Success Stories

Focusing on access, education, and relationships, along with empowering pharmacy staff has helped Semmes Pharmacy in Semmes, AL expand a successful immunization program. Jessica Hung, pharmacist and owner, and Chyanne Coe, pharmacist technician and Clinical Services Manager, share program insights. Coe received the Pharmacy Team Member Award as part of the 2026 APhA Immunization Champion Awards program.

Two CPESN pharmacies - Panama Pharmacy in Jacksonville, FL, and Living Well Pharmacy in Augusta, GA - held vaccine clinics at dialysis clinics as part of a pilot program with the American Society of Nephrology. The goal: to learn if community pharmacist engagement can increase access to Shingles, RSV, and COVID-19 immunizations for patients with chronic kidney disease. While the pilot was limited with 151 participants, ANS reports: "The increase in up-to-date patients through pharmacy administration is profound." Katie Sanford shares her experience with two Jacksonville clinics.

CPESN New Jersey has its first statewide payer program with Elevance Health/CarelonRx, bringing to 12 the number of CPESN networks with Elevance value-based programs. New Jersey pharmacies may contact Managing Network Facilitator Mina Sidhom [email protected] to learn more about the gap closure program for enrolled Medicaid patients

CPESN Michigan pharmacies have their first statewide payer opportunity with UnitedHealthcare's Pharmacy Care Hub. The program for enrolled Medicaid and dual eligible members includes medication management, counseling, and other services pharmacies may already be providing. And participating pharmacies may provide point-of-care testing, coordinate a telehealth doctor visit, and fill any resulting prescriptions - for a seamless patient experience, all within the pharmacy.

Valerie Akers, pharmacist and owner at Parkview Pharmacy in Minnie, KY, shares a multigeneration story of how investment in CHW training and a focus on improving rural healthcare is benefiting her community.

The value-based expansion of services allows CPESN® Florida pharmacies to work with patients over time to help them reach or maintain blood pressure and A1c goals. Theresa Tolle, pharmacist and owner of Bay Street Pharmacy in Sebastian, FL, describes how the payer program expansion benefits patients and pharmacies.

Tina Dotzler, owner and pharmacist at Pexton Pharmacy in Harlan, IA, says value-based reimbursement under the Elevance Health/ CarelonRx program allows dedicated time to help patients reach health goals. Watch this video to learn more about how the CPESN® Iowa pharmacy helped one patient reach her A1c goal.

Kate Riddell, a CPESN ® Indiana community pharmacist, shares stories of meeting patients on their terms to deliver medications and clinical care. Overcoming access barriers is a daily way of doing business at Conway Drugs and Parkside Pharmacy in Lebanon, IN – whether it calls for perching on a drive-through window ledge or delivering medications to rural patients.

Clinical Pharmacist, Rob Nicols of Greenwood Pharmacy in Waterloo Iowa shares information about the Community Health Assessment and Monitoring the Pharmacy (CHAMP) program. As the Phase I pilot study location for the program, their pharmacy hopes to increase screening rates for the second leading cause of deaths in Iowa, lung cancer. Despite national guidance, only 20% of eligible Iowans currently receive screening. The CHAMP program aims to increase this rate by thousands.

Annie Eisenbeis, Lead Network Facilitator for CPESN Missouri, urges all networks to build and leverage stakeholder relationships as their states make plans for coming rural health transformation funds.

Hawthorne Health CEO Josh Rose shares information about an exciting non-dispensing revenue opportunity for CPESN® pharmacies.

Beth Bryan, a CPESN® Tennessee luminary and member of the CPESN USA Board of Managers, opened a direct-pay community health clinic within her Surgoinsville Pharmacy. Two years later, she tells us how she has gone from launch to success. This is the first of two videos focused on two CPESN Special Purpose Programs to support pharmacies interested in adding a community clinic to their business. The next video will feature CPESN Clinic360 - a monthly subscription implementation program led by Bryan.

A grant-funded program allowed CPESN pharmacies in three Kentucky counties to help patients access medications, and basic tools and supplies they need to live safely, independently, and with dignity. Dakota Barr, CPESN Kentucky Managing Network Facilitator, shares patient impact stories and benefits of the program to pharmacies as well.

E.J. Stoepfel, CPESN USA Payer, Purchaser, Partner Lead, describes two exciting non-dispensing revenue opportunities with RxE2. The Multiple Depression Disorders study is open now in 15 states, and the COPD study launches in January. There are opportunities for up to 100 pharmacies in each six-month study.

