Florida Pharmacy Today September 2018 by Florida Pharmacy Today

The Official Publication Of The Florida Pharmacy Association SEPT. 2018

PHARMACISTS IMPACTING DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION

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florida PHARMACY TODAY Departments 4 Calendar 4 Advertisers 5 President’s Viewpoint

7 Executive Insight

24 Buyer’s Guide

We would like to thank and recognize Peter Wong for his outstanding photography at FPA’s 128th Annual Meeting and Convention. We apologize for not correctly identifying him in the August 2018 issue of Florida Pharmacy Today.

VOL. 81 | NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2018 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

Features

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Dade County Pharmacy Association FPA Affiliated Unit Activities Report October is American Pharmacists Month Pharmacists Impacting Disease Prevention and Health Promotion — A Student Perspective Reflections from a Past APhA-ASP Student Chapter President A Journey from Mentee to Mentor A Report from the Region 1 Director

SEPTEMBER 2018

FPA Calendar 2018-2019

OCTOBER

Florida Pharmacy Today Journal DECEMBER

2 - 3

Florida Board of Pharmacy Meeting Ft. Lauderdale

1 - 2

6 - 7

Midyear Clinical Conference Kissimmee

11 - 12 Florida Board of Pharmacy Meeting Orlando

6 - 7

Midyear Nuclear Conference Kissimmee

24-25 Christmas Holiday FPA Office Closed

6 - 9

NCPA Annual Meeting Boston, Mass

Budget and Finance Committee Conference Call NOVEMBER

10-11 FPA Council Committee and Board Meetings TBD 22-23 Thanksgiving - FPA office closed 30

APhA Diabetes Certificate Program Sarasota

Mission Statements:

Regulatory and Law Conference Sarasota

JANUARY 1

New Years Day - FPA Office Closed

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day FPA Office Closed

26-27 FPA Clinical Conference Sandestin

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, 2019 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 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

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.

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 ADVANCED INVENTORY SERVICES.......... 17 EPIC..................................................................... 21 INR....................................................................... 17 KAHAN & ASSOCIATES................................. 21 MCKESSON........................................................ 17 PQC........................................................................ 9 PHARMACISTS MUTUAL.............................. 23 Rx OWNERSHIP.................................................. 2 SHARP’S INC..................................................... 15

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.

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FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY

E-MAIL YOUR SUGGESTIONS/IDEAS TO dave@fiorecommunications.com

The Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Viewpoint ANGELA S. GARCIA, PHARMD/MPH, CPH

Pharmacists Impact on Disease Prevention & Health Promotion

s we approach the season of illness, pharmacists, interns, and technicians have an amazing opportunity to educate patients about health beliefs and health behaviors that can make a difference in their disease management. There are many changes in the profession, some good and some not so good, but all are creating different demands on the pharmacist and their team with regard to patient care.

As chronic disease rates continue to increase, we have a duty to engage in conversation with our patients about their health, their questions, their fears and concerns, as well as changes they can begin to make that improve their health outcomes.

This summer, we passed a resolution consistent with APhA taking a look at metrics in health care. Although some metrics can give us insight, when they prevent us from serving as health care providers, there is a problem. Pharmacists, especially those in community settings, have a responsibility help prevent disease and promote health in every patient they see. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of our Oath as a Pharmacist. The number of patients (and yes I purposely choose to use the word patient and not customer) that cross pharmacists every day outnumbers any other health care professional. This means there is no other member of the health care team that has as many chances to address adherence, health literacy, and education about disease states, medication and potential side effects. As chronic disease rates continue to increase, we have a duty to engage in conversation with our patients about their health, their questions, their fears and concerns, as well as changes they can begin to make that improve their health outcomes. Embracing the spirit of public health in disease prevention, we see pharmacies and health systems advocating for immunizations. Every opportunity to assist a patient with a health decision that can prevent disease or decrease risks from an illness due to their health status not only saves the health system money but serves as modifier in the functional status for those patients. Those at increased risks due to asthma, COPD, diabetes, cancer, immunocompetence issues and cardiovascular issues, among others, must hear the message of immunizations, hand

Angela S. Garcia, PharmD, MPH, CPh

washing, medication adherence, and feel welcomed by the pharmacy profession to ask the questions they need with the expectation they will receive the time and attention by their health care provider, the pharmacist, to answer the questions and guide their decisions. The clinical services many pharmacists are offering include vaccinations, chronic care management, medication reconciliation, generic substitution, point of care testing, reinforcing patient self-testing, nutritional supplementation and the use of technology to reach their patients in more remote settings. All of these points of contact and methods of access help us provide a strong foundation for our patients to prevent their decline and ensure their optimal health. Expanding these services will allow pharmacists to take the necessary steps to help prevent diseases from negativeSEPTEMBER 2018

2018-19 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.

