Pharmacy Podcast Network

In this episode, host Ross Frey, Senior Product Manager and resident MTM/CMR strategist, sits down with Cindy Henry, Director of Payer Products at Outcomes, to unpack one of the biggest changes hitting Medicare Advantage plans: CMS’s intent to return the CMR completion rate to the Star Ratings program beginning in measure year 2027.Ross and Cindy explore how the industry reacted to the latest CMS Advance Notice, why the CMR measure’s return matters, and how MTM strategy has quietly shifted during its two‑year placement on the display page. Together, they outline the pressures plans are feeling—from shrinking margins to rising expectations around clinical quality—and the renewed focus on the value of medication therapy management, total cost of care, and local pharmacy engagement.A key topic throughout the episode is the impact of CMS’s expanded MTM eligibility criteria, which significantly increases denominators for 2025 and beyond. Cindy explains how this shift forces payers to rethink scale, budget, ROI, and operational models, while Ross shares Outcomes’ cut‑point predictions and how performance is likely to redistribute once the measure becomes active again.The conversation also highlights Outcomes’ strategy to support both health plans and community pharmacies as they prepare for 2027. Ross describes work underway to reduce documentation burden, streamline workflows, leverage new technology, and allow pharmacists to practice at the top of their license—ultimately helping MTM delivery scale without sacrificing quality.By the end of the episode, the message is clear: Plans that begin modeling, staffing, vendor alignment, and workflow modernization now will be best positioned when Star Ratings recalibrate in 2029. Listeners are encouraged to explore Outcomes’ latest prediction models and analysis at outcomes.com

I was blown away by my conversation with today’s guest, who discovered that without HEALTH you have nothing... He became a Jack Of All Trades and subsequently an inventor that has changed entire venues with his innovations. He has fully recovered his health thanks to one of his own inventions, and is now on a mission to help people optimize their health to enjoy living!George Wiseman is an inventor, engineer, and founder of Eagle-Research, best known for his decades of work developing Brown’s Gas technology for both energy and emerging wellness applications. Raised as a rancher’s son in a remote, off-grid environment, George learned early how to build, repair, and survive with limited resources, which influenced his lifelong commitment to practical and reliable innovation.After leaving the ranch in the late 1970s, he pursued a path in alternative energy and automotive systems, eventually specializing in fuel efficiency and combustion technologies. In the 1980s, he began developing Brown’s Gas systems that could significantly improve fuel economy and even replace traditional torch gases at a fraction of the cost.Over time, George’s work took an unexpected turn as customers began reporting potential health-related effects from the technology—something he initially dismissed. Years later, after personally experimenting with the applications and witnessing growing anecdotal results, he shifted his focus toward exploring its broader potential and developed his at-home device, AquaCure.This mission became deeply personal following the loss of his wife after a long battle with Lupus, which intensified his commitment to sharing what he had learned. Today, George is driven by a singular goal: to make his technology accessible to as many people as possible.

Specialty pharmacy is becoming one of the most important access points in modern healthcare, particularly for patients managing complex, chronic, rare, and high-cost conditions. As therapies advance and patient needs become more sophisticated, health systems are rethinking how specialty pharmacy can improve medication access, continuity of care, clinical outcomes, affordability, and the overall patient experience.
 
In this special episode of This Week in Pharmacy, the Pharmacy Podcast Network introduces Specialty Care Close to Home, a new series examining how hospitals and health systems are designing, building, supporting, and scaling specialty pharmacy services across health-system and community-based care models.
 
Featured Guests
 
Dr. Laura Mark, PharmDVice President of Pharmacy, Allegheny Health Network
 
Allison ArantSenior Vice President, Clearway Health
 
Chris CorsiChief Executive Officer, CassianRx
 
Together, the guests discuss why health-system specialty pharmacy expansion matters, what successful programs require, and where the greatest strategic and operational challenges exist. The conversation explores how strong partnerships, integrated clinical workflows, patient-centered technology, and coordinated care teams can reduce fragmentation and improve specialty medication access.
 
