pennsylvania
PHARMACIST March/April 2019 • Volume 100 • Issue 2
RECAP
Pennsylvania Department of Health Pharmacy Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Agreement Project Professional Development for the Practicing Pharmacist: Generating Research Ideas and Getting Started
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CONTENTS ON THE COVER: PPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PPA OFFICERS President: Lauren Simko, PharmD President Elect: Richard Demers, MS, RPh, FASHP Vice President: Chuck Kray, RPh Immediate Past President: Nicholas Leon, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP REGIONAL DIRECTORS Central Region: Deron Shultz, RPh Northeast Region: Vick Shah, PharmD, BCPS Northwest Region: Nickolas Kernich, PharmD Southeast Region: David Stone, PharmD Southwest Region: Brian Sidone, PharmD PRACTICE DIRECTORS Academia: Nicole Pezzino, PharmD, BCACP, CDE Chain Pharmacists: Renee Richardson, PharmD Community Independent: Shawn Nairn, RPh Community Independent: Christopher Antypas, PharmD Health System Pharmacists: Darryle Tillman Jr., RPh MCO/Industry/Government/Other: John Barrett, MBA, RPh Associates: Pat Lavella, RPh
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2019 Mid-Year Conference “The Battle for Patient Care” at the Wyndham Gettysburg from January 25th–27th!
DEPARTMENTS
INDUSTRY NEWS
5
President’s Message
PPA OFFICE STAFF CEO: Patricia A. Epple, CAE pepple@papharmacists.com | Ext. 3 Conference and CE Manager: Linsley Gentile lgentile@papharmacists.com | Ext. 2 Government Relations Manager: Angela Zaydon azaydon@papharmacists.com | Ext. 6 Membership and Marketing Coordinator: Victoria Madonna vmadonna@papharmacists.com | Ext. 5 Membership and Program Coordinator: Rachel Stall rstall@paharmacists.com | Ext. 1 Bookkeeper: Michele Dibble mdibble@papharmacists.com | Ext. 4 PPCN Executive Manager: Stephanie McGrath, PharmD smcgrath@papharmacists.com
7
Calendar of Events
9
Welcome! New Members
35 Pennsylvania Department of Health Pharmacy Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Agreement Project
Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101 (717) 234-6151 Fax: (717) 236-1618 www.papharmacists.com | ppa@papharmacists.com
14 Member Profile
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.
18 Pharmacy Spotlight
STUDENT DIRECTORS Student Director East: Dylan Fox Student Director West: Shannon Ye
EDITORIAL BOARD Hershey S. Bell, M.D.,M.S.,FAAFP Kim Coley, FCCP, PharmD, RPh, Chair Michael Gionfriddo, PharmD, PhD Yardlee Kauffman, PharmD, MPH, BCACP Jinsun Paek, PharmD, BCPS
10 Member News 11
Affiliated Member News
24 Campus Checkup
FEATURES 12 Student Member Profile 16 Legislative Profiles
ASSOCIATION NEWS
32 2019 Mid-Year Conference Highlights
Board of Pharmacy Meeting Dates: April 16, 2019 June 4, 2019 July 16, 2019 August 27, 2019
RESEARCH 37 Professional Development for the Practicing Pharmacist: Generating Research Ideas and Getting Started
28 Thank You PharmPAC Donors
PUBLISHED BY GRAPHTECH Alexis Kierce, Publications Manager (717) 238-5751 x119 alexis@thinkgraphtech.com
PHARMACIST STATE BOARD OF PHARMACY MEMBERS Institutional: Gayle Cotchen, BSPharm., PharmD., MBA Independent Community: Rob Frankil, RPh Chain Community: Janet Hart, RPh Chain Community: Theresa M. Talbott, RPh
38 PTCB Certification Eligibility Requirements to Change in 2020
26 PPCN Update 31 Honor a Colleague
DESIGNED BY GRAPHTECH
36 Pharmacy and the Law: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Regulation
20 PPA Educational Foundation Annual Report
Associate Editor: Victoria Madonna Editor/Manager: Pat Epple
For Advertising Information: Jen Smith, Account Manager (717) 238-5751 x124 jen@thinkgraphtech.com
35 First Open Forum of PC2 — a Huge Success!
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. www.papharmacists.com 3
President’s Message I hope everyone who attended PPA’s Mid-Year Conference in Gettysburg, “The Battle for Patient Care” enjoyed the amazing CE sessions, met up with old friends and made some new, and participated in our many offerings the weekend had to offer. As President of PPA this year, I have fully enjoyed our Annual and our Mid-Year Conferences as we continue to bring together pharmacists, technicians, and students across our Commonwealth. Our Conference theme, “The Battle for Patient Care” resonates with our profession. Gone are the days of filling a prescription, talking to the patient, and closing shop with no insurance concerns. Pharmacies struggle daily with formulary changes and declining reimbursements. Battling to be a recognized, valuable member of the health care team is a difficult process with so many other restrictions. That said, these are all reasons why continuing the battle is more important than ever. Abraham Lincoln said, “whatever you are, be a good one.” Being a pharmacist requires graduating from school and passing the board exam. Being a GOOD pharmacist requires more — more doing, more being, and more passion. PPA’s Legislative Day inspires many to become involved. If you are unable to attend this year, I encourage you to find your Senator or Representative and reach out. Offer a store visit, offer insight, or offer advice. We must make our wishes known and continue to address the needs of our patients. Regardless of your setting — hospital, long-term care, academia, retail, or any other, if we do not take the time to inform our contacts in the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, decisions will be made that can harm our profession, and ultimately, our patients. In the words of Hippocrates, “wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity.” If you haven’t lately, I encourage you to visit the PPA website. Here you can find information on affiliated counties, Child Abuse CE, and information on PPCN (Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network). What better way to keep yourself informed or become more involved in the many offerings of PPA than visiting our site at www.papharmacists.com. PPCN provides an opportunity for the pharmacists of Pennsylvania to benefit patients in a manner that improves patient health, strengthens the pharmacy bond in the community, lowers health care costs, and provides fair and sustainable reimbursement. If you or someone you know is interested in joining PPCN, I encourage reaching out to Stephanie McGrath, PharmD, Executive Manager at smcgrath@ papharmacists.com. PPCN launched their 3rd contract with Gateway Medicaid in February 2019, so involvement of the best and brightest pharmacies across PA is integral to the continued success of this amazing network! If you haven’t been told lately, thank you for all you do for pharmacy in Pennsylvania!
