PA Pharmacist July/August Issue

The official publication of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID HARRISBURG PA PERMIT NO 533

July/August 2013 z Volume 94 z Issue 4

2013 PPA Annual Conference September 26-29, 2013 in Gettysburg, PA! www.papharmacists.com

Receive two NEW programs From the Compliance Assistance Suite of Programs

PPA Board of Directors PPA Officers: President: J. Scott Miskovsky, RPh President-Elect: Eric R. Esterbrook, RPh First Vice President: Donna Hazel, RPh Second Vice President: Eric Pusey, RPh, CDE Immediate Past President: Robert B. Frankil, RPh Regional Directors: Central: Janet Getzey Hart, R.Ph. Northeast: Jonathan D. Ference, PharmD, BCPS Northwest: Elliott Cook, PharmD, BCPS Southeast: Nick Leon, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP Southwest: Lauren Simko, PharmD Academy Directors: Academy of Alternative Pharmacy Practice: Jamie McConaha, PharmD Academy of Pharmacy Technicians: Jennifer L. Simpson, CPhT Academy of Chain Pharmacists: Stephanie Harriman McGrath, PharmD Academy of Community Pharmacists: Martin J. Kendra, RPh Academy of Health System Pharmacists: Paul T. Kocis, PharmD, FASCP Academy of Long Term Care and Consultant Pharmacists: Brant Gahr, RPh Academy of Pharmacy Industry Association: Todd Eury Academy of Student Pharmacists: Kyle McCormick PPA Office Staff: CEO: Patricia A. Epple, CAE pepple@papharmacists.com Ext. 3 Communications Coordinator: Erika Butts ebutts@papharmacists.com Ext. 2 Membership Coordinator: Corey Wenger cwenger@papharmacists.com Ext. 1 Program Coordinator: Sara Powers spowers@papharmacists.com Ext. 4 Government Relations Manager: Donald L. Smith, III Ext. 6 dsmith@papharmacists.com

Our Vision

Pennsylvania pharmacists will be recognized, engaged, and fairly compensated as health-care providers.

Our Mission

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, as the leading voice of pharmacy, promotes the profession through advocacy, education, and communication to enhance patient care and public health.

Pennsylvania

Departments

MAGAZINE

Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Member News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Features Community Pharmacy Spotlight Robert T. Henry Pharmacy – Meeting the Needs of the Shippensburg Community Since 1875 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 PPA Member Profile: Summer Bruchwalski, PharmD . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 (717) 234-6151 Fax: (717) 236-1618 www.papharmacists.com ppa@papharmacists.com www.facebook.com/PAPharmacy www.twitter.com/papharmacists

Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation: Stephanie Smith Cooney, PharmD, . . . 14

Pennsylvania Pharmacist (ISSN 0031-4633) is the official publication of the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Association d/b/a Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and is published every other month, six times per year. Annual subscription is $100 for non-members; for members it is included in the annual dues. Editorial information should be addressed to the PPA address listed above. Peer reviewed articles accepted according to the stated guidelines available from PPA.

PPA Election Results for 2013 – 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Editorial Board: Tara L. Pummer, PharmD, Chairman Hershey S. Bell, M.D., M.S., FAAFP Stephanie Smith Cooney, PharmD Bernard Graham, PhD Brian S. Plager, RPh, MBA Associate Editor: Erika Butts Editor/Manager: Pat Epple Published by: Graphtech Sarah DiCello, Publications Manager (717) 238-5751 sarah@thinkgraphtech.com For Advertising Information: Alexis Kierce, Account Manager (717) 238-5751 alexis@thinkgraphtech.com Designed by: Graphtech Pharmacist State Board of Pharmacy Members: Edward J. Bechtel, R.Ph. – Independent Community Gayle A. Cotchen, PharmD., MBA – Institutional Pauline Montgomery, R.Ph. – Independent Community Theresa M. Talbott, R.Ph. – Chain Community Mark J. Zilner, R.Ph. – Chain Community

Tools of the Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Association News PharmPAC – Protecting the Interests of Pharmacy and Pharmacists in Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Congratulations, 2013 PPA Graduates! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Congratulations to the 2013 Recipients of the PPA Outstanding Student Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Where Are They Now: Updates from the 2012 PPA Outstanding Student Award Recipients. . 25 Student SIG Grants Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 PPA Residency Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 PPA Educational Foundation Announces Grant Opportunities . . . . . . . 27 Pharmacy Technician Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 PPA Member Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Industry News Quick Adherence Experiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Secure Your Pharmacy from the INSIDE OUT: Guarding against Internal Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

2013 Board of Pharmacy Meeting Dates: July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 10

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 3

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Departments

J. Scott Miskovsky, RPh PPA President 2013-2014

Article Head Message fromGoes the President Here

I

t is my very special privilege In preparation for my presidency and honor to begin my term I have participated in several as president of the PPA. I thank committee meetings and attended outgoing President Rob Frankil various conferences over the for his hard work and dedication past year, such as APhA in Los to pharmacy over the past year.

Angeles and the NASPA Leadership He has been a terrific role model Conference in Washington. Both and deserves a thank you from the committee meetings and all of us. Without his advice and conferences provided me with a support my transition better understanding would have been of the mission and I thank outgoing much more difficult. vision of PPA. I President Rob I will always value believe that PPA is Frankil for his hard his friendship and well positioned to work and dedication guidance. move forward based to pharmacy over It is not possible on the dedications of to achieve such a the past year. He has the outstanding Board position as President of Directors, focused been a terrific role of PPA without the model and deserves committee members, encouragement, a thank you from all growing membership, advice, and support financial strength, of us. of many individuals. and scholarship from I do not consider our members. It is the presidency a my vision that PPA “one-man” show, but rather a will continue to provide improved collaborative effort that requires services to our members and the constant input and feedback community that we serve. from the membership, board As president, my goals for the of directors, and our pharmacy upcoming year are numerous. partners. Several individuals work First and foremost PPA has several painstakingly throughout the year ongoing projects: • Developing a network of for PPA and because of their hard pharmacies to deliver MTM work PPA is well positioned to services throughout the state will move forward.

be ongoing. PPA will continue to be innovative in this area since this network will provide great potential for our members.

• PPA will continue on a legislative journey promoting bills that provide for PBM transparency, expansion of pharmacist’s scope of immunization, and fair audit practices.

As your president, it is of utmost importance for me to guide these projects to completion.

Another personal goal is to continue to build our membership to achieve a greater level of participation, which in turn will provide greater financial stability for PPA. Continuing to pursue “provider status” under the Social Security/Medicare umbrella is especially important to me as your president. Fostering relationships with leading organizations that share in the mutual interests of PPA is also of great significance to me.

I look forward to serving you as PPA president for 2013. I would like to invite all of you to become more involved in PPA and your future as a pharmacist. Although PPA is a great organization I believe that together we can make it even better. z

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 5

Departments Thank You to Our Corporate Partners These companies support PPA activities throughout the year.

DIAMOND LEVEL

GOLD LEVEL

SILVER LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

PCCA Names our Joe Bettinger Pharmacist of the Month!

Joe tells us that he loves problem-solving and helping people. For him, the best part about making medicines is visiting with doctors and partnering to help their hard-totreat patients.

He also loves to learn, and is constantly looking for ways to educate himself and his team. Since purchasing the pharmacy in 2000, Joe has also become very active in the local community.

PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America) is an independent compounding pharmacy’s complete resource for fine chemicals, devices, equipment, training & support. It’s an honor to be recognized by PCCA!