Suzanne Wise.....................................................................................................Board Chair Angela Garcia...............................................................................................FPA President Ashley Huff.................................................................................................... FPA Treasurer David Mackarey.......................................................................................President-Elect Jeanette Connelly...................................................................Speaker of the House Gary Koesten..................................................................Vice Speaker of the House Sandy Estrada......................................................................................... FSHP President Joyanna Wright................................................................................... Region 1 Director Neil Barnett............................................................................................Region 2 Director Dean Pedalino.......................................................................................Region 3 Director Cheryl Rouse.........................................................................................Region 4 Director Melissa Ruble........................................................................................Region 5 Director Barbara Beadle...................................................................................Region 6 Director Paul Delisser.......................................................................................... Region 7 Director Ramy Gabriel.........................................................................................Region 8 Director Mitchell Fingerhut.............................................................................Region 9 Director Julie Burger........................................................................................Technician Member

Florida Pharmacy Today Journal Board Chair.............................................................. Carol Motycka, motycka@cop.ufl.edu Vice Chair....................................................Cristina Medina, cmmedina@cvs.com Treasurer.........................................................Eric Jakab, ericjakab@hotmail.com Secretary................................................................... Stuart Ulrich, stuarx@aol.com Member.................................................. Michael Finnick, michaelfinnick@ufl.edu Member.......................................................Matt Schneller, schnem18@gmail.com Member..........................................Teresa Tomerlin, teresapharmd@cfl.rr.com Member............................................Greta Pelegrin, gretapelegrin@yahoo.com Technician Member........................Julie Burger, julieburger133@gmail.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

ly impacting their health and lives. By taking the opportunities to promote healthy behaviors and empower our patients to be actively engaged and participate in their care reinforces the importance of the pharmacist and pharmacy team in patient health. As we progress through the rest of the year, continue to reach out to your patients and be an ambassador for preventing diseases and encourage your patients to do everything they can to raise their health status. When we partner with our patients to remove barriers and increase their capacity, we are embracing the Power of WE. n

JOIN TODAY!

Executive Insight BY MICHAEL JACKSON, RPH MICHAEL JACKSON, BPHARM, EVP & CEO, FLORIDA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

Metrics Is for Liters, Milligrams and Meters – Not Pharmacy Practice

K, so here is a commentary article that may rub some folks the wrong way, but I have a history of doing that sometimes. Besides, in this current political climate, it seems that the normal way of sharing your thoughts and feelings is to say (or tweet) whatever is on your mind. That could be dangerous if your thinking is compromised by the disruption around you. Because I am a pharmacy advocate, there is plenty of disruption to cloud my judgement. In this case my judgement may be clouded, but my message is clear to all who are readers of Florida Pharmacy Today. My thought for this month is the subject of “metrics.” The younglings (new practitioners) in our profession may not recall, but at one time there was a major push to convert the unit of measure in this country. Here in the U.S. we are familiar with miles as a measure of distance, pounds as a measure of weight and gallons as a measure of liquids. The rest of the planet earth (perhaps except for our friends in the U.K.) uses a different measuring system where distance is considered kilometers, weight is kilograms and a liquid is something measured in liters. For example, my weight using metrics is about 93 kilograms. That sounds a lot better than a scale crushing 204 pounds. Back in the day I ran the 100 yard dash in 15.5 seconds. My gym teacher said he had to use a calendar to time my run. It wasn’t my fault. I was running against the wind and I swear the track was uphill. That hurt my feelings. He should have been happy, because if I had to run 100 meters it would

have taken longer to cross the finish line. Remember when gas stations attempted to change their pumps to dispense liters of fuel instead of gallons? We saw the price of gasoline drop per unit of measure considerably and became elated, however, it took 75.8 liters to fill a 20 gallon tank. That change threw everyone off their game! Optional equipment in cars back then included a liquid conversion calculator in addition to a tire pressure gauge. Well, let’s roll this conversation over to the concept of metrics in pharmacy practice. It is well known that metrics is a method used to evaluate and measure productivity. The productivity measured may include the number of patient encounters over a period of time. More patient encounters per unit time translates into more dollars received per man hours invested in. The number of prescriptions in a fill cue or the amount of time spent on the telephone may also be a metric. Clearly that is something well known and recognized in any business environment, particularly when involving the manufacture of products and the general production of goods. Metrics in the provision of health care, such as pharmacist-patient care services, should never be measurable in the same way that you evaluate the manufacture of products and the general production of services. The use of metrics can become very tainted when working with patients with unique and variable health care needs and comprehension. For example, any metric that seeks to

Michael Jackson, B.Pharm

create limits on the amount of time that a pharmacist should spend in consultation sessions with patients is suggesting that all consumers have the exact same ability to comprehend instructions from pharmacists the same way. This to me is an inappropriate assumption and should be reconsidered. In March of 2018, the American Pharmacists Association House of Delegates adopted the following policy statements:

