Q: Where did you grow up?
I was born in Upstate New York and grew up in New Jersey.
Q: Where did you go to college/graduate school?
Fairleigh Dickinson and New York University
Q: What are your favorites?
Food: Ethiopian, Indian, Japanese
Movie: The Matrix
Musicians: Rhiannon Giddens and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Metallica, Luciano Pavarotti
Destinations: Peru and Greece
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
Hiking, bicycling, outdoor music events
Q: What kind of work does your company do in 340B and what makes it stand out?
We are a Third-Party Administrator, focusing on Contract Pharmacies. We also launched a Compliance System that entities use to successfully conduct self–audits. I believe we stand out for several reasons. First, our customer support is outstanding. Our team really cares about our clients, their challenges, their goals. Second, our technology has a focus on compliance, ease of use, and transparency. Third, we innovate useful tools with a focus on making our clients’ lives easier, and ensuring patients have access to medications.
Q: Why did you choose to work in the 340B space?
I was working in the PBM space and realized we can contribute so much more to communities working in the 340B space. It’s a nice way to grow a company, and it is part of our culture to be involved in our communities. I am currently the Chair of the Woodstock NY Human Rights Commission, have served on a Police Reform and Reinvention Committee, am part of the New York State Division of Human Rights Workgroup, etc. Having a community focus is really part of 340Best’s DNA. This becomes even more important during challenging times such as with Covid, unemployment, etc.
Q: What do you feel is your most significant contribution to the 340B world or to a 340B customer/client?
340Best innovates practical solutions that make sense for our customers. We brought a cash program to market years ago, and recently enhanced it to be a Point-of-Sale Cash Program. This is very important as patients who are uninsured or underinsured need access to medication and other vital services. This is the intent of the 340B program, and it is also the right thing to do. We encourage all our customers to participate in this program, and the pharmacies like it as well as it is seamless for them, and patients are happy. This program gives everyone involved including pharmacies a way to ensure that patients can get their medication, counseling and support services.
Q: What advice do you have for a young professional who has recently launched a career in the 340B space?
If you find a company that holds true to the intent of the 340B program, it is a wonderful opportunity to have a good career, and to know that you are assisting your community and many others. Ask a lot of questions, go to webinars, and always remember that while we have entities as customers and pharmacies as partners, at the end of the day, it’s about supporting a healthy community.
For questions, Anula can be reached at a_courtis@340best.com.