Amy Catherine Baggett, CPESN® Mississippi Managing Network Facilitator, describes development of the Medications Optimizing Maternal Safety MOMS™ program. She shares patient stories from her own practice as pharmacist and co-owner of Love's Pharmacy in Diamondhead, MS.

In collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, the National Community Pharmacy Association and CPESN Community Health are training 25 pharmacy teams to address the needs of cardiovascular patients living in rural communities. The pharmacies are located across AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, and MO. Hannah Fish, NCPA Director, Strategic Initiatives, shares details of the pilot program.

A limited number of CPESN® pharmacies in OH, KY, TN, MS, and AR are participating in a pilot program through CPESN Community Health to refer patients to the American Lung Association's Lung Health Navigators. Patients who enroll receive free, customized, one-on-one education and support in managing COPD and other lung disease. Devin McKenzie, Clinical Services Programs Director at Dover Family Pharmacy in Dover, TN, describes that pharmacy's experience.

Since 2022, CPESN North Carolina pharmacies have cared for nearly 2,000 patients through a Medicaid MCO's Diabetes education and management program. Laura Rhodes, Managing Network Facilitator, says the program has been renewed, and she shares patient impact stories.

Stephanie McGrath, Managing Network Facilitator for PPCN, the CPESN Pennsylvania network, shares how pharmacists are working with local business to offer on-site vaccine clinics for employees. Employers sign up at the network website to be matched with participating pharmacies.

Lura Thompson, Managing Network Facilitator for CPESN Virginia, describes the new Medication Optimizing Maternal Safety program available through UnitedHealthcare's Pharmacy Care Hub.

CPESN California Luminary Sanjay Patel says a Medicaid vaccine program for school-age children is helping the community, the state, and benefiting network pharmacies.

Swat Kabisatpathy, CPESN PPC@Home Lead, shares that 48 CPESN pharmacies in 12 states are introducing the GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) payment and service delivery model. The CMS program focuses specifically on improving care for individuals living with dementia and supporting their caregivers.

Bri Morris Gilbert, Arkansas CPESN Managing Network Facilitator, reports on that network's participation in an adherence program for patients with complex behavioral health conditions. The network converted 74% of non-adherent patients to adherent through the payer program that started as a pilot in 2 states and is now active in 10 states.

Jessica Robinson, CPESN® Tennessee Managing Network Facilitator, was tired of hearing stereotypes about community pharmacists being “less clinical” or “not real providers" when she decided to push back with a LinkedIn post that calls out the perception of community practice mediocrity. She is being heard, loud and clear. In this short video, the community pharmacist who also teaches pharmacy students at East Tennessee State University, invites a closer look at a day in the life of the community pharmacist. "This is the frontline of healthcare, and it demands brilliance, resilience, and heart."

CPESN Hawaii reports that network pharmacies closed 45% of health plan identified care gaps as part of the MDX Hawaii payer program. Dayna Wong-Otis, Managing Network Facilitator, says participation was network-wide and that pharmacies have streamlined patient outreach processes for success.

Over 80% of A1C POCT completed at CPESN pharmacies for a health plan program that included longitudinal diabetes care were at goal (≤8%). Cody Clifton, CPESN USA Director of Practice Transformation and Clinical Programs, says those metrics helped the health plan payer reach its HEDIS® gap closure goal for the diabetes measure.

Pennsylvania Pharmacist Care Network (PPCN) pharmacists completed > 13,000 SDoH assessments for Medicaid patients, leading to 2,300 referrals for assistance with housing, transportation and other basic needs. Stephanie McGrath, CPESN® Managing Network Facilitator, shares insights from the two-year program.

CPESN® North Carolina and CPESN® Washington pharmacies are partnering with local prescribers to provide colon cancer screening kits to at-risk patients. CPESN North Carolina Managing Network Facilitator Laura Rhodes describes the grant-funded program in this short video.

Jake Galdo, CPESN® Community Health Managing Network Facilitator, describes a network-wide opportunity that brings in revenue based on care delivery and service-based contracts.

Subscribing to CPESN Medical Billing Supports has allowed Lino’s Pharmacy in Roma and Rio Grande City, TX to capture new revenue that also affords extra time with patients. Lino’s initiated medical billing with a vaccine hesitancy program that revealed new gaps in care. As the team was able to spend more time with patients, they learned of additional needs for pharmacy services, says Jesus Rios, Lino's Pharmacist and Owner. Watch this short video to learn more.