McKesson ideaShare 2022 Aims to Magnify Voices of Independent Pharmacy Community

With exciting speakers and events, McKesson ideaShare 2022 has been reimagined to be a more customer-centric meeting with the goal of connecting those in independent pharmacy and strengthening their collective voice.

McKesson ideaShare 2022 is taking place in Washington, DC, from July 7 through 10. On Friday, keynote speaker and author Daniel Pink will discuss how organizations can encourage innovation, motivation, and talent.

In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Health Mart President Eyad Farah, BSPharm, said he is extremely excited to have the meeting back in-person, after 3 years without in-person connections at ideaShare.

“Our purpose is to empower independent community pharmacies, to foster those connections, to discover new ways to thrive and strengthen their collective voice, as the premier community pharmacy event in the country,” Farah said.

In addition to the keynote address, there are many interactive sessions to allow attendees to connect with each other while learning about the changing independent pharmacy landscape. In a session, called the “Strong Vision for the Future Learning Map Experience,” attendees will reflect on the role of the independent pharmacy community during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the changes that will have lasting impacts.

“When we think about the last 2-and-a-half years, we were operating under unique circumstances,” Farah said. “We accelerated the industry, we evolved the industry in so many different ways, [and] this learning experience really invites all the attendees to participate and help us shape that future of pharmacy.”

In addition, a lunch and learn event sponsored by RxOwnership will focus on women in pharmacy and how they can succeed. Guest speaker Blair Green Thielemier, PharmD, will speak about women’s vital roles in the pharmacy profession and how she sees the shift to a value-based health care model as an opportunity for growth. After hearing from Thielemier, attendees will hear a panel discussion with pharmacy leaders and owners on how their backgrounds shaped them and how they are innovating in the pharmacy and connecting with communities.

On Saturday, attendees can join a public policy session to hear more about the current political climate and how it is impacting independent pharmacies. Presenters will also review what independent pharmacies need to know about current legislative efforts to steer their pharmacies into the future.

In addition to these events, the meeting offers many continuing education sessions, with topics ranging from naloxone education to accounting for pharmacies. On Thursday, attendees can learn about herbal products and supplements, the evolving patient care process, updates to diabetes guidelines, and more. On Saturday, attendees can also learn about social media marketing, the importance of cultural competence, and prescription processing and dispensing.

“Attendees are just going to find so many opportunities to learn and discover and connect,” Farah said.

Finally, the 2022 Health Mart Pharmacy of the Year winner will be announced on Saturday night, at the Final Night Party. Attendees can meet the 3 finalists outside of the Expo Hall on Thursday, watch their final presentations and, for the first time ever, vote for their favorite on-site. Located in Alabama, Illinois, and Missouri, the 3 finalists exhibit the best in patient care and innovation.

“If you do attend the show, it’s going to feel completely different, because we’re really much more focused on the customer and the pharmacist experience,” Farah said. “We’re going to really put a focus on increasing the peer-to-peer engagement and bring industry thought leadership to the conference.”