Case Study for Acquisition Here's a snapshot of a case

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After managing MedExpress as the marketing arm for another pharmacy for two years, Post moved the operation to Salisbury, North Carolina, and opened it as a closed-door pharmacy . At that time, his brother Jon joined the company and in August 2002 Post purchased Salisbury Pharmacy, a declining community pharmacy. The key element of the purchase was Salisbury’s experienced pharmacy staff, along with the potential to rekindle both businesses using a unique business model. A little over a year later, the brothers moved both businesses to a new location in Salisbury, and thus began the official union of their community and closed-door pharmacies ... They saw the combination as a two-pronged approach that enabled them to share resources and technologies, and to garner different patient populations. Their forward thinking has resulted in 40-fold growth in sales and a 20-fold increase in employees over the last seven years.

As their business and prescription volumes at both pharmacies steadily grew, the Posts knew that pharmacy automation would play a key role . “We went to a number of technology conferences, and with our growth and our desire to continue to grow, it made perfect sense for what we were trying to do,” says Jon. “And when we started to contemplate responding to various contracts, we knew that to be strongly considered, automation would be a big boost and show folks we were ready for higher volumes.”
Added David, “We knew we had to stay on the cutting edge of what was out there. We just had to jump and hope the net would show up.” The Posts decided that they needed robotics and workflow, and they wanted one system that could separately track both pharmacies’ inventories and growing volumes... (they acquired the robotic dispensing system) Their ROBOTx system contains 140 dispensers with 50 dedicated to MedExpress and 90 to Salisbury Pharmacy.

Since the Posts installed the system, their sales have grown 30 percent and they haven’t hired any additional fulfillment staff. “We have the same number of pharmacists and techs, and we sometimes use certified ‘pinch-hitters’ if we have really busy days. So the robot has proven itself on the labor side,” says Jon. Along with labor savings, the pharmacies have realized the benefits of reduced staff strain because of improved quality control, and the ease of handling audits. “You’re stressed less because you know that you have checks and balances in place that help you make sure you’re taking care of the patient in the right way,” says Jon.

Besides serving the HIV/AIDS patient community , MedExpress now serves members with various chronic problems such as diabetes, fertility, transplant, and oncology treatments, as well as seniors who often face hundreds of dollars each month in medication costs . And with health care reform such a central and controversial issue in the country, the MedExpress/Salisbury Pharmacy duo tout their patient compliance programs as key to helping their members stay healthier and out of the hospital, which helps to control overall health care costs. “Our automation technology is a key component of making us more efficient and providing our patients with the highest possible quality."

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Avita Drugs is a leading specialty pharmacy solutions provider that serves the unique needs of people living with, and those who treat, chronic health conditions, including HIV, hepatitis C, mental health, oncology, rheumatology, and solid organ transplant–related issues, just to name a few.

Since 2003, we have grown from 1 physical location in New Orleans to 4 locations total, with additional locations in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and San Antonio. Additionally, Avita has over 23 340B specialty pharmacy solutions. Avita expects to add new solutions in 5 other states over the next 12 months. As a direct result of a successful patient therapeutic management approach, our team employs over 80 people across the country to date.

We provide patients and health care providers with exceptional service and comprehensive solutions for all aspects of chronic illness care, including the personal service of in-home delivery, AvitaCARESTM, our customized and proprietary adherence program to enhance compliance, and pharmacists certified in disease-specific therapies to help patients better understand and adhere to their complex drug regimens.

What Sets Us Apart - Our commitment to offering personalized service to our patients includes complimentary delivery of prescriptions, along with the option to refill medications online, by speaking directly to our pharmacy team, or using any of our automated technologies. We pride ourselves on listening to our customers and treating them as we would like to be treated, while offering convenience, discreet delivery service, and assistance with billing third-party payers. We offer a monthly “personalized call” refill reminder service, the ability to receive e-mail tracking numbers for delivered medications, prescription labels and information in Spanish and several other languages, and bilingual staff at each of our pharmacy locations. Avita offers patients the option to pick up or have their medications delivered next day or same day (where available).

Our knowledgeable team is certified in product- and disease-specific therapies, making us a reliable specialized pharmacy with clinical knowledge and expertise to help answer those “not so” frequently asked questions. Avita is dedicated to helping patients better understand and adhere to complex drug therapies. Our pharmacists are certified in HIV therapy by the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM).

Avita’s 340B Program - As an industry leader of the 340B program, we have developed a streamlined, simplified, and affordable system, making it efficient and convenient for covered entities and eligible patients to access deeply discounted medications. We will help secure and develop financial assistance programs, bill and collect from third-party payers, and provide monthly “split billing” capabilities to ensure high-quality compliance for much-needed cost-savings opportunities. Our programs provide cost-effectiveness management through extensive self-auditing, robust customized reporting, zero up-front costs, and volume discounts with wholesalers.

As a leader in first-to-market drugs, we stock newly released medications due to strong patient/physician/payer and pharmaceutical manufacturer relationships. This recognition makes us a one-stop partner to control costs and enhance services through the benefits of our 340B program.

AvitaRXTM is our customized, cost-effective, in-house PBA (pharmacy benefits administrator) program for 340B-covered entities that wish to control rising drug costs, manage client eligibility, maintain formularies, and even create a network of preferred pharmacies.

Our Customers and Communities - At Avita, we understand that personalized, one-on-one service and care matter to our customers, especially when it pertains to specialty pharmacy medication therapies.

We place a strong emphasis on community involvement, which is why we believe in giving back to the communities that we work with through support and sponsorships, as well as volunteering efforts. Our goal is to create a personalized, convenient, and affordable pharmacy experience that helps our customers live healthier, prosperous lives.