Category: Sponsored Content

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This past November, the 340B program celebrated its 30th anniversary—a huge milestone and a reason to rejoice and reflect. We are dismayed, however, that certain drug manufacturers are trying to revise the 340B program’s past and reimagine its future. More than 20 drug manufacturers have unilaterally and unlawfully placed restrictions on contract pharmacy arrangements which have diminished the value of the 340B programs for communities in need. [1] However, it is vital to note that, in the last thirty years, the need for outpatient drugs to treat patients has grown exponentially, as has the price of drugs, making the 340B program more crucial than ever for safety net providers and their patients.

Most of us know that Congress passed the 340B statute in 1992 to enable covered entities “to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.”  But did you know that, when Congress was drafting the

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The rise in digital technologies in the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in some interesting trends in medical communication as we move closer to a post-pandemic world.

During the pandemic, patients became more engaged with medical communication than ever. They went from attending doctor’s visits in-person to making telehealth appointments. In addition, due to forced shutdowns, even the less tech-savvy patients learned how to navigate the internet in new ways to find information and stay connected with their healthcare providers (HCPs).

In addition to using digital mediums to communicate with their care teams, patients turned to the internet to learn more about the virus. They became comfortable performing research rather than waiting to hear what their doctor had to say, and they gained trust in the medical professionals who were providing them with frequent updates on the state of the virus.

So, the last three years have had a significant impact on the ways medical communication is

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The healthcare industry is grappling with a severe staffing shortage, and pharmacies are no exception. More than three-quarters of community pharmacists are struggling to fill open positions, and nearly 90% say finding pharmacy technicians is their top staffing problem, according to a recent survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association.

As a senior talent advisor for pharmacy operations at Maxor, these statistics don’t surprise me. In the more than 30 years I’ve spent recruiting pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and front-office staff for community and 340B pharmacies—including during the severe pharmacist shortage in the 1990s—this is the most challenging labor market I’ve ever experienced.  

At Maxor, my team and I are responsible for staffing numerous pharmacies across the country for both rural and urban covered entities, including FQHCs, community health centers, HIV specialty and Ryan White clinics, and outpatient hospital pharmacies. Despite the challenging labor market, we’ve continued to successfully