Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Receives Funding From Rochester Drug Cooperative to Open Student Operated Pharmacy

ALBANY, NY--(Marketwired - Jul 9, 2015) -  Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences announced today that it has secured funding from Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC) to support the opening of a student operated pharmacy. This "anchor" gift will provide the College with the support needed to launch the pharmacy and help fund its initial period of operation.

The pharmacy will be managed by licensed pharmacists with support provided by ACPHS student pharmacists. In addition to dispensing medications, the pharmacy will serve as a "collaboratory" where the College will partner with local health care providers to offer an expanded range of clinical services. Unlike traditional community pharmacies, the student operated pharmacy will not offer any non-clinical consumer products.

One of the objectives for this initiative is to help fill the pharmacy void that often occurs in economically disadvantaged areas. For that reason, the College is exploring underserved areas of the Capital Region for a potential site. The long term goal will be for the pharmacy to become the face of health care in its neighborhood, serving as a hub for various community and health-based activities.

"Most students interested in the business of pharmacy have to learn it through on-the-job training that occurs after they graduate," said Larry Doud, CEO of Rochester Drug Cooperative. "Through this effort, ACPHS students will be able to participate in an innovative and entrepreneurial experience while still in school, learning both advanced pharmacy practices and the business skills required to operate a successful pharmacy."

"The nation's health care system is undergoing a major shift as the focus moves from volume-based care to value-based care. The resulting changes are impacting the way we approach and deliver care, and the practice of pharmacy is no exception," said Greg Dewey, President of Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. "The unique learning environment of the student operated pharmacy will help prepare our student pharmacists to excel in this new era of health care and ensure they are not only 'practice ready' when they graduate, but that they are able to take it one step further and go beyond practice ready."

About Rochester Drug Cooperative

Founded in 1905, Rochester Drug Cooperative is a regional wholesale drug cooperative. They distribute a complete inventory of pharmaceuticals and home health care supplies to community retail pharmacies, long-term care pharmacies, and home health care stores throughout the Northeast. The organization has a geographical presence that encompasses both metropolitan and rural marketplaces in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Connecticut from distribution centers in Rochester, NY, and Fairfield, NJ. For more information, please visit http://www.rdcdrug.com.

About Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is a private, independent institution with a long tradition of academic and research excellence. The College is committed to educating the next generation of leaders in the health care professions and translating scientific discoveries into therapies that benefit humankind. In addition to its doctor of pharmacy program, ACPHS offers six bachelor's programs and five graduate programs in the health sciences. The College's main campus is located in Albany, New York; its satellite campus is in Colchester, Vermont. For more information, please visit www.acphs.edu.