Independent Pharmacy’s Premier Event

Every day is filled with difficult choices, but choosing which industry event to attend should be easy. The 12th annual Together Toward Tomorrow Independent Pharmacy Business Growth Super-Conference is right around the corner. From February 25-27, 2016, our nation’s most successful and up and coming pharmacy owners will come together to learn compelling solutions and new executable ideas that will set the stage for continuous growth in the year ahead. Today, more than ever before, we must possess the ability to foresee and welcome industry changes as they come – armed with the solutions that will help us win. With that in mind, here are ten reasons you should attend pharmacy’s main event, PDS 2016.

1. Three Eye-Opening Days

The 2016 Super-Conference is unlike any industry event you’ve ever experienced. For three days, you’ll step into a space that will give you the right tools to generate ideas and strategically plan your business operations in a way that can’t be done anywhere else. We will dare you to think bigger and better than you ever have before, to seek opportunities and challenge the status quo.

2. Ready to Implement Ideas

What small change can you make that can pay huge dividends right now? The concepts presented at this event will teach you how to operate your business from the position of clarity and control. Our speakers will share their strategic leadership, business management, finance and marketing tools to set the groundwork for your very own robust business model. They will inspire empowered financial decision-making through every stage of the business life cycle.

3. Inspirational Speakers

We’re bringing luminary speakers from pharmacy business management and beyond to inspire you, help you infuse new ideas into your business and provide insight into how you can keep your money where it belongs – in your pocket! Click here to learn more about the 2016 lineup of keynote speakers, which includes Kevin O’Leary from ABC’s Shark Tank.

4. No Clinical Programming

We know that you don’t need another course on diabetic footwear. At the PDS Conference, topics include wealth management, pharmacy leadership, employee development, customer service and culture, increasing pharmacy sales and pharmacy marketing… just to name a few. If you don’t walk away with at least five executable money-saving and money-making ideas, you weren’t listening.

5. Leading Industry Vendors

Connect with the 100+ world-class exhibitors who will deliver state-of-the-art automated pharmacy systems and services that will refine your operations and propel your business into the high-quality profit machine you have always envisioned. Each vendor is cherry-picked for quality and has the PDS stamp of approval.

6. The Best Networking in the Industry

You are the company you keep. Interact with the top 20% of pharmacy owners in the country and connect with the most progressive minds in the business. Year after year, participants have said that the value gained from lasting connections alone justifies the trip. You will learn what other pharmacy owners have been doing to become more profitable. Plus, who can resist a chance to unwind and socialize in Florida’s warm weather?

7. Access to Competitive Strategies

The pharmacy industry is ever-changing, from health care regulations to public opinion. In a world in which knowledge is power, what you don’t know CAN hurt you. The 2016 PDS Conference will unravel key data points that will show you how to drive your strategy, soothe your fears about the future, and give your pharmacy a competitive edge.

8. PDS Membership Test Drive

PDS16 is your chance to get up close and personal with current PDS Members and learn about Members-only programming. PDS Performance Specialists and Business Advisors will be giving demos, sharing tips and answering questions. The PDS team will be delighted to share the mechanics behind our unique training programs and the secret sauce that has caused our Members to earn up to 70 times return on their membership investment.

9. Online Speaker Sessions

Over the past twelve years, our keynote speakers have made dozens of groundbreaking presentations. As an added bonus with this year’s Conference registration, you will gain access to 10 brilliant speaker sessions from year’s past. In the weeks leading up to the event, you will have the opportunity to jumpstart your progress by listening to these sessions online.

10. Free Companion Pass

We encourage conference attendees to help spread the word about amazing innovations available for independent pharmacies. Each ticket includes an extra admission for anyone who is interested in gaining a better understanding of the nature, goals and challenges of our industry ($1,795 value). Bring another pharmacy owner and help us move Together Toward Tomorrow.

What changes will threaten your business this year and next? What new revenue and profit opportunities are you missing out on? There is only one way to make sure you are in the know. Register for the most crucial event you will ever attend for your business. Still on the fence? Contact us with your questions.

Business achievement often comes down to focusing on your strengths, while working to improve your weaknesses. If you happen to be more shy or introverted than the typical charismatic entrepreneur, don’t worry! Whether you enjoy it or not, networking is vital to the success of your independent pharmacy and with a little practice and preparation, you can become a networking guru. If you’re nervous about an upcoming conference, lunch meeting or party, experiment with these tips.

