•From the Executive Director• Penny Shelton, PharmD, CGP, FASCP
lina. Although part two of my road trip, over these next few months, will center on meetings with as many health systems and local pharmacy associations as possible, my time on the road Along this journey, when measured in days, there will be good will be spent speaking with, and listening to, pharmacists days when great strides are New Year, New Beginnings: made, such as the recent work and pharmacy technicians in all Recasting Our Brand practice settings. One of the with some of our volunteer leaders on our advocacy agenda messages that I am conveying Welcome to 2017! I hope that while on the road is that NCAP and the planning for our Pharyour new year is off to a great is a membership association, and macy Legislative Day. Other start. Perhaps you have even membership associations exist days, there will be some hits been fortunate enough to take to help their members. What that we absorb along the way, a break to reflect back on 2016 are you facing in your day-tosuch as this past Fall when a and reminisce a bit. Here with- Chicago Tribune article regardday work, business, service or in the NCAP office, I have found ing pharmacists got national practice for which the Associa1 or been confronted with various attention , and in the November tion can help? NCAP is underissues or concerns for which issue of JAMA, where an article going a transformation centered contemplating our past has been showed an increasing problem on rebuilding value - getting helpful for planning and anticiback to our roots for why we with outpatient adverse drug pating our future as an Associa- events resulting in emergency formed in the first place and tion. First and foremost, I want department visits.2 The probbuilding a modern service modyou to know that I am thorlems addressed in both of these el for today’s members’ needs. oughly enjoying my job servpublications are areas for which ing as your Executive Director. pharmacists can improve and I am an avid reader, but I do Every day in the office or on the can create positive impact. Our enjoy a good televised action road is different. The members, work nationally and locally on and drama series. However, in volunteer leaders, staff, and provider status designation and this era of streaming and onstakeholders are some of the demand shows, it is rare that I broadening of collaborative most passionate and amazing practice authority will hopefully catch many commercials. Yet, people. Serving and represent- lead to greater opportunities one that did catch my attention ing you is the rewarding part for pharmacists to generate this was the Lincoln MDK commerof the job. I will admit that the positive impact in patient care. cial in which you hear Matthew number of issues, the amount McConaughey say “sometimes However, it is still up to pharof work that needs to be done, you need to go back to actually macists to rise to the task. and the diversity of problems move forward.” The choice of and needs can be taxing, albeit This past week I kicked off part McConaughey and the use of a even a bit overwhelming from two of my #NCPharmacy road quote that examines one’s past time to time. These are times was an intentional partnership trip and headed out to several that I just remind myself to between an actor who had to places in western North Carotake a deep breath and that NCAP is, and therefore I am, on a journey best taken one step at a time.
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