Catalyst Pharmacy Podcast

🎧The small team at Germ’s Pharmacy in Louisiana proves that with the right people in the right place, you can accomplish more than you think. With only 2 employees - and a new pharmacist starting soon - this team may be small, but it’s also mighty. Owner Germaine Robinson explains how they make time to optimize their quality metrics and star ratings, leading to healthier patients and higher reimb...

Welcome to Blueberry Pharmacy - a unique kind of pharmacy where there’s no insurance accepted. Owner Kyle McCormick paints a picture of his membership-based business model that operates on transparent, uninflated pricing. His patients are both surprised and delighted to see just how much money they can save on their prescriptions, despite not using their health insurance. Listen in on the conversa...

Whether it’s children, adults, or pets - we all have trouble taking our medicine sometimes. Chris Cielewich of FLAVORx joins the podcast and shows us a unique range of products that can make medicine taste better - leading to increased adherence. Whether it’s strawberry-coated pills or bubblegum-flavored Tamiflu, see how you can flavor your pharmacy with the help of FLAVORx’s product line. (The ju...

🎧  RedSail Technologies board members Ted Frank and Steve Lawrence join the podcast along with familiar faces Jeff Key and Kraig McEwen. Get to know the pharmacy visionaries behind the team at RedSail and the wide-ranging careers that have led them here. The guys talk about pharmacy throughout the past, present, and future, and how technology has changed along the way.  As Steve Lawrenc...

As a pharmacist and pharmacy owner, Dared Price has ventured into a variety of ways to build a sustainable business. His greatest wake-up call, however, came from the shocking effect of DIR fees on his pharmacy. This inspired his work at OreadRx, a new kind of PBM that puts independent pharmacies first. Price describes how the lack of PBM regulation has harmed pharmacies and patients alike, so Ore...

🎧 We’re back for Part 2 of the check-in on the PioneerRx + RedSail merger, led by NCPA CEO Doug Hoey. In this episode, we dive into the ways that technology needs to adapt in order for independent pharmacies to be able to collaborate with other providers and payers ー and be seen as a viable partner. Join us to learn more about what PioneerRx and RedSail are doing to progress medical billing and...

About 9 months into the acquisition of PioneerRx by RedSail Technologies, NCPA CEO Doug Hoey checks in on how things are going. The honeymoon period is over ー so now that the dust has settled, what is the relationship like between PioneerRx and its new partner, RedSail? One thing is for sure: having the right partner with the right mindset is a valuable asset. Join the conversation to see how the...

🎧   The idea for En-Vision America was born out of a family poker game. With vision impairment in the family, the Raistricks programmed a way to electronically tag playing cards and read the name of each card aloud through an earpiece. Today, this has evolved into a range of accessible products for pharmacies to better service their visually impaired patients. From text-to-speech options, to...

As a pharmacy business owner, Joel Fruge’s bottom line is that he wants his staff to be happy. Relationships with your team are just as important as relationships with your patients. A grocery store pharmacy that has survived 6 different store changes, Acadiana Prescription Shop knows how to combine modern technology with old-fashioned one-on-one connections. They have kept their old school charm...

When it comes to sustainable clinical services, the opportunities are there - you just have to look in nontraditional places in order to find them. Ryan Oftebro explains how Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group is identifying public health needs in the Seattle area and operating under the umbrella of pharmacist provider status. From combating the opioid epidemic to providing HIV prevention to aiding in the...

Your ancillary pharmacy supplies can either be basic enough to simply get the job done, or, you can get creative in order to get your message across. Derek Jensen of Rx Systems joins us on Catalyst to explore possibilities to promote your services with pharmacy packaging. The space is going to be there regardless ー so why not get creative? Digressions include Scottish accents, farm animals, and f...

Erin Dalton has a passion for inspiring the next generation of pharmacists and shaping the perception of independent pharmacy. As an active pharmacist and Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, she believes that students should have the mindset of practicing the profession of pharmacy - not just finding a job. As a Flip the Pharmacy leader and resident “PioneerRx expert,” Dalton also spends her...