Lauren Simko, PharmD PPA President 2018–2019
“Our Conference theme, ‘The Battle for Patient Care’ resonates with our profession. Battling to be a recognized, valuable member of the health care team is a difficult process with so many other restrictions. Abraham Lincoln said, ‘whatever you are, be a good one.’ Being a GOOD pharamcist requires more — more doing, more being, and more passion.” — Lauren Simko
www.papharmacists.com 5
JEFFERSON COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Master of Science in Population Health Pharmacy Preparing pharmacists to design, implement and assess initiatives to improve health across all practice settings This 100% online program focuses on how the determinants of health impact the costs and clinical outcomes associated with medication use. Designed for working pharmacists as a Master of Science or Graduate Certificate. The innovative program is a collaborative effort between the Jefferson College of Pharmacy and the Jefferson College of Population Health. Learn more at Jefferson.edu/PopHealthPharmacy
Calendar of Events March 22-25
American Pharmacists Association — Seattle, WA National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (with APhA)
23
Pennsylvania Reception at APhA
25-28
Academy of Managed Care Annual Meeting — San Diego, CA
31
PPCN Delivering Enhanced Patient Care – Part 2 — Pittsburgh, PA
Advertisers Index RDC 2 PRS 4 Jefferson College of Pharmacy 6 Wilkes University 8 Keystone 13 Value Drug Company 15 EPIC 17 R.J. Hedges & Associates 29 IPBG 39 Pharmacists Mutual Back Cover
April 9
Pharmacy Legislative Day — State Capital, Harrisburg, PA
10–11
NCPA Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In — Washington, DC
11
PPA Educational Foundation Board of Directors — Conference call
13
2019 Pharmacy Law Review at Duquesne University — Pittsburgh, PA
27–30
National Association of Chain Drug Stores Annual Meeting — Palm Beach, FL
May 2
PPA Board of Directors
16–18
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy — Minneapolis, MN
June 21–22
Value Merchandise Expo — Altoona, PA
July 8&9
PPA, PPAEF, and affiliated counties Leadership Retreat — State College, PA
13–17
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy — Chicago, IL For additional events including webinars, CE opportunities, and PPA committee meetings, be sure to see our Calendar of Events on the PPA website!
As Dean of the LECOM School of Pharmacy, I am excited to see that the PPA through its publication The Pennsylvania Pharmacist, now in its 100th volume, is seeking to further the evidence-basis for the evolving role of pharmacists as important partners in the delivery of high-quality healthcare. By publishing cutting-edge research on the expanding roles of pharmacy in the healthcare system, the PPA is at the vanguard of changes in the way that the public will perceive and experience the impact of our many members. As the most accessible health care professionals, pharmacists are changing lives for the better every day.” Hershey Bell, MD, MS, FAAFP Professor, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean Editorial Review Board Member
www.papharmacists.com 7
2019 PENNSYLVANIA
PAIN AND ADDICTION SUMMIT Join us for this full-day conference featuring professionals on the frontline of the addiction crisis as they discuss substance abuse, treatment, prevention and patient care.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 8 A.M.–5 P.M. MOHEGAN SUN POCONO
Cost: $150 (early-bird price of $130 if registered by March 22, 2019) $75 for either morning or afternoon sessions Up to six hours of continuing education credit available. Register online: wilkes.edu/addiciton or call 570-408-5615
Welcome! New Members PPA Welcomes the following New Members who joined the association on November 30, 2018–February 1, 2019. Please make these new members feel welcome and part of Pennsylvania pharmacy! PHARMACISTS Neveen Abou-Gharbia, Princeton Junction, NJ, Otsuka American Pharmaceuticals Joel Arceo, Media, Springfield Pharmacy Jitendra Belani, Paoli, Jefferson College of Pharmacy Jennifer Belavic, Slippery Rock, UPMC Hamot Karen Breitenbach, Henrico, VA Mark Ciarlone, Landenberg, AmerisourceBergen Taylor Corbin, Elizabethtown, The Medicine Shoppe Amanda Frank, Mountain Top, The Medicine Shoppe WilkesBarre Melissa Frontino, Media, ACME Pharmacy Donna Garland, Hermitage, The Medicine Shoppe Seth Habicht, Elizabethtown, Rite Aid Tiffany Hatcher, Pittsburgh, Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Maryanne Holzapfel, Hockessin, DE, Pharm-Pro, Inc. Zach Hovis, UPMC Matthew Joseph, UPMC Western Psychiatric Nancy Kablack, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Health Network David Kim, Swedesboro, NJ, PerformRx Ana Lupu Jamie Mazzocco, Mechanicsburg, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Lauren Megargell, King of Prussia, PerformRx Margaret Miklich, Philadelphia, Temple University School Pharmacy Shah Minhas, Philadelphia, USA Pharmacy Jamie Montgomery Bernice Myers, Lansdowne, PerformRx Jonathan Ngo, Philadelphia, PerformRx Amanda Popko, Duryea, Geisinger Health System Unmil Rana, Allentown, Lehigh Discount Drugs Clinton Roderick, Lititz, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. Fernando Rodriguez, Philadelphia, Ogontz Family Pharmacy Brittany Rosenfield, Allegheny Health Network
Jessica Saba, Pittsburgh, Highmark BCBS Tiffani Tran, Lancaster, Rite Aid Victor Vercammen, Lake Villa, IL, Giant Eagle Christy Vu, Horsham Christopher Walsh, Leesport, Penn State Health St. Joseph Amy Warnbrodt, SMP Rx Sarah Winter, Allegheny Health Network ASSOCIATES Michael Cullison, Bel Air, MD, Allergan Paul Zabroske, Wellsville TECHNICIANS Stephanie Cappiello, Honesdale, Stephens Pharmacy STUDENTS Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Taylor Akers, Johnstown Rachel Anderson, Canonsburg Adrian Carella, Trenton, NJ Mariah Crawford, West Seneca, NY Mailan Dang, Hummelstown Levi DeBlase, Somerset Emily Ekas, Butler Aubrey Fry, Pittsburgh Benjamin Gillespie, Canfield, OH Erin Lexner, Tonawanda, NY Nicole Mirguet, Rochester, NY Maddison Morrell, Pittsburgh David Rogers, Bear, DE Matthew Rozic, Austintown, OH Danielle Schillero, Hinkcley, OH Elizabeth Suppo, Bridgeville Camryn Vecera, McKinney, TX Jeffrey Ward, Greensburg Ryan Weideman, Gibsonia Jefferson College of Pharmacy Jillian Baltz, Ocean View, NJ Dustin Lee, Leola Nicole Pillarella, Staten Island, NY Ciara Walshe, Hellertown LECOM School of Pharmacy Alicia Bartley, Erie Ohio Northern University Raabe School of Pharmacy Rebecca Tunstall, Stoystown
Temple University School of Pharmacy Arjun Chauhan, Wynnewood Mohammad Hadaihed, Philadelphia William Huang, Philadelphia Andrew Lay, Philadelphia William Huang, Philadelphia Jimmy Le, Quakertown Christopher Mina, Philadelphia Brett Nguyen, Philadelphia Arinze Onwualu, Philadelphia Shahreen Sharma, Upper Darby University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Chloe Alibeckoff, Pittsburgh Nicholas Arcury, Pittsburgh Seana Armstrong, Pittsburgh Vidya Balakrishna Sharma, Pittsburgh Caroline Baldwin, Hermitage Jose Barro, Southhampton Rhea Bedi, Pittsburgh Kacey Boland, Valencia John Breisinger, Pittsburgh Julia Calandra, Pittsburgh Juan Cervantes Reyes, Pittsburgh Tyler Coeburn, Pittsburgh Matt Creekmore, Pittsburgh Jackson Crouse, Pittsburgh Nhat Dang, Pittsburgh Jennifer Dolphin, Pittsburgh Ryan Durbin, Pittsburgh Catherine Dziuba, Pittsburgh Grace Erdman, Exton Kaitlyn Faiola, Pittsburgh Jeanine Flanigan, Pittsburgh Sara Frey, Pittsburgh Haley Fribance, Pittsburgh Allison Gallant, Pittsburgh Kaycie Gavin, Pittsburgh Andrew Haddad, Pittsburgh Saxon Hartman, Butler Karch Helsel, Pittsburgh Helen Hill, Pittsburgh Emily Hughes, Pittsburgh Ryan Jaehne, Pittsburgh Cindy Jiang, Pittsburgh Jen Jordan, Aurora, CO Olivia Joyce, Pittsburgh Felicia Kan, Pittsburgh Mohamad Kashkoush, Pittsburgh David Katz, Pittsburgh Jennifer Kim, Pittsburgh Sandra Kline, Pittsburgh See Lam, Pittsburgh
Robert Lasko III, Pittsburgh Madison Leonard, Pittsburgh Diana Li, Pittsburgh Weiwei Lin, Pittsburgh Joshua Maleski, Pittsburgh Jessica Mattox, Pittsburgh Michael McDermott, Pittsburgh Shawn Meehl, Pittsburgh Winnona Meyer, Pittsburgh Alexis Mingey, Pittsburgh Madeline Mitchell, Pittsburgh Hager Mohamedein, Pittsburgh Abby Morrison, Pittsburgh Jared Murray, Pittsburgh Kristina Murray, Pittsburgh Justin Musco, Pittsburgh Matthew Muslin, Pittsburgh Annalisa Nguyen, Pittsburgh Kristine Nguyen, Pittsburgh Morgan Ostinowsky, Ebensburg Nicholas Pandelaras, Pittsburgh Alissa Pastino, Pittsburgh Ami Patel, Pittsburgh Colin Pfeiffer, Pittsburgh Renee Pham, Pittsburgh Corey Rantz, Pittsburgh Shannon Rogers, Pittsburgh Christian Rosikiewick, Pittsburgh Tj Rumbaugh, Pittsburgh Nicholas Sherman, Pittsburgh Oluwatomi Sogebi, Pittsburgh Arianna Sprando, Pittsburgh Leia Stephenson, Pittsburgh Nicholas Sturniolo, Pittsburgh Thomas Taber, Pittsburgh Anthony Trona, Pittsburgh Melanie Umbaugh, Pittsburgh Hunter Vermilya, Pittsburgh Skylar Villegas, Pittsburgh Valerie Wan, Pittsburgh Xuanqing Wang, Pittsburgh Danielle Weaver, Pittsburgh Abigail White, Pittsburgh Jacob Winschel, Pittsburgh Ashley Yao, Pittsburgh Alex Yawny, Pittsburgh Amy Zahn, Pittsburgh Sarah Zale, Pittsburgh Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Julia James, Muncy Rutu Patel, Centerville, NJ Amanda Sember, Moscow Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Eileen Friery, Lewisburg
www.papharmacists.com 9
Member News Cardinal Health acquires Mirixa from NCPA
Congratulations to Jennifer Elliott! Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Elliott on receiving a $225,000 grant from Heinz Endowments to support the STARS program to track and measure asthma in the region’s schoolchildren and advance primary prevention implementation and policy.
Value Drug Company Announces Collaboration with Project Lifeline Value Drug Company has announced that several of the Company’s member pharmacies are participating in Project Lifeline, a program led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy’s Program Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) that seeks to improve public health through substance abuse screening and referral of at-risk patients in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The Value Drug pharmacies collaborating with Project Lifeline include Thompson Pharmacy, Community Pharmacy, Duncansville Pharmacy, and Greenwood Drugs. In addition, Giant Eagle pharmacies in Altoona, PA and Roaring Springs, PA have also announced their involvement with Project Lifeline.
Cardinal Health, Inc. has acquired Mirixa Corp., a leading provider of technology-enabled solutions for the provision of medication therapy management services, from NCPA. The business will integrate into OutcomesMTM, a pioneer in the MTM market, at Cardinal Health. Though Mirixa will no longer be under the NCPA umbrella, NCPA remains laser-focused on investments like CPESN® USA, a pharmacy-based clinically integrated network, and ongoing efforts to grow CPESN networks so pharmacies can be paid for the services they are providing.
Congratulations to George Downs! The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) will present its Generation Rx Award of Excellence to George Downs, PharmD, of Philadelphia, PA. The award recognizes a pharmacist that has demonstrated a commitment to the mission of substance abuse education. Downs was selected in recognition of his sustained commitment and outstanding contributions to the mission of substance abuse education. The presentation will take place during the APhA Conference in March in Seattle, WA.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
SHARE YOUR NEWS WITH US Share your news with us — send all snippets of achievements and honor to PPA’s Membership and Marketing Coordinator — Victoria Madonna at vmadonna@papharmacists.com
@PAPHARMACISTS
Coming Late Spring! PPA in partnership with Duquesne University (and faculty from other schools) will be offering a
Substance Use Disorder Certificate Part I: Identification and Referral This FREE certificate program will feature 12 hours of online programming and 7 hours of live programming, available throughout the state. Watch for more information.
10 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
Affiliated Member News ACPA Update Allegheny County Pharmacists Association (ACPA) was proud to debut its new logo in affiliation with PPA. ACPA Past Treasurer and Fundraising Chair, Ann Johnson, coordinated the creation of new ACPA shirts featuring the logo. ACPA has enjoyed serving the community through various volunteer events, including a toy drive led by Karen Pater and student pharmacists. Allegheny County pharmacist and student pharmacist members attending the PPA Mid-Year Conference in Gettysburg. Several ACPA members including Brandon Antinopoulos, Ashley Firm, Lindsey Meston, Jamie McConaha, Pamela McCormick, and Stephanie Harriman McGrath presented continuing education sessions at the conference, and others presented information to the student sessions. ACPA closed out the winter months with a well-attended meeting held on the campus of Duquesne University. Many student pharmacists attended the meeting to gain an understanding of the importance of involvement in professional organizations.
BMPA Update The BucksMont Pharmacists Association was well represented at the PPA Midyear meeting in Gettysburg with over 10 attendees. On Friday afternoon all four county associations (Allegheny, BucksMont, Lancaster and Lehigh) had representatives present, and we discussed a number topics including Legislative Day, Programming ideas and the upcoming Nominations. A number of BucksMont Board members were present and each contributed to the discussion. During the lunch on Saturday, John Barrett did a presentation on the PPA Annual Awards program and encouraged members to nominate worthy pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for these prestigious awards. The group enjoyed a dinner on Saturday night at the Garryowen Irish Pub in downtown Gettysburg .
