Associate/Exhibitor Attendee Registration Form

Chain/Retailer Registration Form

Why Exhibit?

Why Attend?

The 2009 NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference offers the most expansive and timely selection of education programming in the industry with topics covering the most critical issues facing chain pharmacy today. This is the only industry conference that provides solution-oriented educational programming that will help you run your business better!

Please continue to check back for details on additional sessions, as updates are made often.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

The Twelfth Annual Forum (by invitation only)
Healthcare Reform and Community Pharmacy: The Future Role of Community Pharmacists in Improving Healthcare
Supported by Merck & Co., Inc.
The Annual Forum provides invited attendees with the opportunity to cultivate strong working relationships with one another, share their ideas and thoughts with their colleagues and peers, and gain up-to-date information from nationally recognized speakers on current issues facing pharmacy. This year the Annual Forum will highlight national efforts for healthcare reform, health information technology (HIT), and the role of community pharmacists in improving healthcare services in the new era of health care reform. Pharmacists are highly educated and well-positioned to contribute to health care reform leading to improved patient care outcomes. In addition, efforts to promote interoperability of health information technology across the health care system should incorporate community pharmacy access to appropriate patient information as a key ingredient.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Pharmacy Reimbursement: The First DataBank AWP lawsuit, Medicaid and AMP
(Download Presentation)
Supported by TEVA Pharmaceuticals
Pharmacies face unprecedented challenges - and opportunities - in the ongoing battle for reasonable reimbursement rates. The pressure to cut reimbursement is growing, but pharmacies are working hard to protect their interests by engaging all three branches of government. This session will provide an update on the status and future of the biggest reimbursement challenges facing pharmacies today. First, we will discuss the First DataBank lawsuit, which threatens to cut virtually all AWPs later this year. Second, we will review ongoing efforts to halt Medicaid reimbursement cuts in states across the country. Third, we will discuss the status and future of the AMP lawsuit, as well as AMP legislation and other healthcare reform proposals that affect pharmacy reimbursement.

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Pathway for Approval of Generic Biopharmaceuticals: A Legislative Update
(Download Presentation)
Unlike traditional pharmaceuticals, there is no regulatory pathway for the approval of generic versions of biopharmaceuticals. Legislation to create a pathway for the approval of generic biopharmaceuticals has been introduced in Congress, and President Obama's FY2010 budget proposal calls for a workable regulatory pathway as well. Brand and generic manufacturers, employers, consumer groups, and pharmacies have weighed in, supportive of various legislative proposals. This session will provide an overview of competing legislation, and a summary of their key differences, as well as an outlook on bill passage.

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Innovative Practices in Medication Adherence
(Download Presentation)
Supported by sanofi-aventis
Former U.S. surgeon general C. Everett Koop famously stated, "Drugs don't work in patients who don't take them." The issue of medication non-adherence has long been studied, and this session will provide an update on adherence, including ongoing projects by the RAND Corporation and the New England Healthcare Institute. Discussion will focus on a framework for better understanding barriers to adherence, and will highlight high-impact and innovative practices that are leading to improved outcomes for patients.

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Significant Trends Affecting the Pharmacist Workforce
(Download Presentation)
Learn about the latest trends impacting the pharmacist workforce during this session. Recent data from the Aggregate Demand Index and workforce surveys will be used to describe workforce trends on the national and state levels. This session will include a discussion regarding the impact that recent changes in the economy and in pharmacist education may have on the workforce. Preliminary findings from the 2009 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey will be also be shared. 

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Medication Management in a Patient Centered Medical Home
(Download Presentation)
Supported by McKesson Corporation
The patient centered medical home has been emerging as a potentially transformational way to coordinate all aspects of care for patients and families to deliver better quality, more cost effective and efficient care. There is tremendous support for the concept among leading medical societies, health plans, employers, and consumer organizations and the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative is coordinating the movement on behalf of the industry. This session will describe the evolution and key components of a patient centered medical home. The focus will be on reviewing the implications of the patient centered medical home for electronic prescribing, pharmacy, and medication management, including a few real life examples of patient centered medical homes that already exist.

