LTC Pharmacy Leaders’ Omnicare and Guardian Pharmacy Recent Activities

Omnicare recently announced the appointment of Ahmed Hassan as president of the company. Hassan is charged with executing the firm’s business strategy and exceeding goals in service, retention, growth and culture.

Hassan joined CVS Health in 2015, and has served in several roles over the past seven-and-a-half years. Most recently, he has been vice president and general manager of pharmacy benefit managers care management. Previously, he was senior director of product strategy in the specialty pharmacy division.

Hassan replaces former president Jim Love, who occupied the role for two years before stepping down recently. Hassan has also been in charge of operations, product development, sales and account management for CVS Caremark’s Care Management portfolio, which includes companies like Accordant, Transform Diabetes Care and Health Advisor.

During CVS Health’s first quarter earnings call, executive vice president and CFO Shawn Guertin said that with occupancy picking up in SNFs, the company has seen prescription volume pick up.

Guardian Pharmacy Services announced it has expanded its midwestern footprint into Nebraska through a partnership with Midwest LTC Pharmacy. Located in Grand Island, Midwest LTC Pharmacy will join the Guardian family as its first LTC pharmacy in the state.

A family-owned pharmacy opened in 1976, Midwest LTC Pharmacy serves residents in assisted living, skilled nursing and behavioral health communities as well as individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the state. In 2021, the pharmacy moved into a larger headquarters to support a growing resident customer base which increased by more than 26 percent over the past year.

Cody Lobeda, PharmD, owner and president of Midwest LTC Pharmacy, will remain in his current role leading the pharmacy. In addition, all Midwest LTC Pharmacy staff will continue their employment, and the company expects to hire additional staff as it expands its business over the next year.

As a member of the Guardian Pharmacy Services family, Midwest LTC Pharmacy will benefit from the company’s local-autonomy business model. This industry-unique model ensures that the local team can focus on customer service to meet the specialized needs of its communities and residents, while Guardian’s Corporate Support Team assists with the many complex behind-the-scenes business functions, including data analytics, HR, IT, payor relations, national sales and more. Founded in 2004, Guardian Pharmacy Services has 41 locations serving 30 states.

Takeaway: Omnicare and Guardian Pharmacy are positioning the companies for growth in pharmacy as the long-term care market adjusts to the evolving COVID environment