & Options

• Compliant with the thermal performance requirements as defined in the NSF/ANSI 456 Standard for Vaccine Storage.

• UL, C-UL, ETL, C-ETL listed (either single or dual agency listings).

• Various configurations available including undercounter, countertop, and large capacity upright models ranging from one to 49 cu. ft. to accommodate diverse facility needs.

• Parametric, microprocessor temperature controller with LED display and 0.1°C resolution for superior temperature control, verification, and recovery.

• High/low temperature alarms with audible and visual indicators for exceptional product security.

• Utilizes EPA/SNAP compliant, hydrocarbon, natural refrigerants that are environmentally friendly and lowers energy expenses.

• Temperature monitoring device included that complies with the current CDC guidelines, with three-years certification of calibration, “buffered” probe in the product simulated solution, min/max memory. °F/°C switchable, and field installable.

A Q US Environmental Protection Agency Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

Q. Why is EPA finalizing management standards for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals?

EPA has two primary reasons for this final rule. First, to address concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the difficulty in implementing the industry-oriented Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations for the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals generated at healthcare facilities and managed at reverse distributors. This rule revises and tailors the hazardous waste regulations to improve the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals by the healthcare sector and thereby enhance protection of human health and the environment.

Second, a number of studies have documented the presence of various pharmaceutical active ingredients and metabolic by-products in surface waters and groundwater in the U.S. The pharmaceuticals entering the environment, through flushing or other means, are having a negative effect on aquatic ecosystems and on fish and animal populations. These findings highlight the increasing importance of pharmaceutical use and management, and have led EPA to finalize a prohibition on disposing hazardous waste pharmaceuticals down the drain by those entities subject to this rule.

Q. What environmental benefits does EPA expect from new management standards for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals?

EPA’s final rule will reduce the risk caused by hazardous waste pharmaceuticals that enter the environment through flushing down the sink or toilet. Specifically, this final rule is projected to prevent the flushing of 1,644 to 2,300 tons of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals annually by banning the drain disposal (flushing, sewering) of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. With this final rule, EPA strives to improve compliance at healthcare facilities (including hospitals, clinics, and retail stores with pharmacies) and reverse distributors that generate and manage hazardous waste pharmaceuticals in order to improve environmental protection. Specifically, EPA enhances public

health protection by decreasing the risk of diversion of unused hazardous waste prescription pharmaceuticals onto the black market by requiring basic tracking of these pharmaceuticals from healthcare facilities to reverse distributors. Additionally, this final rule creates an environmentally preferable, convenient and practical management system that EPA encourages the healthcare sector to use for all waste pharmaceuticals.

Q. Which pharmaceuticals are considered hazardous waste?

As thousands of over-the-counter and prescription drugs are currently approved for sale in the U.S., it is difficult to provide a precise number of pharmaceuticals that are considered hazardous waste. However, as with any other waste, solid waste is considered hazardous if it meets a listing or exhibits a characteristic described in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR) Part 261. There are approximately 30 commercial chemical products listed on the P and U hazardous waste lists that have pharmaceutical uses. As the P and U lists are based on chemical designations, this number does not completely represent the total number of brand name pharmaceuticals that may actually be listed hazardous wastes. For example, the following chemotherapy drugs, CTX, Cytotoxan, Neosar and Procytox, are all designated as a U058 hazardous waste for cyclophosamide.

In addition, waste pharmaceuticals may also be hazardous because they exhibit one or more of the four characteristics of hazardous waste: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. For example, solutions containing more than 24% alcohol exhibit the ignitability characteristic. Pharmaceuticals exhibiting the corrosivity characteristic are generally limited to compounding chemicals, including strong acids, such as glacial acetic acid, and strong bases, such as sodium hydroxide.

Depending on the concentration in different pharmaceutical preparations, pharmaceuticals may also exhibit toxicity characteristics because of the use of arsenic (hazardous waste code D004), barium (D005), cadmium (D006), chloroform (D022), chromium (D007), lindane (D013), m-cresol (D024), mercury (D009), selenium (D010), and silver (D011).

Q. Who is affected by this final rule?

Healthcare facilities and reverse distributors that generate and manage hazardous waste pharmaceuticals will follow these new, tailored standards for managing their hazardous waste pharmaceuticals instead of the industry-oriented hazardous waste generator regulations.

This rule does not apply to pharmaceutical manufacturers (unless they act as reverse distributors), production facilities, or other generators of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals.

In addition, anyone who generates or manages discarded Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies (i.e., patches, gums, and lozenges) is also affected by the amendment to the P075 listing for nicotine that is also part of this final rule.

Q. Why do hazardous waste pharmaceuticals need new management standards?

Healthcare workers and retail pharmacy employees are often unfamiliar with or confused by RCRA hazardous waste management requirements, prompting them to dispose of hazardous pharmaceuticals as municipal waste or medical waste. This final rule streamlines the current regulations governing these wastes, ensuring that larger quantities of hazardous pharmaceutical wastes are managed properly. Additionally, the rule finalizes a tailored set of management standards specifically designed to reduce the complexity of the RCRA hazardous waste regulations for hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. It streamlines the collection and handling requirements for widely-dispersed hazardous wastes and facilitates their inclusion in the hazardous waste management system.

Under this final rule, EPA expects that the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals to improve and the regulatory burden for many hazardous waste pharmaceutical generators will decrease. This final rule provides a solution to many of the issues facing healthcare facilities. By finalizing a convenient and practical system for the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals that is easy to comply with, EPA encourages healthcare facilities to manage all of their pharmaceutical waste — non-hazardous and hazardous — under the final rule.

Q. What is the definition of reverse distributor under the final rule?

Reverse distributors are entities that help healthcare facilities calculate and receive credit from pharmaceutical manufacturers when healthcare facilities have unused pharmaceuticals that they no longer need. Reverse distributors generally have contracts with healthcare facilities to help the healthcare facility manage its unused and sometimes expired waste pharmaceuticals. Healthcare facilities send their unused pharmaceuticals to the reverse distributor with which they have a contract. The reverse distributor reviews the unused pharmaceuticals it receives and works with the pharmaceutical manufacturer to provide manufacturer credit back to the healthcare facility. Then the reverse distributor sends the waste pharmaceuticals for treatment and/or disposal.

In the final rule, a reverse distributor is defined as, any person that receives and accumulates prescription pharmaceuticals that

are potentially creditable hazardous waste pharmaceuticals for the purpose of facilitating or verifying manufacturer credit. Any person, including forward distributors, third-party logistics providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, that processes prescription pharmaceuticals for the facilitation or verification of manufacturer credit is considered a reverse distributor.

Q. Can a non-prescription pharmaceutical be sent to a reverse distributor?

Yes, under some circumstances. EPA has concluded that a healthcare facility may send a non-prescription hazardous waste pharmaceutical to a reverse distributor provided the nonprescription pharmaceutical: 1) has a reasonable expectation of receiving manufacturer credit; 2) is in original manufacture packaging; 3) is undispensed; 4) is unexpired or less than one year past expiration; and 5) is managed as a potentially creditable hazardous waste pharmaceutical under Part 266 Subpart P. Under Subpart P, a non-prescription pharmaceutical sent to a reverse logistics facility (which is different from a reverse distributor) is not a solid waste if it has a reasonable expectation of being used/reused or reclaimed. On the other hand, a prescription pharmaceutical sent to a reverse distributor is a solid waste and/or hazardous waste.

When generators choose to send a non-prescription hazardous waste pharmaceutical to a reverse distributor as a potentially creditable hazardous waste pharmaceutical — rather than sending it to a reverse logistics facility as a non-waste — we would consider this practice to be “over-management” of the non-prescription hazardous waste pharmaceutical (i.e., for practical reasons generators may sometimes choose to manage certain materials along with other wastes subject to more stringent regulatory requirements).

Although reverse distributors primarily manage prescription pharmaceuticals, EPA has learned that in some cases, healthcare facilities send their non-prescription pharmaceuticals to a reverse distributor to receive manufacturer credit. For example, pharmacies keep some non-prescription pharmaceuticals behind the counter with their prescription pharmaceuticals (e.g., DEA regulations require pharmaceuticals containing pseudoephedrine (e.g., Sudafed) to be kept behind the counter of the pharmacy).

EPA believes that clarifying that healthcare facilities may continue to send non-prescription hazardous waste pharmaceuticals to reverse distributors, consistent with the criteria described above, makes practical sense and the resultant, voluntary “overmanagement” of these materials does not present any concerns. We caution, however, that if the non-prescription hazardous waste pharmaceutical has no reasonable expectation of receiving manufacturer credit, or otherwise does not meet the above criteria, then it would be a solid and hazardous waste at the healthcare facility and prohibited from being sent to a reverse distributor. Instead, it must be managed under Part 266 Subpart P as a non-creditable hazardous waste pharmaceutical and must be sent to a RCRA designated facility (e.g., a permitted or interim status treatment, storage, or disposal facility) via a hazardous waste transporter.

PHARMACY RETURNS & WASTE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Buyer’s Guide

American Rx Group

1010 Summit Avenue North Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 (855) 269-1750

americanrxgroup.com

Berry Global

1005 Lower Brownsville Road

Jackson, TN 38301 (877) 662-3779

www.berryglobal.com

Flash Returns, LLC

10839 Indeco Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45241 (833) 553-5274

flashreturns.com

Health Care Logistics

P.O. Box 25

Circleville, OH 43113 (800) 848-1633

gohcl.com

Maximum RX Credit, Inc.