Pharmacist Workplace Environment and Patient Safety1

1. APhA supports staffing models that promote safe provision of patient care services and access to medications. 2. APhA encourages the adoption of patient-centered quality and performance measures that align with safe

SEPTEMBER 2018 |

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 Accounting Coordinator Ashley Gandy ext. 211

FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY BOARD Chair..................................... Carol Motycka, St. Augustine Vice Chair................................Cristina Medina, Hollywood Treasurer...........................................Eric Jakab, Gainesville Secretary.........................Stuart Ulrich, Boynton Beach Member............................... Michael Finnick, Jacksonville Member...............................................Matt Schneller, Tampa Member...................................Teresa Tomerlin, Rockledge Member..............................................Greta Pelegrin, Hialeah Technician Member.................Julie Burger, Pensacola Executive Editor.........Michael Jackson, Tallahassee Managing Editor.........................Dave Fiore, Tallahassee

This is a peer-reviewed publication. ©2018 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

delivery of patient care services, and opposes the setting and use of operational quotas or time-oriented metrics that negatively impact patient care and safety. 3. APhA denounces any policies or practices of third-party administrators, processors, and payers that contribute to a workplace environment that negatively impact patient safety. APhA calls upon public and private policy makers to establish provider payment policies that support the safe provision of medications and delivery of effective patient care. 4. APhA urges pharmacy practice employers to establish collaborative mechanisms that engage the pharmacist in charge of each practice, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy staff in addressing workplace issues that may have an impact on patient safety. 5. APhA urges employers to collaborate with the pharmacy staff to regularly and systematically examine and resolve workplace issues that may negatively have an impact on patient safety. APh A opposes retal iat ion against pharmacy staff for reporti ng workplace issues t hat may negatively impact patient safety. This summer at the FPA annual convention, the House of Delegates debated and adopted the following policy statement using the above APhA policy as guidance: “The FPA opposes the use of operational quotas or time-oriented metrics pertaining to pharmacist activities in fulfilling medication distribution which will have a negative impact on patient care and safety.” This is a very bold statement to our stakeholders and the message from the FPA, simply is that metrics in the way that they are being used today could compromise patient care and safety. The industry must find a different yardstick (or meter stick) to evaluate productivity. A suggestion could include how frequent pharmacists

are able to identify and resolve quality-related events or looking at pharmacist interventions that improve patient compliance or adherence. After all, these are the same measures that health plans are beginning to hold their provider networks accountable for and what pharmacists are specifically trained to do.

The use of metrics can become very tainted when working with patients with unique and variable health care needs and comprehension.

You can expect the position of the Florida Pharmacy Association to be advocated before the Board of Pharmacy, whose charge and primary function is to protect the public health safety and welfare. This issue is important enough to be a subject shared through your social media sites. Make it a point to attend a regional FPA educational conference or the annual meeting and talk with FPA leadership that may be attending. Bring a friend or colleague with you. Also don’t forget that October is American Pharmacist Month. If you have a celebration going on let us know and send pictures to mjackson@ pharmview.com. n 1.

https://www.pharmacist.com/sites/default/ files/files/2018%20Report%20of%20the%20 APhA%20House%20of%20Delegates%20-%20 FINAL.pdf

“I’M ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR MY PATIENTS, BUT WHO’S WATCHING OUT FOR ME?”

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Call toll free (866) 365-7472 or visit www.pqc.net PQC IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR STATE PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

Dade County Pharmacy Association FPA Affiliated Unit Activities Report Bert Martinez, MD, BPharm, CERT, MRC, BFAST+SN, RFAST, ESF-8 Technical Specialist in Pharmacy

I am Humberto “Bert” Martinez, and I am the current chair of the Florida Pharmacy Association’s Organizational Affairs Council and I am a member of the executive committee of our local unit, Dade County Pharmacy Association (DCPA). I have been asked by the president of the Florida Pharmacy Association to write this article on what we do in our local unit when we provide continuing education (CE) to our members. In my local unit, I am currently on the executive committee, and I have served twice as president. One of my duties on the executive committee is to help coordinate our CE programming throughout the year. Traditionally, we have been sponsored by drug manufacturers and many times, all of our expenses were covered. But, with tight budgets, and cutbacks seen by drug manufacturers, these resources have been few and far between. We have been able to obtain speakers sponsored by the drug manufacturers or we have reached out to faculty and members of the association to speak on their practice’s specialty topics as alternatives to help cover our seminar expenses. The structure of CE programming that is provided to our members repeats annually. We start the year with our weekend two-day Pharmacy Resident General and Consultant Program. This program has been offered on a Saturday and Sunday in January for the past 22 years. There are 32 pharmacy residents in South Florida this year, and we utilize them to give our lectures on various subjects. We provide a total of 16 hours of education, of which, 12 hours is consultant and 4 hours are general CE. We annually alternate the mandatory CE programs of Medication Errors and Validating Controlled Substanc10

FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY

es. We have two tracks of lectures going on simultaneously, and our members pick the track that they are most interested in. A full sit-down breakfast and lunch are served each day of this weekend program. All of our executive committee members are involved in the registration and monitoring of this program. A few of us are very good at introductions and monitoring the lectures to ensure timeliness and do this every year. I have done the introductions many times and I really enjoy keeping our members up to date on current events in our pharmacy profession. Planning for this program starts in July of the prior year and includes identification of the program theme, potential content, notification of the topics to residency preceptors and ultimately putting the program together for submission to CE Broker for approval of required CE credits. Later in the year, four additional general CE seminars are provided. These are 4 hours long and are held on Sunday mornings. These seminars are coordinated in collaboration with another FPA-affiliated local unit in our area. Miami-Dade County is such a large area that we have two FPA-affiliated local units. DCPA coordinates the Consultant Pharmacy Program and Interamerican Pharmacists Association (IPA) coordinates the other seminars throughout the year. The Registration process is devised to facilitate member registration. There are two separate tables for registration: one for each local unit. Expenses and costs for these seminars are allocated based on the “head count” of unit members registering and attending. We provide a continental breakfast for the attendees and again, if you provide food, they will come. Seminars

are scheduled before the FPA annual convention. Every attempt is made to provide a seminar in the fall prior to licensure renewal, depending on our funding status. This is a fifth CE program focusing on the mandatory CE programs. This is usually a 5-hour event that offers 2 hours of Medication Errors, 2 hours of Validating Controlled Substances and 1 hour of HIV Update. When we first offered this program several years ago, we did not expect the number of attendees who arrived. There were more than 700 attendees and standing room only in the lecture room. Hotel staff were quick to accommodate the audience by breaking down the walls and expanding to all of the adjoining meeting rooms at the hotel. The parking at the hotel was full and many people had to park across the street and walk in to the hotel. The exit to get out of the hotel parking lot was almost two hours after the seminar. But, we learned from this seminar and now we prepay the parking at the seminar and the gate is opened after the seminar to expedite exiting. Our last mandatory CE program had more than 1000 people in attendance and we had to rent the ballroom at the hotel to accommodate all the attendees. At the start of the year, we will pick our dates for our four seminars and make sure that the hotel is available for those dates. Once the dates are set, we then look for speakers to fill those dates. We have a few members who provide 2-hour lectures on various topics and I always do a 2-hour lecture on new pharmacy laws and legislative updates. The pharmacy law seminars are always well attended, and we have more than 600 members in attendance. Our regular programs usually fluctuate between 400 to 600 attendees.

We must think outside of the box to find sponsors for our programs. The traditional drug manufacturer fully funded programs are very hard to find. But, we can still find speakers provided by the drug manufacturers and then we must find other sources to cover our expenses for the seminar. When a speaker is provided by a drug manufacturer, as recognition for their support, a table is provided where product information can be displayed. Someone came up with the idea to offer the tables to other sponsors that were not usually related to pharmacy. Tables have been sponsored by a variety of different companies and individuals offering services to professionals such as: Financial Consultants – these folks love to offer advice to professionals on investing money and planning for retirement; Service Providers – such as cell phone providers and cable internet providers; Products – such as car dealerships have sponsored tables. And; Companies – that are providing new products that may not be related to pharmacy but may interest a large amount of people. Our executive committee is always on the lookout for and networking for new sponsors every year and we always come up with some new ones. For speakers, we have reached out to other FPA members who have lectured throughout the state and we pay for their expenses to come to South Florida, plus an Honorarium. We always try to get someone from the FPA leadership to attend and provide a lecture and help to promote membership in our state association. Several of our executive committee members are involved in leadership positions and/or council positions and we try to promote membership in the Florida Pharmacy Association at all of our seminars. We have also been involved with our local colleges of pharmacy. We have two universities in South Florida, Nova Southeastern University and Larkin University. We have been involved

in the White Coat Ceremony at Larkin and the Tree of Live Fundraiser at Nova. We have helped fund several events for the FPA and at the annual FPA convention. The Adopt-a-Student Program is one of the events we help fund and

long lines for this health screening. We are usually the last booth open after the fair ends at 2 p.m. We also have a Pharmacist Health Fair at the Capitol in Tallahassee every year. We provide funds and volunteers to offer these same health screenings and show our legis-