Discussion Highlights
The growing strategic role of health-system specialty pharmacy
Keeping patients connected to trusted local care teams
Improving access, adherence, affordability, and therapy management
Building scalable specialty pharmacy infrastructure
Integrating clinical, operational, and technology capabilities
Overcoming payer, workflow, workforce, and reimbursement challenges
Creating collaborative models that support long-term sustainability
 
Future episodes of Specialty Care Close to Home will explore accreditation, payer access, manufacturer relationships, clinical workflow, patient engagement, technology infrastructure, data reporting, community access, workforce development, and financial sustainability.
 
The series will also feature pharmacy directors, vice presidents, executives, operators, and innovators from health systems across the country who are leading the next generation of specialty care delivery.
 
Host: Todd Eury, Founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network
 
Coming Soon: Specialty Care Close to Home—a national conversation about bringing advanced specialty pharmacy services closer to where patients live, work, and receive care.

Switching pharmacy management software is one of the biggest decisions an independent pharmacy can make, and one of the most disruptive if done incorrectly. In this episode of Insights Beyond the Counter, we discuss the real considerations behind changing pharmacy management systems: wh y pharmacies decide to switch, what holds them back, and what makes a transition successful. From workflow challenges and data migration concerns to staff training and long-term scalability, this conversation provides practical insight for pharmacy owners evaluating their current system. If you’re frustrated with inefficiencies, limited support, outdated technology, or lack of growth tools, this episode will help you better understand what to evaluate before making a move. In
 
This Episode:
• Signs it may be time to consider a new pharmacy management system
• Common fears around switching software
• What a smooth implementation process should look like • How to minimize workflow disruption during transition
• Why long-term partnership and support matter more than price
 
This is an audio-only episode. Listen in while you work, drive, or catch up between scripts.
 
To learn more about our Pharmacy Management Software, check us out at https://www.outcomes.com/.
For demo, click here: https://www.outcomes.com/request-a-ph...

AI in Pharmacy Standards and Drug Supply Chain UpgradesThis Week in Pharmacy — July 17, 2026
 
Artificial intelligence and supply chain modernization are reshaping pharmacy practice, patient access, and healthcare operations.
 
In this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, host Todd Eury speaks with leaders from URAC and Cencora about responsible AI adoption and the growing gap between drug availability and real-world access.
 
Guests
 
Shawn Griffin, MDPresident and CEO, URAC
 
Brent WilhelmSenior Vice President, Global Supply Chain Center of Excellence, Cencora
 
Tim WeberPharmacy Operations and Regulatory Executive
 
AI is already supporting clinical documentation, patient communication, risk prediction, and workflow automation. URAC President and CEO Shawn Griffin, MD, explains why healthcare organizations need clear governance, defined accountability, human oversight, and continuous monitoring before deploying AI at scale.
 
The discussion addresses transparency, performance evaluation, bias, data integrity, cybersecurity, and the role accreditation standards may play in promoting safe and responsible AI adoption.
 
Governance and accountability for AI outputs
Human review of AI-supported decisions
Monitoring safety, accuracy, and bias
The role of accreditation in AI oversight
Balancing innovation with patient protection
 
Drug Availability Versus Patient Access
 
Brent Wilhelm of Cencora discusses why a medication may exist somewhere in the supply chain but still remain difficult for providers to obtain.
 
Dosage limitations, delivery timing, ordering complexity, reimbursement barriers, cold-chain requirements, and site-of-care restrictions can all delay patient access.
 
Wilhelm explains why the industry must look beyond inventory levels and focus on whether providers can obtain the correct therapy, at the right location, when the patient needs it.
 
Inventory visibility versus actual access
Differences across pharmacies and sites of care
Specialty and temperature-sensitive therapies
Provider demand forecasting
Reducing delays, shortages, and waste
 
Tim Weber adds the pharmacy operations and regulatory viewpoint, discussing inventory planning, compliance, product tracing, reimbursement, and patient fulfillment.
 
The conversation highlights the need for better coordination among manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, health systems, payers, and regulators.