4766 Guthrie Cemetery Road

Loganville, GA 30052 (800) 932-6724

mrcionline.com

MedPro Waste Disposal

1751 West Diehl Road, Suite 400 Naperville, IL 60563 (866) 924-9339

medprodisposal.com

N3PR

641 Inverness Lisle, IL 60532 (773) 255-0801

n3pr.com

National Pharmaceutical Returns

4164 NW Urbandale Drive

Urbandale, IA 50322 (800) 470-7725

NPReturns.com

Pharma Logistics

1801 North Butterfield Road

Libertyville, IL 60048 (888) 729-7427

pharmalogistics.com

PharmaLink

8285 Bryan Dairy Road, #200 Largo, FL 33777 (800) 257-3527

pharmalinkinc.com

PharmWaste Technologies

3317 109th Street, Suite A

Urbandale, IA 50322 (515) 276-5302

pwaste.com

Return Solutions

10635 Dutchtown Road

Knoxville, TN 37932 (800) 579-4804

drugreturns.com

Rx Return Services

1115 North Old Coachman Road Clearwater, FL 33765 (727) 754-7848

rxrs.com

RxCarbon, LLC

6054 Corte Del Cedro Carlsbad, CA 92011 (866) 436-9264

www.rxcarbon.com

RxDestruct

114 Terry Street Sugar Land, TX 77478 (832) 584-9224

rxdestruct.com

Stericycle

2355 Waukegan Road Bannockburn, IL 60015 (844) 752-6211

www.stericycle.com

Veolia North America

53 State Street, 14th Floor Boston, MA 02109 (617) 849-6600

veolianorthamerica.com

WM PharmEcology Services

800 Capitol Street, Suite 3000 Houston, TX 77002 (877) 247-7430

pharmecology.com

EZ Grid™ From Health Care Logistics® Puts an End to Misaligned Blisters and Labels

Built-in locator pins ensure precise label-to-blister alignment every time you repackage tablets or batch process prescriptions.

HCL® by Design

President & CEO: Gary Sharpe

Founded: 1978

Employees: 300+

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 848-1633

Phone: (740) 477-3755

Address: P.O. Box 25 Circleville, OH 43113

Website: GoHCL.com

Company Background

What began in 1978 as a garage-based business at the home of HCL® owner Gary Sharpe now encompasses five well-equipped facilities in central Ohio and reaches customers around the globe. Employment has grown, with more than 300 employees dedicated to the company’s mission of providing unmatched customer service. Sharpe discovered early in his career the need for healthcare products in sizes, quantities, and materials not readily available and was determined to deliver. And has he ever. Today, HCL’s inventory includes more than 9,000 different products, all designed to provide “special answers to special problems.” Most of these items are maintained locally in more than 320,000 square feet of warehouse space and meet the supply needs of hospitals, pharmacies, chain drug stores, pharmaceuticals, and many other facets of healthcare.

Product Overview

n EZ Grid™ Unit-Dose Packaging System

Achieve precise label-to-blister alignment every time you repackage tablets or batch process prescriptions with our exclusive EZ Grid unit-dose packaging system. Sheets for blisters and labels are available in 5 x 5 grids so there are no unused pieces and no waste to discard. The system is designed around a sturdy aluminum frame with two locator pins. It allows you to choose your inserts (pick from round, slot, and square; all are interchangeable), then choose the matching blister and label combination that meets your Class A or Class B package requirements. Select only the pieces that apply to your process. Blister and label combinations meet USP <671> so you can be confident in the quality of your unitdose package from start to finish.

Our manufacturing division encompasses 120,000 square feet of space dedicated to making exactly what you need. Because production capabilities are virtually unlimited, we can help healthcare professionals solve problems and improve performance, accountability, and reliability in ways previously unthinkable.

Additional Product Lines

• Unit Dose

• Storage

• IV Accessories and Injectables

• Compounding and Dispensing

• Seals

• Plastic Bags

• Refrigerators, Freezers, and Accessories

• Temperature Monitoring

• Infection Prevention

• Carts and Accessories

• Pharmacy Supplies

• Crushers, Cutters, and Organizers

• Error Prevention

Markets Served

• Central Supply/Purchasing/MM

• Emergency Department

• Facilities/Engineering/Maintenance

• Infection Control/Sterile Processing

• Labs/Clinical

• Nursing

• Oncology/Hematology/Infusion

• O.R.

• Pharmacy

• Surgery Center

Ordering Information

We offer small package quantities, no order minimums, free samples, and ship most orders the same day. Our hassle-free return policy allows you to return any product, at any time, for any reason. Connect with our live chat team from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

Founded: 1993

Stock Symbol: PINC

Strategic Purchasing and Operations Improvement Solutions by Innovatix

Innovatix offers differentiated, high-quality group purchasing and consultative services. We help members maximize their overall financial performance by providing the resources and educational support needed to enhance the delivery of quality patient care.

Toll-Free Phone: (888) 258-3273

Address: 13034 Ballantyne Corporate Place Charlotte, NC 28277

Website: www.innovatix.com

Company Background

Innovatix is a national group purchasing organization that provides strategic purchasing solutions and operational support to help pharmacies and other providers across the continuum of care thrive. We supplement our industry-leading purchasing program with a consultative approach, in-depth analytics, vast healthcare expertise, and value-added and feebased services specific to our members’ needs. Innovatix works tirelessly to deliver savings and value to members.

Product Overview

Innovatix offers one of the most extensive, competitive purchasing portfolios available today. We provide members access to an $82 billion purchasing portfolio comprising 3,000+ contracts through over 1,400 suppliers.

Value-Added Services

Innovatix member benefits extend beyond the significant savings we provide through our group purchasing services. While group purchasing is at the core of what we do, Innovatix is committed to offering additional value to help our members grow and excel.

• Innovatix Educational Institute: Each month, Innovatix offers free accredited Continuing Education (CE) opportunities. Members can take advantage of these learning sessions from the convenience of their own computers.

• Government Affairs: To help our members navigate the complex healthcare regulatory environment and ensure that their concerns are properly addressed, the Innovatix Government Affairs Program has continued to develop as an important value-added service, particularly for our long-term care and infusion pharmacy members. We keep members informed and advocate on their behalf, working closely with national advocacy organizations.

• Clinical Experts: Innovatix staff includes clinical pharmacists and physician consultants who provide members with best practice studies, disease state management information, formulary management, and medication error reduction strategies.

Pharmacy Operations Improvement Programs

Our suite of pharmacy operations improvement programs are designed to address your operations needs without distracting from your main mission — providing high-quality patient care.

• Preferred Provider Network: Successfully navigating Medicare Part D to maximize reimbursement on Medicare prescription drug benefit claims is a major challenge for many pharmacies today. The Preferred Provider Network provides pharmacies access to Medicare Part D contracts with the nation’s largest prescription drug plans and pharmacy benefit managers.

• Scriptmax®: Offers the most complete pharmacy claim support in the industry. Through a comprehensive suite of pre-edit, post-edit, and reconciliation services, Scriptmax empowers pharmacies with actionable claims review data during every step of adjudication.

• PINC AI™ Clinical Surveillance for LTC Pharmacies: Our clinical surveillance capabilities provide a comprehensive, real-time workflow solution for infection preventionists and clinical pharmacists. The technology can help detect, manage, control, and alert to improper treatment of infection-related conditions during COVID-19 and beyond by enabling: 1) automated alerts, including COVID-specific alerts, for patients suspected or confirmed for infections; 2) automated flags on patient records to allow for robust tracking of patients in an outbreak group; 3) comprehensive documentation forms, including a custom set specific to COVID-19 and routine infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. diff), and urinary tract infections (UTIs); 4) electronic submission of infections to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system.

Key Business Partners

Innovatix is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Premier, a healthcare improvement company uniting an alliance of over 4,400 U.S. hospitals and more than 250,000 other provider organizations.

Ordering Information

Innovatix GPO membership is free. To learn more about our group purchasing services and suite of pharmacy operations improvement programs, visit www.innovatix.com, email info@innovatix.com, or call (888) 258-3273.

Return Solutions Offers Hassle Free Rx Returns

President & CEO: Michael Ayres

Founded: 1992

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 579-4804

Phone: (865) 675-1355

Fax: (865) 675-2474

Address: 10635 Dutchtown Road, Knoxville, TN 37932

Website: www.drugreturns.com

Company Background

Founded in 1992, Return Solutions is one of the most experienced and trusted reverse distributors in the industry. Over the last 30 years, we have built relationships with group purchasing organizations across the country and are currently recommended by over 25 buying groups representing 20,000+ pharmacies. In 1998, we became the first returns company to issue checks to our customers for credit, and since then have paid customers over $1 billion.

Product Overview

The OneCheck Select program is tailored to independent and regional chain pharmacies and health systems. Over the past 30 years, we’ve perfected our pricing and reimbursement processes to ensure you receive maximum compensation for your outdated products. We optimize the reimbursement process, consolidating credit into one check and ensuring that you receive credit quickly — within as few as 10 days if you choose our 10-Day Pay program, or within no longer than 90 days with our most economical option. Credit values are listed on the check stub, so you know exactly how much you have received from each manufacturer. Our all-inclusive fee, including shipping, CII-CV processing, destruction of non-returnable items, and extensive reporting available on our website, is a fixed percentage of your returnable product value and is deducted from the check we issue to you, so there are no hidden fees or surprise charges. Choose from our comprehensive On-Site Service and let our experienced representatives handle every aspect of your return or use our easy and economical web-based Mail-In Service if you prefer to complete your returns on your own time.

