New NCPA Partnership Offers Pharmacy Owners Resources to Boost Patient Interaction, Grow Revenue

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (May 5, 2017) The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and Union Springs Healthcare (USH) today announced a strategic partnership to bring independent community pharmacy owners new resources to bolster pharmacist-patient relationships to improve patient outcomes while growing pharmacy revenue.

Through the initiative, NCPA will bring to independent community pharmacy owners and staff the Companion Care Counseling® (CCC) Program developed by USH. The program helps facilitate more constructive pharmacist-patient interaction to address common health problems or side effects from existing prescription drug therapies. The CCC Program features a suite of online resources to support community pharmacists and foster proactive and effective patient counseling and, where appropriate, recommendations of non-prescription solutions.

"NCPA is excited to work with Union Springs Healthcare on this win-win initiative to enhance pharmacist-patient consultations to achieve optimal health outcomes, increase revenue and reinforce the community pharmacy as a wellness destination," said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA. "Community pharmacists are extremely busy and the CCC Program recognizes that. It provides easy-to-implement resources to support pharmacist interaction with patients to help ensure that their health needs are addressed comprehensively. In addition, when non-prescription products are part of that solution, there's an opportunity to increase pharmacy revenue at a time when PBM-induced challenges, such as DIR fees, pose a serious threat."

The CCC Program also gives independent community pharmacies exclusive access to the USH line of clinically validated, pharmaceutical-grade supplements that give patients more treatment options to common health problems. USH manufactures the sleep formulas NoctoPlex® and NoctoPlex® for KIDS as well as LuciPlex® for improved mood, memory, and mental acuity. NCPA members receive special pricing on these non-prescription products.

"We kicked off the Union Springs Model at the NCPA Annual Convention last fall. Since then, our growth has been explosive. Pharmacists and physicians have long known that many prescription drugs can cause troublesome, long-term side effects," said Roger Griggs, Founder and President of Union Springs Healthcare. "Companion Care Counseling provides frontline health care professionals an important tool to better address patient needs while taking into consideration their response to current medications, and to offer unique and clinically validated solutions designed to help them optimize the benefits of both Rx and non-Rx solutions."

USH products are classified as dietary supplements by the FDA and statements made about them have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Patients should consult with their health care provider before taking these products.

NCPA members can learn more at www.ushcare.com/pharmacy-partner.