This is going to be a big year for community pharmacy, said Thrifty White president and CEO Bob Narveson, as the nation reaches full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014. “But to be successful, we are going to have to maintain access to those patients,” Narveson told DSNTV last month in a frank and broad-ranging discussion about the state of the industry, the role community pharmacy can play in healthcare reform, and how NACDS member companies like his own are innovating patient care, driving improved outcomes and lowering costs.

In November 2012, The Drug Store News Group hosted in New York an exclusive roundtable discussion of leading pharmacy retailers and a handful of key vendors. Moderated by special guest Dave Wendland of Hamacher Resource Group, the panel tackled a wide range of issues, including how to expand pharmacist accessibility for patients with diabetes; measuring and managing patient outcomes; government reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; and the use of complementary and alternative medicines.

In part two, DSN asks pharmacists to name their top OTC brand recommendations across 15 core product categories.

Careers in Pharmacy prepares students and prospective students for a career in pharmacy with articles on the latest career options, how to prepare for a pharmacy career, pharmacy practice in the new healthcare system and a list of U.S. pharmacy colleges, as well as profiles of day-to-day responsibilities of pharmacists in different sectors of the pharmacy industry.

DSN's Pharmacy Technology Report takes a look at the hottest technology in the health-and-wellness space and where investors are looking to take health IT in the future. Also included is DSN's exclusive roundtable discussion with leading pharmacy retailers and executives from leading and emerging healthcare technology companies, which included new technologies to improve compliance, self-care and pharmacist-patient interactions.

You might remember back in January 2011, when DSN profiled Terry Teller, a pharmacist in Lukachukai, Ariz., who uses his Navajo-language skills when working with patients. Now, according to published reports, he can add "Jedi Knight" to his resume.

The prevalence of chronic diseases, increased demand for patient care and failure of many patients to take their medications as prescribed calls for an increased role in the healthcare system for pharmacists, according to a national organization of pharmacies.

Kerr Drug has introduced a new prescription-synchronization service, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

More than two-thirds of patients with hepatitis C achieved sustained virologic response or cure after completing newer “triple therapy” treatment, according to a Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy study released Friday.

The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy has launched an online resource with clinical and business-related content in more than 20 therapeutic categories, the group said Thursday.

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is piloting a program that will allow state employees to receive medication therapy management services, the university announced.

The Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board will begin certifying specialty pharmacists who pass a comprehensive exam in October. The exam is designed to cover the entire specialty pharmacy process, including intake, clinical management, fulfillment and outcomes.

The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, which oversees the SPCB, is bringing to bear some real advocacy and structure to the highly fragmented specialty pharmacy marketplace. The DSN Group, including its specialty pharmacy publication of the same name Specialty Pharmacy, applauds these efforts.