Calendar of Events July

10

12 13-17 26-27 August

6 10-13

15 21-23 September 22-24 26-29

26 October

1-4 12-13 12-16 16-18 November 20-22

21 December 8-12

Community Pharmacy Strategic Marketing Plan Development CE Webinar ACPA President’s Dinner AACP Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL PPA Board of Directors and Student Board Meeting and Leadership Retreat Health System Pharmacists Lunch & Learn CE Webinar NACDS Total Store Expo, Las Vegas, NV Adolescent Vaccinations and the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program CE Webinar ASHP Residency Preceptors Conference, Washington D.C. ACCP Annual Meeting, Bethesda, MD PPA Annual Conference, Gettysburg, PA PPA Board of Directors American Pharmacists Month ACPE CPE 2013 Conference, Minneapolis, MN NASPA Fall Meeting, Orlando, FL NCPA Annual Conference, Orlando, FL AMCP Educational Conference, San Antonio, TX ASCP Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Seattle, WA PPA Board of Directors ASHP Mid Year Clinical Meeting, Orlando, FL

For additional events and PPA committee meetings be sure to see our Calendar of Events on the PPA website!

6 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

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6/7/13 3:43 PM

Departments Department

Member News Pennsylvania Pharmacist Testified on Behalf of NCPA

T

im Davis, RPh, owner of Beaver Health Mart Pharmacy in Beaver, Pa., testified on behalf of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) at the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing on track-and-trace legislation on April 25, 2013. Tim focused on the need for more uniform standards; expressed concerns about potentially burdensome legislative requirements on small business community pharmacies; and highlighted how pharmacies are already addressing the problem.

Pharmacists Meet with Senator Pat Toomey’s Regional Director Joe Bettinger, owner of Hieber’s Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, and John Donehoo, Clinical Pharmacist at Montifiore Hospital, recently welcomed Katelyn King, Senator Pat Toomey’s Regional Manager, to Hieber’s Pharmacy for

8 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

a tour and discussion. “I gave her a tour of the pharmacy, showed her where and how we prepare sterile products, the record keeping, the sterility testing records for in-house testing and outside lab testing as well as the potency testing at an outside lab,” said Bettinger.

Bettinger also stated, “We looked at various equipment like our new autoclave that gives a printout of time, temperature, and pressure and then our dry heat oven for sterilizing and depyrogenation glassware. We looked at our various pieces of equipment such as our powder hood (which is inspected every 12 months) and our Laminar Flow Glove box (inspected every 6 months) as well as our ointment mill, homogenizer, electric mortar and pestle, and capsule machine.

I showed her how we test the technique of our pharmacy technicians to ensure the capsule weight is within the proper limits.

Our on-going education through PCCA is invaluable as we not only get chemicals and equipment from them but also training through webinars and workshops at various locations. We have a relationship with the patient and physician and that makes us very different from a manufacturer.”

Additionally, John Donehoo met with Katelyn to discuss various statewide and federal issues. “I felt that the issue of advancing pharmacists professional services was pertinent at both a state and federal level. We discussed the

various published literature and practice-based experience which has shown that when a pharmacist gets involved, overall healthcare costs go down while quality and patient safety improve,” said Donehoo.

Permanent Collections Boxes for Prescription Medications Placed in Montgomery County Immediate Past President of the BucksMont Pharmacist Association, Bruce Sigman, (far right) recently participated in the announcement of permanent collection boxes for prescription medications that will be located around Montgomery County. The event was held at the Abington Police Station.

With Sympathy It is with sympathy that PPA shares that long-time friend of Pharmacy and past PARD President and Executive Director Raymond Fleisher has passed away. z

Departments

New Members P

PA welcomes the following New Members who joined the association April 3, 2013 – June 3, 2013.

Please make these new members feel welcome and part of Pennsylvania pharmacy!

Active Pharmacist Kelly Bobby North Huntingdon

Arvilla Enck Wiley’s Pharmacy of Strasburg Strasburg

Stephen Zelinsky CVS Pharmacy Blandon

Desiree Bouchaud Acme Pharmacy Sewell

Melissa Hickey CVS Pharmacy Warrington

Corporate

George Brody Brockie Healthcare Inc.

Mark Pimley The Compounding Pharmacist West Chester

Jonathan Brookland Parkwood - Street Road Pharmacy Bensalem Dana DiMatteo Medicine Shoppe Oakmont Joseph DiMatteo Medicine Shoppe Oakmont

Judith Czigler Kinray Whitestone, NY

Technician

Student Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at USP Antonella Frattarelli

Maria Baker

University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

Laura Boni

Corey Karadeema

Dane Farrell

Wilkes University Nesbitt College of Pharmacy

Simon George Bobby Gwin

Lee Segal CVS Pharmacy Newtown

Amy Curtis Williams Apothecary Lancaster

Kelsie Constable

Jeffrey Piccirilli

Alexandria King

Joshua Shaub

John Talamo PMC Pharmacy Horsham

Charles Koup Fortis Institute- Scranton Scranton

LECOM School of Pharmacy

We sincerely thank everyone who has helped recruit a member and for helping make PPA stronger!

Peter Terreri CVS/Pharmacy #8498 Ambler

Jennifer Oster Williams Apothecary

Ashley King Beth Miller

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Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 9

We set you apart from the competition Value Drug Company, incorporated in 1936, is a wholesale purchasing cooperative soon moving to our new distribution center at 195 Theater Drive in Duncansville, PA. We are a full line distributor founded by independent pharmacists, and to this day, we continue to only service independent pharmacies. We don’t make money from our members, we make money for them!

Here’s what one of our member’s had to say….

world where large corporations “andIn amega wholesalers are looking at the short term bottom line in order to increase their profits, Value Drug Company is an example of a company that takes a long term view with the best interest of its shareholder pharmacies in mind.

“

Multi pharmacy Value Drug Owner NW PA

Our New Distribution Center and Specialty Pharmacy fulfills our ongoing commitment in offering our members the best value in products and services obtained in today’s competitive marketplace. Combining your strength with ours together, we form a more powerful distribution channel to help you service your customers’ needs.

Value Specialty Pharmacy: • Services provided at no cost to you and no patient loss to mail order specialty pharmacies on remainder of patient profile • Access to limited drug distribution networks • Access to high cost drugs that you choose not to stock in inventory • Access to insurance/PBM payers for specialty networks • Providing specialty drugs and billing • Drugs shipped directly to your pharmacy for patient pick up or delivery • Enables your pharmacy to promote new professional service to local physicians

follow us on www.ValueWorldConnect.com

If independent pharmacy is your business and we’re not partners, contact Karla Moschella, VP Sales & Marketing today at 800-252-3786 ext. 126 to discuss how we can make you more profitable.

toll free: 800-252-3786 | fax: 814-944-9553 www.valuedrugco.com

Features

Community Pharmacy Spotlight

Robert T. Henry Pharmacy – Meeting the Needs of the Shippensburg Community Since 1875 By: Abbie Morgan, PharmD Candidate 2013, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy

E

stablished in 1875, Robert T. Henry Pharmacy, known as Henry’s Pharmacy to the Shippensburg community, is one of the oldest pharmacies in Pennsylvania. Henry’s Pharmacy was founded by Dr. W. DeHayes and has passed through various ownerships over the past century.

Current owner, Tom Johnston Jr., RPh shared a list of the previous pharmacy owners: 1896 - 1899 Dr. B.F. Myers 1899 - 1907 Ed C. Keefer 1907 - 1908 Dr. William Elliott 1908 - 1925 Guy Staver 1925 - 1935 Harry E. Walker 1935 - 1941 Guy Staver and

Paul A. Van Allman 1941 - 1964 Paul A. Van Allman 1964 - 1985 Robert T. Henry 1985 - Present Tom Johnston

In 1985, Robert T. Henry quietly approached Tom Johnston, a part-time pharmacist at his store, about purchasing the pharmacy.

Tom agreed, and on Monday July 1, 1985, Robert T. Henry Pharmacy silently passed from Robert T. Henry to Tom Johnston. Tom’s acquisition of Henry’s was so quiet that even the most frequent customers were unaware of the

change in ownership 12 years later.

The longest individual owner in the history of Henry’s, Tom Johnston is a genuine person and that personality shines through in the pharmacy. Currently his Continued on page 12

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 11

Features Community Pharmacy Spotlight

Continued from page 11

pharmacy, Henry’s, provides prescription services such as assistance in cost containment, individualized education, free delivery within the borough, delivery outside the borough with a minimal charge and clinical monitoring of chronic disease states such as diabetes.

Tom makes it a point to only provide products and services that are safe and effective for his patients. Not only does Tom provide exceptional pharmaceutical services, he also looks for unmet needs in his community and creates new services to meet those needs. Tom realized that his community had a large population who had an unmet pharmaceutical need, the “church community.”

Shippensburg has a vast population of Amish and Mennonite families who lack insurance and access to assistance for prescription medication costs. To better serve his community, Tom provides a discount card to help reduce the patients cost, assists patients in enrolling in free medication programs, and coordinates with the Cumberland Valley Parochial Family Medical Practice for Amish and Mennonites. He also delivers medications directly to the patient’s home for improved access to medications, and provides individualized education to patients in their homes. The pharmacists at Henry’s, including owner Tom Johnston, are also in the process of becoming immunization certified and setting up immunization clinics

12 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

to better protect his community from preventable diseases.

However, the most amazing part about Henry’s Pharmacy is the friendly atmosphere provided by the staff, who make it a point to personally know each customer, take the time to deliver medications on their way home from a long day at work and stay involved in community events.

Tom gives credit to his staff for getting Robert T. Henry Pharmacy involved in community events such as the Dickens Day Parade. The theme for the parade this year was The Polar Express. The staff from Henry’s Pharmacy designed a float and, while dressed in pajamas, rode on the float along with their families. Henry’s Pharmacy also sponsors various club athletic teams in the Shippensburg area to promote healthy activity for children.

Being an exceptional pharmacist, providing quality pharmaceutical services and being involved in the

community do not solely keep an independent pharmacy alive.

Owners must adapt their pharmacy to the ever changing healthcare system, battle with insurance companies for payment, and invest great amounts of time and effort.

Every independent community pharmacy owner knows the hassles that come with running their own business; however, when asked what the challenges are to owning an independent community pharmacy, Tom replied, “The gratification that you get from helping people overshadows any negativity.”

Henry’s pharmacy is a shining example of the true role of a community pharmacist that has persevered even in the explosion of chain pharmacies by providing exceptional and individualized patient care, servicing unmet needs of the community, and creating strong relationships with every patient. z

Features

PPA Member Profile Summer Bruchwalski, PharmD Pharmacy/Practice Site: Healthcare Consultant at Pharmacy Healthcare Solutions, Inc. and Part-Time Immunizing Pharmacist at Rite Aid Education: Northeastern University, Boston, MA

The expanded role of pharmacists as healthcare practitioners. I can remember when I would go to the pharmacy with my dad; it was very much a dispensing role.

Within in the past 5-10 years and with the expansion of pharmacist immunizations, pharmacists have really taken on an active role in patient care, and I only see that role continuing to expand.

What made you choose the profession of pharmacy?

My dad is a pharmacist, so when What is the most important piece I was probably about seven years of advice you would give a new old, I decided I was going to be pharmacist on their first day of work? a pharmacist. As I grew older and Have an open-mind and don’t had an interest in science and be afraid to ask questions. In math, I realized that pharmacy pharmacy we are life-long learners really is a good fit and you have to for me. I’ve kind remember that from Within in the past of known all along day one, you are 5-10 years and it was the industry always going to with the expansion I wanted to get have questions and of pharmacist involved with. there’s always going to be a new piece of immunizations, What do you like information that you pharmacists have most about being a didn’t know before. really taken on an pharmacist? active role in patient I think it’s a good What made you decide care, and I only see position to be in right to join PPA? that role continuing now because it is I initially joined PPA to expand. constantly changing. after attending the It’s a field where you law review course. can get involved with so many Because I went to school in different aspects of health care Massachusetts, I knew all of the and with the health care system.

Massachusetts laws. I found out I really enjoy the broad reach of about this course through PPA pharmacy. and I signed up for it and learned so much about law. I also knew I During your career, what do you wanted to be more involved with believe to be the single most a pharmacy organization to get significant advancement in pharmacy? me acclimated with Pennsylvania

law versus Massachusetts law. I wanted to know more about the law in the state that I was going to be practicing in. PPA seemed like a great way to do this.

One of my colleagues, Melissa Krause, is very involved with ACPA (Allegheny County Pharmacists Association) and I started going to meetings with her. I’ve since become very involved in ACPA. I’ve always been the sort of person who seeks out a leadership role.

As President-Elect of ACPA, I am looking forward to my term as President beginning in July.

What are you looking forward to in your term as President of ACPA? I’m looking forward to getting ACPA more involved in the community and building membership. Anyone who is involved in ACPA knows I have a giant list of things I want to accomplish.

Continued on page 16

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 13

Features

Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation Brought to you by the PPA Educational Foundation. Pharmacists…Advancing patient care!

The Foundation regularly showcases profiles of pharmacists who are involved in innovative patient care or pharmacy practice.

Name of Pharmacist: Stephanie Smith Cooney, PharmD, President and Immunizing Pharmacist, Gatti Pharmacy Graduate of: Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Site Description: Gatti Pharmacy, Indiana, PA www.gattirx.com Stephanie describes Gatti Pharmacy as a “modern community pharmacy.” The pharmacy is located in downtown Indiana, PA, and has been part of the community for more than 80 years.

Stephanie became a partner in the business in 2005 and in 2010 she became the President and sole owner of the pharmacy.

Innovative and Other Services Provided: Stephanie shared that she has a passion for innovation and making sure that her pharmacy stays modern. She meets these goals by engaging in patient care, providing adherence programs and patient care initiatives, implementing quality care measures and by providing an immunization practice

14 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

that includes an extensive travel vaccine program. The pharmacy also collaborates with nursing agencies, the local hospital and physician groups.

One other area that the pharmacy excels in is social media. Their current Marketing Director, a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, manages the social media vehicles for the pharmacy through Hoot Suite, a social media dashboard. The pharmacy has also recently created a Twitter account and they are using that to try to engage the college student base in Indiana.

Why Stephanie Chose to Advance Her Practice: For those that attended PPA’s 2013 Mid-Year Conference, you may remember that Stephanie hosted a CE program titled Trains, Planes, and Vaccines: A Journey into the World of Travel Medicine. During this CE program Stephanie shared information on the benefits of incorporating travel medicine into a community immunization practice, as well as advice about starting a travel vaccine program at your pharmacy. Conference attendees found this CE program so beneficial PPA also offered it as a CE webinar in May. Stephanie shared that the expansion of the travel vaccine

program at her pharmacy was a gradual one. “When pharmacists could administer vaccinations, we got licensed as soon as we could,” Stephanie said. The vaccination program started by initially filling market need, and as that need was met, the program expanded.