This is the Pharmacy Podcast Network's coverage of the 2026 McKesson ideaShare! Missed the big event? We've got you covered.
McKesson's ideaShare is one of the largest community pharmacy brainstorm events. Empowering current and future independent pharmacists with deeper connections, new ways to innovate, and strength in numbers for the voice of community pharmacy.
Join host Todd Eury, CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, as he walks the exhibit hall in Denver Colorado interviewing vendors, attendees, independent pharmacy owners, and industry friends.
Thank you to Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC), for sponsoring this coverage
In this episode we hear from:
Timothy Lawson Metropolis Drugs & IPC Member John Covello
Chris Darling - Darling Apothecary
Ollin Sykes - Sykes and Company
Diana Baumohl - Go Mango Meds
Sam Pizzo - LSPedia
Emlah Tubuo - Emlah Consulting

In this episode, Andrew Kantor is joined by federal lobbyist David Pore and PCCA's Amy Shank to examine the proposed SAFE Act and its potential impact on compounding pharmacies. The discussion explores concerns that the bill could restrict patient access to compounded medications during drug shortages, impose new limitations on 503A pharmacies, and disproportionately affect legitimate compounders while failing to address bad actors. The episode also unpacks the legislation's connection to GLP-1 demand, adverse event reporting, and the bipartisan politics surrounding the bill, while encouraging listeners to stay engaged in APC's advocacy efforts.

Welcome to Insights Beyond the Counter, a podcast exploring the forces shaping pharmacy today — from technology and operations to reimbursement, policy, and what it all means for the people behind the counter. 
 
In this episode, we dig into: • The realities independent pharmacies are facing right now • How data, workflow, and smarter systems can drive better outcomes • What’s changing — and what isn’t — in the pharmacy ecosystem
 
This is an audio-only episode. Listen in while you work, drive, or catch up between scripts.
 
To learn more about our Pharmacy Management Software, check us out at https://www.outcomes.com/. For demo, click here: https://www.outcomes.com/request-a-ph...

Integrative Care Impact and the Expanding Role of the Pharmacist | TWIRx
Today’s episode of This Week in Pharmacy explores two major opportunities shaping the future of the profession: the growth of holistic and integrative pharmacy services inside community pharmacies, and the expanding demand for pharmacists across the business, insurance, and PBM sectors.
In our first segment, Todd Eury welcomes special guests Robert Kress, RPh, and Dr. Bianca Bradshaw, PharmD, owner of Elmore Pharmacy in Red Bluff, California. Together, they discuss the tremendous opportunity for independent pharmacies to build holistic and integrative health departments that respond to growing consumer demand for natural products, supplements, wellness solutions, and personalized care.
Dr. Bianca Bradshaw, PharmD
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-bradshaw-141092205/
Patients are increasingly seeking more natural approaches to health, but they still need trusted clinical guidance. Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to help patients evaluate products, avoid harmful interactions, understand evidence, and develop safer, more effective wellness plans. This conversation explores how pharmacies can create new service lines, improve patient relationships, and establish sustainable revenue opportunities through integrative care.
In our second segment, Dr. Bonnie Hui-Callahan, PharmD, returns to the show to discuss career opportunities for pharmacists within Judi Health and Capital Rx, as well as the broader business and insurance side of pharmacy.
Dr. Bonnie Hui-Callahan, PharmD
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-hui-callahan/
As PBMs continue to evolve, new-generation models are creating demand for pharmacists who understand clinical care, benefits, formulary strategy, patient access, data, and healthcare economics. Bonnie shares why pharmacists will remain essential as PBMs transform and why the profession should look beyond traditional dispensing and clinical practice roles when considering future career paths.
Today’s episode is sponsored by Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and SuiteRx.
Listen to This Week in Pharmacy on the Pharmacy Podcast Network.

This is the Pharmacy Podcast Network's coverage of the 2026 McKesson ideaShare! Missed the big event? We've got you covered.
McKesson's ideaShare is one of the largest community pharmacy brainstorm events. Empowering current and future independent pharmacists with deeper connections, new ways to innovate, and strength in numbers for the voice of community pharmacy.
Join host Todd Eury, CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, as he walks the exhibit hall in Denver Colorado interviewing vendors, attendees, independent pharmacy owners, and industry friends.
 
Thank you to AAPA, for sponsoring this coverage!
 