EVERY YEAR WE SUPPORT A LOCAL HEALTH FAIR THAT PROVIDES HEALTH SCREENINGS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. we provide members who will be mentors to these students at the annual FPA convention. Many times, we have covered the costs of the entertainment at the FPA Awards banquet with our sister organization, Interamerican Pharmacists Association. And, now other local associations have come forward to also help fund many events at the FPA annual convention. We are very strong in providing community service to our local area and the state of Florida. Every year we support a local health fair that provides health screenings to local communities that do not have health care coverage. I have been coordinating this event for the FPA for many years now. This health fair is usually on a Saturday in February and lasts from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buses, from the City of Miami, pick up people in underserved communities and bring them to the health fair. Many health care providers offer free health screenings to all in attendance. We provide funds and volunteers to man the FPA booth to provide some of these health screenings. Our volunteers provide cardiac risk assessments, blood pressure screenings, BMI screenings, bone density screenings, medicine brown bag consultations, glucose and cholesterol screenings. The nursing students provide total cholesterol screenings and they send them to us when the readings are off. We use the Cholestek machine and it provides a more concise reading of cholesterol and triglycerides. Our bone density machine is also very popular at this fair and we have

lature that pharmacists can do many things besides filling prescriptions. One last thought – throughout this article I refer to our members. I don’t want to give the impression that the members are only pharmacists. Both IPA and DCPA offer membership to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students and interested affiliates (such as drug reps). All of the programming and events are open to all of our members to help facilitate their relicensure and enhance the networking that is invaluable in our profession. Finally, there is one final benefit that DCPA offers its members: a paid full subscription to CE Broker. This benefit is especially valuable to help members plan their continuing education, keep track of their hours and ensure that they have met all of the requirements. I hope I have given all the FPA-affiliated local units food for thought. We are here to help each other thrive and formulate new and better ideas on how engage their membership. Other associations have ideas that may work for your local association. We have a local-unit meeting every year at the FPA convention and this is a good place to share ideas and insights among all of the local units. The vice speaker of the FPA House of Delegates, Gary Koesten, is our FPA liaison to all of the local units and he would be the one to share information among all the local units. I would like to thank our DCPA Treasurer Carmen Aceves, for providing her insights to help me with this article.

SEPTEMBER 2018 |

OCTOBER is American Pharmacists Month Monday, Oct. 1 marks the start of American Pharmacists Month, a celebration in support of pharmacists around the country. While the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) has celebrated the accomplishments of pharmacists for decades, the Association launched American Pharmacists Month in 2004. Since then, APhA has used October to further raise awareness among the public, patients, policy makers and other stakeholders about the broad roles pharmacists play in health care today. During American Pharmacists Month, APhA promotes awareness of the many services pharmacists offer beyond the safe distribution of medications. Examples of these services include seasonal and lifespan immunizations; medication reviews to assess safety, effectiveness, interactions and adherence; care management and counseling for disease states such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; and smoking cessation counseling. The month-long observance recognizes the impact pharmacists have on improving medication use, advancing patient care, and improving patient access and public health across all geographies and throughout all practice settings. It is a way to inspire and galvanize the pharmacy profession, while also encouraging the community to “Know Your Pharmacist—Know Your Medicine,” the slogan for American Pharmacists Month. The message encourages patients to interact with their pharmacist and learn more about their medications and other services that pharmacists can provide. In the following pages, you’ll find ideas for special activities and events that spotlight pharmacists’ contributions toward improving medication use and advancing patient care in all practice settings including community pharmacies, hospitals, academic settings, ambulatory care and long-term care facilities.

FLORIDA PHARMACY TODAY

AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH OUTREACH AND PROMOTION

work to what they need in order to appeal to readers and viewers.

Out of the Pharmacy and Into the Community Step outside your practice setting to spread the word! Remember to engage the community at large when planning events to promote and celebrate American Pharmacists Month. It’s a natural time for pharmacists to increase their visibility and the public’s awareness of their contributions to community health. 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 check-up” 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.

STEP 1: Target your media outlets ■■ Find the right size: Local and personal stories appeal more to 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.

Attract Media Coverage Attracting media attention requires a good story and good visual opportunities. Determine which media outlets you want most to reach, and tailor your

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.

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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/governor’s office to find out how proclamations are issued. 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 orSEPTEMBER 2018

ganizations, 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: Step 5: Contact your local representative’s office to get instructions for the proclamation process.

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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 14

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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 pod-

PINTEREST AND SIMILAR VISUAL-BASED SOCIAL MEDIA SITES CAN BE A GOOD PLACE TO SHARE TIPS AND INFORMATION.

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.

that other non-pharmacy 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

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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 voiceovers. 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 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

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cast 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 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

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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.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE AMERICAN PHARMACISTS MONTH IN YOUR PRACTICE Ideas for Pharmacists in Community Settings ■■ 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 the needs of specific groups—parents of young children, older adults, ath-

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letes 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 compen-

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sation. 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.

Ideas for Pharmacy Technicians ■■ 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 16

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Hospital Settings ■■ Visit patients in their hospital rooms. Introduce yourself and answer any questions they may have about pharmacy services or drug therapy. Provide patient education brochures and small American Pharmacists Month-themed 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. ■■ Hold one or more “medication checkups” or “brown bags.” Invite patients to bring all their medica-

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tions—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.

