Supporting Pharmacy Interoperability Readiness And Adoption
A New Partnership With The Sequoia Project & Upcoming Webinars You Don't Want To Miss!
We're excited to announce our Bronze Level sponsorship of The Sequoia Project's Interoperability Matters Pharmacy Workgroup—a two-year commitment that reflects our dedication to advancing healthcare connectivity and promoting the sustainability and growth of independent community pharmacists. This partnership ensures that independent community pharmacies have a strong voice in shaping the future of clinical data exchange across the healthcare ecosystem.
The Pharmacy Workgroup brings together a nationwide community of practice focused on removing barriers that prevent pharmacies from providing clinical services at-scale. Through collaborative efforts, the group is identifying practical solutions for pharmacy clinical data exchange, addresses interoperability gaps, and develops priorities for making pharmacy data more usable in real-world settings.
"Independent community pharmacies are on the front lines of patient care, but they need the right tools and data connectivity to reach their full potential," said Jerry Shapiro, Board President. "This partnership with The Sequoia Project represents our commitment to ensuring these vital healthcare providers have the interoperability infrastructure they need to deliver comprehensive clinical services to their communities" said Jerry Shapiro, NCPA Foundation Board President.
“Pharmacy interoperability is essential for advancing coordinated patient care,” said Mariann Yeager, CEO of The Sequoia Project. “We are grateful for the generosity of the NCPA Foundation in supporting this workgroup’s practical approach. We are looking forward to this collaborative effort.”
Independent community pharmacies face unique challenges and opportunities that differ significantly from chain pharmacies and health system operations. Their deep community connections, personalized patient relationships, and flexible service delivery models require tailored interoperability solutions. The NCPA Foundation is honored to support The Sequoia Project's expertise and leadership in this space, ensuring that the distinct needs and perspectives of independent community pharmacists are not only heard but actively incorporated into national interoperability standards and best practices.
With our nation facing a significant primary care shortage and rising rates of chronic conditions, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to serve as vital members of integrated care teams. However, broader interoperability is essential to help this valuable healthcare resource effectively fill the growing care gap.
“We're thrilled to support this important initiative and look forward to contributing to solutions that will benefit independent community pharmacies and the patients they serve. Together, we can foster the clinical interoperability needed to transform pharmacy practice and improve patient outcomes nationwide” – Sharon Sherrer, NCPA Foundation Board President-Elect.
Two members of the Foundation’s Advisory Committee will represent the Foundation as part of The Sequoia Project's Interoperability Matters Pharmacy Workgroup: Jake Galdo, PharmD. and Leanne Haley-Brown, RPh.
Your Voice Matters - Last Day To Complete Our Stakeholder Survey Is Tomorrow - July 15th!
The NCPA Foundation has embarked on a strategic planning process for the next three years. As we being to plan, we hope that you will take a few minutes to share your thoughts through this short, anonymous survey. Your feedback will help shape our direction and ensure we stay aligned with the needs and values of those we serve.
Upcoming Webinars:
Community Pharmacy Succession Planning
Have you considered who will be the next owner of your pharmacy?
Aug. 11, 2025 10:00 AM Pacific Time
Join NCPA's Board President, Jeff Harrell, PharmD and NCPA Foundation's Executive Director, Sonja Pagniano, for a webinar about community pharmacy succession planning.
Daniel A. Jack, JD, MBA, RICP also offers his financial planning expertise with respect to investments, insurance, taxes, and law as part of this webinar.
Whether retirement is decades away or just around the corner, this webinar will help equip you with the knowledge and resources to help you begin building a transition plan that protects your legacy, your employees, and the community you are such an important part of.
20 Years Since Hurricane Katrina - Community Pharmacy's Lessons In Recovery
Aug. 29, 2025 02:00 PM Eastern Time
This webinar panel provides valuable, firsthand insights for pharmacy owners, staff, pharmacy vendors, and others in healthcare seeking to strengthen their emergency preparedness.
Whether you experienced Katrina firsthand or are learning about this watershed moment in healthcare emergency response, you'll gain practical knowledge to better serve your community during future crises.
Come for a great discussion and we will leave time for Q&A.
The Start Of A New Fiscal Year
As we begin a new fiscal year, our foundation is actively compiling our annual report and developing comprehensive impact reporting that will showcase the meaningful outcomes of our programs over the past year. Looking ahead, we're energized about upcoming opportunities, particularly the NCPA Convention in October, which will provide an excellent opportunity for us to connect with our community and expand general support for our mission. Our commitment to promoting the sustainability and growth of independent community pharmacists remains unwavering, especially as the pace of change continues to accelerate and the need to adapt to innovation becomes increasingly critical. This new fiscal year brings fresh possibilities to advance our cause and strengthen the vital role independent pharmacists play in their communities.
You’ll hear more from us soon about how you can make an impact on our work!
Use Your IRA To Give
If you’re 70 1/2 or older, you can use a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to support the NCPA Foundation, while also lowering your taxable income. A QCD lets you transfer funds directly from your IRA to the NCPA Foundation, making your gift tax-smart and impact-driven. Whether you support NCPA Foundation’s operations or direct your gift to a specific initiative close to your heart, your generosity helps us promote the sustainability and growth of independent community pharmacists. Simple moves like this can make a powerful difference.
Gift Annuities Produce More Cash Flow Than Many Fixed-Income Investments
Interest rates on fixed-income investments such as certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market funds reached historic lows a few years ago. Although they have recently risen, the interest rates paid by these instruments are generally less than the rates paid on gift annuities. Gift annuity payout rates are recommended by the American Council on Gift Annuities and are followed by most organizations, including ours.
With a charitable gift annuity, you agree to make a gift to a qualified charity and they, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life. The balance is used to support their work.
This type of donation can provide you with regular payments for life and allow a qualified charity to further their mission. You can also qualify for a variety of tax benefits depending on how you fund your gift.
If you fund your gift annuity with cash or appreciated property, you qualify for a federal income tax deduction if you itemize. In addition, you can minimize capital gains taxes when you fund your gift with appreciated property.
Gift annuities are a great strategy for donors whose:
Investments are earning less than expected
Wish is to reduce tax on income and/or capital gain
Desire is to help a loved one without using expensive after-tax dollars to do so
Goal is to provide reliable payments to a loved one without management responsibility