Legislative Day

2017 NCAP Legislative Day Review

Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians from a variety of practice settings and schools united as a profession in Raleigh on March 22, 2017 to advocate for numerous issues that influence patient care, pharmacists, and pharmacies. The day was highlighted with legislative meetings, the student pharmacists-led health fair, facilitated discussion groups, and a reception at the North Carolina Museum of History. The NCAP Policy and Advocacy Committee scheduled appointments with legislators for 37 pharmacists and student pharmacists, along with additional appointments being conducted throughout the day that were not scheduled by the committee. Approximately 90 attendees, consisting of equal numbers of pharmacists and student pharmacists, met with 33 Senators and Representatives as individuals or groups to advocate for pharmacyrelated issues. Among these were the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act (H.243/S.175), the Pharmacy Patient Fair Practices Act (H.466/S.384), Require Criminal Background Check/Pharmacist Licensure Bill (S.104), and the importance of pharmacists’ collaborative practice authority expansion. H.243 passed the House on April 10, 2017and passed to the Senate as S.175, where it was referred to the Rules Committee on April 11, 2017. H.466 and S.384 passed the House and the Senate on April 26, 2017 with each being sent to the appropriate chamber for concurrence. In order to continue following the updates on the bills, please visit the North Carolina General Assembly website (www.ncleg.net). Near the top right of the website, you may type in the bill number to see the most updated status of the bill. While legislative meetings were being conducted, student pharmacists led the charge, under direct supervision of licensed pharmacists, in offering pointof-care testing and providing education surrounding diabetes, hypertension, medication disposal/storage, contraception, opioid abuse and naloxone, and immunizations. Additionally, student pharmacists provided legislators and staffers with advocacy briefs, which discussed the role of a pharmacist in the respective provision of care. The NCAP Student Pharmacist Network was well represented with student pharmacists from The University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Wingate University School of Pharmacy, Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and High Point University Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy. Student pharmacists’ presence is fundamental in Pharmacy Legislative Day as their activities demonstrate the value of pharmacists’ clinical services and allow for the discussion of advocacy issues. Upon completion of the events at the Legislative Building, pharmacists attended facilitated discussion groups which encompassed numerous topics from a variety of practice settings. Topics included Pharmacists’ Role in the Opioid Epidemic, CPESNUSASM: Revising the Community Pharmacy Practice Model, Reimbursement for Pharmacy Services, Developing and Maintaining Transitions in Care Services, Current Issues with Biosimilars, Naloxone Standing Order Implementation and Practice Challenges, Areas of Potential Community Pharmacists Expansion via Protocols/Standing Orders, and Quality Metrics Impact on Pharmacy Practice. The Policy and Advocacy Committee is reviewing discussion notes for each topic to distinguish resources, education, and grassroots advocacy for which NCAP may be able to assist. We thank all who were involved with making this a successful Pharmacy Legislative Day, including pharmacists and student pharmacists who attended to advocate for our profession and to display clinical services that we offer. We greatly appreciate our sponsors who ensured the event’s success: The Associa-

tion of Community Pharmacists, The North Carolina Association of Pharmacists, and The North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. The Policy and Advocacy Committee looks forward to serving you and our profession. Please contact Cortney Mospan (c.mospan@wingate.edu), committee chair, if we can assist in any way. Several pictures from Pharmacy Legislative Day follow. Cody Clifton, PharmD, is a PGY1 Community Pharmacy Resident at Moose Professional Pharmacy and The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.