Dispense Times Magazine

04/17/2026

The pharmacy playbook is changing… fast.

Inside this issue:
• A raw conversation with Mel Chancey on second chances and what comes next
• Why personalization is becoming pharmacy’s most powerful business model
• The GLP-1 showdown—pricing, compounding crackdowns, and what it means for you
• How PBM reform can actually turn into real recovered revenue
• Why every pharmacy should be prescribing birth control
• The Pharmacy Top 50 Awards 2025

If you’re trying to figure out where pharmacy is headed next… this is it.

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In this issue: Mel Chancey joins us for a conversation on second chances, preventive care, and the pharmacist’s role in what comes next. We also explore how personalization became pharmacy’s best business model in Made to Order, break down The GLP 1 Showdown from TrumpRx and compounding crackdow...

04/17/2026

Independent pharmacies are forced to pay to survive. Patients are forced to pay to get care.
PBMs profit either way.

04/16/2026

Exciting News from Dispense Times!

We are thrilled to announce the newest member of our Advisory Editorial Board: Dr. Nicolette J Mathey, PharmD!

A dedicated pharmacist, successful entrepreneur, and true industry leader, Dr. Mathey has spent her career championing independent pharmacies in today’s challenging healthcare landscape.

Her journey began at age 16 as a cashier at Walgreens. She went on to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida. She built and grew Palm Harbor Pharmacy, successfully exiting in 2023, and continues her ownership impact as the founder of Achieve Pharmacy, a forward-thinking 503B fulfillment model.

In 2019, she founded Atrium24 Technologies, an innovative ecosystem designed to empower pharmacies with practical tools, strategic partnerships, and education for sustainable growth. Her portfolio includes:

• Dotti — a powerful CRM and sales platform built specifically for pharmacy marketing and prescriber engagement
• Atrium24 GPO — delivering access to compliant 503B and manufacturer partnerships
• ATRIUMX — the annual conference that brings together pharmacy owners and industry leaders for actionable insights

Dr. Mathey is a highly sought-after speaker at major national events, including NCPA, McKesson IdeaShare, and Cardinal RBC, where she shares expertise on sales strategy, compliance-driven growth, and smart technology adoption.

Her voice and experience will be invaluable as we continue delivering high-quality insights, strategies, and news to support independent pharmacy success.

Welcome aboard, Dr. Nicolette Mathey! We can’t wait to collaborate and bring even more value to the Dispense Times community.

04/16/2026

The GLP-1 Showdown: TrumpRx, Compounding Crackdowns, and the New Era of Drug Pricing

The pharmaceutical landscape is currently witnessing a tectonic shift as federal policy, aggressive private-sector innovation, and regulatory enforcement

04/16/2026

Most pharmacies are still making decisions based on outdated data.

That’s a problem.

Margins are tighter than ever, and the pharmacies that are winning right now are the ones using real-time insights to guide decisions—not gut instinct.

In this issue, we explore how technology is shifting from “nice to have” to critical infrastructure for pharmacy operations.

Shoutout to companies like Datascan Pharmacy Software who are helping push that shift forward.

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In this issue: Mel Chancey joins us for a conversation on second chances, preventive care, and the pharmacist’s role in what comes next. We also explore how personalization became pharmacy’s best business model in Made to Order, break down The GLP 1 Showdown from TrumpRx and compounding crackdow...

04/15/2026

Why Every Pharmacy Should Be Prescribing Birth Control
Pharmacy Podcast

Author: Sally Rafie, PharmD, BCPS, APh, FCCP, FCPhA

04/15/2026

Made to Order: How Personalization Became Pharmacy’s Best Business Model

Kris Rhea

The first pharmacies were compounding labs. Pharmacists stood behind wooden counters mixing remedies tailored to individual patients… tinctures for Mrs.

04/15/2026

The Appeal Advantage: Turning PBM Reform Laws Into Recovered Revenue

New PBM reform laws make headlines. Pharmacy owners celebrate. State associations post press releases. Everyone feels like they won something.

04/14/2026

Independent pharmacies are under real pressure right now and it is not just about margins getting squeezed.

The bigger issue is relevance.

Care is shifting quickly toward integrated direct to consumer models. If pharmacies stay stuck in a dispensing mindset they will get pushed further out of the patient journey.

The pharmacies that survive and actually grow are doing a few things differently.

They are becoming the front door to care. Not just filling prescriptions but handling testing chronic care and connecting patients to telehealth. If a patient has to think twice about where to go you have already lost them.

They are owning the relationship. Not a one time transaction at the counter but ongoing engagement. Following up educating and staying connected between fills. That is where trust is built now.

They are also rethinking revenue. You cannot survive long term relying only on shrinking reimbursement. The shift is toward services programs partnerships and models that go beyond the prescription itself.

The truth is independent pharmacies still have something nobody else can replicate easily. Trust and proximity.

But that alone is not enough anymore.

The question is whether pharmacies move fast enough to turn that into something bigger than just a place people pick up medication.

Curious what you are seeing out there. Who is actually doing this well right now?

04/14/2026

A Pharmacy Story. A Profession’s Warning. A Call to Act.

In 1876, a young pharmacist named J.E. Janney apprenticed under Jonah Sands in Spring Valley, Ohio. Together they opened a drugstore in Waynesville. Two years later, Janney struck out on his own and wrote his first prescription on December 23, 1878.

In 1876, a young pharmacist named J.E. Janney apprenticed under Jonah Sands in Spring Valley, Ohio. Together they opened a drugstore in Waynesville. Two years

04/14/2026

For years, small business pharmacies have withstood oppressive PBM anti-competitive practices and other market forces that have pushed otherwise larger legacy pharmacies to the brink of closure. Still, in 2026 there are fewer independent pharmacies left to serve the growing ranks of patients needing access to affordable medication and care. There are also fewer advocates left to fight for you, your business and the pharmacy profession.

Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency

For years, small business pharmacies have withstood oppressive PBM anti-competitive practices and other market forces that have pushed otherwise larger legacy

04/14/2026

A New Superpower for Independent Retail Pharmacies.

By: Karen Deckard, Director of Sales & Marketing at Retail Management Solutions