Independent Rx Forum

Host John Beckner is joined by Ed Cohen, founder and COO of PharmTeam Associates, and Megan Smith, PharmD, director of the UAMS Community-Based Residency Program and associate professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, to explore how community pharmacy has evolved, and why no two community pharmacies are the same.

Recorded live from the #NCPA2025 expo floor, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen talk with Joe Greenwood, PharmD, and Jacqueline Eide, PharmD, about why reporting matters in pharmacy operations. The conversation highlights how actionable data helps pharmacies make smarter decisions and run more successful businesses.

On Feb. 3, 2026, President Trump signed the  first major federal PBM reform bill in history. It's the culmination of years of lobbying and grassroots activity by NCPA and its members. NCPA's dynamic duo on Capitol Hill, Kaite Krell and David Weissman, sit down with qAM editor Sam Manas to break it all down.

Recorded at #NCPA2025, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen talk with Shahida Choudhry, PharmD, owner of Palms Pharmacy, about using social media as a tool for patient education, engagement, and business growth through consistent communication.

Host John Beckner is joined by Elise Damman, PharmD, director of program development at NCPA, for a behind-the-scenes look at NCPA's Multiple Locations Conference, taking place Feb. 18-21 in Clearwater Beach, Fla. Tune in to learn what attendees can expect on-site and the key takeaways pharmacy leaders will bring home.  Learn more and register for our Multiple Locations Conference:  https://ncpa.o...

Coming to you from the #NCPA2025 expo floor, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen chat with Bill Locke, vice president of trade services at Prasco, to discuss Prasco's deep commitment to community pharmacy. The conversation explores Prasco's authorized generic business model and how it helps advance pharmacy practice while supporting independent pharmacies.

Recorded live at #NCPA2025, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen sit down with Oluwatoyin Fadeyibi, PharmD, director of pharmacy initiatives at Community Behavioral Health, and Andrew Patterson, professor of pharmacy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, for a timely conversation on behavioral health. They discuss the ongoing shortages in mental health care, the growing role of community phar...

Host John Beckner is joined by Drew Register, director of student affairs and professional development at NCPA, Charlotte Nazar, an executive resident at NCPA, and Tiffany Capps, practice transformations lead at CPESN®, to discuss the newly enhanced Community Pharmacy Fellowship from NCPA and CPESN. The conversation explores how the fellowship was developed, what's new in the program — including a...

Coming to you from the #NCPA2025 expo floor, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen talk with Brian Connelly, president and CEO of TheracosBio, about Brenzavvy (bexagliflozin), an FDA-approved oral SGLT2 inhibitor for adults with Type 2 diabetes. They discuss how the company's model bypasses PBMs to offer pharmacists and patients a fair, transparent price.

Recorded live at #NCPA2025, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen talk with Leanne Haley-Brown, CPESN® Pharmacy Care at Home and Closed Door Facility Care lead, about practical and sustainable ways pharmacists can remotely monitor patients and deliver care in their homes. The conversation highlights how these models expand access for people living in rural or underserved areas with limited health...

In this special edition of Independent Rx Forum, NCPA General Counsel Matt Seiler is joined by Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Hon. Nicholas Bronni, Robert T. Smith, a partner the law firm Katten and a specialist in PBM litigation, and Arkansas Pharmacists Association CEO John Vinson to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case Rutledge v. PCMA. Listen now to find ou...

Host John Beckner sits down with Bruce Berger, PhD, president of Berger Consulting LLC and. emeritus professor at Auburn University, to discuss how health care providers can better connect with "difficult" patients and apply motivational interviewing techniques to build trust.

In this episode, host John Beckner sits down with Ronna Hauser, NCPA's senior vice president of policy and pharmacy affairs, and Mark Ey, RPh, senior vice president and COO, about how recent wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) reductions are reshaping the market — and what independent pharmacists can do now to protect their margins. They break down what's driving these changes, and the practical step...

We have a winner! Host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen sit down with Rachel Helbling, pharmacy student at the University of Texas at Austin and captain of the winning team in the 22nd annual Good Neighbor Pharmacy NCPA Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. Recorded live at #NCPA2025, Helbling discusses how her team prepared, what made their plan stand out, and lessons learned along t...

Host John Beckner sits down with Ronna Hauser, senior vice president of policy and pharmacy affairs at NCPA, and Jessica Satterfield, associate director of policy and pharmacy affairs at NCPA, to unpack the growing impact of pharmacy closures nationwide. They discuss NCPA and USC's interactive Pharmacy Shortage Areas Mapping Tool, now available to the public for the first time, and explain how it...

Marc Ost, owner of Eric's Rx Shoppe, joins host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen during #NCPA2025 to discuss how pharmacy-provided immunization services have evolved, the critical role pharmacists play in vaccine access, and why these services continue to matter for public health.

Coming to you from the #NCPA2025 expo floor, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen chat with Kevin Day, PharmD, owner of Day's Pharmacies and CPESN® Luminary of the Year, about how a team-based care mindset is improving patient outcomes and shaping the future of community pharmacy.

Recorded live at #NCPA2025, host John Beckner and co-host Ed Cohen sit down with Megan Smith, associate professor of community practice and director of the community pharmacy residency program at the University of Arkansas. They explore what practice transformation really looks like today and how the ACT Pharmacy Collaborative is shaping the future of community pharmacy.

Pharmacists are in a unique position to make vaccination experiences more inclusive for neurodivergent patients. In this episode of Vaccine Voices, host John Beckner speaks with Danielle Hall, director of health equity at the Autism Society of America, and Mayank Amin, PharmD, chief pharmacist advocate and owner of Skippack Pharmacy, about practical ways pharmacies can create sensory-friendly spac...

Get the scoop on the education programming for NCPA's Annual Convention in New Orleans! Elise Damman, director of program development, sits down with host John Beckner to share how her team builds these sessions — from identifying member needs to curating speakers and shaping CE opportunities. Learn about the process behind developing programs that deliver practical takeaways for pharmacy owners a...

Ever been curious about the NCPA Innovation Center/CPESN® Community Pharmacy Fellowship? Now's your chance to hear from Drew Register, director of the fellowship program, as he sits down with host John Beckner. Get answers to your questions and insights into how this program is shaping the future of independent pharmacy.  Learn more: https://ncpa.org/fellowship  

What does long-term care pharmacy at home look like, and how is CPESN® helping lead the way? Join host John Beckner for a dynamic conversation with Leanne Haley-Brown, BS Pharm, RPh, and Patrick Chancy, PharmD, of Chancy Drugs, as they explore how LTC at home came to be and the pivotal role CPESN plays in its success.  Guests:   Leanne Haley-Brown, BS Pharm, RPh, CPESN Pharmacy Care at Home, and P...

Our "Vaccine Voices" series is back! Independent Rx Forum host John Beckner sits down with Meredy Ayers, CPhT-Adv, a development specialist at Bremo Pharmacy, who is also certified to administer vaccines. Together, they discuss the expanding role of pharmacy technicians in immunization delivery, the impact on patient access, and how technicians are helping strengthen community pharmacy teams.

Independent Rx Forum host John Beckner is joined by Jessi Stout, PharmD, owner of Table Rock Pharmacy in Morganton, N.C. who is among those featured in the August issue of  America's Pharmacist® . She shares her journey into community pharmacy and how she weathered Hurricane Helene while supporting her community through the aftermath.

Independent Rx Forum host John Beckner sits down with Shirley and Gordon Wong, owners of Knolls Pharmacy in California who are among those featured in the August issue of America's Pharmacist® . The Wongs share their firsthand experience during the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfires and reflect on how their community came together in the face of crisis.