DATES TO REMEMBER Selfie Day Oct. 3 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. 16 is Pharmacy Technician Day and is an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions technicians make in all practice settings throughout 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. n Source: American Pharmacists Association

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Pharmacists Impacting Disease Prevention and Health Promotion - A Student Perspective By Jaimie Myers and Casey Perticone Doctor of Pharmacy Candidates, class of 2020 | University of South Florida College of Pharmacy American Pharmacists Month is an opportunity to recognize the impact that both pharmacists and student pharmacists have within their local communities. As we begin to gear up for health promotion events and prevention services, we recognize there are opportunities to showcase our talents and contributions before the month of October. We have time now to move things forward for the profession, for our patients, and within our communities. As student pharmacists, we are just beginning to understand the avenues through which we can make a difference in the lives of our patients. At the University of South Florida College of Pharmacy, our American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) chapter provides student pharmacists opportunities to serve our community while reinforcing didactic concepts. We try to ensure opportunities are available to our chapter members, so they can apply what we are learning in school and give a benefit to the community. Our chapter is fortunate to have strong community relationships with practicing pharmacists, pharmacies and other health care providers in the Tampa Bay area. These relationships enable us to have a variety of community outreach opportunities in which we can demonstrate the pharmacist’s role in providing hands-on patient care and clinical services. One innovative collaboration, Project Local Impact on Neighborhood Kids (LINK), allowed us to partner with the Hillsborough County Back to School Coalition. Project LINK is a community based nonprofit organization that provides support for children and families in Hillsborough County. The Back to School Coalition partners with various health systems, 18

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Hillsborough County public schools, Florida Department of Health, community agencies, and other stakeholders to provide health fairs and immunization services for children prior to returning to school in the fall. Even though our state immunization law prevents us from immunizing pediatric patients, we had the opportunity to be trained on our statewide immunization database, Florida SHOTS™. With this training, our volunteers worked closely with health care providers onsite to accurately enter historical vaccine records, screen for missing vaccines, add vaccinations received at the event and assist in completing a form required by the Florida Department of Health for entry into any Florida public school. To date, our Chapter has participated in five events, where we have updated 190 vaccine records and immunized 114 patients. This year we had the opportunity to educate families on HPV and meningitis vaccinations, which are not required but highly recommended and were offered for the first time during this event. Our students counseled families on these disease states and the importance of the vaccinations, providing parents with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding their child’s vaccinations. In addition to working with state organizations, our chapter has built a unique relationship with a local independent pharmacy in Safety Harbor, Fla. At Main Street Pharmacy, on the third Friday of every month, the community hosts an event welcoming families to enjoy the downtown area, with proceeds benefiting a different local charity each month. In this social setting, student pharmacists connect with members of the Safety Harbor community while pro-

viding health screenings and disease state education. Students are able to apply the skills learned in the classroom through point of care screenings, risk factor assessments and patient education. We discuss our roles as pharmacists and student pharmacists in the health care teams, encourage small business opportunities for those visiting in the area and promote the services of Main Street Pharmacy. We have a great relationship with the independent pharmacy – they provide us avenues for outreach and we are able to promote their pharmacy services. The community exposure has been a rewarding training opportunity and many of the members of the community come looking for us to check their numbers. As students, these opportunities are vital for our personal development and the advancement of the profession. Each of these hands-on interactions provide a platform to broaden the understanding of pharmacists’ ever-expanding role on the health care team. We encourage the community members to vote pharmacy friendly and we are looking forward to using the third Friday platforms to educate about upcoming legislative initiatives for the FPA. We are ambassadors for the profession, we are the voice of our patients in legislative initiatives. We are proud to have these opportunities through our strong community partnerships to help prevent disease and promote healthy behaviors and serve our profession to the best of our ability. n

Reflections from a Past APhA-ASP Student Chapter President By Meredith Diamond

On the first day of pharmacy school, there was a single word constantly ringing throughout orientation: Involvement. It became clear very quickly that the way to get the most out of my pharmacy school experience would be to join, and actively participate in organizations that resonated with me. With that said, it didn’t take long for me to find my home within APhAASP. I can say without hesitation that this organization was the springboard that allowed me to hone my leadership abilities, and ultimately become more invested in the pharmacy profession. Being a successful leader is both challenging and extremely rewarding. I’ve learned that the most important thing we can do is set an example that helps to inspire others to achieve. Throughout my time in school, I have come to realize the importance of being a leader who is actively present “on the front lines” to not only assist, but also participate in an event when possible. Not only is it imperative to engage with members, but it is equally important to practice encouragement. Three years ago, I never imagined that I would run for president-elect of APhA-ASP. It wasn’t until the president at the time said to me, “I think you could do this,” that I even gave it any serious consideration. Sometimes those around you don’t always realize their strengths. As a leader, I have discovered that sometimes even a small nudge of support can help push someone in the direction of professional growth. While leadership can be fulfilling in many ways, it doesn’t come without its challenges. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of being a leader is rec Throughout my time in school, I have come to realize the importance of being a leader who is actively present “on the front lines” to not only assist, but also

