The Official Publication Of The Florida Pharmacy Association SEP. 2017
HIRING AND SELECTING RECENT PHARMACY GRADUATES
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florida PHARMACY TODAY Departments 4 Calendar 4 Advertisers 5 President’s Viewpoint 7 Executive Insight 25 FPA News & Notes 28 Buyer’s Guide
VOL. 80 | NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2017 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION
Features
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More from the Florida Pharmacy Association’s 127th Annual Meeting and Convention Community Pharmacy Managers’ Ranking of Factors Considered Important in Hiring and Selecting Recent Pharmacy Graduates October is American Pharmacists Month
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FPA Calendar 2017
OCTOBER
DECEMBER
3-4
Florida Board of Pharmacy Meeting
9-10
7-8
Midyear Clinical & Nuclear Conference Kissimmee
12-13 Florida Board of Pharmacy Meeting
14-18 NCPA Annual Convention Kissimmee NOVEMBER
Regulatory & Law Conference Sarasota
25-26 Christmas Holiday, FPA Office Closed JANUARY
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FPA Office Closed for Veterans Day
17-18 Legislative Days and Health Fair at the Capitol
18
Budget and Finance Committee Web Conference Call
27-28 Law and Regulatory Conference Destin
19
FPA Board of Directors Web Conference Call
23-24 Thanksgiving, FPA Office Closed
For a complete calendar of events go to www.pharmview.com Events calendar subject to change CE CREDITS (CE cycle) The Florida Board of Pharmacy requires 10 hours’ LIVE Continuing Education as part of the required 30 hours’ general education needed every license renewal period. There is a new 2 hour CE requirement for pharmacists on the dispensing of controlled substances effective this biennial renewal period. Pharmacists should have satisfied all continuing education requirements for this biennial period by September 30, 2017 or prior to licensure renewal. Consultant pharmacists and technicians will need to renew their licenses and registrations by December 31, 2018. For Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Application, Exam Information and Study materials, please contact the FPA office. For more information on CE programs or events, please contact the Florida Pharmacy Association at (850) 222-2400 or visit our website at www.pharmview.com
Mission Statements: of the Florida Pharmacy Today Journal
The Florida Pharmacy Today Journal is a peer-reviewed journal which serves as a medium through which the Florida Pharmacy Association can communicate with the profession on advances in the sciences of pharmacy, socio-economic issues bearing on pharmacy and newsworthy items of interest to the profession. As a self-supported journal, it solicits and accepts advertising congruent with its expressed mission.
of the Florida Pharmacy Today Board of Directors
The mission of the Florida Pharmacy Today Board of Directors is to serve in an advisory capacity to the managing editor and executive editor of the Florida Pharmacy Today Journal in the establishment and interpretation of the Journal’s policies and the management of the Journal’s fiscal responsibilities. The Board of Directors also serves to motivate the Florida Pharmacy Association members to secure appropriate advertising to assist the Journal in its goal of self-support.
Advertisers KAHAN & ASSOCIATES................................. 15 PHARMACISTS MUTUAL.............................. 21 PQC...................................................................... 23 Rx OWNERSHIP.................................................. 2
CONTACTS FPA — Michael Jackson (850) 222-2400 FSHP — Tamekia Bennett (850) 906-9333 UF — Kristin Weitzel (352) 273-5114 FAMU — Leola Cleveland (850) 599-3301 NSU — Carsten Evans (954) 262-1300 DISCLAIMER Articles in this publication are designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with respect to the subject matter covered. This information is provided with the understanding that neither Florida Pharmacy Today nor the Florida Pharmacy Association is engaged in rendering legal or other professional services through this publication. If expert assistance or legal advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The use of all medications or other pharmaceutical products should be used according to the recommendations of the manufacturers. Information provided by the maker of the product should always be consulted before use. 4 |
FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY
E-MAIL YOUR SUGGESTIONS/IDEAS TO dave@fiorecommunications.com
The President’s Viewpoint SUZY WISE, PHARMD/MBA CPH
A
Our Role Before, During and After the Storm
s ma ny Flor idia n s k now too well, hurricanes bring a time of uncertainty and destruction. As Florida is recovering from Hurricane Irma, I think about the ways we as pharmacists can help during a natural disaster. I know many pharmacists around the state are already very involved in disaster relief and volunteer activities and I want to thank them for their involvement. I also wanted to highlight a few of the ways our pharmacists are helping during a hurricane. Before the storm Pharmacists, as the medication experts, are perfectly positioned to help their patients and communities t h r o ug h e duc at i o n o n p r o p e r medication storage and precautions when preparing for a storm. As many residents will need to evacuate their homes in the days leading up to a storm, pharmacists can help them plan for medication storage while on the road and while staying in a hotel or shelter facility. Many residents are unsure about how to get medication refills that might be a little early to ensure they have enough medication to last through the storm. When the governor declares a state of emergency, many of the rules regarding prescriptions change and pharmacists are uniquely positioned to help their patients navigate the changes and ensure they have the medications they need. It is also important in the time leading up to the storm to be sure your pharmacy team and your family are prepared. With the additional hours many of our pharmacy teams put in while helping our patients to
prepare, we may not spend the needed time to prepare ourselves. Con s u lt a nt ph a r m ac i st s a nd those pharmacists working in health systems can play a large role in disaster planning. Many pharmacists are part
Pharmacists, as the medication experts, are perfectly positioned to help their patients and communities through education on proper medication storage and precautions when preparing for a storm. of the disaster planning teams that ensure residents in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities have access to medications during and after the storm. A pharmacist’s expertise is also very valuable in creating a medication plan when a facility needs to evacuate their residents to a safer location. In the inpatient setting, pharmacists play an important role in disaster planning by
Suzy Wise, Pharm.D./MBA CPh 2017-2018 FPA President
acquiring needed medications ahead of the storm and providing pharmacy services throughout the storm. During the Storm Outside of traditional pharmacy duties, the Florida Department of Health helps to coordinate volunteers from health care fields to be on site in shelters. Many of the special-needs shelters require additional volunteers, and this is a great opportunity for pharmacists to be involved. Many pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are part of the essential teams that stay onsite in hospitals to care for patients during the storm. After the Storm In addition to making contributions to one of the charitable organizations that help with disaster relief, there are ways that pharmacists can help on the ground after the storm. One way that many pharmacists are getting involved SEPTEMBER 2017
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2017-18 FPA Board of Directors The Florida Pharmacy Association gratefully acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the following members of the FPA leadership who work diligently all year long on behalf of our members.
Scott Tomerlin....................................................................................................Board Chair Suzanne Wise...............................................................................................FPA President Ashley Huff.................................................................................................... FPA Treasurer Angela Garcia............................................................................................President-Elect David Mackarey........................................................................Speaker of the House Jeanette Connelly.......................................................Vice Speaker of the House Charzetta James.................................................................................. FSHP President Joyanna Wright................................................................................... Region 1 Director Neil Barnett............................................................................................Region 2 Director Dean Pedalino.......................................................................................Region 3 Director Linda Lazuka.........................................................................................Region 4 Director Melissa Ruble........................................................................................Region 5 Director Luther Laite IV.....................................................................................Region 6 Director Paul Delisser.......................................................................................... Region 7 Director Humberto Martinez..........................................................................Region 8 Director Mitchell Fingerhut.............................................................................Region 9 Director
Florida Pharmacy Today Journal Board Chair.............................................................. Carol Motycka, motycka@cop.ufl.edu Vice Chair....................................................Cristina Medina, cmmedina@cvs.com Treasurer...............................Don Bergemann, don.bergemann@verizon.net Secretary................................................................... Stuart Ulrich, stuarx@aol.com Member.............................. Rebecca Poston, Rebecca.Poston@flhealth.gov Member.................................................Patricia Nguebo, notablep@hotmail.com Member................................................................Norman Tomaka, FLRX9@aol.com Member............................................Greta Pelegrin, gretapelegrin@yahoo.com Executive Editor................Michael Jackson, mjackson@pharmview.com Managing Editor...................Dave Fiore, dave@fiorecommunications.com Journal Reviewer....................... Dr. Melissa Ruble, mruble@health.usf.edu Journal Reviewer....................................Dr. Angela Hill, ahill2@health.usf.edu
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FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY
in disaster relief is through community disaster response teams. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a nationwide training program to teach basic disaster response skills. These teams are usually based in your local fire department, police department or emergency management agency. Through the Citizen Corps section of the FEMA website you can find a training program near you and become part of the volunteer team.