Features & Options

n OneCheck Select

• Credit consolidated into one check.

• Choose your reimbursement time frame.

• Check issued within 30 days for your first return.

• All-inclusive fee with no hidden charges.

n On-Site Service

• Experienced representatives scan all prescription shelves for short-dated and outdated items.

• All items are scanned into our proprietary valuation software.

• Items are packaged and prepared for FedEx pickup.

• Receive a credit estimate and detailed reporting before the rep leaves your store.

n Mail-In Service

• Only CII-CV items are required to be inventoried.

• Print return authorization forms and prepaid UPS shipping labels.

• Give boxes to any UPS driver.

• Receive a credit estimate and detailed reporting online within three to five business days.

n Destruction Service

• Safe, simple, and compliant destruction of unsaleable pharmaceuticals.

• Non-hazardous products destroyed by EPA-approved waste-toenergy incinerator.

• Controlled substance destruction witnessed by at least two employees.

• Proof of destruction and DEA forms included in pricing.

Product Specifications

Return Solution’s 24/7 online portal allows you to access your entire return history down to NDC level along with all credit information. We provide business analytics and trends so you can adapt purchasing habits to ensure maximum future ROI. You can print controlled substance reports and proof of destruction to ensure you are always in compliance in case of an audit.

Testimonials

“Return Solutions has been a lifesaver for our pharmacy. We are a very busy pharmacy, and Return Solutions makes returns so much easier. We would recommend Return Solutions to anyone!”

— Amanda Hixson, Dayton Drug and Wellness

“Return Solutions is the best of the best! We have been using their services for many years and we could not be more pleased! They are exceptional at what they do. Our rep is terrific and is always professional, prompt, efficient, and so friendly. We feel as if he is a part of our pharmacy family! We would highly recommend them to anyone in need of the services they provide. We would give them 10 stars if we could!”

— Vanessa O’Briant, Kinser Drug

GPO Affiliations

AAP; AIP; AlliantRx; American Pharmacies; APNI; APSC; All-Win Rx; CPA; EPIC Pharmacies; Gerimed; IPA; IPC; Keystone; LWD; Mutual Drug; NPSC; PBA Health; PFOA; Pharmacy Plus; PPSC; PPOk; QualityCare Pharmacies; RxPlus; Sav-Mor; SPC; UPNI; We Care Pharmacy; and WSPC.

Ordering Information

Return Solutions helps decrease time spent on returns and maximizes your expired product credit. Call (800) 579-4804, email support@drugreturns.com, or visit drugreturns.com for more information or to create an account.

Pharmacy

FALL RETAIL 2023

Cardinal Health

Helping Independent Pharmacies

Leverage Current Payment Trends

AUTHOR: Cardinal Health

SUBJECT: Modern Payments Processing

SUMMARY: Pharmacies find that customers want access to the latest payment options, and although that may seem daunting, Cardinal Health is making it easy with Modern Payments Processing.

Keeping Medication in Proper Temperature Range — Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

AUTHOR: Zebra

SUBJECT: Specialty Pharmacy

SUMMARY: After seven years of growth, the Altru Specialty Pharmacy began to explore the performance of its shipping packouts to make sure it could maintain its mission: to enhance care and improve the overall health and well-being of its patients.

FALL RETAIL 2023

Thirty Madison

AFA Pharmacy’s Journey to Automated Dispensing and Fulfillment

AUTHOR: Tension Packaging & Automation

SUBJECT: Packaging Equipment and Automation Systems

SUMMARY: Thirty Madison launched its first online order fulfillment center. Their long-term vision was to leverage automation technology to meet projected volumes and create a better pharmacy experience for their patients with the help of Tension Packaging & Automation.

WINTER RETAIL 2023

Giant Eagle

Automating Long-Term Care Pharmacy Services

AUTHOR: Noritsu Pharmacy Automation

SUBJECT: Pharmacy Automation

SUMMARY: Giant Eagle develops a long-term care pharmacy with Noritsu’s highly-scalable system including automated strip packaging technology.

READ STUDY

SPRING RETAIL 2022

HMRx

More Than a Vendor, a True Partnership

AUTHOR: Premier | Innovatix

SUBJECT: Pharmacy Claims Support

SUMMARY: HMRx and Innovatix grow their business with Scriptmax, pharmacy data analytics and adjudication services.

SPRING RETAIL 2022

HealthPoint

HealthPoint Chooses Liberty Software to Empower the Pharmacy Team

AUTHOR: Liberty Software

SUBJECT: Pharmacy Software

SUMMARY: The analysis and decision-making process that led to HealthPoint selecting Liberty Software to build their personalized platform.

FALL

2022

Our Exemplary Providers™ say it best.

The accreditor that we met with was very professional and nice to work with. He asked great questions as well as gave us suggestions on how we can improve our processes. He made a stressful experience as easy as possible and very pleasant! — SC

We have been using The Compliance Team for many years. They are a great company to work with and they have so many useful resources available for their customers. I highly recommend!! — KK

The Compliance Team is the most user-friendly accreditation team. Jeff was extremely nice and made for a smooth evaluation process. A lot of hard work goes into preparing for accreditation and Nancy made sure we were more than ready for our evaluation. It is refreshing to get straightforward answers when preparing for [the onsite] survey so we can become better equipped to serve our patients. — AT

The Compliance Team was on POINT! They made sure we were compliant with all the regulations and were helpful in correcting our procedures to meet advanced standards! — AA / CS

Professional, caring and thorough. The TCT team worked with us to achieve our goals. We owe much of our success to their support. I highly recommend TCT for accreditation needs. — BC

I really like The Compliance Team. They really help and educate me, show me steps, and explain well, especially with Medicare.

— Galaxy Pharmacy

We changed the way they think about accreditation.

In 1998, The Compliance Team became the first national healthcare accreditation organization (AO) to employ plain language standards and commonsense measures in a dramatically simplified, yet uniquely comprehensive, accreditation process.

We are the only AO that offers the distinctive Exemplary Provider® brand of accreditation and certification, which assures patients and payers of your commitment to quality. Choose to be exemplary. Choose TCT. 215-654-9110 | TheComplianceTeam.org

Founder & CEO: Sandra C. Canally, RN

Established: 1994

Phone: (215) 654-9110

The FACS on Accreditation — The Compliance Team

What to look for in an accreditation organization.

Address: 905 Sheble Lane, Suite 102 Spring House, PA 19477

Website: www.TheComplianceTeam.org

Company Background & History

n Delivering Exemplary Provider® Recognition for 30 years

Since 1994, The Compliance Team (TCT) has delivered innovative accreditation solutions to pharmacies across the nation. Our Exemplary Provider® programs elevate your pharmacy to help you meet the challenges of the evolving value-based care era.

We Change the Way You Think About Accreditation

TCT’s industry-leading accreditation model features operations-based, simplified standards developed on the following beliefs:

• Accreditation should not be difficult or costly to achieve.

• Every patient deserves exemplary care.

• All program standards should address what matters most to the patient: Safety — Honesty — Caring®

The FACS

Accreditation refines processes and procedures and takes your business to the next level of care. It proves to your payers, patients, clients, and staff that you are committed to continuous quality improvement. It brings value to your patients and your business by identifying procedural gaps and recognizing opportunities for improvement.

TCT offers you the FACS on accreditation — Flexibility, Accessibility, Consistency, and Simplification.

At TCT, flexibility refers to our responsiveness to your business issues and our ability to adapt to your business model. This saves you time and money. We pride ourselves on our accessibility to our providers when they need us most. When you call, we pick up the phone and as quickly as possible route you to someone who can answer your question right away.

Consistency can have multiple meanings in our world. We want you to have a consistent accreditation experience no matter whom in our organization you work with. We also want to ensure that there is consistency throughout your organization. Your pharmacy is only as strong as your weakest link.

Simplification of our accreditation and certification standards is a TCT hallmark. Our Founder and CEO, Sandra Canally, RN, developed the standards almost 30 years ago after working in the industry for several years. She was convinced there had to be a better way — and there was. The simplification of the standards became the key reason to launch

TCT. Canally’s comprehensive, plain-language standards were simplified to only 27 pages compared to the other AO’s 300 pages.

The Compliance Team Difference From Start to Finish

• A one-on-one advisor who walks you through the standards via a call series.

• Policy and procedures templates — saving you time and money.

• Self-assessment checklists to help you attain and retain your accreditation status.

• Live and recorded webinars educate your staff, making the accreditation process flow more smoothly.

• Access to our patient satisfaction portal, allowing you to benchmark your quality against other providers.

• A three-year payment schedule.

• Exemplary Provider® designation.

Integrated DME With Pharmacy Accreditation

Most pharmacies maintain a Part B DME PTAN, allowing them to bill Medicare DMEPOS. To do that, accreditation is mandated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). TCT recognizes the efforts that providers take to prepare for accreditation. Maintaining our simplified approach, we combine the DMEPOS requirements into our Community Pharmacy program. By accrediting your pharmacy and the services you provide, TCT’s accreditation sets your pharmacy apart from the competition and assures referral sources that your quality has been validated.