Stephanie then received her yellow fever stamp, which she describes as “the lynch pin of travel vaccines.”

After receiving that stamp she felt their travel vaccination program was solidified and they could really emphasize that the pharmacy was a travel vaccine provider.

Advice for others about implementing a travel vaccine program: Stephanie had this advice for pharmacists looking to expand their travel program. “The CDC website is hands down the best resource; we use that site for so many different things,” she said.

She also recommends utilizing the Immunization Action Coalition website, http://www.immunize. org/.

One last piece of advice she shared is to reach out to someone who Continued on page 16

Features

Tools of the Trade By: Anita Pothen, PharmD ‘14

F

rom the beginning of our professional education, student pharmacists are provided with a science-enriched foundation upon which the principles of pharmacy and therapeutics are built. As this education flourishes, the apprentice pharmacist acquires a standard “tool kit” made up of therapeutic principles and clinical pearls, designed to be utilized in practice. Before effectively utilizing these tools as well as others, it important to understand the issues that necessitate their use.

Student pharmacists are in a unique position to recognize such issues first-hand. With experience as an intern for a retail chain as well as with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), I quickly understood that medication adherence was a pressing issue for all parties involved. As an intern for CMS, I grasped an understanding in the initiatives and intentions of the Medicare Part D program, as it keeps the best interest of beneficiaries in focus. On the other hand, when I went back to the retail setting where I was face-toface with these same beneficiaries, I noticed that there was an apparent gap between intentions of providers and payors and the reality of patient outcomes.

These experiences as well direction from my advisor at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy where I attend, led me to work

“It is now up to the pharmacists of today and tomorrow to amalgamate these forces to produce a harmonious solution to medication nonadherence.”

with Dr. Andrew Peterson. Under Dr. Peterson’s guidance, I began a project through the University of the Sciences’ Experts Blog. On a weekly basis, I highlighted various facets of pharmacy upon the platform of medication adherence. Through this project, it became apparent that the scope of medication adherence is essentially limitless for payors, patients and providers alike. Following suit, there is also a myriad of possibilities in addressing the issue. As mentioned before, students attain a “toolkit” of pharmacy knowledge during didactic coursework. By understanding prominent issues like medication adherence, students can hone existing tools acquired through schooling while applying something as simple as effective communication.

Picture the typical retail setting: at the very least, patient to pharmacy communication occurs as prescriptions come in and medications are dispensed. What is often underestimated is the power of that interaction. Pharmacists are educated to utilize proper communication skills but there is a key factor to the quality and efficacy of that communication— health literacy. The idea is simple enough—if a patient does not understand what medication

to take or how it should be taken, successful patient outcomes would be unreasonable. In order to diminish the gap that lies between provider intention and patient comprehension, pharmacists must build bridges using applicable tools including open-ended questions, teachback approaches and avoidance of medical jargon when communicating with patients.

In such situations, pharmacy interns should be regarded as an adjunct to pharmacist. By putting effective patient communication into practice, students ascertain an invaluable and realistic experience.

While these are only a few examples of useful tools for a pharmacist, it is important to be mindful of other issues and approaches that will contribute to a comprehensive repertoire of skills. What can we take away from all of this? The tools are there; the people are there; the interest in patient care is there. It is now up to the pharmacists of today and tomorrow to amalgamate these forces to produce a harmonious solution to medication nonadherence.

For more information about medication adherence, visit: http:// usciencesblogs.typepad.com/experts/ medication-adherence/. z

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 15

Features PPA Member Profile

Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation:

Continued from page 13

Continued from page 14

How has being a PPA member helped you professionally?

It has really helped me to build a network of pharmacists that I know I can turn to with questions. It also helped me build a group of friends in the pharmacy community. I also love the PPA weekly updates. They keep you up-to-date on current events and I feel like I have a hand up on those who aren’t paying attention to what’s going on in regards to laws and current events.

They are a really great way for me to stay informed.

When you are not working, you can be found doing what?

Along with my involvement in ACPA, I am playing on six softball teams and kickball starts in a few weeks. I am very involved with local sports through the PSL (Pittsburgh Sports League), I’ve also been adopted into the Duquesne Chapter of LKS (Lambda Kappa Sigma) and occasionally attend events with Pittsburgh Young Professionals. Otherwise, I spend as much time as possible with family and friends. z

is familiar with travel vaccine programs and use them as a resource for starting a program in your pharmacy, rather than re-inventing the wheel.

One additional source community pharmacists can refer to is the travel vaccine planner page on the Gatti Pharmacy website, just look under Travel Vaccines in their About Us section.

Contact Information: smithcooney@gattirx.com (724) 349-4200 z

Avoid diminishing the value of your pharmacy.

Don’t leave money on the table when you transition the ownership of your business.

CONSIDER THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES...

1. Confidentiality is CRITICAL to maintaining business value. The more people who know about a sale (employees, suppliers, customers), the less value it will ultimately have. Limit your conversations to trusted advisors, associates and family members.

2. Connect to the largest group of QUALIFIED BUYERS to create the highest price, by leveraging the highest level of interest in your business. Limiting your buyer pool (e.g. ONLY your wholesaler's customers), limits your ability to sell and sale price.

Your Local Specialist Jim Beatty, R.Ph. jimb@buy-sellapharmacy.com Tel: 1-(732)-563-0295

3. DO NOT engage in conversations, information sharing or negotiations with ANY buyer without professional representation, particularly if contemplating a sale to a chain. Thirteen years of experience selling pharmacies has shown us time after time that direct engagement rarely—if ever—gets the independent owner the best price or the best deal.

Completely confidential!

1-(877)-360-0095 www.buy-sellapharmacy.com

16 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

Association News

Article PPA Election Head Goes Results Here for 2013 – 2014

T

he PPA Nominating Committee proudly announces the results of its Board elections for officers and directors, as well as the student officers.

The Committee thanks all of the candidates for their sincere interest in both helping PPA and the profession. It is certainly the mark of a strong organization when we have multiple candidates for almost every position.

We also sincerely thank all who took the time to vote on our online ballot. More members than ever participated in the process and we certainly think this too is a healthy sign.

Congratulations to the following!

PPA Officers: • President-Elect - Eric Esterbrook, RPh • First Vice President - Donna Hazel, RPh • Second Vice President - Eric Pusey, RPh, CDE PPA Board of Directors: • Director - Alternative Practice Settings Pharmacists - Jamie McConaha, PharmD, BCACP • Director - Health-System Pharmacists - Paul Kocis, PharmD, CACP, FASCP • Director - Long Term Care and

PPA Student Advisory Board: Director - Kyle McCormick Chair - Eliza Daubert Corresponding Secretary - Sarah Maheady Recording Secretary - Courtney Graham In addition to the election of officers - PPA conducted a straw vote on members’ positions on topics affecting pharmacy in Pennsylvania, those results are listed below.

Consultant Pharmacists - Brant Gahr, RPh • Director - Pharmacy Industry Associates - Todd Eury • Director - Northwest Region Elliott Cook, PharmD, BCPS • Director - Southeast Region - Nick Leon, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP • Director - Students - Kyle McCormick

To what degree do you intend to support and participate in a pharmacists’ care network?