Many of the specialneeds shelters require additional volunteers, and this is a great opportunity for pharmacists to be involved. I encourage all pharmacists to look at the ways we can help our patients and our communities, and consider getting involved. I am proud to be a part of a profession that does so much for our patients and communities in Florida. n
Executive Insight BY MICHAEL JACKSON, RPH MICHAEL JACKSON, BPHARM, EVP & CEO, FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION
Are You Ready for 2018 Policy Changes?
Y
ou may not be aware of this, but in addition to the provision of member services and continuing education, the Florida Pharmacy Association invests heavily in advocacy. Our work i n t h is area i ncludes monitoring proposed rule changes at the Board of Pharmacy, meeting with the Agency for Health Care Administration on Medicaid issues and reviewing changes to the Pharmacy Practice Act at the Florida Legislature. We also are on the front lines of various managed care issues such as PBM transparency, MAC pricing issues and open networks. We are even engaged at the federal level with pharmacy issues placed on the table in Congress. While we have had many successes over the years, the work is never finished. Th e c o st s a s s o c i at e d w it h a comprehensive advocacy program are staggering, but necessary to make sure that our members are not harmed by bad policy and that our colleagues remain on the front line of health care. These costs are covered by the dues that members pay to belong to the Florida Pharmacy Association. Some examples of these costs include legal and legislative support from consultants needed to help marshal our issues at the Florida Capitol and Board of Pharmacy, FPA’s administrative costs to implement and maintain a communications network to keep our members informed on emerging issues and other general administrative expenses to make sure that our advocacy efforts are in compliance with state and federal laws. Over t he past 12 mont hs, membership dues have accounted for 28 percent of what it costs to run the FPA. This means that we must work hard to find other revenue sources to support
our many membership services as well as our advocacy programs. So what are the issues pending on the horizon? Changes to Allow for Collaborative Practice Our current practice act under Florida Statute 465 was written when automobiles were made mostly out
The costs associated with a comprehensive advocacy program are staggering, but necessary to make sure that our members are not harmed by bad policy and that our colleagues remain on the front line of health care.
use of pharmacist skills in today’s health care marketplace. Last year we advocated for changes to Florida laws that would allow for pharmacists to initiate, modify or discontinue prescription drug therapy based upon a collaboration between the prescriber and the pharmacist. This is being done routinely in other states and is the standard of practice in many countries. It would help to reduce health care costs, improve patient care and eliminate fragmented patient care. The FPA is working with a coalition of Florida pharmacy organizations to advance this initiative.
of steel and had wings on the back end. Gasoline was 25 cents per gallon. Times have changed considerably and so has the training and experience of pharmacists. Florida Statute 465 needs to be upgraded to allow for the
PBM Issues There are many challenges in this area that are too numerous to list in an article for the Journal. Some of the key issues include providing a way for the state to enforce current laws on the books that require MAC
Michael Jackson, B.Pharm
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FPA STAFF Executive Vice President/CEO Michael Jackson (850) 222-2400, ext. 200
Director of Continuing Education Tian Merren-Owens, ext. 120
Educational Services Office Assistant Stacey Brooks, ext. 210 Coordinator of Membership Christopher Heil, ext. 110
pricing to be updated, bringing more transparency in t he PBM marketplace and finding ways to standardize provider enrollment procedures in PBM contracts. There is also interest in clauses that prohibit a pharmacist from discussing certain things with their patients regarding reimbursement or possibly alternative payment options. Don’t forget the ongoi ng issues wit h rest ricted pharmacy networks and mandatory mail order.
allow for the remote dispensing of prescr ipt ion medicat ion s i n underserved areas. We will likely see a bill introduced during the 2018 legislative session that seeks to allow for a dispensing facility staffed by a technician and supervised by a pharmacist from a remote location. This all appears to be tied in with the emerging discussions on telehealth (see April 5, 2017 issue of Stat News on Pharmview.com and FPA’s comments).
FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY BOARD Chair..................................... Carol Motycka, St. Augustine Vice Chair................................Cristina Medina, Hollywood Treasurer...................Don Bergemann, Tarpon Springs Secretary.........................Stuart Ulrich, Boynton Beach Member..............................Rebecca Poston, Tallahassee Member.............................................. Patricia Nguebo, Ocala Member................................. Norman Tomaka, Melbourne Member..............................................Greta Pelegrin, Hialeah Executive Editor.........Michael Jackson, Tallahassee Managing Editor.........................Dave Fiore, Tallahassee
This is a peer-reviewed publication. ©2016, FLORIDA PHARMACY JOURNAL, INC. ARTICLE ACCEPTANCE: The Florida Pharmacy Today is a publication that welcomes articles that have a direct pertinence to the current practice of pharmacy. All articles are subject to review by the Publication Review Committee, editors and other outside referees. Submitted articles are received with the understanding that they are not being considered by another publication. All articles become the property of the Florida Pharmacy Today and may not be published without written permission from both the author and the Florida Pharmacy Today. The Florida Pharmacy Association assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions made by the authors to the Florida Pharmacy Today. The Journal of the Florida Pharmacy Association does not accept for publication articles or letters concerning religion, politics or any other subject the editors/ publishers deem unsuitable for the readership of this journal. In addition, The Journal does not accept advertising material from persons who are running for office in the association. The editors reserve the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. Letters and materials submitted for consideration for publication may be subject to review by the Editorial Review Board. FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY, Annual subscription - United States and foreign, Individual $36; Institution $70/year; $5.00 single copies. Florida residents add 7% sales tax. FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION
610 N. Adams St. • Tallahassee, FL 32301 850/222-2400 • FAX 850/561-6758 Web Address: http://www.pharmview.com 8 |
FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY
With the growing concerns over the opioid epidemic, Florida pharmacists should have the authority to not only dispense narcotic antagonists to a patient but also to administer the drug if necessary. Exclusive CE Provider In the Pharmacy Practice Act is a requirement for a special threehour CE program for registered immunizers that can only be offered by a Florida medical organization. This restricted program creates a legislative-mandated monopoly on training that can easily be provided by pharmacy organizations. Pharmacist Administration of Narcotic Antagonists Over the past several years, new laws were added to allow pharmacists to provide narcotic antagonists to not only the patient but the patient’s caregiver. With the growing concerns over the opioid epidemic, Florida pharmacists should have the authority to not only dispense narcotic antagonists to a patient but also to administer the drug if necessary. Remote Dispensing Services There is growing dialogue on interest to change Florida laws to
Continuing of Maintenance Medication During recent hurricanes Matthew, Hermine and Irma, Florida was placed into a state of emergency as declared by the governor. During that time period, pharmacists are granted en hanced aut horit y to initiate prescription drug therapy for life-sustaining maintenance medications when the prescriber cannot be contacted. This enhanced authority expires when the state of emergency is lifted. The FPA believes that such authority should be the general standard of practice and not something that is turned on and then turned off. Such concepts are consistent with the collaborative practice proposal mentioned earlier in this article. Pharmacist Prescribing Authority for Drug Delivery Aids, Devices or Accessories Have you ever been frustrated by an order you receive for insulin
or inhaler and you know that the patient will need syringes or a spacer and that is not included in the order? Shouldn’t a pharmacist have the ability to prescribe supporting devices for the administration of prescribed drugs and not have to wait on a return call from the prescriber’s office? Well, the FPA thinks so, and if there is an opportunity, we would like to see the Florida Legislature allow this to happen. Pharmacist Prescribing of Oral Contraceptives Several states have already made changes in their laws that provide better access to oral contraceptives through community pharmacies. This is a common practice in other countries with no proven ill effects. Naturally, this issue could stimulate debate even within our own profession, however, it is worthy of discussion, particularly in areas with limited access to a health care provider.
New Debate on Technician Ratios in Florida You may recall the dialogue on technician ratios in this state a few years ago. That debate deferred to the Board of Pharmacy to determine the appropriate way to regulate the conditions that exist where pharmacists are supervising registered technicians. The Board is considering a revision to the ratio for pharmacy call centers, by increasing the number of technicians that a pharmacist could supervise to 10. The current ratio is 6 to 1.
their businesses, their relationship with their patients and their profession. They are not members of the FPA. They are depending upon you to do that for them. Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to reach out to your colleagues, and if what I have shared with you in this message is interesting to them, provide them an opportunity to become a member and be a part of the advocacy team. It is our connection together as a profession that helps to shape good policy and fend off harmful issues. n
All of the above issues are on the FPA radar, and we are actively engaged on each one. There will likely be more added to the table. It is a rather long list of policies that need to be monitored. Those of you who are reading this know the benefit and value that the FPA brings to your profession. You are active members and are informed of pending changes. There are thousands like you who are not aware of developing issues on the horizon that will affect
JOIN TODAY! SEPTEMBER 2017
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More from the Florida Pharmacy Association’s 127th Annual Meeting and Convention There were simply too many good images from this year’s convention to get them all in one journal. Enjoy the following gallery and feel free to share your own photos on our Facebook page.
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Community Pharmacy Managers’ Ranking of Factors Considered Important in Hiring and Selecting Recent Pharmacy Graduates
John E. Clark, Pharm.D., M.S. Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacotherapeutics & Clinical Research University of South Florida College of Pharmacy Tampa, Florida
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Olindo Marseglia III, Pharm.D. Student Pharmacist, College of Pharmacy University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Sarah Steinhardt, Pharm.D., J.D., M.S. Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacotherapeutics & Clinical Research University of South Florida Tampa, Florida
William N. Kelly, Pharm.D., FISPE Professor, College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacotherapeutics & Clinical Research University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Minh Le, Pharm.D. Student Pharmacist, College of Pharmacy University of South Florida Tampa, Florida Travis Duhow, Pharm.D. Student Pharmacist, College of Pharmacy University of South Florida Tampa, Florida
Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the job-related factors and their importance to community pharmacists in hiring and selecting recent pharmacy graduates. Methods: The research data was collected using an electronic questionnaire sent to 157 community pharmacy managers in the state of Florida. Participants were asked to rank 20 job related factors on a 7-point rating scale, from 1 - “unimportant” to 7 – “extremely important.” Linear regression was used to analyze the participants’ ranking and the difference between the factors. Correlation coefficients were computed to determine the strength of the relationship and predictive value of the factors. Results: Twenty-six participants responded to the questionnaire, of which 92% were pharmacy managers. The factors ranked most important were: professionalism (6.61 ± 0.82), competence (6.52 ± 0.71), interview skills (6.52 ± 0.97), internship experience (6.00 ± 1.36), appearance (5.78 ± 0.71), school accreditation (5.58 ± 2.19), presentation skills (5.39 ± 1.63), and pharmacy technician experience (5.38 ± 1.57). All factors correlated strongly and their difference was statistically significant (χ2 (19) = 383. 627, p< 0.001). Professionalism had a strong predictive value based on interview skill and school reputation (p < 0.05), while interview skill was predictive based on professionalism and personal appearance (p < 0.05). Conclusion: New pharmacy graduates who exhibit professional behaviors that are aligned with their personal appearance may be the job candidate preferred most by community pharmacists. Key Points BACKGROUND: ■■
■■
■■
For decades, researchers have studied the characteristics of potential employees during the hiring process in many occupational groups. Less historical data is available about the importance of job-related factors in hiring and selecting community pharmacists than in other disciplines By identifying which job factors are considered important by community pharmacy managers in the hiring and selection process, job seeking candidates would have a better understanding of how to increase their odds of being selected for the job.
FINDINGS: ■■ ■■
■■
Professionalism was found to be an important job related factor considered by community pharmacy managers. Professionalism was found to have high predictive value based on a candidate’s interview performance and the reputation of the school attended. Interview performance was also found to be statistically predictable based upon personal appearance and professionalism.
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Study Group Variables
No. (%)
Age Groups Less than 30 years
3 (11.5)
30 – 50 years
20 (77.0)
Greater than 50 years
3 (11.5)
Gender Male
11 (52.4)
Female
10 (47.6)
Job Experience (years) < 10 years
11 (42.3)
11 – 20 years
8 (30.8)
21 – 30 years
5 (19.2)
> 30 years
2 (7.7)
Job Position Pharmacy Manager
24 (92.3)
Other (Area Supervisor, Staff Pharmacist)
2 (7.7)
Pharmacy Education Pharm.D.
19 (76)
M.S.
1 ( 4)
B.S.
7 (28)
School Attended NOVA
4 (15.40
UF
7 (26.9
FAMU
2 (7.7)
Univ Georgia
2 (7.7)
LECOM
1 (3.9)
Mercer
1 (3.9)
Univ Tenn
1 (3.9)
Univ Charleston
1 (3.9)
Other
7 (26.9)
Pharmacy Benzer
1 (4)
CVS
8 (32)
Publix
5 (20)
Walgreens
7 (20)
Walmart
1 (4)
Winn Dixie
3 (12)
Sam’s Club
0 (0)
Costco
0 (0) SEPTEMBER 2017
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Background Recent graduates face increased competition in the job market following pharmacy school. The competition is expected to accelerate as the number of applicants for available jobs escalates by projections, combined with the recent growth in the number of pharmacy schools in the U.S. producing an increased supply and reduced demand.1-3 Although it is projected that growth and employment in community pharmacy practice will continue through 2024, the pace is expected to be slower than in previous years.1 As candidates prepare to distinguish themselves from their peers, having some knowledge of which job factors are considered important by pharmacy managers in a particular pharmacy practice setting may be useful to increase the odds of a candidate’s selection for a job. For several decades, researchers have investigated employers’ (or potential employers’) reactions to personal characteristics of job applicants which may influence hiring decisions.4-13 Graduate degree and particular field of specialization have been found to play a more influential role in selection decisions than do personal characteristics of applicants, such as sex and marital status.8 Other studies have revealed similar findings with results showing scholastic standing6,9 and qualification5,7 as relatively more important contributors to hiring decisions than personal characteristics. While there is much data on hiring and selecting employees in the social science literature, the same level of historical scrutiny has not been reported on the characteristics considered important in pharmacist hiring and selection. Pharmacy employers have been found to give little attention to age, marital status, sex, religion or race when evaluating candidates for clinical pharmacist positions. However, education, training, appearance, job experience, references, and competency have been found to be important factors in the pharmacy employers’ evaluations.14 Similar findings have also been observed when evaluating community and hospital pharmacists15 and community and hospital pharmacy residents.16,17 Overall, characteristics such as good communication skills, high adaptability, and displaying professional behavior, have been shown to be preferred by all pharmacist groups.15
