McKesson ideaShare to Bring Together 2,000 Community Pharmacies Virtually

IRVING, Texas, Aug. 24, 2021 – Community pharmacy teams from across the United States will come together Sept. 14-17, 2021 at the 38^th annual McKesson ideaShare, a virtual experience designed to help independent pharmacies join forces, to learn new skills and grow their business.

This year’s opening general session will feature Brian Tyler, chief executive officer, McKesson Corporation, and Eyad Farah, president, Health Mart & Health Mart Atlas. The two leaders will honor the role community pharmacies played in pandemic response – administering more than one million COVID-19 vaccine doses and collecting more than half a million COVID-19 tests. They will also discuss retail pharmacy trends, as well as outline three key takeaways for customers focused on operating efficiently, maintaining margins and growing strategically.

Eyad Farah shares, “Whether your goal is to elevate your clinical performance, advocate for our profession, or gain quality professional education – McKesson ideaShare has been the must-attend event for 37 years for community pharmacy teams who want to improve patient care while also boosting their bottom line.”

Public policy prioritized

McKesson ideaShare will also host a public policy session with guests from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) on Sept. 15, 2021. The 45-minute session will focus on critical healthcare issues, including provider status and DIR (direct and indirect renumeration) fee reform. The session will also spotlight the work community pharmacists perform to end HIV.

Panelists include:

• Lt. Cmdr. Neelam “Nelly” Gazarian, PharmD, MS, AAHIV, U.S. Public Health Service, HHS
• Doug Hoey, MBA, RPh, chief executive officer, NCPA
• Nimesh Jhaveri, MBA, RPh, president, Community Pharmacy & Health, McKesson
• Nancy Lyons, BSPharm, MBA, CDE, chief pharmacist, Health Mart
• Pete Slone, senior vice president, Public Affairs, McKesson

Pharmacist-led educational sessions

McKesson ideaShare will host 25 virtual educational opportunities, the majority of which will be led by pharmacists. Opportunities include continuing education courses, roundtable discussions and Pharma Talks – a short and entertaining speaker series.

Topics include:

• How to Pivot from Pandemic-Related Clinical Service Success to New Healthcare Initiatives
• The Rising Tide – Advancing Pharmacy Technicians
• High Voltage Pharmacy: Seize Opportunities and "Plug-In" to Your Community
• Rise to the Challenge: How Pharmacy Teams Can Help to End the HIV Epidemic

“Each year – and most importantly this year – our pharmacy teams need to step back and develop the profession, together,” said Josh Borer, PharmD, pharmacist and owner of Rex Pharmacy. “Following the public health challenges of the past year, it’s imperative we prioritize our education and networking so we can powerfully shape the future of community pharmacy for the better.”

Registration for McKesson ideaShare is $99 for the first attendee per pharmacy location and $49 for each additional attendee requiring continuing education credit.

Conference rebate

The first 2,250 retail stores, and alternate site pharmacies, that register and attend the two general sessions are eligible to receive the McKesson ideaShare rebate. The rebate is 2% of total OneStop Generics

About Health Mart

Health Mart^® is the nation’s fastest-growing independent pharmacy franchise with approximately 5,000 community pharmacies across all 50 states. Health Mart pharmacists provide personalized care and take the time to help patients understand their prescription-drug coverage, how to safely manage multiple medications, and how to take advantage of lower-cost medication options. Patients can find a Health Mart pharmacy by visiting healthmart.com.

As an important member of the healthcare team, Health Mart pharmacists possess strong clinical knowledge and collaborate with patients and other healthcare providers to help patients manage and improve their health. The Health Mart franchise is owned by Health Mart Systems, Inc., which is part of McKesson Corporation. Pharmacists and pharmacy owners interested in learning more can explore join.healthmart.com.

About Health Mart Atlas

Health Mart Atlas™ is a market-leading managed-care solution leveraged by more than 6,800 small and medium chain pharmacies nationwide. It provides pharmacies with access to narrow networks through strategic contracting, increases pharmacy efficiencies through consolidated reimbursement processes, and delivers the tools needed to help pharmacies remain top clinical performers.

As a managed-care solution that supports community pharmacies, Health Mart Atlas provides the expertise and tools needed to help pharmacies have continued access to patients and the right networks to compete in the evolving market. Health Mart Atlas is a joint venture between McKesson Corporation and American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc.