3 minute read
From the Executive Director
Penny Shelton, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP
Every Voice Matters
In the late 1990’s individuals in leadership for our profession discussed the advantages of forming a merged, single pharmacy association, and in 2000 NCAP was formed. Although individuals may have had different perceptions, the primary reason for the merger was to strengthen the profession by uniting and generating one voice for pharmacy, a voice that would serve to advance the profession. Today there are > 12,000 pharmacists licensed, living and working in North Carolina, > 19,000 registered pharmacy technicians, and > 1,150 student pharmacists in training. Yet, the collective voice of our profession is represented by a vast minority, the equivalent of what some might describe as a collective whisper. Why? I believe it is because the majority are not utilizing the conduit, NCAP, that was established and exists to represent our profession.
NCAP is working hard to change this and to bring to fruition the original vision for our merged Association (i.e., that strong collective voice). The Board of Directors, staff and I are focused on creating greater value and establishing mechanisms for bringing our profession together. One such example is the upcoming 2018 Annual Convention. The second day of the Convention will be unlike any event that NCAP has ever attempted to host. We are devoting the entire day to the issues that are impacting our profession. In the morning we will have individual summits for those who work in hospitals, community, long-term care, ambulatory care, public health, and academia. We will also have specific summits for technicians and student-pharmacists. Each group will identify, prioritize and begin problem-solving discussions around the issues, concerns and opportunities that are viewed as being the most impactful or potentially profession-changing in nature. In the afternoon, we will all come together for a highly interactive session where all the issues identified in the morning summits will be prioritized.
Today our profession is being challenged, even threatened, by many outside influences. Just as true, there are many new opportunities that if we are not engaged, pharmacy may be left behind. Change is inevitable, but historically pharmacy has been somewhat passive, allowing change to happen to us. We have been amazing adaptors over the years, figuring out how to survive, but we need to be more organized and more proactive in order to influence and drive the type of change that we want and need for our profession and patients to thrive. by pharmacy benefit managers, NC Medicaid’s transition to managed care, the work environment, payment for services, or quality performance ratings? Do you see risk or do you see opportunities for the profession through advanced roles and education for technicians, remote verification, telehealth clinical services, and collaborative practice. Have you thought of ways that we can collectively tackle any of these issues? Have you wondered about whether there is something NCAP can do or provide to help with any of these issues or opportunities?
Whether you are a pharmacist, a technician or a student pharmacist, if you have an opinion, if you care about the future of our profession, if you want your voice to be heard, if you want to be a part of the solution to the problems and the opportunities our profession faces, well then, you need to attend the NCAP Annual Convention this year. The theme for Convention will be “Positioning for Influence: From Patient Stories to Pharmacy Vision.” Come set the direction for our profession and be a part of strengthening and positioning your state’s pharmacy association (NCAP) as an influencer—the entity that gets the job done for pharmacy—in North Carolina.
Pharmacy Proud, Penny