Monday, August 10, 2009

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Pharmacy Performance Measurement: Are you making the grade?
(Download Presentation)
Supported by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.
Are you prepared to be evaluated and graded based on the quality of care you provide and the outcomes your patients achieve in your local pharmacy? Hospitals and physicians are already being evaluated on the quality of care provided to patients. Initial quality measures for pharmacy have been developed by PQA, in conjunction with NCQA, and are currently being utilized in demonstration projects to evaluate performance and develop strategies for quality improvement. Learn how one partnership of a health plan, a national chain pharmacy corporation and a performance technology vendor have come together to develop meaningful pharmacy provider level report cards, to interpret these report cards, and most importantly how to develop effective, scaleable models to take pharmacy performance measurement to its next level beyond the demonstration projects.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Connectivity and Web Presence in a Web 2.0 World
(Download Presentation)
All of healthcare is trying to become more patient-centric in its approach to caregiving.  The Institute of Medicine describes a patient-centric approach as fully involving patients in the decisions made regarding their health.  Patients, on the other hand, have morphed their use of the Internet and mobile technologies so that it is now possible to rethink how we connect with them and each other to make us all more efficient and effective.  This session will give attendees a vision of how the pieces are all in place for integrating our delivery systems and including an enterprise approach that brings patients and their caregivers into a more interactive process for the practice of pharmacy that achieves desirable outcomes in the patients we serve.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Survey of Medicare's DMEPOS Accreditation and Competitive Bidding Requirements and Policies
(Download Presentation- Bastinelli)
(Download Presentation - Trysla)
Supported by Roche Diagnostics
Products and services provided under Medicare Part B continue to be an important part of retail pharmacy's business. However, CMS has embarked on initiatives that require Medicare Part B suppliers to obtain accreditation and, in certain parts of the country, to competitively bid to provide durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) to Medicare patients. The deadline for accreditation is fast approaching and CMS has reiterated its plans to move forward with competitive bidding of DMEPOS. The policies and requirements will have a tremendous impact on pharmacy's DMEPOS business and potentially for beneficiary access to pharmacy services. This session will explore these requirements and the experiences to date with accreditation, quality standards, and what to expect in the future, as well as the legislation passed in 2008 that delayed the previous round of competitive bidding and requires additional changes when the program returns in 2009.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Didn't See it Coming: How to Manage Unwelcome Change
Economically, organizationally, functionally or personally, we've all faced unwelcome change. Whether or not we prevail, and the ease with which we prevail, has a lot to do with how we respond to what we "didn't see coming." This program will provide practical, realistic advice to help you move quickly from being immobilized by unwelcome change to being stabilized by responding constructively to it.

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies: FDA's New Authority
(Download Presentation)
The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) provided new authority to FDA for the agency to require manufacturers to mitigate the risks of prescription drugs relevant to their benefits through Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS). This session will provide an overview of FDA's new authority and how FDA plans to require REMS for certain prescription drugs and classes of prescription drugs. This will include key elements of REMS programs and their current and potential challenges for pharmacists. We will also review experiences with implementing REMS provisions to date.  

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Opportunities for Pharmacies in Accountable Care Organizations
(Download Presentation)
Accountable Care Organizations, or ACOs, are entities organized and operated by health care providers with a common geography or panel of patients. ACOs may be formed from a single or set of physician groups, hospitals, or other health care provider types with the ultimate goal of establishing local systems of care delivery that achieve better quality, cost, and utilization outcomes. Incentives and cost sharing are typically spread across the ACO participants. ACOs have high interest among policymakers for both public and private payers as a mechanism to increase the value of purchased care delivery. This session will include an overview of these types of networks and the potential roles and implications of community pharmacy participation.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Pharmaceutical Trends, Issues and Forecasts
Get an expert's view of the 2009 pharmaceuticals market, highlighting trends, issues and forecasts in demographics, sales, markets and more. Find out which industry segments are growing or declining, and how evolving trends may impact you and your business.

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Update on Medicare Part D: 2009 and Beyond
Supported by sanofi-aventis
The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is now in its fourth year, and is helping millions of seniors pay for their prescription medications. Since the initial implementation of the program, Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have made certain refinements to the program to foster wider beneficiary access to prescription drugs and services. In addition, Congress included several pro-pharmacy provisions in last year's Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA). In this session, two experts will speak about recent and upcoming changes to the Part D program including new contracting and formulary requirements, medication therapy management enhancements and efforts to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the program. 