participate in an event when possible. ognizing that others may not always be as passionate about a vision or goal as you are. I have found that stressing the “why” behind actions can really help motivate members to be involved, and take up new roles within an organization. As each school year progressed, the importance of being an engaged and active member in organizations such as APhA-ASP and the FPA became more and more clear. Not only do these organizations help to shape future leaders, but they also provide us with the hands-on skills that we need to successfully advocate and care for our patients. Just one example is the annual Legislative Days and Health Fair, where students from all of Florida’s colleges of pharmacy can unite, provide health screenings and be a proactive force for positive changes in pharmacy. Now in my fourth year of the curriculum, I can’t help but look back and reflect on the sense of accomplishment that being president of APhA-ASP afforded me, as well as the impact that the organization has made overall.

THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO STAY INVOLVED WELL INTO MY CAREER AS A PHARMACIST. In conjunction with the two other UF campuses, we were able to serve thousands of patients, promote medication safety, and facilitate partnerships with other healthcare professions. Furthermore, I will always hold close to my heart the invaluable connections I have made at conferences like APhA and FPA annual meeting and convention. These gatherings allowed me to not only network, but gain many incredible mentors. There is no doubt in my mind that I will continue to stay involved well into my career as a pharmacist. With so much to gain, learn, and advocate for, it would be a disservice not to be. n

SEPTEMBER 2018

A Journey from Mentee to Mentor By Sarah G. Haley, PharmD

If you ask a pharmacy leader, whether student or practitioner, what spurred them to seek their position, they will undoubtedly cite the influence of a mentor that helped guide their journey. A leader is able to influence those around them into alignment in achieving a higher goal that they would not likely have pursued on their own. A mentor is a leader, independent of title, who identifies the potential in others and pursues the development of that potential. Mentors are uniquely gifted to help shape the profession by shaping the future leaders of the profession. When I think about my own growth as a leader, I cannot help but remember the many individuals who served as mentors along my journey. I started off as a bright-eyed first year pharmacy student, eager to supplement my education with extracurric-

president at the time took me under her wing and personally invited me to attend the APhA-ASP Midyear Regional Meeting (MRM) to network with other students and experience policy development firsthand. I was hooked! I remember being in awe that students could develop policy to present on a regional level for adoption and implementation on the national level. My newfound mentor then urged me to attend Florida Pharmacy Legislative Days to further broaden my policy experience. I walked into the Capitol in Tallahassee with a crisp new white coat, anticipating easy discussion and global support of expanding immunizations and allowing interns to immunize. Instead, I encountered resistance and discovered that the legislators and general public were grossly uninformed regarding the practice of phar-

ular involvement. I naturally gravitated towards the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) Palm Beach Atlantic University Chapter. The chapter vice

macy. The legislators and Capitol visitors alike were under the assumption that we were nursing or medical students providing health care screenings at for the Health Fair.

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I took it upon myself to educate anyone who would listen. A legislative assistant in the elevator questioned me in confusion, “But pharmacists can’t do those things, can they?” My ire was truly roused after a legislative visit with my district representative who proceeded to spend the visit degrading the profession of pharmacy and accusing my fellow constituents and me of overstepping our scope of practice. I went to my mentor questioning how these people could make laws that govern my practice when they do not even have a true understanding of pharmacy. She challenged me to embrace advocacy involvement to take charge of shaping the profession. My passion for pharmacy policy advocacy was sparked in that moment and has continued to grow ever since. During my third year of pharmacy school, our APhA-ASP Chapter welcomed the student national member at large for an outreach visit. I took the time to share with him my efforts to unite and educate fellow students in pharmacy policy advocacy statewide. He listened intently and offered feedback to help develop my advocacy project. It was after this visit and through his repeated urging that I applied for and was appointed to the APhA-ASP National Policy Standing Committee. It took someone else believing in my potential and encouraging me to take that leap. I was charged with implementing those same policies presented by chapters at MRM and passed at the APhAASP House of Delegates. I had the tools and resources at my fingertips to advocate in Washington D.C. for Pharmacist Provider Status and empower student pharmacists across the nation to do likewise. It was invigorating! While finishing my term on the Policy Standing Committee and preparing to graduate, I was approached by an APhA staff member to continue my involvement as an APhA new practitio-

ner mentor to the University of South Florida (USF). I saw this as the perfect opportunity to “pay it forward.” I could be actively involved in the USF APhA-ASP Chapter, pouring into the students, just as the mentors that guided my journey poured into me. Having