Exemplary Provider® Suite of Pharmacy Services

Designed to Strengthen Your Pharmacy’s Performance

n Accreditation Programs

• Community Pharmacy (the core of all our pharmacy programs)

• CMS-approved Medicare Part B—DMEPOS (included with Community Pharmacy)

• Sterile and Non-sterile Compounding

• CMS-Approved Home Infusion Therapy (HIT)

• Patient-Centered Pharmacy Home™

• Long-Term Care

• Retail Clinic

• Specialty Pharmacy

• TelePharmacy

n Certification Programs

• Point-of-Care Testing

• Immunization (Adult and Pediatric)

• Clinical Disease Management

• Communicable/Emerging Infections Disease

• DMEPOS Retailer Certificatio

Maximize Automation Performance

Investing in automation to improve efficiency and patient safety is a big step. Taking the next one means using the right supplies to keep it running. Our cards are specifically designed for the complex needs of automation so you can spend less time worrying about downtime and more time with patients and running your business.

DOSIS CARDS & LIDDING

Designed Specifically to Improve Performance in DOSIS System Automation

• Proprietary card + blister combo lays flatter to prevent jamming.

• Rounded corners prevent accidental punctures from other cards.

• In stock and ready to ship same day!

President & CEO: Michael Wortel

Founded: 1902

Employees: 100+

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 798-1401

Phone: (630) 953-0485

Fax: (630) 953-0489

Address: 146 S. Pinnacle Drive Romeoville, IL 60446

Maximize Performance With PAS Supplies

A trusted name in healthcare supplies for over 100 years, our complete line of supplies is designed for you to help patients increase their medication adherence.

Website: pharmacyautomationsupplies.com

Company Background

Pharmacy Automation Supplies (PAS) has been using our manufacturing capabilities to support pharmacies for over 100 years. We began as a small local print manufacturer addressing the label and bag needs of a few regional pharmacies, but have grown to be one of the largest and most relied upon suppliers in the country as a result of our dedication to competitive pricing, reputation for quality, and consistent industryleading turnaround times. In addition to a traditional retail pharmacy, we focus on supporting the evolving needs of all the unique and dynamic segments of pharmacy (including retail, LTC, hospital, specialty, central fill, institutional, nuclear, and much more). We know our products are counted on to perform in the most demanding pharmacy environments every day. We hold ourselves to the same high standards of accuracy, consistency, and execution that pharmacies do themselves.

Our state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution facilities feature 20 high-speed flexographic printing presses, PVC blister thermoforming machines, an in-house art and graphics department, plate manufacturing, inside sales division, customer service, and over 30,000 square feet of warehouse space devoted to addressing the needs of pharmacies.

PAS’ newest initiatives have been designing and creating products to assist pharmacies with automation. Whether it’s a better performing card for DOSIS, more efficient and cost-effective single- and multi-dose cards, or a greater variety of boxes for pouch packagers we’re proud of the ways we’ve found to help pharmacies maximize the value of their investment in automation and deliver superior packaging to the patients and caregivers they service. We offer five sizes of fully customizable boxes (with more in development) in addition to thermal transfer ribbons, spools, and the fastest winder on the market to help you get the most out of your investment in automation, reduce the time it takes to check/pack boxes, and promote your program to the communities you serve.

Why PAS?

In what’s become an increasingly competitive marketplace, Pharmacy Automation Supplies recognizes that reducing costs on supplies is

essential to the long-term success of all pharmacies. PAS’s goal is to help your pharmacy save time and money with our high-volume lowmargin business model and by being the only supplier needed for the most frequently used packaging consumables in your daily operations. With our short and long-run custom manufacturing capabilities on pharmacy labels, prescription bags, and blister cards, PAS can help pharmacies of all sizes and volumes achieve branding consistent with how they want to market/promote the most visible parts of the prescription to patients. Through continued investments in tooling and machinery, we continue to demonstrate that our efficiencies and run speeds allow us to set industry pricing without ever sacrificing the quality and lead times that have fueled our growth over the last 100 years. In addition to our print capabilities, and in response to repeated customer requests over the years, we’ve leveraged our warehouse space to provide a one-stop shop and wholesale pricing on other commonly used products in the industry. While we’re always adding new products in response to changes in the industry, our most popular warehoused products include: authentic Lexmark toners, thermal transfer ribbons, and strip/pouch packaging supplies.

Product Overview

Pharmacy Automation Supplies Specializes in the Manufacturing and Distribution of:

n Blister Cards

• Unit-Dose Heat and Cold Seal Cards

• Qube and Qube Mini Weekly Multi-Dose Cards

• Qube31 Monthly Multi-Dose Cards

• FlexRx and FlexRx Lite Weekly Multi-Dose Cards

• DOSIS Cards and Lidding

n Strip/Pouch Packaging Supplies

• Thermal Transfer Ribbons

• Paper/Foil Rolls for Strip and Pouch Filling Automation

• Stock and Custom Boxes to Hold and Dispense Pouches

n Pharmacy Labels

• Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Labels

• Specialty LTC Labels With Re-Order Pull Tabs

• Direct Thermal Kits for Vial Filling Robots

• Laser Labels

n Prescription Bags

• Eight Sizes of Pharmacy Paper Bags

• Two Sizes of Plastic OTC T-Shirt Style Bags

n Pharmacy Vials/Bottles

n Lexmark Toners for Label Application

Since its start in 2000, PharmaLink has grown to be the nation’s leading

with the highest processing accuracy in the industry.

In that time, we’ve developed long-term client relationships based on trust, and them knowing we are going to be there today and long into the future. You can depend on us throughout our relationship to continuously provide you with returns management that’s based on our company values of honesty and integrity. Our commitment to you means:

• Prompt and professional returns servicing

• Ensuring your return processing meets regulatory compliance requirements

• Access to clear, accurate and simple returns reporting through our web-based portal Encore®

• Receiving maximum credit recovery for your return

Contact us today to learn more about how PharmaLink is the pharmaceutical returns company that you should be depending upon on.

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 257-3527

Phone: (951) 279-7999

Fax: (727) 669-8327

PharmaLink — Reverse Distribution Services

PharmaLink has been in the pharmaceutical reverse logistics business for over 20 years and

has grown to be recognized as one of the nation’s leading reverse distributor companies, providing honest, transparent reporting and exemplary reliability.

Address: 8285 Bryan Dairy Road, #200 Largo, FL 33777

Email: info@pharmalinkinc.com

Website: pharmalinkinc.com

Company Background

PharmaLink is a Florida-based corporation established in January 2000 by Hilmer Beckers and, since that time, has become one of the nation’s premier pharmaceutical returns and disposal providers. Our progressive operations model offers custom solutions to ensure maximum returns credits and regulatory compliance. With our unique advanced web-based reporting platform, Encore®, we analyze your returned pharmaceuticals to help you make better financial business decisions for your pharmacy. With mail-in and on-site return services nationwide, we offer maximum credit with every return, personalized customer service, guaranteed compliance, and advanced reporting tools to provide you with the best returns and disposal services.

Product Overview

PharmaLink offers boutique style returns services for expired pharmaceuticals

Our returns consultants provide both on-site and mail-in services nationwide. They will maximize your credits and provide help in analyzing your returns for future inventory decisions. Every returns consultant at PharmaLink is trained in all aspects of our operations process and exhibits extensive knowledge relative to the reverse logistics industry. PharmaLink also handles manufacturer recalls and product disposal. Every service offered — returns, recalls, or disposal — is handled according to all state and federal regulations. Our progressive operations model offers custom solutions to ensure maximum returns credits and our online inventory management platform Encore® provides real-time reporting to help you make better financial business decisions. All of PharmaLink’s services are characterized by personalized customer service, guaranteed compliance, and real-time reporting which provides you with the highestquality standards of returns, recalls, and disposal services.

Features & Options

PharmaLink has grown to be one of the largest returns providers in the U.S. but hasn’t forgotten the reason we exist — to serve you. Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider a move to PharmaLink:

• Maximum Credit Recovery: PharmaLink’s credit and policy departments work with manufacturers to assure you receive maximum credit recovery for your returnable products.

• Audit Management and Reports: PharmaLink provides real-time inventory and credit processing reports through our web-based reporting application, Encore®, that allows users to manage their inventory and values.

• Licensed and Compliant: PharmaLink is licensed and compliant with all state and federal regulations. Our processing facility is accredited by NABP and our systems are SOC 1 Type 2 Certified for reputability, integrity, and reliability.

• Top-Tier Customer Service: PharmaLink provides top-tier customer service with our dedicated customer solutions department that is available to assist customers within 24 hours of initial contact.

• Process Controlled Substances: PharmaLink processes controlled II-V substances and completes all necessary DEA paperwork and filings.

• Advanced Processing Automation: PharmaLink’s NABP (VAWD) accredited returns facility is equipped with advanced processing technology and automation to ensure speed and accuracy in handling your returns.

• Nationwide On-Site Service: PharmaLink returns consultants come to your location to perform detailed product inventories and arrange for free shipping of product back to our returns facility.

• Customized Service to Meet Your Needs: From sweeping your shelves of obsolete inventory, to creating customizable reports, PharmaLink is able to offer you more returns solutions.

