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As a pharmacist, serving your community means putting your advocacy hat on and stepping into unfamiliar territory.
One of the largest untapped resources that can really drive change towards PBM reform is using your existing patient base to show legislators the importance of PBM legislation.
In this episode, Scotty Sykes, CPA, CFP®, Bonnie Bond, CPA, MBA, and Austin Murray, sit down with pharmacist and owner of Table Rock Pharmacy, Jessi Stout, to explore the grassroots advocacy efforts driving Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) reform in North Carolina.
We cover:
- How to engage customers in advocacy
- Why local advocacy is critical for independent pharmacies
- Real-world stories that bring the PBM issue to life for legislators
More About Our Guest:
Jessi Stout is the owner of Table Rock Pharmacy in Morganton, North Carolina and winner of the 2025 Cardinal Health's Community Leadership Award which celebrates independent pharmacists going above and beyond for their community.
A dedicated advocate for independent pharmacy, Jessi was once uninvolved in politics, has become a strong leader in the fight for PBM reform and combines her role as a local pharmacist with her passion for patient care, ensuring her voice and the voices of her patients are heard in legislative conversations that shape the future of pharmacy.
Table Rock Pharmacy was one of the first pharmacies in North Carolina to offer the yellow fever vaccine and was the only pharmacy in the region offering the REGEN-COV and EVUSHELD injections while they were authorized to treat COVID-19.
Additionally, during Hurricane Helene, Table Rock Pharmacy remained open, despite power outages and fallen trees. Transactions were recorded by hand to ensure patients could still get their prescriptions. At one point, they transported a generator by wheelbarrow to keep critical medication frozen. During this time, Stout also spoke out against audits being performed by Optum Rx. A social media post went viral, and this attention resulted in audits being paused for hurricane-affected areas.
Learn more about Jessi and Table Rock Pharmacy:
Table Rock Pharmacy Facebook
Table Rock Pharmacy YouTube
Stay connected with us on social media:
Facebook
Scotty Sykes – CPA, CFP LinkedIn
Scotty Sykes – CPA, CFP Twitter
Bonnie Bond – CPA Twitter
More on this topic:
Podcast: Becoming a Pharmacy Gladiator
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