The 2022 NICE Awards
Six community pharmacies have been named recipients of the 2022 NCPA Innovation Center Excellence Awards, sponsored by RedSail Technologies, LLC.
This is the fifth year of the NICE Awards competition, which was created to recognize pharmacies for their efforts to enhance their value, promote their services, and better serve their communities.
The 2022 NICE Awards recipients by category are:
- Best Community Engagement – Phipps Pharmacy in Tennessee
- Best Exterior Sign – Spruce Mountain Pharmacy in Jay, Maine
- Best External Modification – Bell Pharmacy in Camden, N.J.
- Best Internal Modification – Avant Pharmacy and Wellness Center in Charlotte, N.C.
- Best Delivery Vehicle – Table Rock Pharmacy in Morganton, N.C.
- Best Marketing/Promotion – Tomahawk Pharmacy in Tomahawk, Wis.
Three independent judges reviewed the submissions and selected the award recipients. Dave Wendland, who has 30 years’ experience with the Hamacher Resource Group, is responsible for strategic partner development and trade relations and works to strengthen client relationships and enhance product value. Ira Katz, RPh, is owner of Little Five Points Pharmacy in Atlanta. He is known for being a patient advocate with a passion for independent community pharmacy. Laura Cranston, the founder and former CEO of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, enjoys consulting with organizations innovating around the delivery of clinical services by pharmacists. She has is committed to enabling pharmacists to practice at the top of their license and play a meaningful role in team-based care.
Sponsored by
The 2021 NICE Awards
The NCPA Innovation Center spotlights the best of community pharmacy branding and marketing — the innovations and redesigns that have made promotions more effective and patients’ experiences more rewarding.
COVID-19 Best External Modification
McCoy Tygart Drug
Sheridan, AR
"Because we are in a strip mall, we installed a drive thru tent/awning in the parking lot for our customers. We hired 10 college students as "runners" who would take the orders and deliver the meds to our patients in the parking lot. They averaged walking 10-15 miles a day! We gained new customers who transferred from a big box store just because they felt safer with our store front closed and limited contact."
COVID-19 Best Internal Remodel
Medi-Wise Pharmacy
Newcomerstown, Ohio
“Our "RONA"vation occurred when our retail store front was closed for 6 months due to COVID-19. We relocated and resized all departments in our 5,800 sq ft retail store to have a new layout and colors in a 2,500 sq ft space. We moved our DME department to make way for a 1,200 sq ft dedicated space for our pharmacy clinic. The new displays and shelving have received rave reviews from our customers since we reopened October 1st; many stating that it looked like a brand new store. Our merchandising changes have our regular shoppers browsing more and buying more! We can't wait until more customers feel comfortable to shop inside with the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than use our drive-up window, so they can see our improvements.”
Best Exterior Sign
Webb’s Family Pharmacy
Rochester, Indiana
“We completed an historic renovation of our Rochester location façade in March of 2018. The exterior Pharmacy sign was the finishing touch. After attending one of Gabe's marketing workshops, I decided to have a sign designed that said Pharmacy in bold white letters and I minimized my logo. The concept for the arrow came from looking at a lot of old historic signs. Hard to say if the sign or the entire facade remodel was the biggest factor, but our front store sales increased substantially after the project and the front-end sales have continued to hold.”
Best Delivery Vehicle
Happy Druggist-Mechanicsburg
Mechanicsburg, Ohio
“A staff member overheard me offering delivery and told me they only delivered to certain people and only in town. I ordered a car right away from the local dealership and established a delivery area (much larger than just in the small rural village of Mechanicsburg OHIO). NCPA-Gabe Trahan gave me excellent advice on what signage to put on the car. The decals only cost $400 for design work and installation! What a great investment. Our delivery business has doubled in the past 2 months since we put the car in service September 2020. I'm excited about the future.”
Best Marketing/Promotion
Norland Avenue Pharmacy
Chambersburg, PA
“When the COVID-19 pandemic caused our guests to quarantine and forced us shut our doors, we focused on staying connected through social media. Our owner and a few other employees did regular Facebook live videos. Several of those videos had over 1.5K views. Some videos were educational, some sales focused, and some just for fun. We also adjusted our offering according to our guests needs. We carried masks of all types, made our own hand sanitizer in our compounding lab, and offered free delivery to everyone. In May, we promoted and sold Gratitude Gift Bags for first responders. When the weather permitted, we set up an outdoor store alongside our drive-thru lane. This allowed guests using our drive-thru to choose masks, puzzles, flags, gloves, sanitizer, and more from the safety of their car.