Additional Product Modules

PharmaLink’s custom web-based software, Encore®, is an easy-to-use comprehensive management suite for pharmaceutical returns. Powered by intuitive engineering, Encore® provides real-time inventory and streamlined credit processing reports with detail that’s unprecedented in the healthcare industry.

Additional Product Lines

PharmaLink has partnered with the global leader in track-and-trace solutions, TraceLink, to provide the dispenser community with a proven, turnkey solution for DSCSA Compliance. Our system provides pharmacies/dispensers with a complete suite of tools to comply with all DSCSA requirements for an affordable price.

Key Business Partners

Provides reverse distribution services for the manufacturer, wholesaler, and pharmacy.

EMBRACING INNOVATION

The Important Role of State Regulators in Shaping the Future of Pharmacy

By Robert Dixon, Senior Director – Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at iA

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented challenges to the healthcare sector, with demand for pharmacy services reaching new heights. State and federal regulatory changes such as the PREP Act expanded the scope of practice for pharmacists, allowing them to play a crucial role in meeting the public’s healthcare needs. Today, new regulatory requirements and political pressures have created a more complex environment that patients must navigate. At the center of these regulatory changes and shifting dynamics are pharmacists, who are now facing new responsibilities, reshaping public expectations, and shouldering increased demands on pharmacies nationwide.

Automating Non-Patient Facing Tasks

In response to the rising demand and to free up pharmacists to provide more essential clinical services, some large pharmacy retailers have started investing significantly in high-volume automated

solutions. High-volume pharmacy fulfillment solutions aim to streamline non-patientfacing tasks, ensuring that pharmacists have time to focus on patient care, consultations, and offering vital clinical services. By delegating routine tasks to automation, pharmacies can enhance their efficiency and patient safety, while optimizing their overall services.

The Impact on the Healthcare Sector

The ramifications of automation extend beyond the pharmacy walls and have a profound impact on the broader healthcare sector. In a scenario where pharmacists are better equipped to handle clinical services, physicians could direct their attention to patients with more acute needs, potentially resulting in improved patient outcomes and reduced strain on emergency rooms due to routine care cases. The collaboration between

pharmacists and automated solutions has the potential to contribute to a more holistic and efficient healthcare ecosystem, benefiting patients and providers alike.

Challenges in Regulatory Alignment

Despite the promising potential of highvolume automated central fill solutions, regulatory challenges are hindering its swift implementation. Often, innovative solutions outpace state laws and regulations, creating a disconnect that can slow down progress. This may result from a lack of consideration of existing regulations during the innovation process or regulatory apprehensions about the impact of new technology. To fully unlock the benefits of automation, it is crucial for businesses and regulators to collaborate proactively, finding common ground, and ensuring patient safety and reliable care.

Fostering Collaboration for the 21st Century

As the pharmacy landscape evolves, it is imperative for industry professionals and regulators to join forces to address the challenges of the 21st century. The ultimate goal should be to improve patient outcomes while embracing innovation responsibly. By fostering a collaborative environment, businesses and regulators can work together to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and existing regulations. This partnership can help ensure that patients receive safe, reliable, and accessible care while accommodating the evolving role of pharmacists in the healthcare system.

As pharmacies explore new avenues to enhance patient access and outcomes, automated central fill solutions emerge as a promising frontier. However, the conversation around their implementation is still in its early stages, leaving key questions unanswered. Operational models, standards of practice, and safety measures are just a few of the critical aspects that require careful consideration and collaboration between industry professionals and regulators. Striking the right balance between innovation and regulation is essential to ensure that patients benefit from these advancements while maintaining the highest standards of care.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a surge in demand for pharmacy services, leading to regulatory changes that expand the role of pharmacists in the healthcare sector. Simultaneously, political issues have begun to have more of an impact on healthcare services and delivery. In response to these challenges, high-volume central fill automation has emerged as a powerful tool to support pharmacists and help to optimize pharmacy services. By automating nonpatient-facing tasks, pharmacists can have time to focus on clinical services, which can lead to improved patient outcomes and reduced strain on the healthcare system. However, realizing the full potential of pharmacy requires collaboration between businesses and regulators to align state laws and regulations with innovative solutions. Embracing innovation responsibly is key to reshaping the future of pharmacy services and ultimately improving patient care nationwide.

Robert Dixon, Senior Director – Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at iA

Robert Dixon joined iA in September 2021 as Senior Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs. In this role, he has led efforts across various states to help inform regulators on iA’s technology and how it is being used by their customer partners. Prior to coming to iA he was the legislative director of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations which regulated all pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the state of Illinois. As a former regulator, he has educated stakeholders on the importance of developing the best regulations to protect patients but ensure critical access to prescriptions. He also helps to inform iA’s product development with this mission in mind.

PrimeRx key features include:

Custom Workflow and Report Writer

Clinical Assessment Module with Action List

Customizable Intake Queue

RPh Dashboard Showing Patient Payment and Profit

Compound Drugs Ingredient Sheet

2D Barcode Scanning for Rx Entry, Drug Pick Verification, and more

eVoucher & Denial Conversion Services

PrimeRxPay for Mobile Copayment Processing

Rx Delivery Remote Signature Capture and Processing

Patient Communication including 2-way SMS and Email

FillMyRefills App for 24/7 Patient Refill Orders

Real-Time Prescription Benefit by Surescripts®

Courier and Shipping Service Integration

PrimeRx Pharmacy Management Software

We understand the importance of independent pharmacies and the journey they are on every day to build healthier communities and provide them with the best possible care. Every day, PrimeRx walks alongside our pharmacies, ensuring they have the best tools to navigate their journey successfully.

• Elsevier medication counseling language packages.

President/CEO: Ketan Mehta

Founded: 1989

Employees: 225+

Toll-Free Phone: (866) 495-3999

Phone: (516) 408-3999

Fax: (516) 408-3992

Address: 6800 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 203E Syosset, NY 11791

Website: www.primerx.io

Company Background

PrimeRx has been providing exceptional management solutions to the independent pharmacy market for over 30 years. Thousands of pharmacies throughout the U.S. trust our PrimeRx system to manage their retail, long-term care, specialty, compounding, 340B, mail order, physician’s office, hospital and health system outpatient, and hub service pharmacy technology needs.

Product Overview

PrimeRx provides essential functions including patient and provider intake, prescription processing, workflow management, claims processing, labeling, dispensing, inventory management, report generation, automated refill, and patient record management solutions.

The PrimeRx platform was developed in direct response to pharmacists’ needs. Pharmacists expressed a need for a userfriendly, technology-based solution that would allow them to add efficiency to their workflows, automate key processes, and better serve patients, and we delivered. PrimeRx is a pharmacy tool for nearly every pharmacy service.

Features & Options

• Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) enabled ordering, inventory, and reconciliation.

• Over 20 pharmaceutical distributors and drug wholesaler integrations: AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, H.D. Smith, McKesson Pharmaceutical, and more.

• Find medications through a National Drug Code directory (NDC) drug list.

• Search prescribers national database.

• Cloud-based data encryption and biometric security.

• Controlled substance reporting (CSR).

• Integration with 100+ interfaces (e.g., wholesalers, IVRS, dose-dispensing machines/robots, EMRs).

• Customizable business reports (e.g., profit revenue report, patient profitability report, profitability by drug category, top performer’s report, etc.).

• Tools to facilitate five-Star ratings, medication synchronization, clinical assessments, patient communication, business analytics functions, and patient medication adherence reports.

• Refill Compliance Dashboard: send refills due, refill requests, monitor missed refills and refill gaps, all from one easy-to-understand refill compliance dashboard.

• New prescription or patient entry though driver’s license scanning.

• Patient management, medication synchronization, CMS medication adherence reporting, and DIR calculation tools.

• Stay in touch with your patients — outbound calling, TXT/ SMS messages, emails to communicate information related to refill alerts, dose alerts, pickup alerts, greetings, and other messages.

• Scan the patient’s driver’s license to start the patient file.

• Time stamped notes ledger for each patient file.

• Add tasks or a to-do list with the system’s built-in electronic reminders and follow-up messaging tools.

• Patient insurance eligibility check.

• Insurance transmission results showing estimated DIR fees.

Additional Product Lines

PrimeRx Specialty; Point of Sale; Electronic Signature Capture; Document Management System; Delivery Management Solution; Provider Web Portal; Central Management Portal; and FillMyRefills.

Ordering Information

Contact a representative today, and we will get you started on your next pharmacy software journey at:

lp.primerx.io/rxinsider20w

Visit us at www.primerx.io

Email us at sales@primerx.io

Call us at (866) 495-3999

Blister

Pouch

Chairman: Duane Chudy

Founded: 2020

Phone: (262) 729-9200

Address: N1671 Powers Lake Road Genoa City, WI 53128

Website: jfcrx.com

Company Background

Introducing the Next Generation Pharmacy Automation and Software From JFCRx

Conceived and operated by industry veterans, JFCRx helps pharmacies realize their vision for the future through analytics-driven automation. We connect data and leverage analytics to streamline pharmacy operations for efficiency and profitability.

n Adherence Pouch Packaging

JFCRx is a pharmacy automation partner that offers a full suite of complementary pharmacy automation solutions: leadingedge equipment and software, business process improvement intelligence, comprehensive analytics, and superior customer service. Led by an experienced team of pharmacy industry veterans, JFCRx leverages real-world data to help pharmacy operations become more efficient, increase productivity, and reduce operational costs through “analytics-driven automation.” More than a vendor of pouch and blister adherence packagers, inspection systems, and vial-filling automation solutions, JFCRx is a technology solutions partner that provides the tools pharmacies need to be successful.

