PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE Over the next few months, you will get a chance to read the feelings and dealings of myself as they relate to Our Association and Profession. I want to preface these articles with a few ground rules. First and foremost, if you don’t know me, I am on almost every social media platJoel Thornbury form and am pretty much an open book, especially when it President, KPhA comes to our Profession. I’m proud of it, and it resonates and connects with so many of us. I will be one of your loudest supporters (GO YOU!!!), but that also means I reserve the right to ask questions. Hopefully, my questions will spur thought and perspective. One of the things you need to know about me is my mind is always going on ways to improve our Association and our Profession, especially as it relates to you applying your skills toward improved patient care.
“Our Association is here to represent ALL our colleagues. I will try my best to make it that way also.” Second, if you are mad or upset with what I write, that’s perfectly OK! I’m not asking you to agree with everything I say. Please note, all the writings are my own opinion and may not correlate with the view of The Association. However, I will ask you to ask yourself, are you angry at my words or at the situation that we have allowed occurring? Are you upset because I will ask you to do something different or not in your usual manner? Or are you upset because my words challenge your current thinking or belief? Third, I will push you to get Outside of Your Box (OYB) or comfort zone. My mother and father always taught my siblings and me to be as prepared as possible, try not to panic if you aren’t, and to deal with the new adventure in the best way. Admittedly, there were times in life when our nerves were stressed, but we always put our faith in God and each other, and things seemed to work out in the end. I can remember my mom saying, “Keep the Faith!” and that motto stays
with me today when I face tough challenges. Fourth, my columns will generally all be in the digital media format, but I do believe in “Letters to the President or Executive Director.” If you have a feeling one way or another, write that puppy down and send it in! We traditionally aren’t a very vocal profession, so I’m trying to nudge everyone to become a smidge more vocal. I need your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. I need your voices. We need voices. Finally, I will mention my primary practice area (Community Retail) occasionally, but only out of convenience. I have experience in many areas of our Profession and have no allegiance to one while I’m sitting in this position. Our Association is here to represent ALL our colleagues. I will try my best to make it that way also. So here we go. TOGETHER, Pharmacy Wins! TOGETHER! Yes, TOGETHER is the catch phrase of today. If you haven’t heard it yet from an advertisement, just step back a moment. You will realize all the new ads use it as their core. Everywhere I turn, tune, and look, there seems to be this word: TOGETHER. I heard another new advertisement today from a local hospital system out of southern West Virginia. Advertisers, especially in health care, seem to have fallen head over heels in love with the word. Well, I’m not a marketer, and since the professionals seem to find it the word that can get their idea and message across, then who am I to not take it out for a trot. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines TOGETHER as: Adverb: in or into one place, mass, collection, or group; in or into contact, connection, collision, or union; at one time; by combined action; with each other (as a unit: in the aggregate, considered as a whole). Adjective: (Slang) Mentally and emotionally stable and well organized (Merriam-Webster). Does anyone see the similarities of the definition and a profession? Who doesn’t feel some comradery with your colleague, no matter the practice site? Do we not come together respectfully at meetings to learn as one? Have you ever tried to fill a glass of water one drop at a time? Isn’t it easier and quicker when you have a stream of those drops flowing together? Why should we continue to fight for recognition of what we are and
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