NCAP Names Pre-Grassroots Workgroup

NCAP Appoints Pre-Grassroots Workgroup

By Penny Shelton

In 1998 North Carolina became one of the first states in the union to allow collaborative practice agreements between physicians and pharmacists. At the time, to help with the passage of collaborative practice authority (CPA), a number of restrictions were incorporated to help ensure safe implementation of this new type of practice. During the two decades since, the uptake and implementation of collaborative practice has been limited at best. Significant changes have occurred with healthcare in the U.S., including a shortage in primary care providers, greater chronic disease burden and increased overall healthcare costs. Also, pharmacy education has significantly advanced during this same time frame, including the transition to the Doctor of Pharmacy as the entry-level degree, and multiple ACPE standards and guideline revisions designed to ensure pharmacists are taught the fundamentals of disease management and ongoing monitoring of treatment. It is time for North Carolina to modify its CPA statute to enable optimum use of collaborative practice agreements in all care settings and to improve access to care for patients by reducing barriers and making it easier for physicians and pharmacists to engage in collaborative practice agreements.

The North Carolina Association of Pharmacists appointed a workgroup to conduct pre-grassroots work on our collaborative practice authority. Workgroup members are noted below. The group began their work on November 20th, and they are charged with identifying the pivotal elements of the statute for which a new bill is needed along with the messaging that NCAP will use in advocating for change. The workgroup is also charged with identifying teams of physicians and pharmacists willing to share their collaborative care experience with legislators and others. Watch the NCAP Enews for “Calls to Action” and other information related to this and other important advocacy issues.

NCAP CPA Pre-Grassroots Workgroup

Amina Abubakar Olivia Bentley Patrick Brown Jennifer Burch Matt Gibson Cathy Huie Jerry McKee Cortney Mospan Dave Phillips Mollie Scott Betsy Shilliday