LCPA Update In December, LCPA met at the Greenfield Inn located in Lancaster for a presentation provided by Amarin Pharma. Joyce Ross, MSN reviewed the newly published REDUCE-IT trial and answered a multitude of questions ranging from Vascepa’s place in therapy to insurance coverage. We followed up in January with a presentation by Dr. Tipu Saleem of the Pennsylvania Institute of Endocrinology at The Log Cabin in Leola. The program was sponsored by AstraZeneca. It covered new data and pharmaceutically relevant updates on Farxiga.
Dr. Saleem has presented to LCPA before and came prepared to answer questions from our members as well as discuss his current treatment practices in regards to diabetes. LCPA is looking for new board members. If any current member is interested, please feel free to join us for a board meeting. Email lancastercountypharmacists@ gmail.com or contact any board member to get the details on our next board meeting. Please visit our website for upcoming LCPA events at www.lancasterpharmacists.com.
www.papharmacists.com 11
Student Member Profiles enjoyed having for class. He has influenced me to grow as a student and to think critically in my studies. Where do you think you’ll be in five years? I hope to be working in a hospital or doctors office somewhere in Pittsburgh so that I can be back home with my family and friends.
Carley Church Bethel Park, PA
Favorite food you have eaten on campus?
LECOM School of Pharmacy PharmD Candidate 2020
Spaghetti and meatballs.
How did you hear about PPA? I was in my P1 year at LECOM and the director at the time came into our class to tell us about PPA.
Carbidopa/levodopa
Make better study guides, they’ll be useful next year! Why did you choose to become involved in PPA? I plan to work in PA when I complete pharmacy school and I really liked the opportunities PPA offered to its members. Have any professors influenced you since you have starting down this career path? Yes, I have had one professor at LECOM that I really
Favorite drug name to pronounce Tudorza Flashback to your first year of pharmacy school; what advice would you give yourself knowing what you know now? • Approach everything with an open mind. • Be aware of your capacity to do extracurricular activities and say yes to every opportunity you get until you reach your limit. • Great things will happen when you step out of your comfort zone. • Go to the gym more! Why did you choose to become involved in PPA?
Favorite drug name to pronounce
Flashback to your first year of pharmacy school; what advice would you give yourself knowing what you know now?
about the issues we were discussing. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Nick Paulson Wilmington, DE Thomas Jefferson University Jefferson College of Pharmacy PharmD Candidate 2020 How did you hear about PPA? My first experience with PPA was during my P1 year when I was convinced to attend Legislative Day. I was very nervous because I had never done anything like that before. Thank goodness for the GRASP Program though! Once I got into the room with the Representatives and State Senators, I felt very confident talking to them
12 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
After I attended my first PPA Legislative Day (and in the process of preparing for it), I saw the value of professional organizations like PPA. Advocating for our profession is vital to expanding how we practice across the state, and that starts at PPA. The opportunities for growth as a pharmacist and a professional are endless.
Have any professors influenced you since you have starting down this career path? PPA’s Immediate Past President, Dr. Nick Leon, has played a large role in my growth as a future pharmacist. He has been a valuable mentor to me since my P1 year, guiding me through many of the tough decisions student pharmacists have to make, letting me bounce ideas off of him for just about anything, and encouraging me to travel to Nicaragua and Honduras to participate in mission trips run by Global Health Brigades. We have also had many conversations about PPA from how we can contribute to the growth of the profession across the state to how to enhance student involvement to the role of PPCN. Thanks Dr. Leon! Where do you think you’ll be in five years? In five years I would like to be in a Health System Pharmacy Administration role. Favorite food you have eaten on campus? Cheesesteak from Dalessandro’s (slightly off campus).
If you, someone you know or a pharmacy would like to be featured in a future issue of the magazine, please contact Victoria Madonna, Membership and Marketing Coordinator at vmadonna@papharmacists.com
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Updates on key industry events through our website and social media
Over 75 negotiated contracts with wholesalers, pharmacy ops, FOS merch
PROFITABLE Negotiating generic pricing on your behalf with wholesalers
Members share in the profits with our shareback program Monthly rebates sent via EFT/Check
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Member Profile patients as well as yourself. Understand the dynamics of your profession and those things that influence it. How has becoming a member of PPA made you grow professionally?
Howard C. Cook, Jr., R.Ph, BCNSP, FASHP Pharmacist/Consultant Clinical Consultants, Yeager’s Pharmacy, Hellertown, PA
What is the most important piece of advice you would give a newly licensed pharmacist on their first day of work? Complement your patient care efforts with involvement in your profession. Become active in your professional organizations to enhance your value to both your
Involvement in PPA was an essential element in my professional development. A pharmacist must realize that there are many influences outside of the science that impact their daily practice. PPA is an organization that provides a forum and, more importantly, a voice for pharmacists in every practice setting. Name the number 1 reason why you became a pharmacist? By ninth grade, I knew that I would be a pharmacist. It was the pharmacists who cared for my family, Chuck McCloskey and Glenn Jaikes, at the Rea &
Derick in Easton, PA, that tipped the scale in favor of a career in pharmacy over medicine. It turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. Pharmacists provide a unique and valuable service to their patients, a natural fit in multidisciplinary care.
on me. From new drugs to a pharmacist’s ability to consciously refuse to perform a function, Dan has been the voice and heart of the front line pharmacist. I have the honor of serving as a PPA Delegate with this mentor, colleague, and friend.
Is there anyone in your professional career that helped shape you into the Pharmacist you are today?
Out of anywhere in the world, if you had to choose a different place to live and practice pharmacy where would it be and why?
I have been blessed throughout my career in that I have collaborated with many gifted pharmacists, nurses, and physicians. Each has made me a better practitioner. David Slick, Anthony Mariani, Thomas Vickery, and Richard Attilio frequently come to mind. However, from my time as a student until the present day, it has been Daniel Hussar who has had the most impact
Arizona. Every time I visit my daughter’s family there, I have a difficult time getting back on the plane for the trip home. The natural beauty and diverse people would be a great backdrop for a professional practice. Best thing you ever ate? 20 ounce Porterhouse Steak at Del Frisco’s in Dallas, Texas, November 2007.
Foundation 2019 Grant Recipients Announced The PPA Educational Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Foundation grant! Grants may be used for projects which are targeted towards patient care by pharmacists and innovative activity around pharmacy practice. • Kayla Askey, PGY1 Community Pharmacy Resident, Asti’s South Hills Pharmacy/ University of Pittsburgh: Theoretical exploration of Pennsylvania pharmacists’ perceptions regarding Medication-Assisted Treatment dispensing behavior and harm reduction strategies for opioid use disorder. She received $900 • Katie Doong, PharmD, Pharmacist Practice Development Fellow, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy: Community pharmacistprovided comprehensive medication
management services a case series. She received $1,000. • Vidhi Ganghi, PharmD Candidate 2020, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy: Evaluating the Impact of a Targeted Naloxone Protocol on Naloxone Dispensing for High Risk Patients in a Community Pharmacy Setting. She received $500 • Linh Huynh, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Duquesne University School of Pharmacy / Heritage Valley Family Medicine
Center: Healthcare Provider perceptions of a pharmacistadministered long-acting injectable antipsychotic program in a community pharmacy chain a national surveybased study. She received $1,000 • Amber Lapping, PharmD, PGY-1 Community Pharmacy Resident, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy: Healthcare Successful implementation strategies for community pharmacy-based Nation Diabetes Prevention Programs (NDPP) in Pennsylvania. She received $600
*Beginning in 2019, in addition to the Foundation’s Mini-Grant program, the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association Educational Foundation will award one grant up to a maximum amount of $5,000. The grant may be used for projects which are targeted towards advancing patient care by pharmacists and innovative pharmacy practice. The deadline for submission is May 1st 2019. Go to papharmacists.com/PracticeGrantProgram for more information.
