Alwood Pharmacy of Alpha, Ill. announced as annual Pharmacy of the Year award winner

Good Neighbor Pharmacy, a national independent pharmacy network offered through AmerisourceBergen, convened nearly 5,000 independent pharmacy owners and other partners to celebrate its annual, marquee event, the ThoughtSpot tradeshow and conference. This year’s event showcased the extraordinary collaboration, commitment and perseverance of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy network of pharmacists dedicated to improving community health.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230804214953/en/

The conference, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, highlights and builds on the tremendous momentum that Good Neighbor Pharmacy members have ignited in their communities, transforming the way pharmacies deliver patient care and empowering consumers to take better control of their health. Featuring more than 25 live and on-demand continuing education sessions and certification programs, this year’s programming outlined strategies for addressing the most pressing opportunities and challenges in the pharmacy industry, including expanding point-of-care testing and immunizations, among other topics.

Participants also connected with experts through a series of presentations and networking events during the conference and experienced a vibrant exhibition hall featuring the solutions and products driving the future of the pharmacy practice.

“We’re delighted to welcome our Good Neighbor Pharmacy members to another impactful and informative ThoughtSpot event that features innovations, resources and educational opportunities to advance our practice,” said Jennifer Zilka, President of Good Neighbor Pharmacy. “With a unique view of the challenges pharmacies have endured through years of the COVID-19 public health crisis and ensuing economic difficulty, Good Neighbor Pharmacy is focused on finding long-term solutions in pharmacy care, including new tools, technology and streams of revenue, alongside continued public policy advocacy that advances our goals. I’m excited to bring together this close-knit family for a forum of inspiration and action as we continue to expand our impact on pharmacy.”

“The surge in patients choosing their local pharmacies to help them meet their healthcare needs is a testament to the unwavering excellence and all-hands-on-deck commitment our Good Neighbor Pharmacy partners embody,” said Brian Nightengale, RPh, PhD, President of Community and Specialty Pharmacy and Long-Term Care at AmerisourceBergen. “ThoughtSpot provides an opportunity to celebrate our partners’ lasting achievements under our shared purpose of supporting communities. As we continue to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape, we remain committed to supporting our pharmacy partners where they are, while preparing for the future we create.”

New Solutions for Streamlined Pharmacy Services

At this year’s show, Good Neighbor Pharmacy unveiled and demoed two new customer solutions on the exhibit hall floor. Tailored to meet the needs of customer-facing and back-end solutions, these innovations ease the operational burden of day-to-day tasks, ultimately unlocking time for pharmacists to support their customers. The solutions are:

• AmerisourceBergen Marketplace, a new third-party marketplace that seamlessly integrates into the ABC Order eCommerce platform, creating a convenient shopping experience for pharmacies to procure their storefront. Marketplace connects pharmacies to 50+ verified suppliers and a variety of unique products in categories such as beauty, snacks, toys, personal care and other everyday essentials all in one place, creating a faster, more efficient procurement experience, all through a single invoice.
• AmerisourceBergen’s Telehealth Solution, the latest innovation expanding Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s telehealth capabilities, which provides clinical services so patients can cut down on wait times for appointments at physician and urgent care offices. The solution will further advance pharmacies’ role in providing clinical services and helping community members obtain treatment when needed.

Honoring Excellence in Pharmacy

Good Neighbor Pharmacy also celebrated the extraordinary achievements of its members, recognizing the significant innovations Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s pharmacy members continue to deliver on, while maintaining the highest levels of customer care.

• Alwood Pharmacy was named the 2023 Pharmacy of the Year, winning the top spot from a field of more than 4,900 nominations representing more than 800 pharmacies in the US. Located in Alpha, Ill., Alwood Pharmacy has been a pillar of the community for over 40 years. Pharmacist and Owner Donna Merideth, RPh, is committed to serving her town of 600 by going beyond working behind the counter to help patients in a more personal way, providing services such as vaccinations, testing, compounding, medication packaging, and much more. Additional finalists included Avalon Pharmacy of Yucca Valley, Calif. and Spruce Mountain Pharmacy of Jay, Maine.
• The J.D. Power 2023 US Pharmacy Study^SM announced Good Neighbor Pharmacy has been ranked the “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Chain Drug Store Pharmacies.” The achievement marks the 7^th consecutive win for the network, serving as a testament to the incredible innovation and service Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s independent pharmacy members provide. A full release announcing this achievement can be found here.

Advancing Diversity, Representation and Inclusion Across the Pharmacy Profession

ThoughtSpot also highlighted how Good Neighbor Pharmacy is recognizing historically underrepresented groups in the pharmacy practice. This year’s conference celebrated the role of women in pharmacy, including several programming sessions highlighting the importance of female advocacy in pharmacy. Additionally, Good Neighbor Pharmacy – in partnership with the AmerisourceBergen Foundation – honored the winners of the inaugural Good Neighbor Pharmacy Scholarship program, supporting Black and African American graduate students pursuing a pharmacy career. A full release announcing the scholarship winners can be found here.

About ThoughtSpot

ThoughtSpot is an annual conference and trade show hosted by Good Neighbor Pharmacy on behalf of AmerisourceBergen, which aims to equip independent pharmacists with practices and resources they can use to transform their businesses to improve profitability and maintain their position as a vital source of patient care in their local communities. For more information on ThoughtSpot, please visit https://www.wearegnp.com/thoughtspot2023.

About AmerisourceBergen

AmerisourceBergen is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions organization centered on improving the lives of people and animals around the world. We partner with pharmaceutical innovators across the value chain to facilitate and optimize market access to therapies. Care providers depend on us for the secure, reliable delivery of pharmaceuticals, healthcare products, and solutions. Our 46,000+ worldwide team members contribute to positive health outcomes through the power of our purpose: We are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #11 on the Fortune 500 and #24 on the Global Fortune 500 with more than $200 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at https://amerisourcebergen.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230804214953/en/