From the Executive Director

Penny Shelton, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP

The Architecture of Success

It is a beautiful September day as I write this column. Earlier this morning, I wrote a letter to Governor Cooper. This was the second letter, in as many months, asking for his support to sign one of our bills into law. Since March of this year, we have succeeded in getting the General Assembly to pass three of the five pieces of legislation we had introduced in this session.

The new laws have multiple provisions, including new authorities for pharmacists and technicians and improved access to care and protections for patients. Our legislative wins had me thinking about our journey and the concept of ‘architecture of success’.

Regarding our legislative work, prior to 2019, NCAP had not had much of a presence on Jones Street for many years. This absence of activity put us at a disadvantage and made us an underdog, for sure. How could NCAP prevail? First, I think it was important to embrace our underdog status and recognize that any win would be a great feat, given the strength of our opposition, and that NCAP would have to work hard to develop allies on both sides of the aisle, as well as in both the House and Senate. We also would need a strong advocacy plan, with issues that pharmacy found important and would resonate with others. Of course, just as important would be the need for patience, hard work, and persistence!

However, for our Association, a true ‘architecture of success’ would need to incorporate a blueprint far beyond just our advocacy work. For those of you that have been members for at least five years, you may remember we implemented a ‘blueprint’ for how our Association would make decisions and on what we would concentrate our energy and resources. This included maintaining a fluid or dynamic strategic plan, and our blueprint for paving success introduced three key operational tenets. I have not referred to these tenets in a while, but this column is the perfect opportunity to share them with our members again. Essentially, everything that NCAP does must further our mission and bring us closer to our vision, as well as meet one or more of the following:

• Build awareness about the Association and the role of pharmacists/ technicians. • Create meaningful value for our members.

• Generate a voice for the profession.

NCAP is working hard to proactively create our future versus reacting and adapting to the blows we are dealt as a profession. I know we will still need to be nimble, and there will always be a need to adapt; but, there is some bite in this underdog now. We have a stick-to-itiveness for which we hope our members are proud.

Malcolm Gladwell is credited with saying, “being an underdog changes people in ways that we often fail to appreciate. It ... creates opportunities … and permits things that might otherwise have seemed unthinkable.” For some time, people had lost faith in NCAP, and they questioned our ability to make a difference. Hopefully, it is now evident that there is both scrappiness and sophistication to NCAP! We have a plan, and we are doggedly determined to get results! We are delivering on our promises! We are generating value for our members, getting wins for our profession, and creating new resources and opportunities along the way.

We have three new, specialized conferences planned for this fall, one for student pharmacists, one for pharmacy technicians, and an anti-infective conference. Also new and exciting is a formal partnership with CPESN-NC. Closer alignment of our organizations will strengthen our ability to execute contracts with payers in our state. This October, our Health System Practice Academy will be writing a strategic plan to better position NCAP for meeting the needs of our hospital pharmacist members.

Currently, the Association is coordinating a number of volunteer teams. They will be working on drafting standing orders, and creating education and training to provide nicotine replacement therapies, birth control, HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, prenatal vitamins, Glucagon, and the administration of long-acting injectable medications.

In this issue, you will find information on two new initiatives. The first is the official launch and opening of the application process for the Fellow Practitioner designation with our Association, the FNCAP credential. This is an opportunity for NCAP members (pharmacists and technicians) who have excelled in practice and given back to the Association to be formally recognized and credentialed as a Fellow within the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists.

The second initiative began last year when our New Practitioner Forum (NPF) launched “Leadership Buzz,” a leadership professional development program. It was incredibly successful, so this year, the NPF is adding a financial series, “Financial Buzz,” for early-career pharmacists, too. Financial Buzz kicks off this month, and Leadership Buzz will begin in October. If you graduated from pharmacy school in 2015 or after, please sign up and take advantage of both of these programs.

NCAP is keeping the big picture in mind, and that isyou, our members! We have a sound blueprint, an ‘architecture of success,’ which is definitely delivering results! I hope you enjoy this issue.

Pharmacy Proud, Penny

FELLOWFELLOW PRACTITIONERPRACTITIONER RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION PROGRAMPROGRAM

Check the Professional Development section of our website for more information and to learn how to apply!

In an effort to promote, sustain, and foster the advancement of pharmacy practice across the state, NCAP is providing a Fellow Practitioner Recognition Program for Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician members in all areas of practice settings.

Awarding NCAP Fellow status (FNCAP) is one means by which NCAP fosters and rewards demonstrated excellence in the practice of pharmacy.

Now accepting applications!

Priority deadline: March 18, 2022