Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dan Carey, M.D. and NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, at the NACDS Retail Advisory Board Richmond Market Immersion.
This week, the NACDS Retail Advisory Board took its Market Immersion series to Richmond, Virginia. The event proved extremely productive in our collaboration on opioid abuse prevention. And it also generated tremendous value across diverse topics on the minds of attendees.
For those not aware of this program, the NACDS Retail Advisory Board includes NACDS associate and chain members, and it advises the NACDS Board of Directors primarily on front-end issues. However, the Market Immersion series is like a microcosm of the NACDS Total Store Expo, in that the topics discussed emphasize the inter-relationships of virtually every aspect of the business. It is particularly fascinating to examine ways that this connectivity plays out in the context of a unique geographic market. The event and the discussions always seem to take on a highly personal feel.
Regarding the Richmond event’s inclusion of opioid issues, we were honored that Dr. Dan Carey, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources, joined us. In welcoming Secretary Carey, I talked about NACDS’ opioid-focused public policy recommendations, particularly federal and state e-prescribing legislation. We commended Virginia for helping to lead the nation in enacting an NACDS-backed e-prescribing law last year. In his remarks, Secretary Carey went on to talk about e-prescribing; drug disposal; seven-day initial fill restrictions for acute pain; prescription drug monitoring plan interoperability; and enhancing naloxone’s availability. NACDS is highly engaged on all of the policies that Secretary Carey mentioned.
“We commended Virginia for helping to lead the nation in enacting an NACDS-backed e-prescribing law last year. In his remarks, Secretary Carey went on to talk about e-prescribing; drug disposal; seven-day initial fill restrictions for acute pain; prescription drug monitoring plan interoperability; and enhancing naloxone’s availability.”
Beyond this one crucial topic, the Market Immersion provided discussions and store tours that showcased Richmond’s unique dynamics. We are appreciative that Kroger, Lidl, Publix, Sam’s Club and Wegmans opened their stores’ doors for the group. The event also explored supply-chain implications; home-delivery trends; e-commerce; omni-channel packaging; health and wellness brand activation; virtual-augmented reality; and much more. We also had a fascinating discussion with young professionals from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy.
From the standpoint of coordinating with top state officials on opioid-abuse prevention and from the standpoint of chain-supplier collaboration across a full range of timely issues, the Market Immersion in Richmond was a tremendous success. What is more, all NACDS members will benefit from the proceedings, as the Market Immersion series serves as a thought-leadership laboratory that fuels the content for NACDS meetings and conferences into the future. I want to thank the NACDS Retail Advisory Board for helping to keep NACDS positioned as a uniquely forward-and-fresh-thinking association that is focused on the success of the membership and on the ultimate benefit of patients and consumers.