14 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
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Legislative Profiles Sen. Michele Brooks What are the key issues you would like to see addressed this session? The list of issues before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee is long and evolving. Priorities include rural access to health care; the ongoing impact of the Highmark-UPMC split; a long-term solution to the heroin and opioid crisis; stepped-up Lyme disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies; Senator Michele Brooks expanded incentives for R-50 firefighters and emergency medical technicians; and increasing access to home health care services for our senior citizens. Tell our members a little about your background and why you are a legislator? I am one of five children, born and raised in rural Mercer County, and my background is in local government and nonprofit management. Early on, my parents instilled in me a commitment to get involved in the community, to volunteer, and to try to make a difference. From my younger days as a Jamestown Borough councilmember, a Mercer County commissioner, and past president of the United Way and the PTO, to my tenure in the state House of Representatives and more, I have gained a wide range of practical experience that has helped to prepare me well for my legislative duties. My family and I have always been extremely hard workers, and I have never readily accepted “no” for an answer when it comes to fighting for what’s right. I welcome the opportunity to ease the burden of over-regulation and to build meaningful partnerships, and am a passionate voice for our region and my constituents. How do you see pharmacy and its role in health care evolving in the future? I believe strongly in our local pharmacists and embrace them as an important part of our local health care delivery system. There is no substitute for the local pharmacist, who knows the community and his or her customers. As they interact with families, they provide that incomparable personal touch, monitoring the medications of individuals and families they know and care about. As our health care and insurance system grows in complexity, the affordability of prescription drugs has emerged as a top priority at all levels of government. The drug pricing debate is at the top of my priority list, and I am analyzing pharmaceutical 16 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
legislation in other states and the barriers to markets, competition and patient access. I always welcome actionable insights from our pharmacists in the field. Advice for pharmacists about the political process? My advice boils down to two very simple thoughts: be informed and be involved – and as a key corollary, weigh in early. Know your local senator and representative and work with your Association to track the path of legislation, budgetary items, and regulations that will have an impact upon you, your pharmacy and your day-to-day work. If you can share succinct, relevant input into the practical implications of a bill, please reach out to us. The earlier you weigh into the process, the better. My staff and I read and seriously consider every email, letter, testimony and policy brief. Some of the best legislation has been crafted and improved upon after the most talented people in the front lines of care contributed their feedback and recommended thoughtful changes. What do you do for relaxation or enjoyment? My job is basically a 24-7-365 endeavor, so my work has become my enjoyment. On the weekend, you will probably find me at a 4-H fair, a pancake breakfast, an Eagle Scout ceremony, or a fundraising dinner with my husband. My family and my faith are everything. I especially enjoy gardening, reading, enjoying the outdoors, and talking to children wherever I go. I always enjoy taking on a challenge for someone else, fighting hard and making a difference.
Rep. Valerie Gaydos What are the key issues you would like to see addressed this session (2019-2020)? As a long-time entrepreneur with a proven track record of building successful businesses I am committed to putting my experience to work to grow the state’s economy and improve opportunities/reduce burdens for employees and employers across the Commonwealth. This includes fighting for fiscal accountability, educational Representative initiatives that prepare our Valerie Gaydos students for their futures, and R-44 tax, regulatory and economic policies to strengthen PA’s business climate. As a member of the House Health Committee, I look forward to delving into the issues that are facing pharmacy today.
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Legislative Profiles continued Tell our members a little bit about your background and why you are a legislator? My initial involvement in politics entailed working for the late U.S. Senator John Heinz while I was in College. I then went on to work for PA State Senate Majority Whip Mike Fisher before starting my own company selling data and information to the financial sector. After being a patient advocate and caregiver for my late husband who passed away from lung cancer and an aging parent with Parkinson’s Disease for 15 years, I understand how life’s challenges can add hurdles in our lives and that government shouldn’t be one of them especially in healthcare. How do you see pharmacy and its role in health care evolving in the in the future? Pharmacists have been and will remain at the frontline of healthcare. With a wealth of knowledge and the increased interest in cost effective delivery of health and wellness programs directly in the pharmacy and by pharmacists, the role of the pharmacist in screening, education, wellness programming, vaccinations and more will only expand.
Advice for pharmacists about the political process? The political process may be long, slow and complex at times but it is designed as such to ensure that any measures enacted are well thought out. Be patient but also be persistent in educating legislators about the potential impacts that Pharmacists have the lives of constituents and the reduced costs of healthcare. Encourage your members to get directly involved in the political process by picking up the phone or introducing themselves to their respective legislators and offering to be a resource for the profession. There is nothing more effective than hearing about specific pharmacy issues directly from a pharmacist. What do you do for relaxation or enjoyment? In my spare time I enjoy gardening. I enjoy sailing and just about any activity which is an excuse to being out in nature. In the winter I enjoy ice skating and snowboarding. In the summer it is gardening and sailing.
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PHARMACY SPOTLIGHT The Patient Centric Pharmacy For Alissa Griffith, bring your daughter to work day was more than just one day a year growing up in her Father’s pharmacy. At the age of eight she started cleaning shelves and windows throughout Thrift Drugstore in Pottstown. As she grew older, her Father, Bob Steele, taught her to work the register and wait on customers. As time went on, she watched how he ran the business and spoke to patients with both intellect and compassion. For Alissa, it wasn’t hard to make the decision to start the journey to become a Pharmacist. In 1993, she graduated from Temple University School of Pharmacy. In 1988 Steele opened Quik-Stop Pharmacy, a Good Neighbor Pharmacy, with the goal of filling prescriptions quickly and efficiently. In the early 80’s, Bob often thought there should be drive-thru windows for parents with sick children or the elderly who had trouble getting around. In 1997, they moved to a larger space on Lincoln Highway in Thorndale with a drive-thru window. This was the first in Chester County. Quik-Stop is equipped with four Pharmacists, three technicians, a cashier, a delivery driver and three other part-time staff members. Alissa’s Father still shows up a few times a week just to check in. Most of the staff has been with the business for about 10–20 years. Their dedication stretches to the point of staying late to wait for a patient on 18 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
QUIK-STOP
BY THE NUMBERS
4
Pharmacists Technicians
1
Cashier Delivery Driver
3
3
Part-time Staff
1
their way to the store or to finish up a task that needs to be completed. They often drop off a delivery on their way home if someone missed the delivery time. “All of this is what makes my profession so amazing. I truly love what I do”. Griffith said. “I’ll often tell my husband on days that I’m not officially working that I’ll be home early and he just laughs and says, ‘I’ll see you at 6,’ because he knows once I’m there I never want to leave early”, Griffith said. Quik-Stop offers that ‘where everybody knows your name’ atmosphere. The staff gives every patient as much personal attention as needed to address issues, with insurance, pricing, refills and the list continues. “One of the best parts about owning my own pharmacy is that I can take as long as I need to help someone, offer special services, etc. I often go to homes and help a patient sort through their medications if they get confused. The options are endless and I know my staff and the customers value this relationship”, Griffith said. Owning a
pharmacy comes with its challenges, such as networks and Direct and Indirect Remuneration (DIR) fees. “It is heart breaking when someone tells me they are either forced to use another pharmacy or that the prices are causing them to use a different network pharmacy. As for DIR fees, they are an ongoing problem and are simply unfair. Compliance is critical and we do our best with this, however, there are a multitude of reasons that someone is non-compliant and the pharmacy should never be financially punished because of this,” Griffith said. Among the challenges and benefits, Alissa is grateful for professional organizations such as PPA that keep her informed with valuable industry and business information. PPA provides services and knowledgeable experts to help answer a wide variety of questions and instruct Pharmacists and Pharmacies just like Quik-Stop through the ever changing profession. “I just finished my certification for the Point of Care Training (POCT) at a recent conference. This is a
huge leap forward and I’m thrilled to begin offering these services to our community. Pharmacy will continue to change as we become more patient centric,” Griffith said. It’s a common saying that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life and that’s completely true for Alissa and her team.
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Campus Checkup
Duquesne University School of Pharmacy Contributed by: Brenna Moriarity, Communication Ambassador Duquesne University’s PPA student chapter and APhA-ASP student chapter partnered with Tobacco Free Allegheny in the efforts of the chapter’s Vice President, Sa’ed Al-Olimat, to hold a Tobacco Cessation Health Fair. Tobacco Free Allegheny is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving communities in Allegheny County to provide educational and informational resources regarding the harmful effects associated with tobacco use and tobacco exposure. The Tobacco Cessation Health Fair took place in the South Side, an underserved community of the Greater Pittsburgh Area located in Allegheny County. Sa’ed explains, “For me, there were many reasons I thought this event would be impactful. Promoting such an important topic within the community that may need it most may be very helpful for those willing to seek the help. I thought it would be a great opportunity for other students as well — to make poster presentations and work collaboratively within their student organizations. I believe it is also important to meet students and faculty from different institutions. Both Duquesne University and University of Pittsburgh organizations came together for this event with a common goal, it was very cool to see.”
Jefferson College of Pharmacy Contributed by: NIcole Leshko, Communication Ambassador During PPA’s Midyear Conference in January, Jefferson College of Pharmacy donated to PPA’s building fund in honor of their late colleague and active PPA member, Joey Fernandez, in thanks to all of PPA’s support throughout the years.
OTC competition due to the large amount of interest in the competition being held at PPA midyear. We will be sending a very competitive team! Also, we were most recently able to participate in a blood pressure drive with another club at LECOM. People from all over Erie county participated in a blood drive that was held at the Erie Bayhawks game, a local Erie basketball team. P2 and medical students were available to take blood pres sures and educate the public on the risks of hypertension. More recently, we appointed a new government relations co-chair from our P1 class, Joe DeDionisio. He is very excited to learn more about policy and Pennsylvania and is ready to take over the chair for next year!
Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy Contributed by: Morgan Augustine, Communication Ambassador
LECOM School of Pharmacy Contributed by: Maria Peluso, Communication Ambassador LECOM Erie is continuing to grow as we now have merged with another club at our school! We are continuing to complete GRASP modules and are excited for Legislative Day. Recently, we had the opportunity to hold an in-house 24 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association chapter at Ohio Northern University has been promoting the opportunities and benefits of membership in an effort to increase involvement. Later this spring, we will be hosting our annual workshop to assist our P2 and P3 members in applying for their Pennsylvania intern license. We will also be having a general meeting to make sure all the members are on the same page and update the chapter on current events going on with PPA. Our government relations ambassador has been promoting legislation on issues relating to pharmacy at home. We continue to get a stronger presence on campus and we cannot wait to continue to grow as a chapter!
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Contributed by: Kayla Askey, Communication Ambassador The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy student PPA chapter had another busy semester which started off strong with a General Body Meeting followed by our first ever Q&A Panel. This panel featured our new Dean, several faculty members, and students answering student questions. Topics included the Mid-Year conference, upcoming events, and the benefits of being a PPA member. In early February, we encouraged members and interested students to come out to an Ice Skating Meet and Greet; a night filled with fun and information. Throughout the beginning of the semester, we continued our “Herbie the Hedgehog” fundraiser, and donated several of the purchased stuffed animals to children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia! Later in the semester, we held another GRASP event to introduce students to the program and help prepare students for Legislative Day! We are planning on participating in a community health fair at a local federally qualified health center in West Philadelphia at the end of the semester. Overall, we had a lot of great involvement and engagement from students and faculty throughout the semester and we look forward to next year!
Temple University School of Pharmacy Contributed by: Jonathan Lapin, Communication Ambassador Our students are excited to be back at school after their restful Winter break! Our Temple PPA group has a lot of events planned such as a blood pressure monitoring event and a poster presentation in a local pharmacy educating the public about the differences in colds vs.the flu, and many more! We are also very excited for our contingent of students attending Legislative Day, which is our opportunity to educate lawmakers and decision makers about the issues we face in our profession! We are very excited to see what the rest of the semester holds!
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Contributed by: Emily Dell, Communication Ambassador The Pitt Chapter of PPA has had a great semester so far, and we are looking forward to finishing the semester strong. To start the semester off, we had a large group of students attend the Midyear Conference in Gettysburg, PA in January. We had students from our school representing us in both the OTC Competition and the Know Pain Know Gain Competition. We are so proud to have our school represented at these events and show what we have learned at Pitt Pharmacy! We will be participating in the annual Kidapalooza events again this year on February 2nd from 2-4pm, where will be helping kids learn about living healthy lives with what we have learned in pharmacy school. One of our most important events this semester is Legislative Day in Harrisburg on Tuesday, April 9th. We will have the opportunity to talk with our state legislators about current happenings in the pharmacy world and ask some burning questions. We hope to get the chance to talk with other students from across the state and work together to advance the future of pharmacy. This event is open to any Pitt Pharmacy student that wants to attend, not just those who are a part of PPA. With our recent Tervis mug fundraiser, we were able to raise money to donate to the PharmPAC. We plan to continue to raise funds for organizations like this that will help us have the most opportunities when we become pharmacists in the future. We hope everyone has a great rest of the semester. Good luck to everyone with finals!