I don’t think we should waste our time.

0

I am not sure about MTM really ever being successful but good luck!

2%

I like the concept but it’s not for me - I won’t participate.

16%

I definitely support and plan to participate.

36%

I like the concept and may participate.

45%

For many years individuals have argued that pharmacists need to be recognized as healthcare providers in Medicare and Medicaid law, how important is this to you?

Unimportant - don’t waste your time

0

Not very important - it really will not affect what I do or many others.

1%

Important - but not sure it will change anything.

7%

Somewhat important - I think this needs to happen!

15%

Very important - We must focus on this as we need it to advance other concepts.

78%

Continued on page 29

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 17

Š 2011 Cardinal Health. All rights reserved. KINRAY and the KINRAY logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cardinal Health. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Lit. No. 1R16734 (11/2011)

Association News

PharmPAC – Protecting the Interests of Pharmacy and Pharmacists in Pennsylvania

E

very year, powerful and politically connected interest groups spend thousands of dollars to promote their agendas in Pennsylvania. Some of these groups know pharmacists are often busy serving patients and have little time to fight back. A Political Action Committee (PAC) can play an important role in our political system and they exist for good reason. Making a contribution to a member of the state legislature or a pharmacy friendly candidate, through the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Political Action Committee (PharmPAC), provides a powerful, efficient and effective means of supporting those individuals running for office who share the views of pharmacy and who fight for the profession in the Commonwealth.

Over the past few years, PharmPAC has maintained a steady increase in contributions and contributors. In 2012, PharmPAC raised over $50,000 for the first time – ever! With a record breaking year in the books, PPA’s Board of Director’s set a very aggressive fundraising goal of $75,000 in 2013. With your help, we have the opportunity to reach this goal and even surpass it by leaps and bounds.

In order to be a successful PAC, we need your contributions! For

Dan Hussar and his wife, Suzanne, enjoy breakfast with Representative Bill Adolph (R-Delaware) during the Delaware County Pharmacists Association’s Annual Legislative Breakfast.

Pharmacists pose for a photo with Senator Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks) and Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) after a round of golf at Sen. Tomlinson’s Annual Golf Outing.

you to contribute, it is important that you understand what PharmPAC can do and how it can benefit you and PPA! PharmPAC provides:

• Pharmacists who share the same political objectives with a united means to use their resources to increase the impact of their Continued on page 20

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 19

Association News PharmPAC

Continued from page 19

contributions to candidates • An extension of the right of all pharmacists to participate in the political process and support candidates who share the same objectives • A vehicle for a unified voice while an individual contribution is nice, a PharmPAC contribution is more powerful as the voice for the entire pharmacy profession • PPA with a means to be more proactive politically • Increased visibility for pharmacy with legislators and candidates in the political arena • Assistance in meeting legislative goals and other government relations efforts • A seat at the table to make sure legislators care, listen, and advocate for your best interest • Relationship building with legislators whom PPA can call on when introducing legislation, attempting to block detrimental legislation or fighting for amendments The success of PharmPAC relies on YOU. It is important to become active in the political process and understand that decisions that are made by legislators directly affect your profession.

Consider some legislative issues PPA has successfully advocated for: the passage of Act 207 of 2012 which will protect Access to Community Pharmacy Services, the passage of Act 29 of 2010 which

20 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

expands collaborative practice into community practice, the passage of Act 102 of 2002 which allows pharmacists to provide immunizations and establishing CDTM in institutions and the prevention of unacceptable cuts in PACE reimbursement in 2009.

Even with an impressive track record of successes, make no mistake that PharmPAC has important legislative battles ahead.

With your support, PharmPAC will work to successfully advocate for regulation and transparency of pharmacy benefit managers, fair pharmacy audits and expanding immunization opportunities.

Making a PharmPAC contribution is accessible by visiting www. papharmacists.com/pharmpac. You can contribute online, download a form to make a one-time contribution or you can sign-up to become a monthly or quarterly contributor (recommended!). Our 44 monthly contributors are the heart and soul of PharmPAC’s growth and we thank them for their generosity: Brandon Antinopoulos, Anthony Bertola, Joe Bettinger, Frederick Bonchosky, Thomas Bradley, Mel Brodsky, Richard Brown, David Cippel, David Cunningham, Brockway Drug, Pat Epple, Michael Fapore, Jon & Kim Ference, William Ferri, Rob Frankil, Gary Fried, Mary Grisnik, Janet Hart, Donna Hazel, Randy Heiser, Scott Himler, John F. Hinkle Jr., Robert & Coleen Kayden, Nickolas Kernich, Bob Killoran, Charles Kohlerman

III, Melissa Krause, Patrick Lavella, Sherri Lee, George & Dorathy McAlanis, John McCullough, Michelle Mikus, Bethany Miller, Scott Miskovsky, Shawn Nairn, John Pavis, Eric Pusey, Robert Schreiber, Darrin & Debra Silbaugh, Mat Slakoper, David Smith, Stephanie Smith Cooney, Robert Steele, Greg Teitel and Adam & Kim Welch.

PharmPAC’s efforts must encompass the combined voice and support of all PPA members.

We fight against opponents who continuously record multi-billion dollar profits and settle lawsuits in the tens of millions of dollars without hesitation. Only with support of its members will PharmPAC be successful. It is vital that PPA has a strong financial and political presence in order to win our legislative battles. PharmPAC is the outlet that can provide the financial backbone for legislative advocacy success.

We are almost half-way through the year and still have a long way to reach our 2013 fundraising goal.

We have raised just over $25,000 – but we aren’t done yet. Now is the time to get an involved and make an investment in your profession.

If you already contribute to PharmPAC, THANK YOU! If you would like to make a donation or sign-up to become a monthly contributor, please visit www.papharmacists.com/ pharmpac or contact Don Smith at (717) 234-6151, ext. 102. z

Association News

Save the date!

2013 Annual Conference September 26-29, 2013

Unite For Change Wyndham Gettysburg Gettysburg, PA

A Focus on the Pharmacists’ Role in the Patient Centered Medical Home

Join us for the Exhibit Hall & Prizes, Continuing Education, Pre-Conference Substance Abuse Programming sponsored by the PPA Educational Foundation, the 2013 PPA Golf Outing and our annual Awards & Leadership Dinner!

Conference brochures have been mailed and can be found, along with online registration, at www.papharmacists.com/annualconference!

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 21

Association News

Congratulations, 2013 PPA Graduates!

W

herever your path may lead you, PPA wishes you the very best in your profession!

Be sure to remain a committed member of our state pharmacy association; no matter where you reside. PPA membership is considered an investment in your future livelihood, professional happiness, and your patients’ well-being.

Best of wishes!

