PHARMACY IS THE NEW BATTLEGROUND FOR HOSPITALS.  THEY HOLD THE HIGH GROUND IF THEY ACT TO PROTECT PATIENTS FROM THE RAVAGES OF RETAIL COMMODITIZATION AND HARVEST OF DISCRETIONARY COST FOR PROFIT.

OUTPATIENT PHARMACY MODELS MUST BE LEVERAGED AS FINANCIAL, LOYALTY, AND TRAFFIC DRIVERS FOR HOSPITALS.  THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT A TRANSFORMATION OF OPERATIONS FROM THE COMMONLY USED DRUG STORE CLONE.

AS A FORMER DRUG STORE CHAIN EXECUTIVE, I CAN CATEGORICALLY STATE THAT DRUG STORE CLONES CANNOT SERVE HOSPITAL MARKETS.  TRANSFORMATION WILL NOT BE EASY AND IT IS THE ONLY DEFENSE AGAINST THE RETAIL OFFENSIVE.