Wilkes University Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Contributed by: Rachel Wood, Communication Ambassador We are all excited to be back on campus as this semester is packed full of fun and exciting events for our Wilkes Chapter! We ended last semester by lifting spirits for a terminally ill boy in Pennsylvania whose last wish was to receive cards for Christmas. We have two Katy’s Kids events planned, which we are looking forward to as always. We are also planning a blood pressure screening in collaboration with another club on campus. In addition to events, our fundraisers have been going exceptionally well. Even though our tie clips and lapel pins sold out, we have to say our custom Wilkes umbrellas are the biggest hit! We have about 30 students attending the upcoming Midyear Conference in Gettysburg. We are looking forward to supporting our Patient Self-Care Competition team comprised of Aleksey Gitelson, Rachel Seidel, and Kara Cooper. This semester has so much to offer with PPA and we cannot wait to see how it plays out.
www.papharmacists.com 25
PPCN Update FOLLOW PPCN ON SOCIAL MEDIA! PPCN launched the #ShareYourCare campaign to highlight the great care that PPCN pharmacists are providing in their communities. PPCN is on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us on Twitter @PPCN_CPESN and Instagram papharmacistsnetwork to hear about the great work of our pharmacists!
Payer Contract Launched! PPCN launched its third patient care contract with Gateway Health on February 1st of this year. Through the contract, pharmacists are compensated for the provision of comprehensive medication reviews, follow up visits and targeted interventions that align with HEDIS measures. In the second half of 2018, PPCN pharmacists were paid for services provided for over 1,600 Gateway Health members and demonstrated reductions in A1c, weight and blood pressure! Additionally, pharmacists assisted patients in quitting smoking, and worked with parents of pediatric patients to help them obtain necessary chronic medication for their children. PPCN pharmacists continually demonstrate that they are improving patient health outcomes and are keeping patients out of the hospital, which correlates with a significant cost reduction for the health plan. To quote Troy Trystad, Executive Director of CPESN USA,
“To make the patient better is the new business model.” PPCN and CPESN USA are actively working with additional payers to provide opportunities for pharmacists to employ this value-driven business model.
PPCN Pharmacists Share Strategies for Success in Gettysburg During the PPA Mid-Year Meeting in Gettysburg, PPCN hosted a panel discussion with leading network pharmacists. Jeff Covelli, RPh from the Hometown Pharmacy shared how his company has embraced the team approach and has incorporated clinical services into their daily operations. Brian Sidone, PharmD from Mainline Pharmacy emphasized how important it is to leverage technology in care provision, and the widespread benefits to the workflow efficiency of medication synchronization. Lindsey Meston, PharmD from Asti’s South Hills Pharmacy shared strategies for collaborating with other health care providers and expanding the business model for pharmacy services. This educational session received an overwhelmingly positive response, and PPCN is actively planning for a follow up session at the PPA Annual Meeting- join us in Seven Springs in September!
PPA Supports PPCN with New Training Program Earlier this fall, PPA launched a brand new Delivering Enhanced Patient Care — Part 1, the online entry point training program for PPCN pharmacists. At PPA’s Mid Year meeting, Part 2, the live delivery
portion was officially launched after being piloted at the Annual meeting. Since then two additional trainings have been held or scheduled. Along with that a special Train the Trainer program was held. This revised program, both parts 1 and 2, provides all pharmacists wanting to deliver patient care through PPCN, a solid background of preparation.
Recognition on a National Stage Melissa McGivney, PharmD was invited by CPESN USA to share the work of PPCNCPESN with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services Health Quality Institute, Value-Based Purchasing/Quality Improvement group in Austin, TX, on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. She served as a part of a panel discussion with Joe Moose, PharmD, CPESN-North Carolina, and Emily Endres of Pharmacy Quality Solutions facilitated by Ben McNabb, PharmD, Owner, Love Oak Pharmacy and CPESN-Texas member. As the Director of Strategic Partnerships, Quality and Outcomes Evaluation for PPCN, Melissa was asked to share the experiences of PPCN in driving improvements in patient health outcomes. PPCN was also recognized at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington through numerous poster presentations highlighting the work of PPCN pharmacists, student pharmacists, residents and pharmacist practice development fellow.
If you would like to learn more about PPCN, visit http://papharmacistsnetwork.com/ or email PPCN Executive Manager Stephanie McGrath, PharmD at smcgrath@papharmacists.com 26 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
Pharmacy Legislative Day Tuesday, April 9, 2019 | Harrisburg, PA Your Health. Your Pharmacist. The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association is hosting its annual Pharmacy Legislative Day on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 in Harrisburg, PA. Attend and talk with Pennsylvania legislators about fair reimbursement, PBM accountability and transparency and other key pharmacy priority issues that affect you and the patients you serve. Help us advocate for keeping community pharmacies as partners in health care. Your Health - Your Pharmacist!
Schedule of Events 8:00 AM
Arrival and Registration
East Wing Rotunda
8:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Legislative Appointments
Various Locations
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Continental Breakfast - All attendees, Legislators, Legislative Staff , and Governor’s office invited
East Wing Rotunda
8:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Informational Displays and Health Screenings
East Wing Rotunda
9:00 AM and 1:30 PM
Group Tour of the Capitol Building
Visitors Desk
12:00 PM - 12:20 PM
Pharmacy Rally and Press Conference
Main Capitol Rotunda
1:00 PM
Special Meeting with Auditor General
PPA Office
2:15 PM
Group photo of Legislative Day 2019
PPA Office
Visit www.papharmacists.com/LegislativeDay to learn more and to register.
A special thank you is in order to all 2018 PharmPAC donors… 2018 marked another successful year for PharmPAC! PharmPAC raised over $40,000 — from personal contributions by our members, our goal this year is $55,000. This is a goal we can and NEED to reach so that we can support legislators who support pharmacy and deliver meaningful results! We are aiming to raise $55,000 in 2019 — and it’s a goal we can and NEED to reach. Please consider making a personal contribution today to help us reach our 2019 goal.
Congressional Club ($1,000+) * Fred DePasquale
* Robert Frankil
* Shawn Nairn
* Darrin Silbaugh
* Eric Esterbrook
Walter and Amy Lizza
* PJ Ortman
* Mathew Slakoper
Kevin Evancic
* George McAlanis
* Wayne Shafer
* Robert Steele
Keystone Club ($500+) * Thomas Bowser
* Loc Dao
* Charles Lebegern
* John Pavis
* David Cippel
* Michael Fapore
* Bethany Miller
* Eric Pusey
* Robert Cohen
* Donna Hazel
* Joseph Miskovsky
* Robert Schreiber
* Stephanie Smith Cooney
* D Scott Himler
* Jeffrey Moskowitz
* David Smith
* Bob and Coleen Kayden
Charles Obeid
* David Cunningham
* Patrick Lavella
* Richard Ost
Capitol Club ($250+) * Ross Bevevino
* Michael DePanfilis
* Janet Hart
* David Ostrow
* Mel Brodsky
* Patricia Epple
* Nickolas Kernich
Megan Weignad
* Stan Camson
* Jonathan Ference
* Robert Killoran
* Walter Cwietniewicz
William Ferri
* Nicholas Leon
Patriot’s Club ($100+) * Brandon Antinopoulos
Thomas Franko
Robert Maher Sr.