Brian Gutierrez Chelsea Harrison Nathaniel Hazlett Jessica Heintz Brandon Herk Daniel Jenniches Rima Khalil Amanda Kozikoski Jonathan Luczka Todd Lynch Matt Manning Kelsey Miksic

Kristi Albright Stephanie Arntz Maria Baker Christina Benton Jessica Bieniecki Laura Boni Ji Hyui Choi Gina Ciccone Jamie Crawford Jessica Daley Mike DeFelice Maria Demetriou Nicole DeNardis Robert Dray

Rosalie Giancaterino Jennifer Greene-Naples Richard Malsom Kristine Manlangit Rupali Patel Robert Prichard

Daril Miller Keith Miller Shannon Monac Jenna Murray Brittany Palso

Jeffrey Piccirilli Mackenzie Procoffie Stuart Rhodes Mary Riedy Brian Rupp Jude Sheets Lanette Sipple Joshua Snodgrass Rachel Trichtinger Robert Tunney Arin Whitman Alyssa Wise

Carmelina Staino Rayelle Walters Laura Williams

Danielle Workoff

LECOM Areeba Anam Kimberly Andrews William DeMarco Victoria Lippert Matt Madurski Gina Michalak Matthew Murray Carrie Nolan Daniel O’Neil Judith Onyango Daniel Pascuzzi Heather Pence Angela Pepicello Sarah Pieffer Erin Sypolt Mark Thomas Kylee Tofani

Ashlin Miller Paul Roczniak Max Shelkrot Satbir Singh Lily Tran Nicole Yakobitis

University of the Sciences/PCP James Appio Marcin Cebula Amanda Fidler Victoria Hart Brady Jester Katie Mardinly Stephen Maylie

University of Pittsburgh Eric Abanquah Hannah Allegretto

Erin Burke Cari Cline Bradley Elias Austin Hammaker Jessica Janda Nicole Kovacic

Abbie Morgan Tuynh Nguyen Rob Nietupski Kevin Onorio Georgiy Polyak Kristina Riley Robert Rossi Mark Rothstein Katie Stegura Kelly White

Allison Lazar Sarah Lee Heather Lezanic Alicia Lichvar Elizabeth McCartney Erika Morgan Bianca Napolitan Amanda Nguyen Christopher Nugent Brian Park Andrew Santeusanio Stephen Sapienza

Wilkes University Ruslan Barabolkin Taylor Bridges Amanda Dougherty Emily Foreman Marissa Harrison Michael Lanczak Molly McBryan Cody Null Angela Passamonte Benjamin Beidel

Glenna Shutzberg Temple University Christopher Anderson

Sarah Duke

Rakesh Guduru

Holly Filip

Ramzan Judge

Megan Gapinski

Benjamin Lasko

Michael Geishauser

Kael Le

22 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

Sean McGonigle

Jaclyn Brucker

Cara Wise Maggie Wolfe

Amanda Li

Evan Slagle

Michelle Mikus

Michael Perry Duquesne University

Thomas Jefferson School of Pharmacy

Kailey Troutman Joseph Vernon

Long Island University Rong Zheng

Elyse Weitzman Katrina Zook

University of Maryland Alexandra Rouse

Association News

Congratulations to the 2013 Recipients of the PPA Outstanding Student Award

T

his award honors and recognizes one graduating student at each school of pharmacy in Pennsylvania who has been most active in pharmacy organizations during his/her academic year.

Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy: Keith Miller

“It gives me great honor to receive this award from PPA. The networking and advocacy opportunities that I have witnessed through PPA really give hope to the continued growth and success of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania. Now that I have moved back to the Harrisburg area, I plan to begin my career working in the field of Managed Care at a local company called BeneCard. I am anxious to help facilitate change at this level that will improve the care of my patients as well as the practice of pharmacy. I am proud to be a member of PPA and I am excited to continue being active in this great organization throughout my career!”

Jefferson University School of Pharmacy: Kristine Manlangit

“It is an honor to receive the Outstanding Student Award from PPA! As a pharmacy student, PPA had given me plenty of opportunities to develop my leadership skills and to advocate for the pharmacy profession.

As a pharmacist, I will continue to support issues that positively affect the practice of pharmacy by maintaining my involvement within state pharmacy associations, wherever I may be! I am fortunate to be joining the CareKinesis team as a Clinical Pharmacist.

CareKinesis is a medication risk management and pharmacy services company that focuses on enhancing economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes.”

LECOM School of Pharmacy: Erin Sybolt “First and foremost, I would like to thank PPA for recognizing me as one of the Outstanding Pharmacy Students for 2012-2013.

It is such an honor to be given this distinction from such a reputable pharmacy organization. PPA is such a great start for all student pharmacists to learn about how they can become involved and have a voice in our profession.

Upon graduation, I will be moving down to Fort Myers, Florida to start my career with Walgreens.

Although I will not be staying in Pennsylvania, I plan to stay involved with the state pharmacy association in Florida.”

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy: Victoria Hart “I am very grateful to be the recipient of the PPA 2013 Outstanding Student Award for Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. I am glad that I was able to become more involved with the organization within my final year of pharmacy school.

Following graduation, I will be continuing to work with Williams Apothecary, which is the company that validated my desire to become a pharmacist. I look forward to working as a pharmacist within the company and providing exceptional service to the community. In addition, I plan to become a more active member of both LCPA and PPA.” Temple University School of Pharmacy: Ramzan Judge “It is a great privilege and honor to be recognized by PPA as Temple University’s Outstanding Student Continued on page 24

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 23

Association News 2013 Recipients

Continued from page 23

of the Year. I had no knowledge about this until the day of my graduation, so it definitely caught me by surprise. I just want to take the opportunity to thank you for your support, it truly means a lot. Currently I am intending on completing a PGY1 residency at Henry Ford Health Systems.

Following the completion of a PGY1 residency, I am keen on pursuing a second year residency in critical care, cardiology, or infectious disease. My goal is to obtain a board certification in pharmacotherapy and obtain a clinical specialist position at a teaching hospital. As I move forward with my education, I would like to continue to be a member and perhaps play a more active role in PPA as I am very fond of the goals of this great organization.”

continue my activities with the organization, like my involvement on the membership committee.

I would like to also continue to work with the students and help them achieve their goals.”

Wilkes University Nesbitt College of Pharmacy & Nursing: Benjamin Beidel “I was extremely honored to have been named as Wilkes University’s PPA Outstanding Student of the Year Award. To have been honored in front of my peers was extremely validating and humbling for the

work that I had put into both my education and membership. My future plans include working as an Active Duty Air Force Captain, serving as a Pharmacist at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. It is my goal to develop a practice site alongside our family doctors that focuses on managing chronic conditions and providing continuing education on evidencebased practice changes to these physicians, ultimately improving patient care. I plan to stay involved with PPA as much as possible, continuing with my work on the website committee and other opportunities as they arise.” z

University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy: Erin Burke “When I started pharmacy school four years ago, I could not have dreamed where I would be taken. It was a great feeling to be honored by those that have inspired and encouraged me to be the person who I am in this profession. I thank you all so much.

While I will be moving to Virginia to work for Rite Aid, I will not be leaving PPA behind. I hope to

24 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

Tony Hayslip, ABR/AREP 713-829-7570 Tony@RxBrokerage.com

Ernie Zost, RPH 727-415-3659 Ernie@RxBrokerage.com

Association News

Where Are They Now: Updates from the 2012 PPA Outstanding Student Award Recipients.

Duquesne University-Mylan School of Pharmacy: Kyle Hampson “After graduating from Duquesne University, I accepted a pharmacy practice residency position at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. I have been working with patients in many areas, especially nutrition support, critical care, and oncology. I am also conducting research regarding vitamin B6 deficiency in patients with inflammatory disease. I will continue my training next year as the nutrition support pharmacy resident at Emory.

LECOM School of Pharmacy: Brooke Spino “The past year has been rewarding and full of opportunity. I am working for Walgreens in the Pittsburgh market, where I have really enjoyed getting to know my patients. I have had the ability to focus on the delivery of clinical services such as immunizations, blood pressure screenings and MTM services. I look forward to continued growth professionally.

