Pharmacy 2028: A Look Ahead

The future of pharmacy is already here-you just have to know where to look.

New products and technologies are ready for pharmacists to start building their pharmacy of the future today. To help find these new technologies, the upcoming NACDS conference, Total Store Expo, will feature the latest up-and-coming technologies in their popular Vision pavilion-this year titled Vision 2028.

“Technology, omnichannel, and rapid innovation continue to play an increasingly important role in the evolution of retail, so we are excited to present Vision 2028 – in large part due to the work and insights of XRC Labs and Kantar Retail,” said Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, President and CEO of NACDS, in a statement. “This program contributes mightily to the excitement of the NACDS Total Store Expo. Retailers and exhibitors have the unique opportunity to strategize about how their business will operate in the future – a decade from now – in addition to focussing on the product they need to sell today.”

Vision 2028 will give conference attendees the opportunity to see the latest technologies that may just take their store into the next decade. A wide variety of technologies will be featured at the event, ranging from augmented reality to robotics to 3D printing. Some of the companies that will feature their products include:

• AdhereTech: A company offering smart pill bottles. These wireless pill bottles automatically collect and send adherence data. The bottles, designed to promote adherence and minimize patient error, can flag patients who miss a dose and offer interventions such as by phone or email.

• FaceNote: This technology allows stores to track, in real time, returning customers via a webcam and facial-recognition technology. This allows for personal interaction and an instant read of a patient’s preferences.

• Feelter: A smart widget for online shopping that automatically shows a customer relevant reviews without having to leave a company’s site.

• Forge: Like Uber for the workforce, Forge allows employers to pick up and drop off extra employees based on demand.

• InVRsion: This company creates virtual retail spaces through a product called ShelfZone. ShelfZone uses an HTC Vive VR headset to reproduce a store environment and overlays data onto products and shelves.

• Logisitview: An augmented reality system designed to help a logistics workforce make repeatable tasks with greater efficiency. One application given is an overlay of a shelf, which guides the user to the correct spot to pick up or place items in real time.

• Neura: An AI and machine learning technology that allows devices to customize user experiences. This technology, they say, could be focus on disease management and medication adherence.

• Virtual Apt: Augmented and Virtual Reality for moving through real spaces. The company uses a variety of technologies, including robots, to digitally capture a 3D space, which then lets users walk through and interact with it anywhere in the world.

• WiserTogether: One product featured is the Return to Health platform, which allows users to type in a variety of health factors and receive information about treatment options and costs.

The Total Store Expo will be held from August 19 through 22 in San Diego. Vision 2028 will open on August 20 and remain open until the end of the expo.