In this episode we hear from:
Kelli Sneed & Shams Shibley - AAPARx
John Covello with IPC and Anne Cassity with NCPA
Mike Bollinger - LiveOak Bank
Shahida Choudhry & Jake Johnson - Palms Pharmacy
Blair Thielemier - PQS by Innovaccer
Nick Fournarakis - Fagron

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Santana VanDyke, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Director of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinic at University of Vermont Health, and Ryan Lackey, PharmD, CPPS, Ambulatory Pharmacist Clinician and Co-Director of the clinic. They discuss Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), including disease presentation, treatment options, emerging therapies, and research currently underway. The conversation highlights UVM Health’s collaborative care model that brings together dermatology and specialty pharmacy to improve the patient experience and clinical outcomes.
 

What does it actually take to modernize a independent pharmacy chain with 25+ locations without overwhelming your team? Kathy Collier, Regional VP of Operations at ExpressRx, and Scott Von Deylen, VP of Sales at Nimble, join host Todd Erie to answer that question.Kathy shares how ExpressRx partnered with Nimble to deliver a digital patient experience patients genuinely enjoy using, while keeping operations lean and compliant. If you're a pharmacy operator trying to compete on convenience without adding complexity, this episode shows exactly what the right technology partnership can unlock.

Today e celebrate 250 Years of Freedom during this 4th of July special with Scotty Sykes with Sykes & Company Pharmacy Accounting Experts. Next, a special interview with Virginia Halsey SVP of Strategy and Product Management and Brad Engels Product Manager at First Databank (FDB). 
Today's TWIRx is sponsored by Sykes & Company 
250 Years of Freedom - 4th of July Special | TWIRx 

This is the Pharmacy Podcast Network's coverage of the 2026 McKesson ideaShare! Missed the big event? We've got you covered.
 
McKesson's ideaShare is one of the largest community pharmacy brainstorm events. Empowering current and future independent pharmacists with deeper connections, new ways to innovate, and strength in numbers for the voice of community pharmacy.
 
Join host Todd Eury, CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network, as he walks the exhibit hall in Denver Colorado interviewing vendors, attendees, independent pharmacy owners, and industry friends.
 
Thank you to the Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC), for sponsoring this coverage!
 
In this episode we hear from:
 
Mark Kinney - IPC
Eddy Sookswat - McKesson
Kevin Boesen - Outcomes
Nick Secret - IPC
Dave Randolph - Dave's Pharmacy
Jimmy Pappadeas & David Plotkin - Scripted
Samantha Pomeroy - IPC
Sallie Rafie - Birth Control Pharmacist

Functional medicine has been on the tip of the tongue and observed online and on social media for years now, more than in the past, but just what is it and how can it help our patients in pain?Dr. Lauren Castle joins us as a dual expert in the realm of functional medicine and psychedelic pharmacy to clear the fog and address any myths out there for all things functional medicine.Come one, come all, to the Pain Pod!!!P.S. Want to contribute or hear about a pain pearl of your own? Message Pain Guy on www.painguy.us or LinkedIn to directly reach Mark and have your voice heard!Guest InfoLauren Castle, PharmD, MS, AFMCFunctional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance, Founder (https://www.fmpha.org/)Psychedelic Pharmacists Association, Founder (https://psychedelicpharmacist.org/)

It was an absolute honor to meet today’s guest, and I was honestly a bit starstruck! She is rooted equally in both the science of food and intuitive eating. We dove into the phytochemistry of nutrients, and most importantly, discussed the fundamental principles for healthy eating.Dr. Deanna Minich, PhD, CNS, IFMCP is a pioneering nutrition scientist and thought leader with over 25 years of experience bridging science, spirituality, and art to redefine holistic health. Internationally recognized for her work on color-coded nutrition (“eating the rainbow”), detoxification, and hormone health, Dr. Minich brings a multidimensional lens to wellness that is both grounded in research and infused with a soulful approach.For over a decade, she worked closely with the “Father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland on R&D and functional medicine education with the Institute for Functional Medicine and assisting with the start-up of the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI) and now on the Board for PLMI.In 2025, she was awarded the Linus & Ava Helen Pauling Award by the Institute for Functional Medicine, one of the highest honors in the field, for her groundbreaking contributions to science-backed integrative health.As the Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, Dr. Minich leads the Science-Medical Team’s innovation in endocrine, metabolic, and circadian health, developing evidence-based approaches that empower people to reclaim vitality through rhythm, root-cause healing, and renewal.A passionate educator and communicator, she develops transformative curricula and continuing education for health professionals, while also creating accessible, inspiring resources for the general public. Her work meets people where they are, whether they’re practitioners seeking clinical precision or individuals seeking a deeper connection to their body’s wisdom.Connect with Dr. Deanna via:Email: info@foodandspirit.comWebsite: Dr. Deanna MinichFB: Deanna Minich, PhDIG: @deannaminichYT: @foodandspiritLinked In: Deanna Minich, PhD, MS, FACN, CNS, IFMCPVisit https://marinabuksov.com for more holistic content.Music from https://www.purple-planet.com.Disclaimer: Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

