Good Neighbor Pharmacy Reinforces Commitment to Helping Enhance Patient Care

Las Vegas, Nv. – Today, Good Neighbor Pharmacy reinforced its commitment to helping independent pharmacies enhance patient care by kicking off another year of programs focused on compliance and medication adherence. The first of many education sessions and initiatives took place today during the opening of ThoughtSpot 2014, Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen’s annual conference. Sessions around the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Star Measures were a highlight and helped pharmacists understand that quality outcomes are a driving force in the new healthcare environment, and that pharmacists have a critical new role to play with CMS’s new rating system. 

“There is a shift in healthcare today to place emphasis on outcomes and quality. One of the biggest drivers of change is the increased focus from CMS to pay more for quality and value-based patient care,” said AJ Caffentzis, President, Community & Specialty Pharmacy. “Independent pharmacies are uniquely positioned to excel in the new quality paradigm by leveraging their close ties with the communities they operate in and with the customers that seek advice and counsel. The personalized service already offered by community pharmacists can be a springboard to perform well in a system focused on adherence and compliance.”

Over the course of the past year, Good Neighbor Pharmacy has embarked on a series of programs and support services to help community pharmacies transform patient care and plans to continue these efforts in the year ahead.

This year’s CMS Star Measures education initiative culminated today with a session led by Star Measures expert, community pharmacy owner and Good Neighbor Pharmacy member, Tripp Logan, PharmD. The ThoughtSpot session was the last in a three-part educational series for AmerisourceBergen customers which began in January 2014. Throughout the series, pharmacists received education, tools and advice for how to view CMS Star Measures as a business opportunity and enhance patient outcomes.

• Thousands of community pharmacists from across the country within the Good Neighbor Pharmacy network participated in the CMS Star Measures education initiative.
• More than 70 percent of Good Neighbor Pharmacy Provider Network locations are helping health plans achieve three stars or better on adherence, according to data from EQuIPP, an innovative performance management platform.

Victor Sone, a pharmacy professional, attended the CMS Star Ratings education series and has been successful in implementing new adherence practices that helped grow business. “Dr. Logan’s presentation answered my questions about Star measures and provided advice on how to improve at an operational level to be not only prepared but ahead of the curve,” he said. “He shared a case study about a pilot medication adherence program that found individual patient interactions were key. I implemented a similar program with the knowledge from the education series and saw a 15 to 22% increase in prescription refills in just a few months.”

For more information about Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen’s pharmacy solutions, please visit www.mygnp.com and www.amerisourcebergen.com/abcnew/pharmacies. 

About AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen is one of the largest global pharmaceutical sourcing and distribution services companies, helping both healthcare providers and pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers improve patient access to products and enhance patient care. With services ranging from drug distribution and niche premium logistics to reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting services, AmerisourceBergen delivers innovative programs and solutions across the pharmaceutical supply channel. With over $100 billion in annualized revenue, AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs approximately 13,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #28 on the Fortune 500 list. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.