Welcome to the ‘new’ trade organization representing the Medicine Shoppe and Medicap franchisees.  Two corporate entities have been formed, PFOA MS and PFOA MC, representing Medicine Shoppe and Medicap pharmacies respectively.  However, even though we have formed two separate legal entities, our corporate ownership under Cardinal Health is the same and our concerns and issues are basically the same for both groups.

Whatever the franchise concept, those franchises that are the most successful, from both the franchisors and the franchisees perspective, have a strong franchisee trade association representing the needs of the franchisees and owners.  This is indeed what we want to provide for the pharmacy franchises owned by Cardinal Health.  We are striving to be an organization that can work with Cardinal Health to bring about positive change that will strengthen the system and help us to capture and retain a greater share of the retail pharmacy market.

In the short term, we are working to find a way to equitably fix the system that is badly broken.  It is no secret that store numbers are declining, new openings virtually non-existent, and many owners suffering financial hardship under the burden of the current system.  We believe that the concept of franchise pharmacy is viable and it is our goal to work with the Medicine Shoppe and Medicap management team to find a way to salvage what is working in our system and capitalize on the efficiencies that a franchise should provide to its stores.

In the longer term, we would like to work with Cardinal Health to find ways to increase franchisee satisfaction and store retention at the end of our contracts.  We would like for ‘Medicine Shoppe’ and ‘Medicap’ to be the first names people associate with ‘pharmacy’, and we would like for other independents to feel that they should be a part of our system in order to maximize the investment they have in their store.  In short, we want the Medicine Shoppe and Medicap names to be an asset to the storeowner, not a liability.

In order for the association to be strong, we need to be able to go to Medicine Shoppe and Cardinal Health and tell them that we represent the majority of their franchisees in the system. This will provide the leverage needed to enable us to negotiate necessary changes in the system.  With that in mind, if you are already a member, thank you, and if you have an issue that you believe affects the majority of the system or an idea that everyone may benefit from, please let us know.  If you are not a member, we would like to invite you to join the only organization that is representing your interests in matters concerning the franchise in which you have invested so much.

Best Regards,

Steve Burney, Pharm D.

President – PFOA MC

Stan Winters, R.Ph.

President – PFOA MS