Product Overview

n The Groundbreaking Enlite™ Management System

Only JFCRx offers a complete suite of pharmacy automation solutions managed through one cloud-based ecosystem, Enlite. This transformative software turns any number of disparate systems into a single solution — and delivers an enterprise level of efficiency, analytics, and reporting not available before in the industry. Enlite addresses inefficiencies and communication barriers in the pharmacy industry’s existing hardware ecosystem. Schedule a demo to learn more about Enlite’s current reporting and dashboard capabilities and the enterprise-level expansions in development.

n Multi-Dose Blister Card Packaging

TruCard™ is the industry’s only automated multi-dose blister card packaging solution with integrated image verification. Designed to fit the needs of any pharmacy through flexible configurations and workflows, the TruCard line provides accurate and efficient workflows to fill and check blister cards automatically.

Managing medication adherence is a key challenge for patient outcomes and overall cost of care. We help pharmacies improve patient medication adherence while optimizing production and efficiencies. TruPak™ is the next evolution of adherence packaging and delivers labor-saving automated tablet pouch packaging for improved safety, efficiency, and medication adherence.

n Pouch Verification

TruCheck™ provides adherence pouch verification for product quality, accuracy, and traceability. Efficient and accurate verification, review, and storage of adherence pouches is critical to any pharmacy operation. TruCheck streamlines production and minimizes timely manual checks while ensuring patient safety.

n Vial Filling

Vial filling technology helps pharmacists dispense medications more efficiently and accurately versus traditional manual processes. This means staff can spend more time on patient care and depend upon the accuracy and verification capabilities of their vial filling solution. TruScript™ provides easy, safe, and accurate semi-automated vial filling. With a user-friendly interface and scalable design, it is adaptable to any pharmacy and can link multiple devices together to expand formulary capacity.

Markets Served

• Long-Term Care

• Retail

• Hospital

Ordering Information

To learn how analytics-driven pharmacy automation can help you increase revenue, efficiency, and productivity, please contact us at (262) 729-9200 or info@jfcrx.com or visit jfcrx.com.

President & CEO: Michael Popovich

Founded: 1988

Employees: 150+

Phone: (480) 745-8500

Address: 411 South 1st Street Phoenix, AZ 85004

Website: www.STChealth.com

Company Background

Close Gaps in Care and Drive Revenue With ImmsLink

Ensure

Testimonial

“ImmsLink from STChealth has been such a time saver for our pharmacy. We always highlight the importance of focusing on the patient with our team, and automating the immunization reporting process allows us to do that. We’re able to scale up our immunization program and offerings, because we’re not having to manually data enter information into the vaccine registry. We utilize the automatic reporting that allows us to continue great patient care.”

STChealth’s history in developing the first immunization information system (IIS) in 1988 and continuing with over 35 years of work in both the public and private immunization ecosystem gives STChealth the experience to support more than a quarter of all vaccinations reported nationwide. Through a national network of over 80,000 providers and pharmacy partners, STChealth executes the mission to eradicate preventable disease and empower individuals through innovative technology and service solutions.

Product Overview

ImmsLink’s bi-directional immunization interface empowers pharmacies to increase vaccination rates by delivering simple, guaranteed reporting compliance and real-time access to patient immunization histories. ImmsLink utilizes STChealth’s proprietary decision support algorithm, based on the ACIP schedule, so pharmacists can see a patient-specific guide to due or past-due vaccination opportunities and make recommendations to get patients up to date. Following administration, providers can record and report immunizations in real-time to state immunization information systems using our simple user interface or leveraging one of our many integration partners. STChealth takes all the complexity of managing IIS connections and requirements out of the operator’s hands.

— Rannon Ching, PharmD, President/Chief Pharmacy Officer, TarryTown Pharmacy, Austin, TX

Key Business Partners

• PioneerRx Integration

• McKesson CPS Integration

• Change Healthcare ConvergeRx Integration

• DRX Pharmacy Software Integration

Ordering Information

To start service or get more information please visit us at STChealth.com or contact us at immslinksales@stchome.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

TRADE SHOWS, MEETINGS, & EXPOSITIONS

RXinsider’s Virtual Pharmacy Trade Show 24 / 7 / 365 450+ Booths, 80+ Aisles www.rxinsider.com

340B Coalition Winter Conference

January 29-31, 2024 San Diego, CA 340bwinterconference.org

APhA 2024

March 22-25, 2024 Orlando, FL

www.pharmacist.com/ Conferences/AnnualMeeting

NHIA 2024 Annual Conference

March 23-27, 2024 Austin, TX Conference.nhia.org

NACDS Annual Meeting

April 27-30, 2024

The Breakers Palm Beach, FL Annual.nacds.org

Asembia’s AXS24 Summit

April 28-May 2, 2024 Wynn & Encore Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV asembiasummit.com

ESTECH 2024

May 6-9, 2024 Las Vegas, NV www.iest.org/Meetings/ ESTECH

ASHP Summer Meetings and Exhibition

June 8-12, 2024 Portland, OR www.ashp.org/meetingsand-conferences/summermeetings-and-exhibition

ECRM Health System/ Institutional Pharmacy Session

June 10-13, 2024

JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa Tucson, AZ ecrm.marketgate.com/ Sessions/Category/ HealthSystems

McKesson ideaShare 2024

June 23-26, 2024 New Orleans, LA Mckessonideashare.com

340B Coalition Summer Conference

July 8-10, 2024 Washington, DC 340bsummerconference.org Continued on

UPCOMING EVENTS

TRADE SHOWS, MEETINGS, & EXPOSITIONS

Continued from pg. 52

ACVP Veterinary Pharmacy Conference

July 11-13, 2024

Indianapolis Zoo Indianapolis, IN vetmeds.org/vpc

Cardinal Health RBC

July 24-27, 2024 Chicago, IL rbc.cardinalhealth.com

NACDS Total Store Expo

August 17-19, 2024 Boston, MA Tse.nacds.org

APC’s Compounders on Capital Hill

September 17-18, 2024 Washington, DC a4pc.org/cch

NASP 2024 Annual Meeting & Expo

October 6-9, 2024

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center Nashville, TN naspnet.org/annualmeeting

NCPA Annual Convention

October 26-29, 2024 Columbus, OH www.ncpa.org/annualconvention

ASCP 2024 Annual Meeting & Exhibition

November 7-10, 2024

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Aurora, CO

Annual.ascp.com

President & CEO: Al Underwood

Founded: 1975

Toll-Free Phone: (877) 766-0321

Toll-Free Fax: (877) 766-9542

Color Coded Sun and Reading Glasses Program by Franklin Eyewear®

Reading

by category. This makes it easy to keep your displays organized and makes re-ordering simple!

Address: 260 Christopher Cove Ridgeland, MS 39157

Website: www.franklineyewear.com

Company Background

Franklin Eyewear evolved as Al Underwood drove from drugstore to drugstore in his home state of Mississippi in the early 1980s. Al had developed a sunglasses program that he started selling to convenience stores in 1975, and soon after, he added independent pharmacies due to the need for a reading glasses program.

Al added reading glasses in 1985, naming his line after Ben Franklin, who invented bifocals. After the advent of the baby boomers into reading glasses consumers, it was no longer just about function as fashion became a driving force for the forever young crowd buying them.

Product Overview

Franklin Eyewear displays are merchandised by strength, so the consumer can turn to the panel with their strength, and see a selection of frame styles and colors. Each panel has a color coded label designating the strength. The glasses price tags are color coded to match! The $9.99 retail price opens the door to multiple sales as people have a hard time picking just one, and they want to keep them in many places for easy access.

In addition to reading glasses, Franklin Eyewear offers a corresponding sunglasses program, color coded by category — sports, trendy, and fashion all at $9.99 retail. Also included in the sunglasses program for $9.99 are polarized sunglasses and sun-bifocals. Sunglasses with bifocals make it easy to read your smartphone in the sunlight.

Franklin Eyewear’s easy-to-maintain color coded program with quality and style at reasonable retails and a 50% margin, makes you competitive in today’s market and keeps your customers coming back for more.

Testimonials

“I was convinced no one would buy readers or sunglasses from an independent pharmacy when so many other places carry them. Boy was I wrong. I first carried Franklin Readers and they flew off the rack. I have people that come just for the trendy, good quality, reading glasses we sell. So I decided to try carrying the sunglasses as well. These have also been a great seller and a convenience for people.”

— Jennifer Palazzolo, Flatiron Pharmacy, Longmont, CO

“Our customers resoundingly say ‘great price, great style, and great products!’ We have fortunately noticed repeat business from these customers who are referring others to our pharmacy for your product. CVS is right across the street from our location and charges over $20 for glasses that are inferior and unattractive. We are now proud and happy to carry Franklin Eyewear in our community pharmacy.”

— Francis DiMarco, Pharm.D., Wilmont Pharmacy & Surgicals, Scarsdale, NY

“Franklin Eyewear has been a great addition to our front store. Customers love the quality and price of the eyeglasses and Al is extremely knowledgeable and will get you everything you need to start selling glasses. From counter displays to full floor models, they have everything you need. It’s always nice to walk by Franklin Eyewear at a trade show or conference because Al always remembers his customers and makes a point to say hello. We highly recommend Franklin Eyewear, I wish all our vendors were this great!”

