The Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC) team recently attended Connect 2025, a premier conference bringing together pharmacy owners, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the future of independent pharmacy. With dozens of pharmacy contacts, insightful panel discussions, and cutting-edge vendor solutions, the event proved to be an invaluable opportunity for networking, education, and growth.

For IPC members who couldn’t attend, here’s a recap of the key takeaways along with personal insights from our team and why you should consider joining us at future events.

The importance of perspective, understanding the real-world struggles and innovative approaches of pharmacy owners helps IPC better advocate for them. As we engage with Connect attendees, PBMs and low reimbursements continue to be major pain points. At the same time, many pharmacists are thriving by expanding clinical services and differentiating their offerings. As a cooperative, IPC provides ownership-backed support, with experts like John Covelo (IPC Government Relations) and Scott Wittnebel (Purchasing Strategies) offering actionable guidance.

IPC Board Member Shahida Choudhry was part of a Panel Exploring the Diverse Roles of Pharmacy Owners. Shahida’s leadership in empowering staff, embracing innovation, and engaging in industry organizations serves as a model for other pharmacy owners.

• Diversify and expand care: The need for pharmacy owners to diversify the services they offer is more important than ever. Taking advantage of new opportunities like long-term care services and remote patient monitoring are just a few areas where pharmacy owners can expand care to add new sources of revenue.
• Find a problem, bring people together, and thrive… this powerful strategy, highlighted by panelist Amina, emphasizes the importance of collaborative problem-solving in pharmacy. By identifying key challenges, uniting stakeholders (staff, vendors, or fellow owners), and implementing innovative solutions, independent pharmacies can turn obstacles into opportunities for growth.
• Make change happen: Successful pharmacies don’t wait for change to come to them; they take initiative by implementing new services, adopting innovative technologies, and advocating for industry reform. This proactive mindset transforms challenges into competitive advantages, ensuring pharmacies not only survive but thrive in evolving healthcare landscape.
• Identify emerging opportunities like state-based billing programs or federal policy shifts that can unlock new revenue streams. By staying ahead of regulatory changes, pharmacies can strategically expand into medication therapy management, point-of-care testing, or other clinical services that align with both patient needs and profitable reimbursement models.

There is immense value in the tested solutions shared by attendees’ knowledge and how we can now pass on to IPC members.

IPC met with key vendors offering tools to streamline operations, improve compliance, and boost profitability:

EDI Vendors supporting 2,005+ active IPC pharmacy users, including:

• Pharmacy Marketplace (641 users)
• Redsail/PioneerRx (1,141 users)
• SureCost (223 users)

Other notable vendors & organizations, such as Atrium24, FH2 Pharma, LSPedia, NCPA, and ScriptPro.

These interactions reinforce how critical technology and strategic partnerships are in today’s pharmacy landscape.

If you missed Connect 2025, here’s why you should plan to attend next time:

• Network with top pharmacy owners and learn from those succeeding in the industry.
• Discover new tech & vendor solutions to improve efficiency and profitability.
• Gain actionable insights from legislative advocacy to clinical expansion.
• Strengthen your IPC partnership and connect with our team and fellow members.

Independent pharmacy is evolving, and events like Connect 2025 provide the knowledge and connections needed to thrive in a challenging industry.