Get Ready for the Flu Season Rush

’Tis the season for cold and flu, as we enter that time of year when patients turn to pharmacists for guidance on self-care products for treating these scourges of winter. Pharmacy Times^® has pharmacists covered, with guidance in this cough and cold issue on everything from the treatment of congestion and runny noses to the misconceptions and myths about whooping cough.

Although helping patients may be all in a day’s work for pharmacists, we know that these health care professionals are truly heroes in their communities. To that end, Pharmacy Times^® and Parata Systems celebrated the winners of the 10th Annual 2019 Next-Generation Pharmacist^® Awards on October 25, 2019, at a ceremony held at the beautiful Hotel del Coronado concurrently with the 2019 National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Annual Convention & Expo in San Diego, California. Pharmacy Times^® and Parata Systems, the industry’s most comprehensive pharmacy technology solutions provider, hosted more than 160 attendees, including event sponsors, other clients, Pharmacy Times^® associates, and, of course, the honorees and their families.

The night’s big winner was Daniel S. Fuchs, RPh, pharmacist and owner of Fuchs Family Pharmacies, who received the 2019 Next-Generation Pharmacist^® of the Year and Entrepreneur 2019 awards.

The Next-Generation Pharmacist^® awards program recognizes exceptional pharmacists, pharmacy students, and technicians who have gone above and beyond in caring for patients and advancing the profession and are future innovators, leaders, and pioneers. Since 2010, the program has generated more than 3000 peer nominations across all 50 states and honored nearly 300 pharmacy leaders.

Later that weekend at the NCPA conference, Pharmacy Times^® was on hand to provide extensive coverage of the meeting. As the NCPA’s associate director of strategic initiatives, Carlie Traylor, told attendees when introducing a session, the conference theme centered on changing the pharmacist payment model. Sessions touched on medication synchronization programs to benefit patients and pharmacists, strategies for operating a long-term care pharmacy, and expanding the market for packaging services.

One session titled “CBD Making Waves at Community Pharmacies” seemed to capture a secondary theme of the conference, at least judging by the number of booths related to cannabidiol products in the exhibit hall.

Check out our coverage, including articles and video interviews, of the NCPA conference at pharmacytimes.com/conferences/ncpa-2019.

Thank you for reading, and remember—just as you tell your patients—to get your annual flu shot and practice handwashing this winter!