AS CANDIDATES PREPARE TO DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES FROM THEIR PEERS, HAVING SOME KNOWLEDGE OF WHICH JOB FACTORS ARE CONSIDERED IMPORTANT BY PHARMACY MANAGERS IN A PARTICULAR PHARMACY PRACTICE SETTING MAY BE USEFUL TO INCREASE THE ODDS OF A CANDIDATE’S SELECTION FOR A JOB. 14
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FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY
Table 2. Factors Important in Evaluating New Graduates for Community Pharmacy Practice
Factors
Percentage (%) Considering Factors Important
Competence
100
Professionalism
95.7
Interview Skills
95.6
Internship Experience
88.4
Appearance
82.6
Presentation Skills
78.3
Accredited School
76.9
Pharmacy Technician experience
76.9
References
60.9
Extracurricular/Leadership
60.0
School Reputation
53.8
Experiential Experience
52.0
Technology Proficiency
47.8
GPA
38.5
Awards
34.6
PGY1 Residency Experience
19.3
NAPLEX Scores
16.7
Association Membership
16.7
PGY2 Residency Experience
15.4
Objective The objective of this study was to investigate how community pharmacy managers in the state of Florida rate job-related factors and their importance in hiring and selecting recent pharmacy graduates. Methods A self-completed, electronic questionnaire was created by three pharmacy student study researchers for data collection. The students conducted the study, with faculty supervision, to fulfill requirements of a Pharmacy Longitudinal Research Project Course (PHA6740). The questionnaire was made with Qualtrics© survey software (Provo, UT). Twenty job-related factors were included in the study. In the survey development process, the questionnaire was reviewed several times by the study’s faculty investigator and by the Pharmacy Longitudinal Research Project Course Coordinators. Modifications were made based on faculty recommendations and tested before finalizing the questionnaire. Survey subjects were identified using contact information, including email addresses, identified from the CORE© experiential learning management system (ELMS), which is licensed to the University of South Florida (USF) College of Pharmacy, and contains a database of experiential preceptors for the College. The study was approved by the University of South Florida Institutional Review Board (IRB). In October 2016, the questionnaire was emailed via Qualtrics© to 157 pharmacy participants in six commercial
chain pharmacies, with 28 independent pharmacy owners, who were in positions to hire or recommend the hiring of pharmacists in a community pharmacy setting. The data collection ended in March 2017. Each participant was asked to rank the 20 factors on a Likert scale from 1 to 7 (1 = unimportant; 7 = extremely important) in terms of their perceived importance in hiring and selecting recent pharmacy graduates. Statistical analysis was performed by study staff to analyze results. The Friedman test was used to analyze the participants’ rankings. To explore where differences occurred in the ranking results, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was executed with Bonferroni adjustment. Linear regression was used to determine the strength of the relationship between the variables under study (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results Responses were received from 26 of the sampled community pharmacists. Ninety-two percent (92%) of the respondents were pharmacy managers. Most (77%) were between 30 and 50 years old, and 50% had between 11 and 30 years of job experience. Seventy-six percent (76%) had earned Pharm.D. Degrees, and 32% worked at CVS pharmacies. The gender of the group was 52.4% male and 47.6% female (Table 1). The percentage of respondents who considered the factors important (score of 5-6) or extremely important (score of 7) Table 3. Mean Ranking of Factors Important in Evaluating New Graduates for Community Pharmacy Practice Factors Professionalism
Mean Rank* 18.02
Competence
17.76
Interview Skills
17.91
Internship Experience
16.04
Appearance
15.72
Accredited School
14.24
Presentation Skills
14.54
Pharmacy Technician experience
13.70
References
11.78
Extracurricular/Leadership
9.96
School Reputation
9.80
Experiential Experience
9.46
Technology Proficiency
9.15
GPA
7.74
Awards
6.00
NAPLEX Scores
5.15
PGY1 Residency Experience
3.22
Association Membership
4.13
PGY2 Residency Experience
2.57
Publications
3.11
in hiring recent graduates is shown in Table 2. The factors considered most important were competence (100%), professionalism (95.7%), and interview performance (95.6%). Other factors, in order of importance, included: internship experience (88.4%), appearance (82.6%), presentation skills (78.3%), school accreditation status (76.9%), pharmacy technician experience (76.9%), and references (60.9%). Factors where the degree of importance was less than 40% included: grade point average/GPA (38.5%), awards (34.6%), PGY1 residency experience (19.3%), high passing North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) score (16.7%), and PGY2 residency experience (15.4%). Publications were ranked as not an important factor (0%) in the hiring new graduates by community pharmacy managers in the study. When the mean ranking of each factor was analyzed, the same top 10 factors were observed as the most important in the hiring of recent graduates (Table 3). Managers were more likely to consider recent graduates based on professionalism (18.02), competence (17.76), and interview performance (17.01) as compared to membership in professional associations (4.13), PGY2 residency experience (2.51), and publications (3.11). The difference observed between the employers’ mean ranking was statistically significant (χ2 (19) = 383. 627, p< 0.001). The difference in the strength of the relationship between the factors was also found to be statistically significant (p = 0.01) as all the factors correlated favorably. In an attempt to determine the predictive value of the top three important factors, multiple regression was calculated
A Pharmacist And A Lawyer Licensure Disciplinary Proceedings Insurance Company/PBM Audits and Appeals Purchase & Sales of Pharmacies Regulatory Compliance Consultants Business Operations Consultants KAHAN & ASSOCIATES, PLLC
Pharmacist Attorney Brian A. Kahan, R.Ph., J.D. Licensed Florida Pharmacist and Attorney
STATEWIDE REPRESENTATION 561-392-9000 bkahan@kahanlaw.com 2300 N.W. Corporate Blvd., Suite 123 Boca Raton, FL 33431 The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.
*χ2 (19) = 383. 627, p< 0.001 SEPTEMBER 2017
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THE TOP NINE FACTORS OR CHARACTERISTICS IN THIS STUDY THAT MANAGERS PERCEIVED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT IN CONSIDERING NEW PHARMACY GRADUATES WERE: COMPETENCE, PROFESSIONALISM, INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE, PREVIOUS PHARMACY INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE, PERSONAL APPEARANCE, PRESENTATION SKILLS, SCHOOL ACCREDITATION, PREVIOUS PHARMACY TECHNICIAN EXPERIENCE, AND JOB REFERENCES. from the respondents’ ratings. When competence was analyzed based on professionalism, interview performance, personal appearance, extracurricular and leadership activities, presentation skills, GPA, NAPLEX scores, and the reputation of school attended, a very high degree of correlation was observed. Ninety-one percent (91%) of the total variation in competence was found to be based on the eight job factors (or variables), which was statistically significant (F (8, 14) = 17.695, p < .0005, R 2 = .910). When the factors were tested separately (at p < 0.05), there was no statistical significance found in the predictive value of competence from each individual factors. Although not statistically significant, NABPLEX scores (p = 0.053) and GPA (p = 0.094) were factors that had the strongest predictive value of competence. When professionalism was analyzed and tested based each of the same individual factors, interview performance (p = 0.002) and the school’s reputation (p = 0.036) were found to have statistically significant predictive value for professionalism (p < 0.05). Interview performance was also found to be based on professionalism (p = 0.002) and personal appearance (p = 0.006), which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion This study attempted to emphasize the importance of job-related factors which pharmacy managers consider in evaluating recent pharmacy graduates for job opportunities in community pharmacy practice. The top nine factors or characteristics in this study that managers perceived to be the most important in considering new pharmacy graduates were: competence, professionalism, interview performance, previous pharmacy internship experience, personal appearance, presentation skills, school accreditation, previous pharmacy technician experience, and job references. 16
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The data presented in our study is limited in scope by the low response and, therefore, may not be of value beyond the opinions of the few Florida pharmacists who returned the questionnaire. In addition, the study did not attempt to analyze the impact of non-job related personal characteristics, or to determine the extent to which the factors or characteristics investigated may have been dependent on characteristics of the pharmacy manager (e.g., background, training, education, etc.). However, the results that were found were like other studies that have reported on hiring and selecting clinical pharmacists,14,15 inpatient and community pharmacists,16,17 and pharmacy residents.18 Within the limited scope of the data presented in this study, a few recommendations can still be provided to pharmacy students and recent pharmacy graduates interested in community pharmacy practice. From our findings, two important job factors worth noting are professionalism and interview performance. Professionalism (or professional behavior) has been reported to be one of the most desirable characteristics to consider in the hiring new pharmacists.15 In our study, professionalism was also ranked very high, second to competence. It was found to be predictable based on the candidate’s interview performance and the reputation of the school attended. Interview performance was also found to be statistically predictable based upon personal appearance and professionalism. Even with all the controversy surrounding the job interview,10,11 it has been found to be one of the most widely used and methods that influence the selection decision of pharmacy managers.19 If fortunate enough to get an interview, candidates should exhibit professional behavior during the interview and align their personal appearance, including dress, accordingly. Competence has been investigated for many years,4,5,20,21 and in many occupational groups. 22,23 Employers have consistently recommended selecting highly competent individuals over those with low competence. 20,21 It is a characteristic that has also been consistently rated as one of the most important in the evaluating pharmacists.18,25,26 The results of our study revealed a similar finding in that competence had one of the highest mean rankings by the pharmacy manager. Although not statistically significant, the
FROM OUR FINDINGS, TWO IMPORTANT JOB FACTORS WORTH NOTING ARE PROFESSIONALISM AND INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE. PROFESSIONALISM (OR PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR) HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS TO CONSIDER IN THE HIRING NEW PHARMACISTS.15
predictive value of competence when analyzed with NAPLEX score (p = 0.053) and GPA (p = 0.094) was also found to be very strong. To enhance his/her candidacy, each student should make a concerted effort to perform well on the NAPLEX, as well as maintain a high GPA while in school. As competition for jobs in community pharmacy practice settings continue to rise, having knowledge of the factors and characteristics that managers consider most important can enhance opportunities for securing a job in this increasingly saturated market. New pharmacy graduates who exhibit professional behaviors and perform well on interviews may be the most preferred candidates. References
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Pharmacists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ healthcare/pharmacists.htm . Accessed April 23, 2017. 2. Brown DL. A looming joblessness crisis for new pharmacy graduates and the implications it holds for the academy. Am J Pharm Educ. 2013; 77(5) Article 90: 1-5. 3. Pharmacy Workforce Center. “Time-based Trends in Aggregate Demand Index.” http://pharmacymanpower.com/trend s.jsp. Accessed April 23, 2017. 4. Triandis JC. Factors affecting employee selection in two cultures. J Appl Psy. 1963; 47: 89-96. 5. Hakel FIA, Dobneyer TW, Dunnett MA. Relative importance of three content dimensions in overall suitability ratings of job applicants’ resumes. J Appl Psy. 1970; 54: 65-71. 6. Dipboye RL, Fromkin H, Wiback K. Relative importance of applicant sex, attractiveness, and scholastic standing in evaluation of job applicant resumes. J Appl Psy. 1974; 60: 39 43 7. Dipboye RL, Arvey RD, Terpstra DL Sex and physical attractiveness of raters and applicants as determinants of resume evaluations. J Appl Psy. 1977; 62: 288-294. 8. Renwick PA, Tosi H. The effects of sex, marital status and educational background on selection decisions. Acad Manage J. 1978; 21: 93—103 9. Zikmund WG, Hitt MA, Pickens BA. Influence of sex and scholastic performance on reactions to job applicant resumes. J AppI Psy. 1978; 63: 252-254. 10. Arvey RD, Campion JE. The employment interview: a summary and review of recent research. Personnel Psy. 1982; 35 (2): 281-322.
11. Harris MM. Reconsidering the employment interview: a review of recent literature and suggestions for future research. Personnel Psy. 1989; 42 (2): 691-726. 12. Caldwell DF, Burger JM. Personality characteristics of job applicants and success in screening interviews. Personnel Psy. 1998; 51:119-136. 13. Carlson RE. Selection interview decisions: the effect of interviewer experience, relative quota situation, and applicant sample on interviewer decisions. Personnel Psy. 2006; 20 (3): 259-280. 14. Clark JE, Simon WA, Duncan RC, Samaan S, JohnsonFannin A. Pharmacy employers’ ratings of job related and non-job related factors in the hiring and selection of clinical pharmacists. Fl J Hosp Pharm. 1985; 5 (July): 45-50. 15. Miller W. Selection, training, and evaluation of clinical pharmacists. Amer J Hosp Pharm. 1974; 31: 448-455. 16. Thompson DC, Nuffer W, Brown K. Characteristics valued by the pharmacy practice community when hiring a recently graduated pharmacist. Am J Pharm Educ. 2012; 76 (9) Article 170: 1-7. 17. Scalise AA, Lezaja GS, Nemec EC, Spooner JJ, Kennedy DR. Valued characteristics of community pharmacy residency applicants. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2016, 56: 643-648. 18. Jellinek-Cohen SP, Cohen V, Bucher KL, Likourezos A. Factors used by pharmacy residency programs to select residents. Am J Health-sys Pharm. 2012; 69: 1105-1106, 1108. 19. Segal R, Sheridan DJ. Pharmacist-selection methods used by pharmacy managers. Amer J Hosp Pharm. 1989; 46 (Sep): 18241826. 20. Haefner JE. Race, Age, Sex, and competence as factors in employer selection of the disadvantaged. J Appl Psy. 1977; 62: 199-202 21. Gerdes EP, Garber DM. Sex bias in hiring: effects of job demands and applicant competence. Sex Roles. 1983; 9: 307319. 22. Ramritu P L, Barnard A. New nurse graduates’ understanding of competence. Internat Nur Rev. 2001; 48(1): 47–57. 23. Eraut M. Concepts of competence: competence to practice. J of Interprof Care, 1998; 12(2): 127–139. 24. Woodruffe C. What is meant by a competency? Leadership & Org Devel J.1993; 14(1): 29–36. 25. Schneider PJ, Fudge RO, Hafner PE, McNulty RM, Tschampel MM, Latiolais CJ. Competency-based advance¬ment program for pharmacists. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1981; 38: 1331—1334. 26. Boyole M, Myford C. Pharmacists’ expectations for entry-level practitioner competency. Amer J Pharm Educ. 2013; 77(1) Article 5: 1-6.
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OCTOBER is American
Pharmacists Month Every October, in conjunction with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Florida pharmacists join colleagues from across the country to celebrate American Pharmacists Month. The primary purpose of American Pharmacists Month is to promote pharmacists as medication experts, professionals directly involved in patient care and integral members of the national health care continuum. American Pharmacists Month is a well-orchestrated, month-long effort designed to educate the public, policy makers and other health care professionals about the essential role pharmacists play in the reduction of overall health care costs and the safe and effective management of medications. While the movement emanates from the APhA national headquarters, each pharmacist and pharmacy throughout Florida has a vital role in educating your patients, motivating your staff and inspiring your community to “Know Your Pharmacists, Know Your Medicine.” We’ve filled the next few pages with ideas for activities and events that spotlight pharmacists’ contributions toward improving medication use and advancing patient care in all practice settings. Use these ideas throughout October—and all year long—to inspire your celebrations.