Seeing, firsthand, the positive impact of a local practitioner mentor on a pharmacy campus inspired Resolution 2018-15: Creation of the Position of FPA Practitioner Mentor, which passed in the Florida Pharmacy Association 2018 Annual Meeting House of Dele-

WE DRAW STRENGTH FROM NUMBERS AND ACHIEVE SHARED GOALS WHEN PROPERLY ALIGNED. now served as APhA new practitioner mentor to USF for the past three years, I look at the achievements of individual student leaders and the chapter as a whole and proudly proclaim, “Those are my kids!”

gates. This resolution seeks to harness the power of mentorship to influence each new generation of student pharmacists. Passionate and present FPA practitioner mentors on each campus can help create a culture of Association

involvement and active participation in pharmacy policy advocacy. The intended vision is to instill in student pharmacists the benefits and importance of Association membership and reinforce life-long membership beyond graduation. We draw strength from numbers and achieve shared goals when properly aligned. Mentorship can help make that vision a reality. I humbly ask for your support and participation in this new venture. Help mentor new leaders, help grow membership and help strengthen our voice to advocate for our profession. n

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A Report from the Region 1 Director By Joyanna ‘Joy’ Wright, PharmD, CPh, Region 1 Director

Florida is split into 9 Districts for representation on the Florida Pharmacy Association Board of Directors. I am serving as your Region 1 director, serving northwest Florida, which includes the panhandle all the way east to Baker County (just outside of Jacksonville) and as far south as Alachua and Levy Counties. Currently there are two active local unit associations in this area: Alachua County Association of Pharmacists and Escambia County Pharmacist Association.

AS A DIRECTOR, I MAKE SURE TO BE PRESENT IN THE PHARMACYRELATED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES I SERVE, KEEP ABREAST OF LOCAL ISSUES FACING THE PHARMACY COMMUNITY AND HOLD ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP IN MY LOCAL ASSOCIATION. As a Director, I make sure to be present in the pharmacy-related needs of the communities I serve, keep abreast of local issues facing the pharmacy community and hold active membership in my local association, Alachua County Association of Pharmacists (ACAP), since 2005. I am a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist for Outpatient Pharmacy Services at UFHealth Shands Hospital in Gaines22

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ville. In the spirit of mentorship, I coprecept an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Ambulatory Care Rotation for student pharmacists from UF College of Pharmacy, LECOM and the University of Colorado. I have made sure to prioritize attending all Board of Director meetings for FPA, regional FPA meetings and the FPA Annual Convention. I bring back information to my local unit associations to keep communication open between the Alachua and Escambia pharmacists, and facilitate communication to and from the FPA. This year was my first experience attending the Florida Pharmacists Legislative Days and Health Fair event, which I found to be very informative to understanding the process of getting new legislation passed in Florida. I strongly encourage other pharmacists to take this opportunity and I challenge all the other regional directors to attend the event in Tallahassee in March 2019. This year at the FPA Annual Meeting in Bonita Springs, I received the DCPA Sidney Simkowicz Pharmacy Involvement Award. This meant a great deal to me, because of my time investment and activity in my local unit association, Alachua County. A rewarding experience to network and connect with members of the Association is on the FPA CE at Sea. It’s the perfect balance of learning and relaxation. Alachua County Association of Pharmacists (ACAP) is a very active local association, which has approximately 200 members including pharmacists, technicians and students. ACAP is proud to offer 2 hours of continuing education on the second Tuesday evening of every month between September and May. ACAP supported the Florida Phar-

macists’ Legislative Days and Health Fair by sending 10 pharmacists to the event to lobby and provide supervision of student pharmacists during the Health Fair. ACAP member pharmacists also volunteer at Grace Pharmacy, which is a “free pharmacy” located in Grace Marketplace. For those who may not be aware, Grace Marketplace offers a shelter for area’s homeless population, as well as property designated as a tent city. ACAP also offers scholarships to students and supports the FPA Adopt-A-Student Fund as well as events for students, including a Mock Interview Day to help students prepare for residency and job interviews and a speed dating model interaction for student pharmacists to learn about non-traditional roles in the pharmacy profession. During last year’s October Pharmacist Awareness Month, ACAP board members had proclamations signed by local county leaders recognizing pharmacists in Gainesville, Alachua County and Lake City. Our pharmacy communities are very active in Region 1 and I look forward to continuing to serve their needs, bring issues to the forefront for the FPA and communicate back changes we are making in the leadership to our Region 1 pharmacists in the Alachua and Escambia County local unit associations. ACAP invites all pharmacists and technicians who want to attend to come, membership can be obtained at the door. n For more information, you can check out their website, www.alachuapharmacy.org or their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/alachuacountypharmacyassociation.

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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. 24

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