—

Alex Doyle, Conley’s Drug Store, Ipswich, MA

Ordering Information

Order online at www.franklineyewear.com or call (877) 766-0321.

A low-cost solution to promote adherence

Medication nonadherence for patients with chronic diseases is extremely common, affecting as many as 40% to 50% of patients who are prescribed medications for management of chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.¹

Dispill®-USA Packaging offers:

• Minimal start-up costs

• Customizable packaging that fits the unique needs of your patients

• Free downloadable software package interfaces with most pharmacy systems

• Available to all pharmacies. You may order Dispill®-USA Packaging, available exclusively through Cardinal Health, regardless of your primary distributor affiliation.

Request your free sample and learn more today at cardinalhealth.com/dispill

CEO: Jason Hollar

Founded: 1971

Employees: 46,500

Stock Symbol: CAH

Phone: (614) 757-5000

Dispill®-USA Medication Compliance Packaging

Distributed exclusively through Cardinal Health, Dispill®-USA is a low-cost multi-dose blister packaging solution differentiating your pharmacy by providing patients with a way to ensure they are taking the right medication and dose at the right time.

Website: www.cardinalhealth.com/dispill

Company Background

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for healthcare facilities.

We are a crucial link between the clinical and operational sides of healthcare, delivering end-to-end solutions and data driving insights that advance healthcare and improve lives every day. With deep partnerships, diverse perspectives, and innovative digital solutions, we build connections across the continuum of care.

With more than 50 years of experience, we seize the opportunity to address healthcare’s most complicated challenges — now, and in the future.

We deliver products and solutions to improve the lives of people every day.

• We serve nearly 90% of U.S. hospitals, more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies, and more than 10,000 specialty physician offices and clinics.

• We provide more than 3.4 million patients with more than 46,000 home healthcare products.

• Our digital ecosystem to support medication adherence currently reaches more than 23 million patients and more than 60 payers.

Product Overview

Medication nonadherence for patients with chronic diseases is extremely common, affecting as many as 40% to 50% of patients who are prescribed medications for management of chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension. This nonadherence to prescribed treatment is thought to cause at least 100,000 preventable deaths and $100 billion in preventable medical costs per year.1

When patients adhere to prescribed medication, outcomes — both clinical and financial — dramatically improve. Increase patient compliance with Dispill®-USA multi-dose blister card packaging.

Dispill®-USA multi-dose packaging costs are at a minimum thanks to patented cold seal technology. To print the labels, you just need a laser printer. With perforated, color-coded blister packs in both 28 and 32 blister cell card options, you can tailor Dispill®-USA packaging to fit all your customers’ unique needs. Compatible with most pharmacy management systems, you can access free software to make printing easy. Free access to marketing materials is also available to promote Dispill®-USA to your community, such as bag stuffers, posters, videos, and more.

You may order Dispill®-USA packaging, available exclusively through Cardinal Health, regardless of your primary distributor affiliation.

Features & Options

Dispill®-USA multi-dose packaging process flow:

1. Buy the supplies.

2. Download software/marketing materials at dispill-usa.com (contact your PMS vendor to get the Dispill®-USA packaging interface).

3. Sync patients’ meds.

4. Fill cards.

5. Market service.

Product Specifications

Cardinal Health customers can order Dispill®-USA packaging product through Order Express or cardinalhealth.com. Kinray customers can order Dispill®-USA packaging with their regular order through weblink or by calling (718) 767-1234, option 5.

ParMed customers can place orders through Parmed.com or by calling (800) 727-6331.

If the above options are unavailable to you, please call Parmed at (800) 727-6331 and a customer service team member will assist you with setting up an account so you can begin ordering Dispill®-USA multi-dose packaging.

Markets Served

Pharmacies including: retail independent, long-term care, and regional chain.

References:

1 FDB Issue Brief: Medication Adherence

Thought Leader Video Series

Pharmacy Business Career Experiences With CVS Health

Joshua Cahill, Lead Director of Talent Acquisition, Wendy Perreault, Experiential Learning and Residency University Relations Manager, Dominic Cava, Pharmacy Manager, John Cerni, Region Director, and Jessica Read, Region Director

Topics Include:

• What a Pharmacy Business Leadership Rotation looks like with CVS Health.

• How pharmacy students can develop their clinical and management skills.

• Who can complete a Pharmacy Business Leadership Rotation experience.

• How the PBLR exposes participants to unique pharmacist roles.

We Power the Business of Pharmacy

Matthew Andrews, Hume Pharmacy, Justin Jemas, The Medicine Shoppe, William Steverson, King’s Discount Drug, Steve Pardi, The Medicine Shoppe, and Holly LaRoque, Medsource Pharmacy

Topics Include:

• ScriptPro Pharmacy Automation.

• Benefits of robotics.

• Pharmacy staff workflow and appreciation.

Pharmacy Careers With Rite Aid

Kelson Record, PharmD, CDR, Marcus Weaver, Roya Naim, PharmD, AIRS-CDR, and Nathan Johnson, PharmD

Topics Include:

• Qualities recruiters look for in candidates.

• How Rite Aid leverages technology.

• Advice for new pharmacy school graduates.

• Career growth opportunities at Rite Aid.

Pharmacy Accreditation and Certification Services

Caitlin Warner, Provider Relations, Jack Haire, Director of DMEPOS & Pharmacy Services, Sandy Canally, RN, Founder & CEO, Steve Simmerman, COO, and Scott Muscarella, Vice President of Marketing

Topics Include:

• Trends in pharmacy technology and operations.

• The keys to success when accrediting pharmacy chains.

• How to simplify USP 800.

• Opportunities for infusion therapy accreditation.

President & CEO: Ezriel Green

Founded: 2017

Employees: 25+

Phone: (718) 502-6610

Fax: (718) 414-1474

Address: 2360 Route 9 Suite 3 #171 Toms River, NJ 08755

Website: EzriRx.com

EzriRx Connects 30+ NABP-Accredited Wholesalers With Thousands of Pharmacies in the US

EzriRx is a technology friendly and advanced marketplace that makes it incredibly easy for pharmacies to shop and save on brands, generics, OTC, HBA, pet meds, and more on a single easy-to-use platform. The time wasted dealing with reps adds up to real dollars. EzriRx is simple. EzriRx is free.

Features & Options

• 30+ NABP-accredited wholesalers.

• Two-minute free sign-up process.

• Electronic applications and e-signature.

• Add a payment method and never share it with wholesalers.

• Make offers on all products.

• Short-dated items.

• Multi-store login.

• Audit help.

Company Background & History

EzriRx was built with a mission to bring the latest available e-commerce technology to U.S. pharmacies. Our goal was to lower the cost of goods by providing the easiest-to-use, bestdesigned, and most advanced marketplace solution to date. While pharmacies have a fundamental responsibility to patients, we wanted to eliminate their purchasing pains. We created the algorithm to get the best price so they can forget about their GCR, ratios, and minimums and continue focusing on their patient.

Product Overview

We began by contracting with 30+ NABP-accredited wholesalers and added 60,000 unique items. We created a two-minute signup process and eliminated all the paperwork needed to apply and open new accounts with wholesalers. We then added the ability to pay wholesalers (through the platform) via ACH, credit cards, terms, and statements and manage all invoices in a central location. We added the ability to make offers on every product and created an easy, free solution for audits. We built a mobile website to search and buy on the go, and allow pharmacies to connect their pharmacy software provider for easy inventory management. We even keep records of all the DSCSA files and do so much more!

For pharmacies in select states, we offer a pharmacy-to-pharmacy solution to get rid of excess inventory and for pharmacies with an awaiting patient to buy products from another pharmacy at a deep discount. We think win-win.

• Track DSCSA/T3/pedigree documents.

• Connect your pharmacy software for inventory.

• Rewards on every generic purchase.

• Select primary connections available.

Markets Served

• Independent

• Long-Term Care

• Chain

• Hospital

• Closed Door

Trade Shows/Meetings Attended

• DiversifyRx

• NCPA

“I heard DSCSA is on a pause?”

in a nutshell,

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DSCSA 360™ – Designed to Ensure That You Meet Upcoming Requirements and Avoid Penalties

PRS has partnered with Advasur to develop the most convenient and complete DSCSA solution at an affordable price.

President & CEO: Harry A. Lattanzio, RPh.

Founded: 1982

Employees: 50+

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 338-3688

Phone: (724) 539-7820

Fax: (724) 539-1388

Address: 201 Depot Street, Suite 200 Latrobe, PA 15650

Website: www.prsrx.com

Company Background

supply chain continuity and product availability. This period is not intended to provide, and should not be viewed as providing, a justification for delaying efforts to comply with the DSCSA.

Product Specifications

The DSCSA 360™ program includes all the below features and tools to enable your pharmacy for success:

• Easy to follow compliance guide to walk you through the implementation process.

• Required policies and procedures/SOPs.

• Required forms.

With over 40 years of experience in the independent pharmacy industry, PRS is nationally recognized as the go-to company for retail pharmacies seeking help with a variety of complicated and time-consuming issues. The PRS’ experienced advisors offer up-to-date, comprehensive pharmacy consulting, operational services, and cutting edge in-store programs designed to increase the profitability, visibility, and professionalism of independent pharmacies. We are pharmacists and pharmacy owners who understand your business.

