He has spent over 30 years working from the front lines to the boardrooms of major corporations and non-profits around the world, as well as a consultant to small, privately-owned businesses. A former head of corporate training at the Walt Disney University, Doug took everyone on an entertaining and informative "behind the scenes" tour of some of most successful organizations in the world. He shared with the audience the secrets to their success and how they dealt with the following questions:

• Change is Inevitable: Are you prepared?
• Reimbursements are shrinking, is your creativity expanding?
• You might be "A Leader" but are your customers following?
   

On the road map to pharmacy success, the rubber hits the road at the front line with the customer. Featuring four panel speakers, this elite group of pharmacists is innovators, visionaries and achievers. This group has done it and done it well.

Scott Hannay is part owner of 3 Remedy’sRx pharmacies in Kitchener Ontario. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1996 and subsequently published a study on the implementation of Pharmaceutical Care in a Community Setting. At that time, he was a facilitator for Health Outcomes Pharmacies, a national organization of community pharmacies working towards reimbursement for cognitive services.

Sharing is experience in specialization and investment into new technology, Scott Hannay demonstrated how this has allowed and necessitated the advancement of the pharmacy assistants and technicians into roles that have led to job satisfaction and fulfillment of their scope of practice.
 

Mark is a community, based pharmacist working at Natural Choice Pharmacy by Remedy’s in Nelson, British Columbia. Mark graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of British Columbia. He worked for 15 years in the hospital sector, specializing in small hospital practice and regionalizing services.

In his presentation he shared his answer to the question: How does a pharmacy survive in an increasingly competitive and less profitable marketplace? The answer isn’t so simple nor is there one correct answer the question. Mark shared with the group his perspective in creating a profitable and satisfying practice in an over-serviced small town. As he realized that the marketplace conditions are not going to change any time soon, but you can change your paradigm and create new opportunities.
 

Greg Wheeler is the owner of Skaha Pharmacy in Penticton, British Columbia. He graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of British Columbia in 1997. Prior to this, he received a Bachelor of Science in BioChemistry from McMaster University. Greg received the Pharmacy Achievement Award this year from the BC Pharmacy Association for his innovative work at the pharmacy and his involvement in the community as a pharmacist.

Greg spoke about his short-term and long-term business strategies changes he has experience in order to respond and react to the cut-backs in frequency of dispensing and generic reimbursement. He strongly believes that the future of pharmacy is promising but we must continue to work hard in building our relationships with other health care professionals and cannot be afraid to use our professional training to take responsibility for our patients’ medications. If one can overcome these hurdles in their practice, the professional and financial rewards can help sustain the business during these changing times.
 

Dr. Shakeel Bhatti is a graduate of the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff, Wales and The University of Washington, Seattle, USA. He has been recognized by the College of Pharmacists as a five star pharmacist (the highest honor the College can bestow on a practicing pharmacist); he was also recognized by the BC Pharmacy.

Learning from his own personal experiences, Shakeel realized that pharmacists have talent but often don’t promote their abilities to their patients or other healthcare professionals. In his charismatic and engaging presentation, Shak – as he is commonly referred to by close friends and colleagues – spoke effectively about how vital it is in today’s market to up-sell your skills. Each pharmacy has various levels of expertise in certain niche areas of practice and he encouraged everyone to use them and leverage your personality to build a loyal and lasting customer base.
 

Mike Jaczko is a principal and partner with K J Harrison & Partners Inc., a private investment firm based in Toronto that offers discretionary investment management to individuals and their families.

We have been a builder all these years—what do we do next? How do you protect the equity we’ve worked so hard for all our life? Do we have enough money to retire? Enhancing your wealth-building acumen is one step to safely & effectively realize/protect/live off the fruits of your labour.
 

Zubin Austin is Associate Professor and inaugural holder of the OCP Research Professorship in Pharmacy at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. He is an award-winning researcher having published over 65-peer reviewed manuscripts and two textbooks, and he has received citations for his research from the American Association of Faculties of Pharmacy, the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada, and the Canadian Pharmacists’ Association.

There's no doubt that we all recognize that pharmacy has shifted from dispensing and technical duties to focus more on the services that improve patient outcomes. But the question of whether pharmacists really want to advance their practice was the theme of Dr. Zubin’s discussion. He asked: Are the classic barriers to practice change a convenient script, when the actual barrier is pharmacists’ own psyche and culture? Zubin explored some thought-provoking options and their implications for the future of pharmacy.

With the Camelback Mountain as the scenic backdrop and a southwestern acoustic guitarist stringing away, the setting for the welcome reception and dinner could not be more perfect to kick off the four day conference.

What a fantastic way to wrap up the Forum with a farewell dinner celebration. Delicious food and lively entertainment followed by amazing door prizes, left everyone on a high note, eagerly looking forward to next year’s event!