NCPA reaches Fight4Rx goal

(Drug Topics) The member pharmacies of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have reached their goal of recruiting more than 12,000 patients for Fight4Rx.org, an online effort aimed at turning pharmacy patients into activists for community pharmacies.

The milestone was reached six weeks after Fight4Rx’s launch, and now, the association said, it’s narrowing its sights on its year-end goal of reaching 50,000 patients of independent pharmacies. “It’s a tremendous achievement to have 12,000 patients already signed up for Fight4Rx”, said Bruce T. Roberts, RPh, executive vice president and CEO of NCPA. “This level of patient outreach demonstrates that both community pharmacists and their patients recognize the importance of being heard in the healthcare policy debate in Washington, D.C.”

The site includes briefs on pharmacy patient issues, Medicare and healthcare news updates, and a video blog. The information will be used to update patients on legal issues and news affecting independent pharmacies. Bruce Wood, RPh, owner of Dicks Pharmacy in Arthur, Illinois, typifies the focused outreach of NCPA members.

“When I heard about Fight4Rx, I told my staff to start getting our patients signed up right away,” Wood said. “Patients have been approaching me even outside my pharmacy, thanks in no small part to the word of mouth about this effort, to say they were joining Fight4Rx because they understand how important it is to stand up for their healthcare needs. Standing on the sidelines is no longer an option.”