Practice Advancement

HIV Project Expansion to Include Hepatitis C Testing In January of 2019, IPA partnered with communitybased pharmacies across the state in offering HIV testing in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Bureau of HIV, STD and Hepatitis. In addition to HIV testing, this federally funded project also provides funding for HCV testing. IPA is partnering with a community-based pharmacy to add hepatitis C testing in the fall of 2020. Based on statistical data from the Iowa Department of Public Health’s epidemiology report, additional hepatitis C testing is needed in various counties across the state.

The HIV testing project currently includes two cohorts of twelve pharmacies. Due to CDC restrictions placed on pharmacies during COVID-19, the free screenings were paused briefly during the spring.

With the goal of 40 sites providing HIV screenings, IPA is looking to gain more interest in offering testing in the following counties: Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Emmet, Calhoun, Webster, Humboldt, Kossuth, Clarke, Decatur, Wayne, Lucas, Monroe, Appanoose, and Wapello. These are areas of the state that the Iowa Department of Public Health considers focus areas based on their epidemiology reporting.

If you are interested in participating in either project or to learn more, please contact Kellie Staiert, IPA’s Lead Project & Partner Manager at kstaiert@iarx.org.

Mental Health First Aid – Goes Virtual During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Council for Behavioral Health has worked to create a virtual Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course. New curricula including more content on trauma, addiction, and self-care has been developed over the past year and will be utilized in the new online format. Youth MHFA will also have new content discussing the impact of social media.

The virtual MHFA course will have participants complete a two-hour, self-paced class, and then attend a fourhour, instructor-led class through videoconferencing. This course is very timely with the uncertainty and stress that COVID-19 has brought many individuals. MFHA’s campaign, #BeTheDifference, emphasizes the importance of self-care and caring for loved ones during this time.

IPA is working to offer virtual MHFA courses in 2020 in direct response to needs of patients in Iowa. Don’t Forget to Enroll as an Iowa Medicaid Provider After passage of legislation and subsequent Board of Pharmacy regulations, pharmacists can provide access to select medications through statewide protocols. Current protocols allow pharmacists to order and administer naloxone, immunizations, and nicotine replacement therapy. In March 2020, the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) recognized provider type 82 – Pharmacist – allowing pharmacists to enroll as Medicaid providers. As an enrolled provider, pharmacists will be able to bill for and receive direct compensation for providing statewide protocol services. IPA encourages all pharmacists to become educated on the process by closely reviewing Informational Letters from Iowa Medicaid as well as reviewing the July 2020 2/2/2 webinar offered by IPA.

As you begin the process of completing the paperbased application, be sure to collect all necessary items required based on which statewide protocols you plan to participate in. The IME can take up to seven business days (or as quick as 24 business hours) for screening and review, if everything is properly submitted. Any incomplete forms or missing documentation will result in a request letter being sent to the designated contact via mail that can lead to weeks of delay in the application process. To avoid this, locate the following items before starting the application process:

Copy of Iowa Board of Pharmacy License Ensure adequate personal professional liability insurance that covers the statewide protocols Certificate or ACPE-accredited CE program on vaccine/immunization administration Current Basic Life Support training certificate ACPE-accredited CE certificate in vaccines, naloxone, and/or nicotine replacement therapy

*Note CE is required only for protocols you participate in. As a recognized provider, you as the pharmacist, will be labeled as the prescriber on prescription claims relating to products under statewide protocols. You will also receive direct payment for services provided to your patients. Since much is still unknown regarding the actual billing procedures for services under the statewide protocols, watch for communications from IPA in the upcoming weeks and months ahead. ■