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AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH OUTREACH AND PROMOTION Reach Your Community American Pharmacists Month is the time to take your message on the road. There are countless opportunities in your own community. Patients of all ages can benefit from discussions and information about how to use medications safely and effectively. ■■ Approach the management of a local shopping mall about sponsoring a health fair or staging an exhibit or booth at which pharmacists and student pharmacists can answer shoppers’ questions about their medications. ■■ Create a medication information and education display for your local library, YMCA or other suitable community site. ■■ Promote health and wellness in your community by hosting vaccination clinics, medication check-ups and disease screening and management activities. ■■ Visit elementary, middle and high schools to talk with students about medication safety, the dangers of prescription abuse, and careers in pharmacy. ■■ Conduct “medication checkup” reviews or offer medication information seminars at senior citizen centers and housing complexes. ■■ Give educational talks and presentations to civic, neighborhood and church groups. Consider distributing patient education brochures and small American Pharmacists Month-themed giveaways. Attract Media Coverage At t rac t i ng med ia at tent ion requires a good story and good visual opportunities. Determine which media outlets you want most to reach, and tailor your work to what they need in order to appeal to readers and viewers. STEP 1: TARGET YOUR MEDIA OUTLETS ■■
Find the right size: Local and personal stories appeal more to
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small and local media. Issue-based stories can warrant regional or national coverage. Broaden your scope: There’s more to coverage than a news story or feature in a particular show or section. Try letters to the editor, opinion pieces, radio talk shows and TV station editorial segments. Don’t limit yourself to health: You might discover your story is more appropriately suited for the metro, business or lifestyle sections of a newspaper. Know your reporters: Check for particular writers, columnists or broadcast journalists who have covered pharmacy-related issues, and take your stories to them first. Check the media outlet’s website for contact information.
STEP 2: HAVE A GOOD STORY
What’s special about your American Pharmacist Month celebration? Are you trying to get as many seniors as possible to an event? Are you spotlighting a pharmacist with a strong relationship with patients? Are you looking at issues in the changing role or science in pharmacy? What are you most passionate about when it comes to pharmacy? What you care about is usually the seed for a story others will care about, too. Media outlets want stories that are timely, interesting and full of local and personal appeal. STEP 3: CULTIVATE MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS
Even in a short-term contact, a successful relationship with media outlets will go a long way toward accurate and compelling coverage. Here are some professional-caliber instructions to keep your work top
quality: ■■ Send a pitch letter or email to your media list about 20 days in advance of an event. ■■ Prepare and send a media advisory the day before or the morning of an event. A follow-up phone call can help increase interest and attendance. ■■ Prepare a press release featuring greater detail. Releases help reporters write full stories. ■■ Assemble media kits to distribute at the event. Include the press release and information about your practice and the services it provides. ■■ Immediately after the event, distribute the release to members of the media unable to attend. ■■ Monitor the media for stories about your event. Send a thank-you to reporters who covered it. ■■ Keep copies of the press clippings to include in future media kits. See if you can get permission to post a video clip to social media. Get Official Recognition You can get official recognition for American Pharmacists Month in your municipality, city, county or state, which can lead to a ceremony with a wealth of promotional opportunities. It’s fairly simple to do, but the process can take up to a few months. Here’s the step-by-step guide to getting an official proclamation: Step 1: Find out if officials can issue proclamations without action from the city council or state legislature. If legislative approval is not required to issue a proclamation: Step 2: Call the mayor’s/governor’s office to find out how proclamations are issued.
AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH IS THE TIME TO TAKE YOUR MESSAGE ON THE ROAD. THERE ARE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY. SEPTEMBER 2017
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Step 3: Prepare your proclamation language. Localize relevant facts about pharmacy and explain why American Pharmacists Month should be recognized by your city or state. Step 4: Try to elicit support from other pharmacy leaders in your area. Ask local pharmacy associations, health organizations and academic and business leaders and groups to write a letter of support to the governor. Provide addresses and sample letters. Broad correspondence and support from state leaders reflects wide interest and gives your proclamation a better chance. If legislative action is required to issue a proclamation: St e p 5: Cont ac t you r lo c a l representative’s office to get instructions for the proclamation process. Step 6: Because resolutions typically must be sponsored by a member of the appropriate governmental body, find an official who supports pharmacy. An alternative is to focus on a government official who has not yet worked with you, whom you could educate. Is there a pharmacist among the legislators? Step 7: Ready your proclamation. Step 8: Work with your proclamation sponsor to find out how you can help get the proclamation approved. You will probably need to lobby potential supporters and identify co-sponsors. Start by writing your legislators about the proclamation and soliciting their support. Remember, a follow-up phone call might be necessary. The final steps come after the proclamation is issued. Be sure to
invite those instrumental in getting it approved to any ceremonies planned. After American Pharmacists Month, send letters of thanks and appreciation. Use Social Media ■■ Just the Facts: For the whole month, post a daily pharmacy fact, tip, link or an article to your Facebook wall or Twitter stream. ■■ Tag It: Use the hashtag #APhM2017 when posting about the profession, the month or your event. The more people who use a hashtag, the better chance it has at becoming a “trending topic.” This then ups the chances that other nonpharmacy users will run across the information. ■■ Let Facebook Help: If you’re hosting a special event in honor of American Pharmacists Month, spread the word through Facebook. It makes it easy to send invites and for attendees to share the event with friends. It’s also a neat way for attendees to see the guest list of who’s going. ■■ Get Visual: Get out your smart phone and start shooting and posting photos of events. Three things to remember: Ask permission, use captions and check before tagging. ■■ Document with Video: Create a serious record of your events that others can learn from, or try a short, fun video with music or voice-overs. Once you’ve asked permission, post away. ■■ Pin Up: Pinterest and similar visual-based social media sites can be a good place to share tips and information. Consider: ●● Recipes for people with diabetes, allergies or other chronic conditions ●● A poster showing flavors
GET OUT YOUR SMART PHONE AND START SHOOTING AND POSTING PHOTOS OF EVENTS. 20
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available for children’s medication ●● Ideas on storing or remembering medications ●● A calendar for medications or a tip-a-day ●● Photos of pharmacists providing patient care services ●● GIF videos or images of food and drugs that may interact ●● Don’t forget to fill in the description box with extra information. Get Personal with a Blog: If you don’t have a blog already, American Pharmacists Month is a great time to start one. Or use a group blog where contributors rotate. Use this month to write about your work or what the profession means to you, or to share tips with students or professionals on continuing education or career advancement. A blog is an easy, relatable way to talk about the profession. Posts can be short and informal—the key is keeping the content fresh and consistent. Record a Podcast: This is a great way to address an issue in pharmacy that’s important to you. A podcast is typically a short recorded audio session, and it’s easy to do through the microphone on your computer. Try talking about pharmacy, interviewing a patient or colleague, or describing how pharmacists can help someone with a certain condition, such as diabetes. “Tell Your Friends”: After people sign up for your event, take them to a “Tell Your Friends You’re Attending” page. With the click of a button, a customized tweet is created and posted for them. It makes it simple for attendees to share that they’re going—and gives a link for readers in their network to click. Add a Twitter Widget: If people are already talking about the event, why not use that as proof to market to other potential attendees? The widget is a box that allows users to scroll through just the tweets relevant to your event. Build the Excitement: Are you
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able to give away some free tickets to your upcoming event, or offer freebies or prizes? Social media is particularly conducive to building excitement around things like giveaways. It encourages people to share, retweet and repost—and it will up the awareness of your event. Capture the Experts: Will your upcoming events feature interesting or popular speakers? Get your social media audience acquainted with them—and excited to hear more. Promote their appearance before the event, and get permission to post content, a report or a video of their presentation or a Q&A. Invite Leaders: Most senators and representatives now use social media tools. Contact your local legislators via social media and invite them publicly to attend your events. Provide Online Answers: Spend some time during American Pharmacists Month visiting a Q&A website, such as WikiAnswers or YahooAnswers and offer professional advice reminding people to contact their pharmacists with questions about issues such as potential drug interaction-related symptoms.
HOST A VISIT FOR YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE. PROVIDE YOUR LEGISLATORS WITH AN INVALUABLE VIEW OF THE CONTEMPORARY ROLES OF PHARMACISTS.