I also got married this past year, so there has been no shortage of excitement! I sincerely appreciate the advocacy and education efforts of PPA, and I am grateful that we have such a strong ally for our profession here in Pennsylvania!”

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy: Gregory Yugov “I am currently in a PGY-1 residency program at Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I believe that this program was a great choice for me because of its diverse array in clinical experiences in both inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as its participation a teaching certificate program. I feel that I learned a lot this year, and am more prepared for any clinical practice opportunities that I will pursue in the future.”

Temple University School of Pharmacy: Jolita Burbulyte “Since graduation I have been a pharmacy manager at a retail pharmacy. It has been a challenge to step into such a position right after graduation,

however I have learned a lot and continue to learn with each day.

My goal every day as a pharmacist is to provide the best patient care.

On a personal note I recently got married and look forward to what the future brings. My long term goal is to one day open my own pharmacy.”

University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy: Nick Wytiaz “I will complete my PGY1 pharmacy residency at Allegheny General Hospital at the end of June. While the year was certainly challenging, I am thankful for the learning experience afforded to me and believe that I am now well-prepared for the next step in my career. In July, I will start my new position as an Internal Medicine Point-of-Care Pharmacist at West Penn Hospital, where I will collaborate with physicians, nurses, other healthcare professionals to provide direct, patient-centered care. I am excited to be staying in Pittsburgh and look forward to working at West Penn, getting more involved with PPA, and watching the Pirates win again!”

Continued on page 26

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 25

Association News

Student SIG Grants Available

P

PA’s SIG (Special Interest Group for Independent Pharmacy) members annually present up to four grants to deserving and interested students which cover the expenses to attend the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Annual Convention.

Covered expenses include: 1 roundtrip coach airfare, up to 4 nights hotel accommodations (room and tax), the student registration fee, and up to $200 in meals and incidentals such as parking at the airport and transfers from airport to hotel, (receipts

must be submitted). In order to be eligible for consideration, students must be a 5th or 6th year pharmacy student enrolled at a Pennsylvania School of Pharmacy or equivalent of last two professional years, a Pennsylvania resident, a PPA Student Member, have a sincere interest in community pharmacy particularly independent pharmacy ownership, and may not have been a previous SIG grant recipient.

Applications are now available for the fall NCPA conference on the PPA website, www.papharmacists. com, click on About PPA, and then go to the Special Interest Group tab on the fly-out bar. Applications

PPA Residency Showcase P PA is expanding the size and time of our Residency Showcase, held in conjunction with our 2013 Annual Conference! In the past we have averaged 12-15 programs at the showcase and we are working to grow this number based on student feedback! The PPA Residency Showcase is a great way for students to learn more about residency programs in Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas, and it’s also a great way to help them prepare for their experience at ASHP. We are also incorporating a student session this year, prior to the showcase, outlining why they should do a residency and tips on applying and interviewing for residencies.

26 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

This will be a great opportunity for students to begin or expand their exposure to residency programs.

The residency showcase this year will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Wyndham Gettysburg Complex in Gettysburg, PA. Students wishing to attend the Residency Showcase must be PPA members, but do not need to be registered for the entire Annual Conference to attend.

Residency programs wishing to participate in the showcase should contact the PPA Office, at ppa@papharmacists.com or at (717) 234-6151. There is no cost for residency programs to participate in the showcase. z

must be submitted by the August 1 deadline. Please contact Pat Epple at PPA for more information.

Applications may be mailed to the PPA office, 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101, faxed to PPA at 717-236-1618, or emailed to pepple@papharmacists.com.

A committee of SIG members will determine this year’s four recipients. Students will be required to write a short article about their experience for the Pennsylvania Pharmacist and/ or the Student Voice following the convention in order to receive final payment. z

Where Are They Now:

Continued from page 23

Wilkes University Nesbitt College of Pharmacy & Nursing: Tia Hickman “As my PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania approaches a close, I want to thank those at PPA and Wilkes University for last year’s Outstanding Student Award.

Wilkes University faculty and students enriched my life and my education. I have enjoyed the last year of residency caring Continued on page 28

Association News

PPA Educational Foundation Announces Grant Opportunities Pharmacists…

Advancing patient care

T

he Pennsylvania Pharmacists Educational Foundation is excited to once again announce the annual opportunity to provide up to four mini grants of up to $1,000 each for the exploration of innovative and best pharmacy practices, especially focusing on patient centered outcomes. Grants may be used for projects which are targeted towards patient care

by pharmacists and innovative activity around pharmacy practice.

Grants will not support capital expenditures, regular administrative expenses, and travel expenses.

Monies may be used for many other related expenses including reasonable printing costs relative to materials used for the project.

Applicants must be current PPA members and can be practicing pharmacists, faculty, residents, new practitioners, and/or students.

The Grant Announcement and

Application contain additional details and potential applicants are encouraged to review these documents carefully. These are available under the Foundation tab on the PPA website, www. papharmacists.com. Additionally, a pre-submission, optional webinar for interested applicants will be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. The webinar will be a short presentation (about 20 minutes) on the Foundation, the grant program, its goals and Continued on page 29

WE ARM OUR CUSTOMERS WITH COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES. We’re committed to your future, and we’ll be here to serve you with quality distribution, advantageous programs and great service.

Helping You Care For Your Community.

hdsmith.com 888.552.2526

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 27

Association News

Pharmacy Technician Corner Technician CEs at Annual Conference – 5 Hours

P

PA’s 2013 Annual Conference will be held September 26 to 29, 2013 at the Wyndham Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA. Saturday, September 28 is Technician Day and will feature five (5) hours of continuing education credits for pharmacy technicians! Join us for programs on Medication Error Prevention, Medication Reconciliation, Immunization Updates, and Pharmacy Compliance. Saturday will also feature a Pharmacy Technician Roundtable where you’ll have an opportunity to share ideas and advise PPA staff on how they can help you advance your practice. Registration is only $59 for current PPA technician members – be sure to register soon!

Pharmacy TEAM Series PPA continues to offer pharmacy technician members free access to the Pharmacy TEAM Series – 10 one-hour, technician-specific home study CEs available online through

December 31, 2013. This product is regularly priced at $100 per person, but free access is included in your PPA membership!

Topics include: • Finally a Magic Bullet? Update on Medications for Weight Loss • Mental Health Medication Update • The Important Role of the Pharmacy Technician in the Distribution of Controlled Substances • Compounding Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy • Review of Changes Affecting Acetaminophen-Containing Products • The Fundamentals of Pharmacy Purchasing and Inventory Management • Electronic Health Records: Are We There Yet? • Expanding the Technician’s Role Through Tech Check Tech • Medication Safety: The Role of the Pharmacy Technician • Things Aren’t Always As They Seem: A Look At Off-Label Use of Medication

Email PPA Program Coordinator Sara Powers at spowers@ papharmacists.com for access instructions.

knowledge and skills. I feel very prepared to step into my new career at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Center in Salisbury, Maryland and

excited to enter the new chapter of my life with my fiancé at our new horse farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.” z

Discounted Enrollment in Pharmacy Technicians University Pharmacy Technicians University is a cutting-edge educational system that makes learning fun and remembering easy, while teaching enrollees everything they need to know to become a safe, efficient pharmacy technician.

And, its approach to learning will help enrollees be well prepared to pass any national certification exam, as well as state exams.

Pharmacy techs progress through the program at their own pace.