 As a pharmacist, every prescription you fill is an opportunity to dig deeper and make a connection with your patients. For Ahunna Freeman, taking the extra step to care for her patients was the reason behind opening her own pharmacy. While previously working at a chain store, she didn’t have the same opportunity to truly make a difference. She explains the importance of patient education and...

The complexities of pharmacy pricing are typically misunderstood by the general public. PBMs - the stealthy middleman - make it hard for pharmacy business owners to know what profits (or lack thereof) to expect. Entrepreneurial duo Ashley and Kenneth Duggins join the podcast to explain how they stay on top of the game to manage DIR and GER fees within their pharmacy software. Stop watching your mo...

Bill Holmes has over 150 patents to his name, demonstrating his passion for finding creative solutions to a problem. An engineer with an artistic side, he is the founder and CEO of RxSafe, a pharmacy automation company. Listen as Holmes paints a picture of his journey that led him where he is today, and the impactful work he has done with RxSafe. He’s even got some secret new products on the horiz...

When Bob Lomenick first started creating the process now known as medication synchronization, he had no idea how much it would change his life. Med Sync is the secret sauce that sets a pharmacy up for success. It can drastically improve your time management to free up your team for more opportunities to grow your business and care for your patients. Most importantly, it can improve your quality of...

You can have the best pharmacy staff and services in the world, but it’s no use if nobody knows about it. So how can you identify practical, actionable ways to reach more people in your community - and even increase communication with your existing customers? Nicolle McClure of GRX Marketing joins us to break down simple ways that any pharmacy can get started with conveying their unique value to c...

Pharmacists are pushing along the path towards provider status - but in order to get the part, you also need to act the part. Stephanie McGrath, an executive director at the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network, brings attention to the importance of getting the right systems and certifications in place so that pharmacists can be seen as true providers. This requires laying the right foundation an...

While your main goal as a pharmacist is to help improve your patients’ health and quality of life, at the end of the day, your pharmacy is a business. In order to best help your community, you need to be able to stay open. Scotty Sykes, a certified public accountant (CPA) at Sykes & Company P.A., joins the podcast to talk about the financial aspect of running an independent pharmacy in today’s...

In what direction is pharmacy moving? Find out what exciting projects Rear Admiral Pamela Schweitzer, Former Chief Pharmacist Officer of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, is working on to advance the future of the profession. How can pharmacists, technology vendors, other healthcare providers, and health plans collaborate to fit all the pieces together for a shared purpose? From med...

Rannon Ching returns to the Catalyst Podcast as our first repeat guest! Last time, we learned about how his pharmacy was prepared for a high volume of Covid testing. Since then, his team has taken on vaccination in their community and even traveled across their home state to vaccinate vulnerable populations. This heartwarming story demonstrates the passion and commitment in independent pharmacy an...

Compounding is a creative way for pharmacists to help solve their patients’ unique problems. At Klein’s Pharmacy, they take compounding seriously. From hormone replace therapy to pet meds to podiatry - they have a custom solution for everyone. Compounding Specialist Christina Cohn believes that the future of compounding will further utilize a pharmacist’s clinical knowledge and focus on understand...

Mike Koelzer, pharmacy owner and host of The Business of Pharmacy Podcast, takes a break from hosting to join us as a guest on the Catalyst Pharmacy Podcast. He describes his journey into pharmacy ownership and what inspired him to branch out into the world of podcasting. Koelzer has had notable guests on his podcast, and he continues to grow his reach. Click here to listen to The Business of Phar...

Take a look inside America’s oldest surviving apothecary. A small village staple turned international brand, C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries and its unique array of products has attracted loyal fans and well-known personalities from around the globe. Their beauty line can even be found at Bath and Body Works stores across the country. Discover how this 180-year-old apothecary keeps its charm and continu...

Tim Mitchell is passionate about redefining what it means to be a pharmacist. Testing and vaccinating during the pandemic has helped shine a light on the value of independent pharmacists, but this is just the beginning of paving the way for the future. For Mitchell, his guiding philosophy is to stay nimble and stay open to new opportunities. Sometimes you have to take three steps forward and one s...