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Ways to Celebrate American Pharmacists Month in Your Practice IDEAS FOR PHARMACISTS IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS ■■
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Schedule special health events that encourage patients with the message of “talk to your pharmacist today.” Examples include promoting vaccinations, a flu shot clinic or health screening day. Hold one or more “Medication Check-Ups.” Invite your patients to bring all their medications— prescription and nonprescription— to the pharmacy during a specified time, so pharmacists can examine them for expiration dates, potential drug interactions and other medication related problems such as adherence issues. Conduct “OTC tours” geared to |
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the needs of specific groups— parents of young children, older adults, athletes and others. Help each group understand how to select appropriate products for the conditions most likely to affect them. Emphasize the importance of reading product labels, knowing the active ingredients in certain medications and consulting with the pharmacist when questions arise. Provide Medicare counseling to the seniors in your community. List information about your Medicare events in the local newspaper, or send the information to the local radio station. You can also provide personalized counseling in your area by contacting your local office on aging. Host a visit for your senator or representative. Provide your legislators with an invaluable view of the contemporary roles of pharmacists. Be sure they see a pharmacist in your facility conducting valued patient care services that warrant compensation. These services may include immunizations, comprehensive medication reviews, blood pressure screening, OTC counseling and other clinical activities. Highlight your pharmacy technicians. Get technicians involved by recognizing their contributions to your operation. Post their photos in a place that the public can see them. Give them a “thank you” luncheon complete with a cake and share a few examples with patients on how technicians contribute to pharmacy operations and patient care.
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Help decorate the pharmacy with banners, posters and balloons announcing American Pharmacists Month. Assist with special health events planned for American Pharmacists Month. Conduct blood pressure screenings and encourage patients to take advantage of other pharmacy-based patient care services. Co-host a party for the public! Pick one or more days during American Pharmacists Month to offer cake or other treats. Hand out patient education brochures and small promotional items, like magnets, tote bags and pens. Volunteer during the event by welcoming patients and demonstrating the prescription filling process. Show them how your crucial role impacts the services they receive from the pharmacy. Encourage the pharmacist to replace your usual bags with American Pharmacists Month plastic bags, or put American Pharmacists Month stickers on pharmacy bags and purchases. Use a special message promoting American Pharmacists Month when you answer your telephones and on your voicemail: “Hello, this is Main Street Pharmacy, where we’re celebrating American Pharmacists Month. How may I assist you?”
IDEAS FOR PHARMACISTS IN HOSPITAL SETTINGS ■■
Visit patients in their hospital rooms. Introduce yourself and answer any questions they may
“I’M ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR MY PATIENTS, BUT WHO’S WATCHING OUT FOR ME?”
WE ARE. We are the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety (APMS), a federally listed Patient Safety Organization. Our Pharmacy Quality Commitment (PQC) program: • • • •
Helps you implement and maintain a continuous quality improvement program Offers federal protection for your patient safety data and your quality improvement work Assists with quality assurance requirements found in network contracts, Medicare Part D, and state regulations Provides tools, training and support to keep your pharmacy running efficiently and your patients safe
Call toll free (866) 365-7472 or visit www.pqc.net PQC IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR STATE PHARMACY ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2017
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have about pharmacy services or drug therapy. Provide patient education brochures and small American Pharmacists Monththemed giveaways, like magnets, pens, tote bags, etc. Ask if a small flyer, message or tent card could be placed on meal trays. Talk to your administrator(s). Explain the goals and the patient education benefits of American Pharmacists Month to help build a sense of teamwork within the health system. Be sure to invite them to participate in the month’s activities. Create a lobby display. Use it to promote the pharmacy department. Include information about pharmacy services and photos of the pharmacy staff. If your facility is large, consider changing the display weekly to focus on a different pharmacy activity or function. Schedule an “open house.” Invite all hospital employees to visit the pharmacy. Conduct brief tours that showcase daily pharmacy operations, and describe how medications move from the initial physician order to the patient. Demonstrating how a pharmacy really operates could prove to be a real draw! Hold a community event. Be sure to publicize your event like a health fair at least four weeks in advance with notices at libraries and grocery stores and announcements in local papers.
IDEAS FOR PHARMACISTS IN AMBULATORY CARE SETTINGS ■■
Schedule special health events. Use this time to encourage patients with the message of “talk to your pharmacist today.” Examples include a flu shot clinic or health screening day.
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Hold one or more “medication checkups” or “brown bags.” Invite patients to bring all their medications—prescription and nonprescription—to the pharmacy. Pharmacists can examine them for expiration dates, potential drug interactions and other problems. Purchase children’s activity books for your facility. While parents are waiting, the kids will have something to keep them busy. Arrange “curbside consultations” for patients and caregivers. Encourage them to talk with pharmacists about medication therapy issues. Hold the sessions in a conference room or other relatively private area. Decorate ambulatory care pharmacies. American Pharmacists Month banners, posters and balloons are great ways to publicize your events. Ask your practice to put posters or other information in patient care rooms and other areas. Place informational brochures in the waiting room. Create a poster or framed photo of pharmacists working in the practice and place in the waiting room. Have cake or other food for practice staff to celebrate the month.
the year. Pharmacists: Take a moment this month to acknowledge the work of the technicians at your practice site and thank them for all they do for you and your patients. NATIONAL HOSPITAL & HEALTHSYSTEM PHARMACY WEEK
Oct. 15 – 21 is National Hospital & Health-System Pharmacy Week. The week will focus on the important contributions made by pharmacists and technicians to promote the safety and well-being of patients in our nation’s health care institutions. Source: American Pharmacists Association
Dates to Remember SELFIE DAY
Oct. 4 is American Pharmacists Month Selfie Day! We encourage all pharmacists and student pharmacists to share their selfie photos expressing their love of the profession. Be sure to use #APhMSelfieDay. PHARMACY TECHNICIAN DAY
Oct. 17 is Pharmacy Technician Day and is an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions technicians make in all practice settings throughout
SCHEDULE AN “OPEN HOUSE.” INVITE ALL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES TO VISIT THE PHARMACY. 24
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FPA News & Notes Florida DOH Extends September License Renewal Deadline Due to Irma In the week preceding Hurricane Irma’s impact on Florida, Governor Rick Scott issued a state of emergency in every Florida County. The Florida Department of Health, in accordance with the executive order, has extended license expiration deadline for pharmacists whose license expires at midnight on Sept. 30, 2017. The new licensure expiration date is midnight on Oct. 30, 2017. Unless another extension is granted, any active license not renewed before this time will go into delinquent status. Instructions for Enrollment and Payment for Services Rendered During the Hurricane Irma Disaster The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) will ensure reimbursement for services provided in good faith to eligible Florida Medicaid recipients during the Hurricane Irma disaster grace period. The Agency’s Hurricane Irma disaster grace period is from 9/7/17 through 9/21/17. Section I of this alert provides updated policy guidance and applies to services rendered through both the fee-for-service (FFS) delivery system and the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) program, unless otherwise stated. Section II of this alert provides reimbursement/ payment guidance and applies to services rendered in the FFS delivery system, unless otherwise specified. Section I: Policy Guidance Services Provided During the Disaster Grace Period (9/7/17 through 9/21/17) PRIOR AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS ■■
Florida Medicaid waived all prior authorization requirements for Medicaid services with dates of service during the disaster grace period.
LIMITS ON SERVICES ■■
Florida Medicaid waived limits on services (specifically related to frequency, duration, and scope) that were exceeded in order to maintain the health and safety of recipients for dates of service during the disaster grace period. ●● Florida Medicaid lifted all limits on early prescription refills during the disaster grace period for maintenance medications, with the exception of controlled substances. The edits prohibiting
early prescription refills will remain lifted until further notice by the Agency. PROVISIONAL ENROLLMENT ■■
To be reimbursed for services rendered to eligible Florida Medicaid recipients on the dates of service in the disaster grace period, providers not already enrolled in Florida Medicaid (out-of-state or in-state) must complete a provisional (temporary) enrollment application. The process for provisional provider enrollment is located at http://www.mymedicaidflorida.com.
