The recent 14th Annual FrameworkLTC User Conference hosted by SoftWriters brought together key figures from the long-term care (LTC) pharmacy industry. This year's gathering at the ARIA in Las Vegas provided a unique platform for professionals to exchange ideas, discuss the future of LTC, and share the latest industry insights. From accelerating innovation to building a sustainable future in pharmacy, the conference underscored SoftWriters' commitment to meeting the evolving needs of LTC providers and patients.

Accelerating Innovation: Leading with Technology and AI

The FrameworkLTC User Conference is widely recognized as a hub for collaboration and forward-thinking within the LTC community. For SoftWriters, the event is an opportunity better to understand the challenges and needs of industry stakeholders. SoftWriters President Scott Beatty says the conference brings a sense of "optimism and creativity that accelerates [SoftWriters'] problem-solving ability."

The gathering isn’t just about sharing insights—it’s about absorbing feedback that will shape future product developments. “This conference helps our product team capture feedback directly from customers that we can incorporate into product roadmaps,” said Punit Dharani, Senior Product Owner at SoftWriters. This two-way exchange of ideas is crucial for SoftWriters and its partners, many of whom return year after year to benefit from these discussions.

Adam Brown, Director of Solutions Engineering at Airos, emphasized the conference's importance in energizing his work: “This is the event I look forward to (every year). It’s my favorite one to come to… We always walk away thinking this is exciting. We get a good feeling.”

Morgan Honeycutt, President of Mac’s LTC Pharmacy, echoed this sentiment: “We’ve been coming to the conference 7-8 years, and every year we come back with actionable items… something we learned at the conference is usually implemented by the end of the year.”

Brown also noted how there is a unique reward in working within the LTC industry: “I often talk about how my role in IT and services and solutions is a little bit thankless, but in long-term care, it’s actually the opposite. We love to be able to fill those needs and be their strategic partner.”

Accelerating Innovation: Leading with Technology and AI

A key theme at this year’s conference was the importance of innovation, especially in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and business intelligence (BI) tools. As Beatty explained, “We’re focused on leveraging the newest technology and capabilities, like AI, because it provides us an incredible opportunity to bring automation and efficiency to our customers.”

This vision resonates across the industry, and many attendees acknowledged AI's impact on improving operational efficiencies and patient outcomes.

For Morgan Honeycutt, SoftWriters' AI-driven approach is especially meaningful because it includes customers in the innovation process. “When it comes to AI in healthcare, what I like most about the SoftWriters approach is feeling included,” Honeycutt noted. “Reaching out to the customers, letting us be on the front end… and provide feedback, direction, and guidance.”

This collaboration strengthens partnerships and ensures that SoftWriters’ solutions are deeply aligned with the realities of LTC providers.

The Future of LTC Pharmacy: Adapting to a Shifting Landscape

As the LTC pharmacy industry faces both technological shifts and changing demographics, the conference highlighted a shared commitment to building resilience and addressing systemic challenges. Scott Beatty shared his optimism about the industry’s ability to tackle these issues collaboratively, stating, “As an industry, we are getting better and faster at solving problems and solving them in a systemic manner. The optimism I am hearing this week is, ‘You’re focusing on the right things.’”

Attendees voiced both hope and realism when discussing the future. John Bergen acknowledged the challenges facing the industry but praised partners like SoftWriters for their awareness and proactive approach: “While I’m skeptical, I’m encouraged. I love that partners like SoftWriters are aware of these challenges and doing everything they can to help companies like mine survive.”

Joshua Porter echoed this spirit of partnership and mutual support, seeing the industry’s future as bright: “It’s a strong industry, and it’s only going to get stronger with the changing demographics of our country.”

As the conference concluded, attendees left with renewed inspiration and practical takeaways, confident that the LTC industry is on a path of continuous improvement and innovation. SoftWriters is already planning the 15th Annual FrameworkLTC User Conference, scheduled for September 15-17 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. With each passing year, this conference solidifies its place as an invaluable resource for professionals committed to advancing the future of LTC pharmacy.

For those invested in this industry, the FrameworkLTC User Conference remains not just an event but a cornerstone of collaboration, growth, and shared purpose.

Episode Outline

Here’s a quick guide to this interview-packed episode of FrameworkFocus:

• Intro: Mitchell Ross, Marketing Specialist, SoftWriters (00:00 - 1:32)

• Scott Beatty, President, SoftWriters (1:32 - 5:57)

• John Bergen, CEO, Matrx Pharmacy (5:57 - 11:03)

• Adam Brown, Solution Engineer, AIROS (11:03 - 16:35)

• Morgan Honeycutt, CEO, Mac’s LTC Solutions (16:35 - 22:17)

• Punit Dharani, Senior Product Owner, SoftWriters (22:17 - 26:00)

• Dave Emison, Chief Commercial Officer, SDS-Rx (26:55 - 32:37)

• Dakin Updegraff, Informatics Pharmacist, LifeSpan Pharmacy (32:37 - 35:57)

• Jim Turnley, Regional Sales Executive, SoftWriters (35:57 - 40:30)

• Justin Hammerling, Senior VP Business Development, InfiniTrak (40:30 - 44:01)

• Joshua Porter, VP of Sales & Marketing, SoftWriters (44:01 - 49:40)

• Closing: Mitchell Ross, Marketing Specialist, SoftWriters (49:40 - End)

In addition to the player above, you can also listen to the full episode using one of the links below:

• Listen on Spotify

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Framework Focus is focused exclusively on Long-Term Care Pharmacy. We release a new episode on the second Wednesday of every month that addresses the hottest topics in LTC pharmacy through timely interviews with industry trailblazers, thought leaders, and LTC pharmacists. Follow and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen so you do not miss an upcoming episode.

Next Time on FrameworkFocus: In December, we’ll be diving into a conversation on cybersecurity with RxCloud powered by ECW Computers & IT Solutions. Eric Weast and Robbie MacDonald provide expertise on all the technolgy trends surrounding IT infrastructure, security, and best practices to keep your pharmacy safe. Don’t miss this informative episode coming soon.