Product Overview

The PRS DRUGSUPPLYTrack™ and Advasur 360™ have been combined to create DSCSA 360™ to ensure your pharmacy has the tools (SOPs, training, and DSCSA Data Repository) to be compliant today and into the future. Advasur and PRS are DSCSA service and solution leaders and stand ready to serve dispenser pharmacies for full compliance with current and future DSCSA requirements with minimal disruption to business workflow operations and patient care.

At the tail end of August 2023, the FDA announced a oneyear stabilization period where they announced they did not plan to take action to enforce various aspects of the Enhanced Drug Distribution Security (EDDS) requirements (582g) of the DSCSA until 11/27/2024. This guidance did not affect the existing requirements currently in place today under the DSCSA requirements.

The FDA expects pharmacies (and all trading partners) to use this stabilization period to build and validate interoperable systems and processes, manage products and data, and ensure patient

• Support from compliance experts to help you every step of the process.

• Works, on your behalf, with your authorized trading partners to begin collecting your electronic transaction data automatically.

• Provides all of the electronic transaction data from all your authorized trading partners on one easy-to-use website.

• Provides alerts:

• when there is suspect data in your transaction information.

• when recall information matches products you have received.

• when your authorized trading partner licenses and credentials are expiring.

• DSCSA audit assistance is available at no cost.

• Provides employee training on the software and SOPs.

• Training and education on identifying suspect products.

• Scanning of incoming products.

Contact Information

Call (800) 338-3688 or visit www.prsrx.com/dscsa360 for details.

Prescription for Success Mastering Supply Diversity With Multiple Wholesalers

Contributor:

Nicholas Shanos, RPh, Owner Suburban Pharmacy, Inc., Warwick, RI

What are the advantages of using multiple wholesalers versus one primary vendor?

• Availability: When there’s a drug shortage or an interruption of drug supply we have the choice of more wholesalers to increase the odds of receiving the product.

• Price Comparison: We gain the ability to have the choice to compare different drug prices and optimize the best cost-to-reimbursement ratio.

How did the decision come about to use multiple wholesalers?

We began using multiple NABP certified (formally VAWD certified) wholesalers about five years ago. The unconscionable PBM (pharmacy benefit managers) prescription reimbursement is the reason for starting this process. It’s so much easier to order from one primary vendor but, unfortunately, with the low reimbursement rates, that’s not reality if we want to stay alive as a small independent retail pharmacy. The PBM reimbursements of certain drugs are less than what the drug actually costs. The first step that was taken to resolve this issue was to contact the PBM to submit a reimbursement appeal form. However, that fell on deaf ears and the underpaid reimbursements remained the same. It was then that we began utilizing multiple wholesalers in order to find one that would charge us a price at or below the PBM reimbursement rate.

How often do you buy from multiple wholesalers? On average, how much money are you able to save?

We order and receive shipments six days a week and perform price comparisons on a daily basis. We have been able to save up to 30% on the cost of a drug by performing this daily task. Yet, ordering from multiple wholesalers remains a strategic process because we also have to stay within the generic compliance ratio (GCR) among all of our wholesalers. Specifically, we must abide by our wholesaler contract regarding the ratio of generic drugs to brand drugs. So, essentially when performing these price comparisons, not only do we have to take into account how much we would be saving by buying a generic drug from a different wholesaler, but we have to bear in mind our GCR contractual obligation.

Are patients able to benefit from this process?

Yes, patients can definitely benefit from the process of using multiple wholesalers because we have a higher chance of obtaining their medication when it’s unavailable from one or more wholesalers. For example, specific lots of losartan have been recalled and the drug has been on backorder for some time now from our main wholesaler. It has been valuable to have the option of other NABP certified wholesalers to be able to continue to supply our patients without having any gaps in their care.

What is the biggest obstacle to overcome when comparing prices?

The biggest obstacle is the time that it takes to perform this daily duty. It is a manual and very tedious process. To compare prices, you need to log into every wholesaler’s website with your ID and password, and individually search every drug. At the end of each month you inevitably end up with an excessive number of billing statements to keep track of and then pay on time. Many independents don’t have the staff to keep up with this time-consuming bookkeeping task.

Time seems to be a big concern with this process. How do you find the time?

Well, it’s an overwhelming and timeconsuming process when comparing and ordering from each wholesaler through each separate website. One of the ways that we are able to speed up the process is by using a website that serves as a drug marketplace platform. Several companies carry out this function, but here at Suburban Pharmacy, we use EzriRx.com. This company is a search

“

At this point, it’s not a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of survival!”

engine that represents 30 wholesalers. Their website allows you to search for a drug by the drug name or NDC and then simultaneously compare the different prices among the other wholesalers. The price details, shipping parameters, expiration dates, available quantity, and order minimums are all organized on the same screen for a simplified, streamlined use. Also, integrated into the platform is the ability to download our pharmacy’s daily drug order report from our pharmacy software directly into their website to do price comparisons and eliminate the entering of each individual drug.

As previously mentioned, bookkeeping and monthly statements can start to build up and become a hassle. EzriRx has created a timesaving solution by initiating an automated monthly payment to each wholesaler we buy from. There is an initial payment setup (EFT or credit card) based on the parameters of each wholesaler. Then, EzriRx automatically pays the wholesaler invoices when they are due. Through this process, our staff has been able to save time and enhance our price comparison strategy.

Why has it been crucial for your independent pharmacy to use multiple wholesalers?

We do all of this in order to save money so that we can become profitable as we deal with the unfair practices of the PBMs. Honestly, this is necessary to stay in business and be able to provide medications and services to our patients while also being a valuable asset to our community. Shanos states, “at this point, it’s not a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of survival!”

Contributor:

Nicholas Shanos, RPh, Owner of Suburban Pharmacy, Inc., Warwick, RI

Shanos is a registered pharmacist and owner of a small independent pharmacy located in the heart of a close-knit neighborhood in Warwick, Rhode Island. As a young child, Shanos loved watching his father, a pharmacist and the owner of Suburban, interact with customers and admired the respect and friendship that developed. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island School of Pharmacy in 1986, Shanos purchased Suburban after his father’s death that same year. He worked hard to modernize the store by incorporating computer and automation technology. He continues the legacy of caring for the health of friends and neighbors while forming lasting friendships. Shanos is a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association. Shanos is an avid cyclist, always searching for the ultimate pizza.

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Start Streamlining Your Pharmacy With Modular Pole Systems From Source Communications

Product Specifications

President & CEO: Jeff Ditges

Founded: 1987

Employees: 11-50

Toll-Free Phone: (800) 831-6669

Phone: (303) 466-8925

Website: www.source-communications.com

Company Background

Source Communications has been providing services and products to the nation’s top retailers since 1987. We are a single-vendor solution for certified technology services and products to improve your businesses’ productivity, profitability, security, and sustainability across the complete physical infrastructure of your facilities. We provide custom products and services supporting point-ofsale equipment and computer systems nationwide. We help you streamline your checkout operations, reduce risk, and improve efficiency. Checkout Simplified.

Product Overview

Modular Pole Systems (MPS) will streamline your pharmacy counter to improve employee productivity and suggest to the customer that your pharmacy is a modern, efficient facility. These Made in the USA, individually customized, patented square poles consolidate all of your POS and RX hardware, like keyboards, touch screens, pin pads, hand scanners, and printers all into one vertical area. It saves counter space and economizes the efforts of your employees.

Features & Options

n Improved Customer Engagement

When your equipment is organized and mounted, employees spend less time away from their customers and more time taking care of them.

n Easy to Use, Inexpensive to Own

The modular design allows you to add and subtract from the pole as you see fit, you don’t need an entirely new system if your equipment changes.

n Easily Adaptable

Our products are reconfigurable, so as your needs or equipment change, the product can change along with it. This provides a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.

n In Stores Across the Country

You can buy with confidence because our Made in the USA systems were named by a top, national retailer as their enterprise solution for mounting touch screens.

n Patented Dual Tilting Tension

Our never-fail constant friction hinge technology ensures it will never become loose. The dual tilting tension makes a touchscreen easy to relocate and stay in place with consistent use.

n Mount More Equipment

Get more U.S.M.A (usable surface mount area). We have more surfaces to hold more equipment then a round pole. Our square poles are easy to reconfigure, so when your needs change, it’s easy to upgrade or reconfigure your Modular Pole Systems™ products.

Testimonial

“Quality solutions, flexibility, engineering excellence, and fantastic customer service. In my mind, no other ‘stand’ competitor could stand up to your solutions.”

— Senior Sales Engineer for a Leading Payment Terminal Manufacture

Additional Product Lines

n UnderStands™

UnderStands, featuring our Constant Friction Hinge, are the most secure, most versatile, and easiest-to-use card reader stands available today. They provide tilting and swiveling options while maintaining PCI compliance and ADA standards. No maintenance, adjusts and stays where you put it.

n Wireless Cash Carts™

The Wireless Cash Cart™ is a portable, self-contained cash register with a robust internal power system. The cart is configurable to hold all types of point-of-sale equipment.

Ordering Information

Visit our website at www.source-communications.com or call us at (303) 466-8925.

Patient

Proactive