In inaugural address, KPH Healthcare Services President and CEO champions pharmacists as the answer to America's healthcare access crisis.

Guided by a bold vision for the future, NACDS Chair David B. Warner, president and chief executive officer, KPH Healthcare Services, Inc.,urged industry leaders to seize a "defining moment" and act with urgency to reshape healthcare delivery, expand the role of pharmacists, and ensure community pharmacy thrives for generations to come during his inaugural address as chair of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS).

Warner accepted the NACDS Chair's gavel from outgoing Chair Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer at Walgreens, during the NACDS Annual Meeting's Tuesday Business Program. The event included remarks from Amanda Coussoule, U.S. chief customer officer at Kenvue, which sponsored the Business Program. Similarly, Haleon sponsored the Sunday Business Program.

After accepting the gavel, Warner reflected on the incredible accomplishments of recent Board chairs and emphasized the importance and promise of the current moment for pharmacy and healthcare.

"Together with the Board, and all of you, we will carry the torch into the next phase of retail pharmacy. We will make the moves that shape the decades to come. When we look back over the past two decades at NACDS, we can see the progress. We can see decisions we got right. We can see the industry moving forward. We are heading to a defining moment within our profession. And what we do next will have an impact for years to come. We should be optimistic about the outcome," said Warner.

Then, Warner shared how the pharmacist in his hometown earned the trust of his community and inspired his own career in pharmacy - and how, despite the transformation, trust has been and must remain the bedrock of pharmacy care.

"The most powerful force in our profession has not changed: trust. We are one of the most trusted professions in the country," said Warner.

Warner outlined the groundbreaking progress of the pharmacy industry over the last several years, from e-prescribing to expanding access to the flu vaccine to the rapid deployment of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. He also articulated his vision for the future, starting with building a new reimbursement model.

"We're building the plan: to push a new reimbursement model; to define the full potential of health and wellness through retailer and supplier partnerships; to lean into technology - AI, automation, and smarter workflows to improve the experience for patients, customers, and our teams; and to keep NACDS member-driven, engaged, and built for change. Make no mistake: this matters for America."

Warner also addressed how Americans have come to rely on pharmacists for full-service care and challenged industry leaders to acknowledge this shift and meet the moment.

"For years, the main model was simple. People came to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription, and then they learned what else the pharmacy could do. Now, the model is flipping. In the future, with expanded scope of practice, patients will come to the pharmacy for expanded care services. My hope someday very soon we can look back and say 'we can't imagine a world without pharmacists operating at the top of their license' and getting paid for these services. That shift is already happening, and it is accelerating, and it is exactly why what we do next matters so much."

Warner continued, "We are at a defining moment and an opportunity for change. We have a choice. We can watch the change happen. Or we can lead it. We can tolerate a broken healthcare model. Or we can fix it. I know what this industry needs to do and can do."

Warner specifically called out the importance of the supplier partners, stating, "NACDS is stronger because you are here. So ask yourself, 'where do I fit into the new pharmacy model?' If services drive traffic, how do we support services? If outcomes matter more, how do we measure outcomes? If access is the mission, how do we widen access? We do not need less partnership. We need more. And we need to be bold. Let's do this together."

In closing, Warner united the audience with a shared commitment to advocacy, innovation, and partnership, calling on retailers, suppliers, and providers to lead the charge into the new era of pharmacy care.

"Pharmacy is already doing more. Patients are asking for more. And our communities cannot afford policy lagging behind. So, we will keep pushing forward. We will keep proving our value. And we will keep making progress."