THIS WEEK IN PHARMACYPBM Truth, Cash-Based Pharmacy, and Psychedelics in Medicine
Presented by SuiteRx Pharmacy Software TechnologiesLearn more at SuiteRx.com
Episode Overview
On this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, Todd Eury brings together two timely conversations focused on pharmacy transformation, advocacy, clinical education, and the future role of pharmacists in healthcare.
First, Todd welcomes Brad Hart, owner of Forest Park Pharmacy, a cash-based independent pharmacy model challenging the traditional reimbursement structure many pharmacies operate under. Brad has become a powerful advocate for pharmacy transparency, using TikTok and social media to expose current PBM practices, share data, and speak directly to patients, pharmacy owners, and policymakers about the realities facing independent pharmacies.
Brad’s message is clear: patients deserve transparency, pharmacy owners deserve fair treatment, and the profession needs more voices willing to educate the public with facts and truth.
In the second half of the episode, Todd is joined by Dr. Colby Burns and Dr. Andy Krut from the Psychedelic Pharmacists Association. This discussion helps set the groundwork for understanding psychedelics in medicine, the evolving role of pharmacists in psychedelic education, and the clinical potential of psychotropic therapies historically limited by regulation, stigma, and lack of provider education.
As interest in psychedelic-assisted care grows, pharmacists must be part of the conversation. Dr. Burns and Dr. Krut explain why pharmacist education, medication safety, and clinical understanding are essential as healthcare explores emerging approaches to mental health, trauma, pain, and complex patient care.
Featured Guests
Brad HartOwner, Forest Park Pharmacy
Dr. Colby BurnsPsychedelic Pharmacists Association
Dr. Andy KrutPsychedelic Pharmacists Association
Sponsored By
This episode of This Week in Pharmacy is brought to you by SuiteRx Pharmacy Software Technologies.
SuiteRx provides pharmacy software solutions designed to support independent pharmacies, improve workflow, enhance patient care, and help pharmacy teams operate more efficiently in today’s demanding healthcare environment.
Learn more at SuiteRx.com.

Women are driving innovation, improving patient care and leading independent pharmacies through a changing healthcare landscape. In this episode, hosts Jason Callori, Michelle Britt (SVP, Retail Independent, Inside Sales & First Vet Services), and Chelsie Waite (Director of Sales, Retail Independent Sales - West Region) sit down with two remarkable women leaders: Monica Nikseresht, PharmD, and Melissa Hood-Benges, PharmD.
 
Monica and Melissa share their personal journeys, leadership lessons and insight into key challenges and opportunities. Listen to a conversation highlighting leadership, resilience, advocacy, and innovation, while celebrating women as leaders and change-makers in pharmacy.

What happens when Estrogen and alcohol mix? In this episode we explore how alcohol affects estrogen levels and what every woman should know about drinking during different stages of life.
 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10397281/
https://www.mariongluckclinic.com/blog/hormones-and-alcohol-could-reducing-alcohol-help-with-hormone-balancing.html
https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2024/12/preclinical-study-finds-surges-in-estrogen-promote-binge-drinking-in-females
 

During the episode, Nicolle and Darshan discuss how marketing for pharmacies has become more challenging especially with GLP-1s, Compounding and AI. They highlight common mistakes pharmacy owners make when marketing their services and how to avoid them.