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Pharmacy Influence in 2009: Making the RxIMPACT in Healthcare Reform
While national experts call 2009 the year of federal healthcare reform, NACDS RxIMPACT calls 2009 the year of pharmacy grassroots influence. In this session, attendees will hear about the growing groundswell of pharmacy advocates lining up to effectively influence the healthcare reform debate. This program will reveal how constituents can emphasize their powerful role, access RxIMPACT tools for effective messaging, explain the value of pharmacy and ultimately influence healthcare policy today. This session will also  showcase RxIMPACT Pharmacy Tours that educated Members of Congress in local pharmacies, pharmacist experiences from the First Annual RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, company feedback on incorporating the RxIMPACT Training Program into Employee meetings, and the amazing influence of the RxIMPACT Team whose advocates communicate with federal and state policymakers on a regular basis

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Demystifying Effective Leadership
(Download Presentation)
It goes without saying that good leadership is crucial to any successful business, and there are many factors that contribute to being an effective leader. This faced past program will address some of the frustrating challenges that leaders encounter on a daily basis, and will cover such key issues as developing high-performing teams, delegating effectively, and dealing with performance problems. Strategies to enhance leadership confidence and effectiveness will also be discussed. 

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Counterfeit Drugs: Working to Enhance Patient Safety
(Download Presentation)
Counterfeit drugs are illegal and an increasing problem. This program will focus on activities to enhance patient safety, considerations for approaching counterfeit drugs by the supply chain participants such as manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacies, interactions with law enforcement, and mechanisms to improve the reporting of and identification of counterfeit medications. An update on federal and state legislative activities on this issue will also be discussed.

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Providing 340B Medications and Incorporating Clinical Pharmacy Services into Pharmacy Practice
(Download Presentation)
The Institute of Medicine reports that 1.5 million people are injured each year as a result of medication errors, resulting in billions of dollars in avoidable cost. One estimate found that for every dollar spent on ambulatory care medications, another is spent to treat new health problems caused by the medications. Providing clinical pharmacy services for safety net organizations through 340B pharmacies can help to minimize this risk to patients and minimize the cost to the health care system. This program will provide an overview of how to become a 340B pharmacy through contracted services, as well as how to integrate of clinical pharmacy services into your practice.   

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Anti-Diversion: It's Everyone's Responsibility
(Download Presentation)
Prescription medications are vital for individuals suffering from various medical conditions. However, the diversion of those prescription medications for abuse and misuse is cause for serious concern. This session will review applicable federal controlled substance regulations and discuss the regulatory influences on controlled substance distribution. Industry and social initiatives for detecting and preventing diversion will also be discussed.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Pharmacy Practice Issues Update: Recent Changes and Trends in State Pharmacy Laws and Regulations
(Download Presentation)
Supported by GlaxoSmithKline
This session will provide an update on pharmacy practice issues important to chain pharmacy operators. The discussion will focus on notable changes and trends in state laws and regulations affecting pharmacy practice and operations, including generic substitution, sales requirements for pseudoephedrine products, prescription drug monitoring programs and other diversion issues, pharmaceutical take back and disposal programs, and other topical issues pertinent to the practice of pharmacy.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
The Privacy Provisions of ARRA and the Impact on Retail Pharmacy
(Download Presentation)
Supported by Bayer HealthCare, Pharmaceuticals
In February of this year, President Obama signed into law federal economic stimulus legislation, called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  This legislation includes numerous changes to the HIPAA privacy requirements that will impact chain pharmacy.  Notably, pharmacies will have to start notifying patients about security breaches in September of this year.  Pharmacies will also have to prepare for an expansion of the accounting of disclosures requirement, new limits on marketing, increased enforcement and penalties, as well as numerous other provisions.  This session will provide attendees with an overview of the requirements relevant to retail pharmacy, as well as the latest updates from the department of Health and Human Services. 

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Bouncebackability: How to Get it and How to Keep it
What has had your world reeling in 2009? Most of us have been reeling in at least one facet of life recently, whether personally or professionally. For some of us, bouncing back occurs more quickly and easily than for others. The good news is that "bouncebackability" is a learned response pattern. Not only can you develop greater "bouncebackability" for yourself, you can learn to help others increase theirs as well. This session will provide practical, realistic advice that equips you to achieve and maintain "bouncebackability" both professionally and personally.

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
What Employers Want in a Health Care Benefit
Employers understand the need to help improve the care of the chronically ill. Most disease management programs have failed to move the needle - a better approach is needed. Employers are now leveraging the experience of pharmacists as care givers to help educate patients about the drugs they are taking - why they are taking them, the desired goals of therapy, and what happens if they stop taking their medications - and most importantly, identifying and resolving drug therapy problems that prevent attainment of desired goals. Pharmacist practitioners delivering pharmaceutical care in this fashion can positively impact the health of their patients and improve compliance to medication regimens. This session will provide an overview of how pharmacies may best approach employers and develop collaborative strategies for educating and helping patients achieve positive drug therapy outcomes.