NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MESMERIZE united three knowledge leaders in community pharmacy for an invigorating exchange of ideas, business strategies and patient-focused solutions. Published today, the resulting whitepaper, “Working at the Top of Their License: The Future of Community Pharmacy as a Health Care Destination,” reveals cutting-edge insights on providing health care beyond the traditional scope of services.

“Over the last several years, independent pharmacies across the country have been seeking opportunities to become the closest, strongest link for patients seeking advice, comfort and timely care,” said Ian Stone, senior vice president of business development at MESMERIZE.

Laura Edmundson, PharmD, MBA, vice president of pharmacy at Brookshire Brothers, Inc., agreed. “Then COVID hit and then it just took off, because community pharmacies were thrust into the spotlight. We showed the world what we’re capable of—if you just let us do it and you trust us to do it.”

Working with lawmakers and regulators to clear a path for care delivery has been a priority for Michael Halliwell, director of pharmacy and whole health at Balls Food Stores. Thanks to those efforts, said Halliwell, pharmacists in Kansas “can provide the point-of-care testing for influenza, strep and UTIs and if a test is positive, provide prescription medications without a doctor’s order.”

Kathy Collier, DPh, regional vice president of operations at Express Rx Pharmacy, emphasized how a deep-roots approach allows community pharmacy to adapt. “[T]here are gaps in health care needs. Most of our growth has been by acquiring an independent that was already established. We’re often in smaller communities—where there is only one pharmacy.”

The whitepaper explores issues crucial to point-of-care, from workforce evolution and pharmacy benefit managers to new horizons in artificial intelligence and other technologies. All three knowledge leaders agreed that despite challenges, the future is bright. “Pharmacists are advancing their education while brick-and-mortar drugstores innovate,” said Stone. “There’s so much forward momentum, and all of it benefits the patient.”

Working at the Top of Their License: The Future of Community Pharmacy as a Health Care Destination


Mesmerize specializes in patient education at the point of care. Mesmerize provides targeted educational materials, including digital and static wallboards, literature distribution and branded medical essentials to patients and caregivers in waiting rooms, exam rooms, and other high-traffic areas of doctors’ offices, community-based organizations, AIDS service organizations, and retail pharmacies. For more information visit 


MJH Life Sciences is the largest privately held multimedia medical communication and education platform in North America with 60-plus brands as well as 1,500-plus events and CE/CME conferences. Guided by the twin principles of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, the company is dedicated to improving quality of life through health care communications, education and research. Reaching more than 7 million health care decision-makers, physicians, pharmacists and managed care professionals, MJH Life Sciences delivers trusted information that drives informed decisions across multichannel platforms. For more information, visit 

MESMERIZE brings community pharmacy leaders together to explore industry’s bright future

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