Manage Your Expectations

Rather than approaching your next social event with fear, manage your expectations by planning ahead. Before heading to the main event, establish reasonable goals. For example, you may determine to meet ten new people and distribute five of your own business cards. Remember that one high-quality conversation is more beneficial than twenty brief introductions.

Practice Your Introduction

Shy people have a more difficult time starting conversations with strangers, but a small amount of preparation can make a big difference. Develop a memorable introduction, also known as an elevator speech, to describe who you are and why your pharmacy is special. You may also want to prepare a few questions you can use as conversation starters. Research the event to find out who will be there and what their interests are, so you will be prepared to discuss relevant topics.

Set a Time Limit

If you are especially nervous about a particular event, plan to stay for a short time only. Instead of planning to stay for the duration, start small by committing to one hour. Showing up is the first step. You may surprise yourself by decidingto stay longer.

Practice Often

Networking is a skill that improves with experience. Even an extrovert can be slightly nervous when testing out a newly crafted elevator speech. The more you network, the easier it gets, so get started now and practice often.

Introverts draw energy from being alone, so taking breaks can help immensely. Next time you feel drained at an industry event, return to your hotel room, go for a walk outside or find a quiet spot in the lobby to decompress. No matter what, do not let a fear of networking hold you back. For introverts and extroverts alike, the advantages of networking far outweigh the risks.

Every year, pharmacy owners of every kind attend the industry’s main event and report that it’s the most valuable thing they do for their business all year long. Don’t miss the opportunity to network and learn from America’s best pharmacy owners at the Independent Pharmacy Together Toward Tomorrow Conference. Tickets are now available.

Click here to learn more and register now.

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Today’s pharmacies are at a significant crossroads between the conventional drug-dispensing identity of the past and a pioneering clinical role with health care provider status. For the past several decades, the concept of “provider status” has been tossed around at every pharmacy school, pharmacy association meeting and pharmacy work site. Provider status is frequently discussed at networking events, so you may be asking yourself “Is it really vital to our profession’s survival?” The answer is a definitive yes.

How will your pharmacy practice evolve to meet the needs of the 21st-century health care system? Pharmacists’ services have begun to grow well beyond functions tied only to dispensing medications. Many of today’s pharmacists also provide such advanced patient-centered services as:

• Coordination of medications (also known as a med-sync program)
• Medication management
• Comprehensive medication reviews with ongoing medication monitoring
• Chronic disease management
• Disease education
• Prevention and wellness services
• Patient education

For patients to achieve the full benefit of their medications, pharmacists must be an integral part of the health care team. Why is it so important for your pharmacy to achieve provider status?

 Help the Economy

Improving quality of life and overall health in a cost-effective manner are important goals for everyone. Proper use of medications is essential to meeting that goal, particularly for those with chronic conditions requiring complex medication therapies. According to a 2009 study, the treatment of chronic diseases costs the U.S. health care system $1.7 trillion annually, accounting for about 75% of healthcare expenses. Even a small improvement in chronic disease management would result in substantial savings for your patients. As millions of Baby Boomers age into retirement, the opportunities to decrease costs are even more important to the economy.

Keep Your Customers Healthy

The impact of medication misuse is staggering. Each year, there are more than 1.5 million preventable medication-related adverse events in the United States alone. Furthermore, the health care system incurs nearly $290 billion dollars annually in mostly avoidable costs to treat issues that arise from inappropriate medication use. Non-adherence alone results in $100 billion each year in excess hospitalizations. Pharmacists like you bring comprehensive knowledge on the useof medications for the treatment, management and prevention of diseases to the health care team. You care about your customers, so achieving provider status is just one more way to give them the best care possible.

Improve Customer Satisfaction

If your pharmacy reaches provider status, your patients will no longer need to make an appointment with their primary care doctor for simple tests related to chronic diseases, patient assessments, and disease management. Your patients will maintain their health, have a better understanding of their medications and save money. If you can provide these additional services, patients will be increasingly loyal to your business.

When pharmacists are involved as active members of the healthcare team, patient outcomes improve, they report higher rates of satisfaction, and overall health care costs are reduced. Recognition and coverage of pharmacist-provided patient care services should create more incentives for pharmacy owners to expand the services offered and integrate these services into evolving business models. Understanding this and staying ahead of the competition is vital to your pharmacy’s success.

Pharmacy ownership is constantly evolving and the best way to make sure you remain ahead of the curve is to attend the industry’s main event. You will network with like-minded industry professionals and learn about every significant change to pharmacy ownership at the PDS Together Toward Tomorrow conference.