SERVICES PROVIDED OUTSIDE OF THE DISASTER GRACE PERIOD ■■
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Florida Medicaid (fee-for-service and Medicaid health plans) may reimburse for services provided before the disaster grace period, on a case-by-case basis, if the service was necessary to maintain health and safety. Florida Medicaid will only approve instances in which early evacuations in parts of the state resulted in the recipient receiving care in a different region or out-of-state or if it was necessary for the recipient to refill a prescription early. For dates of service beginning 9/22/17, Florida Medicaid (fee-for-service and Medicaid health plans) will return to normal business operations as it relates to the coverage and reimbursement of Medicaid services, except as described below: ●● Florida Medicaid will continue to reimburse for services furnished after the disaster grace period without prior authorization and without regard to service limitations or whether such services are provided by a current Medicaid enrolled provider in those instances where the provider and/or recipient could not comply with policy requirements because of ongoing storm-related impacts. Providers must have rendered services in good faith to maintain the recipient’s health and safety. Examples of such instances include: ●● The provider still does not have access to the Internet or phone services as a result of continued power outages, therefore could not request prior authorization timely; ●● The recipient continues to be displaced and must receive services in a different region of the state or out-of-state; or ●● The recipient’s assigned primary care physician or specialist’s office remains closed due to the storm and urgent care is rendered at another
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provider’s location without prior authorization. Florida Medicaid will expedite authorization for new authorization requests submitted from Sept. 22, 2017 through Sept. 30, 2017, for durable medical equipment and supplies and home health services. Florida Medicaid will complete the reviews for expedited authorizations within forty-eight (48) hours after receipt of the request for service. Florida Medicaid may extend the timeframe for expedited authorization decisions by up to two (2) business days if the recipient or the provider requests an extension or if additional information is needed to process the request, and the extension is in the recipient’s interest.
Section II: Payment Guidance General Requirements The Agency and its Medicaid health plans will implement claims payment exceptions processes for any medically necessary services furnished during the disaster grace period that normally would have required prior authorization, that were rendered by a nonparticipating provider, or that exceeded normal policy limits for the service. Providers that furnished services to Medicaid health plan enrollees should work directly with each plan on reimbursement protocols. The Agency is requiring that Medicaid health plans create a web page dedicated to providing detailed instructions to providers for how to seek reimbursement through each Medicaid health plan’s claims payment exceptions process. A direct link to each plan’s claims payment exceptions website will be located on the Agency’s website by Sept. 26, 2017. Providers that wish to receive payment for services rendered during and outside of the disaster grace period are required to be enrolled with Florida Medicaid or provisionally enrolled with Florida Medicaid prior to submitting claims. For services provided to recipients receiving services through the FFS delivery system, provisional providers should submit claims in accordance with the instructions located at: http://www. mymedicaid-florida.com. Providers Currently Enrolled with Florida Medicaid Providers that furnished services to recipients receiving services through the FFS delivery system must comply with the requirements below: ■■ For services provided during the disaster grace period, providers may submit electronic claims in accordance with normal HIPAA compliant transaction requirements if the service requires a prior authorization number, but prior authorization was not obtained. ■■ For services provided during the disaster grace
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period, providers may submit paper claims as described in the Agency’s exceptional claims process if service limitations exceeded those stated in the coverage policy or the respective fee schedule. For services provided outside of the disaster grace period because of storm-related impacts (See Section I of the alert), providers may submit paper claims as described in the Agency’s exceptional claims process.
Reimbursement Rates (for services provided during the disaster grace period) ■■ Florida Medicaid will reimburse for services provided through the FFS delivery system in accordance with the rates established on the Medicaid fee schedules and the provider reimbursement rates/ reimbursement methodologies published on the Agency’s web page. This applies to current enrolled providers and providers that complete the provisional enrollment process. ●● The Agency’s web page includes links to the Diagnosis-Related Groups and Enhanced Ambulatory Patient Grouping System rate calculator, which provisionally-enrolled providers can utilize. ●● Nursing facilities will receive reimbursement for applicable scenarios as detailed in Section 8.0 of the Florida Medicaid Nursing Facility Coverage Policy. For instances not detailed in the coverage policy, the nursing facility will receive the Florida Medicaid nursing facility statewide weighted average rate, which is $227.68 per day. ■■ The Medicaid health plans will reimburse participating network providers for services provided at the rates mutually agreed upon by the provider and the plan in their contract/agreement. The Medicaid health plans will reimburse non-participating providers (i.e., providers not already contracted with the Medicaid health plan), for services provided in accordance with the rates established on the Medicaid fee schedules and the provider reimbursement rates/reimbursement methodologies published on the Agency’s web page, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon by the provider and the Medicaid health plan.
CVS Announces $125,000 Towards Hurricane Irma Recovery Effort CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation recently announced a $125,000 donation in cash and in-kind product donations to organizations helping with relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Irma. In response to the storm, which left millions without power and displaced thousands from their homes, the CVS Health Foundation is making a $50,000 donation to the Florida Disaster Fund. As it did with Hurricane Harvey, the CVS Health Foundation is matching colleague donations to the CVS Health Employee Relief Fund, up to $25,000. Additionally, the company has donated more than $25,000 worth of water to the American Red Cross. CVS Pharmacy and CVS Caremark, CVS Health’s pharmacy benefit management business, activated a process that allows pharmacists to provide one-time emergency refills of a 10-day supply of medication for plan members in areas impacted by Hurricane Irma.
Walgreens Donates $200,000 to American Red Cross Hurricane Irma Relief Efforts In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Walgreens has committed to a $200,000 donation to American Red Cross Hurricane Irma relief efforts and also is donating supplies of water and food to relief efforts in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Walgreens customers can donate to Red Cross hurricane relief efforts at approximately 8,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Customers can make donations at store checkout. Walgreens also recently announced that more than $10 million was raised nationwide for American Red Cross Hurricane Harvey relief efforts through customer donations at Walgreens and Duane Reade store checkouts between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4.
SEPTEMBER 2017
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florida BUYER’S GUIDE PHARMACY TODAY
ADVERTISERS: This is a special section designed to give your company more exposure and to act as an easy reference for the pharmacist.
PHARMACY RESOURCES PPSC Retail Pharmacy Purchasing Program (888) 778-9909
LEGAL ASSISTANCE Kahan & Associates, PLLC Brian A. Kahan, R.Ph., Attorney at Law (561) 392-9000 The Health Law Firm George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M. (407) 331-6620
PHARMACEUTICAL WHOLESALER McKesson Drug Company Jim Springer (800) 804-4590 FAX: (863) 616-2953
FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS AHCA MEDICAID PHARMACY SERVICES 2727 Mahan Drive Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 412-4166 www.fdhc.state.fl.us/medicaid/ pharmacy AMERICAN PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION (APhA) Washington, D.C. (800) 237-2742 www.pharmacist.com AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEALTH SYSTEM PHARMACISTS Bethesda, MD (301) 657-3000 www.ashp.com/main.htm DRUG INFORMATION CENTER Palm Beach Atlantic University (561) 803-2728 druginfocenter@pba.edu FLORIDA BOARD OF PHARMACY 4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin #C04 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3254 (850) 245-4292 www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa FLORIDA POISON INFORMATION CENTER NETWORK (800) 222-1222 www.fpicn.org NATIONAL COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION 100 Daingerfield Road Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 683-8200 (703) 683-3619 fax info@ncpanet.org
Advertising in Florida Pharmacy Today Display Advertising: please call (850) 264-5111 for a media kit and rate sheet. Buyers’ Guide: A signed insertion of at least 3X per year, 1/3 page or larger display ad, earns a placement in the Buyers’ Guide. A screened ad is furnished at additional cost to the advertiser. Professional Referral Ads: FPA Members: $50 per 50 words; Non‑members: $100 per 50 words; No discounts for advertising agencies. All Professional Referral ads must be paid in advance, at the time of ad receipt. 28
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FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY
RECOVERING PHARMACISTS NETWORK OF FLORIDA (407) 257-6606 “Pharmacists Helping Pharmacists”