Innovative educational techniques teach the information in bite sized modules that make learning and retention automatic. PPA members can save $47 on enrollment for this program. Log into PPA’s website and click on Pharmacy Technicians, then Resources to find the discount code. z

Where Are They Now:

Continued from page 26

for patients both inpatient and outpatient as well as completing important residency projects which have further developed my

28 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

Association News PPA Educational Foundation Announces Grant Opportunities

PPA Election Results

Continued from page 17

Please indicate which most accurately reflects your views on the relative importance of belonging to a professional organization.

Membership is not important at all - why am I a member?

0

I feel membership in a national association is most beneficial.

3%

Membership in national or state organizations is nice but not necessary.

3%

I feel membership in both is pretty important.

15%

I feel membership in the state pharmacy association is most beneficial.

15%

I feel membership in both national and state professional associations is VERY important.

65%

Because our President is a die-hard Eagles fan, he wants to know where the rest of the state stands.

NY Jets

1%

Washington Redskins

2%

Buffalo Bills

2%

Baltimore Ravens

3%

NY Giants

4%

Other

14%

Philadelphia Eagles

33%

Pittsburgh Steelers

41%

z

Continued from page 27

objectives, and the application and decision process. There will also be an opportunity for questions. The Foundation also offers the scoring criteria form used by our Evaluation and Review Committee for our grants.

This may assist individuals in developing their applications and interested applicants can review previous successful applications and their related reports. Learn more about the program on the web.

For more information on the grant program, please contact Sara Powers at the PPA office, or go to the PPA website, www. papharmacists.com and then the Foundation tab in the upper right and select Grants. z

WALT DISNEY WORLD National Community Pharmacists Association 115th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition

Orlando, FL

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 29

Association News

PPA Member Services Log In to Learn An Interactive e-Journal Club for Pharmacists 1 Do you want CE on breaking news in drug therapy?

2 Do you want to participate in a live CE program, but don’t have time to travel to a meeting?

3 Do you want to interact with other pharmacists to discuss new drugs, breakthrough studies and their place in your pharmacy practice?

Then join the club!

Each month, you can participate in an online journal club for pharmacists, and obtain 2 hours of continuing education credit.

Annual subscriptions are $75, and monthly editions are available for $25.

For more information, or to register visit: http://www.theCEInstitute.org/Log-InToLearn.aspx

July Discounts for Entertainment and Travel TicketsAtWork offers discounts from 10% to 50%! Whether you are buying tickets to the local movie theater, or tickets to a Broadway show, saving time and money is easy. You can find more information online at www.TicketsAtWork. com, or call toll free at 1-800-331-6483. Then select your location and see all the discounts available for that area.

To receive the company code that allows you to access these discounts, please contact Corey at the PPA office – cwenger@papharmacists.com or (717) 234-6151 ext. 101.

• Receive email alerts when a job is posted that meets your selected criteria

Career Center Are you looking for a new job, or trying to fill a job opening? If you are, you should visit PPA’s Career Center today at http://ppa.associationcareernetwork. com/Common/HomePage.aspx.

• Employers – Search database and directly contact job seekers – Save résumés from qualified individuals – Post jobs online and/or have your posting featured in a blast email • Job Seekers – Post your résumé – Create an anonymous profile enabling employers to contact you directly with job opportunities PPA’s Career Center is an easy-to-use resource and for additional information regarding the Career Center, please click “Contact Us” at the bottom of the Career Center website.

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 31

Independent Pharmacy Buying Group Pays Your PPA and NCPA Dues So You Don’t Have To!

What Did Your Buying Group Do For You In the Past Year?

Independent Pharmacy Buying Group (IPBG) members receive: • • •

•

• •

•

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Industry News

Quick Adherence Experiment

E

veryday medication adherence practices can take just a few minutes, yet reap rewards for you and your patients.

You may wonder how to start addressing the adherence topic in your pharmacy. Maybe you think your patients are perfectly adherent and do not need any assistance.

Try the following experiment— it won’t take long.

Research tells us that the greatest opportunity to improve medication adherence is with patients who have diabetes, hypertension, depression, hyperlipidemia, and asthma. We’ve chosen the top two prescribed medications for each disease state and listed them in the box at right. Select one to three of the medications listed and check your pharmacy’s database or dispensing report to see how many patients are refilling their medications every 30 days, or as regularly as the prescription indicates.

How did your experiment turn out? As you expected? Better or worse? Do you see potential for additional refills and improving your patients’ health? Now would be a perfect opportunity to take note of a few names on the non-

adherent list. The next time you see these patients, emphasize how important it is to take their medications regularly as prescribed and refill them on time. Try to find out if there is a larger issue.

Alternatively, you could give these patients a call right now.

As pharmacists, it is our duty to promote the adherence that helps our patients maintain or improve their health. Your patients will respect and appreciate the personal interest you show in their wellbeing.

Over the course of the next month, conduct this experiment with all medications on the list and see if you can practice at least two adherence interventions a day. We think you’ll be impressed with the results.

Do you have an adherence idea, tip, or program that is working in your pharmacy? Let us know. Send an e-mail to adherence@ncpanet. org, or call 800–544–7447.

Reprinted with permission from National Community Pharmacists Association in the August 2010 issue of America’s Pharmacist. For more information about NCPA, visit www.ncpanet.org.

Diabetes Glucophage (metformin) Actos (pioglitazone) Hypertension Prinivil (lisinopril) Lopressor (metoprolol) Depression Lexapro (escitalopram Hyperlipidemia Zocor (simvastatin) Lipitor (atorvastatin) Asthma Proventil-HFA (albuterol) Singulair (montelukast)

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013 I 33

Industry News

Secure Your Pharmacy from the INSIDE OUT: Guarding against Internal Theft I nternal theft is a growing RxPATROL® website to access concern for pharmacists. It and directly stream this free online requires preventative approaches resource: http://www.rxpatrol. and diligence to ensure this com/aboutrxpatrol.aspx common method of diversion is The Internal Pharmacy Theft: prevented. In spite of the intricate Tips & Practices to Protect Your scams and methods of internal Pharmacy from Diversion brochure theft being used today, there are is another resourceful tool that several methods and strategies explores strategies against internal available that can theft. To help help establish a more The Internal control the physical Pharmacy Theft: secure environment workspace, detailed in your pharmacy. security methods Tips & Practices Resources such related to Physical to Protect Your as those outlined Site Security are Pharmacy from below are available Diversion brochure is proposed including: • Building and to walk you through another resourceful Pharmacy Access several preventative tool that explores • Pharmacy Layout measures to help strategies against (including secure ensure that controlled cabinets and camera substances remain internal theft. use) where they belong.

RxPATROL®, Also addressed are Employee an online pharmacy crime and Screening strategies (pretheft reporting site developed by employment and incumbent) and Purdue Pharma has developed procedures for the Handling of a brief online training video, in Controlled Substances. collaboration with NCPA, to help • Receiving of Orders & pharmacies prevent their stores Manufacturing Returns from being a target for theft and • Waste Disposal & Reporting of to educate on strategies to help Losses law enforcement in an event that The goal of addressing these internal theft occurs. This video, major focus areas is to ensure that RxPATROL Pharmacy Safety: your pharmacy is not only securing Internal Theft and Prescription itself from external threats but also Fraud, takes you on a tour of a mitigating internal theft through pharmacy environment to evaluate proper controls, practices, and and discuss additional steps that procedures. can and should be taken to prevent internal criminal activity. Visit the

34 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I July/August 2013

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