Steven Petrone
Joseph Bectel
*John Gatto
* Enid McClung
Susan Schropp
Joseph Breton
Charles Kray
Susan Schwarz
Yoshimi Clark
Craig Lehrman
Stephanie Harriman McGrath
*Robert Maher
Karla Moschella
Antonio Difilippo
Sustaining Members ($50+)
Richard Deluca
28 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
* Maria Osborne
Thomas Silvonek
Contributors ($25+) Kateryna Adamov
Thomas DePietro
Keith Miller
Richard Reed
David Angelini
Alfred Feroli
Edward Millward Jr.
Jared Shayka
Lawrence Barnes
Robert Hewlett
Wendy Murphy
Marvin Sheffler
Robert Bimeal Jr.
Melissa Keller
Jerome Musheno
Felix Szymokowiak
Ann Boncal
* Sherri Lee
Victor Peffer
Andrew Thomas
Richard Bronstein
Pamela Martinetti
Constance Pesacreta
Richard Demers
David Mateer
Albert Polekoff
Donors ($10+) Diane Borman
Donald Deibler, II
Attila Mihalik
Richard Brown
Neil Goldman
Valerie Nolt
Howard Cook
Robert Howell
Charlotte Pavis
Susan Cummings
Dona Laslow
Lauren Simko
1878 Society Members (Student-Only) *Denotes monthly contributor
Jacob Gambo
Erica Jackson
* Darryle Tillman
2018 Recipients of the “Bowl of Hygeia” Award
Ronda Lacey Alabama
Dennis McAllister Arizona
Cissy Clark Arkansas
Debby Johnson California
Catherine Jarvis Colorado
Marghie Giuliano Connecticut
Lisa Stonesifer Delaware
Michael A. Moné Florida
Sharon Sherrer Georgia
Starlin Haydon-Greatting Illinois
Bernadette Brown Indiana
Mickey Cooper Iowa
Brian Caswell Kansas
Pat Mattingly Kentucky
Nick LeBas Louisiana
Betty J. Harris Maine
Dixie Leikach Maryland
David Sencabaugh Massachusetts
Phil Hagerman Michigan
Laura Schwartzwald Minnesota
Ricky Cash Mississippi
Gene Forrester Missouri
Tricia Campbell Montana
Angie Svoboda Nebraska
Roseann Visconti Nevada
Jennifer Towle New Hampshire
Rupal Mansukhani New Jersey
Michael Raburn New Mexico
John Westerman, Jr. New York
Davie Waggett North Carolina
Robert Biberdorf North Dakota
Dan Karant Ohio
Don Ritter Oklahoma
Penny Reher Oregon
Richard Williams Pennsylvania
Abigail Vazquez Puerto Rico
Kelley Sanzen Rhode Island
Robert Hubbard South Carolina
Hugh Mack South Dakota
Larry Calhoun Tennessee
Carol Reagan Texas
Darryl Wagner Utah
Allen Huffman Virginia
Linda Garrelts MacLean Washington
Ivan Cephas Washington DC
Charles “Laddie” Burdette, Jr. West Virginia
Brook DesRivieres Wisconsin
Stephen Rogers Wyoming
The “Bowl of Hygeia”
The Bowl of Hygeia award program was originally developed by the A. H. Robins Company to recognize pharmacists across the nation for outstanding service to their communities. Selected through their respective professional pharmacy associations, each of these dedicated individuals has made uniquely personal contributions to a strong, healthy community. We offer our congratulations and thanks for their high example. The American Pharmacists Association Foundation, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and the state pharmacy associations have assumed responsibility for continuing this prestigious recognition program. All former recipients are encouraged to maintain their linkage to the Bowl of Hygeia by emailing current contact information to awards@naspa.us. The Bowl of Hygeia is on display in the APhA History Hall located in Washington, DC. Boehringer Ingelheim is proud to be the Premier Supporter of the Bowl of Hygeia program.
Honor a Colleague PPA’s Awards Committee is seeking nominations for several prestigious association awards that are presented annually during the Association’s Annual Conference which will be held September 19–22, 2019 at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Seven Springs, PA. Many pharmacists currently practicing in Pennsylvania are excellent candidates for these awards; individuals whose contributions have made pharmacy a better profession for all of us. Below is a list of the awards and criteria for selection of the award recipient for each. CRITERIA FOR ALL AWARDS A nominee must be a current member of PPA to be considered. For all awards except those noted with an “ ”, nominees must be a licensed Pennsylvania pharmacist. Nominations are considered for one year only. Please note that nominations are no longer held on file and eligible for consideration for three years.
*
Bowl of Hygeia Award Sponsored by the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) with support from Boehringer lngelheim Granted to recognize and honor a Pennsylvania pharmacist who has demonstrated sustained commitment to community service, apart from his/her specific identification as a pharmacist, which reflects well on the profession of pharmacy. Specific Award Eligibility: • Nominee must not be currently serving or have served in the last two (2) years as a member of PPA awards committee, an elected PPA officer or a paid employee of PPA PPA Pharmacist of the Year Award Presented to a pharmacist who has demonstrated dedication to the profession of pharmacy, contributed time and effort to the various professional organizations, furthered the profession of pharmacy through community service and embodied those qualities of attitude and leadership which exemplified the profession. George S. Maggio Memorial Award Presented to the pharmacist who has contributed the most to pharmacy in Pennsylvania through his/her work in legislative activities and advocacy in conjunction with and for PPA. NASPA Excellence in Innovation Award Sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. Recognizes a pharmacist who is involved in an innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care. The nomination must include a description of the innovative pharmacy practice which would qualify the recipient for this award. George H. Searight Community Service Award* Presented to an individual who has shown outstanding devotion and service to PPA, and his/her own county or local association, and for outstanding community service which has enhanced the image of the profession of pharmacy within his/her community. This award may be presented to a pharmacist or a non-pharmacist.
• Nominee must be living; awards are not presented posthumously • Nominee must not be a past recipient of the award
Pauline Montgomery Leadership Award Sponsored by Value Drug Company The Pauline Montgomery Leadership Award, sponsored by Value Drug Company, is presented annually to a female independent owner, manager, or employee of an independent pharmacy who is part of Value Drug Company and who demonstrates leadership in all of the following areas: pharmacy, politics/ advocacy, and community. Value Drug Company provides a $1,000 check to the recipient. Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies “Distinguished Young Pharmacist” Award Recognizes new pharmacists for their dedication to and participation in PPA, commitment to the practice of pharmacy, and involvement in community activities. Minimum selection criteria: • Licensed to practice for nine years or less. • Has distinguished themselves in the field of pharmacy practice. • Participated in national pharmacy association(s), professional programs, PPA activities and/or community service.
Preceptor of the Year This award has a separate nomination form for students to use. Nominees must be PPA members, must be a preceptor for a Pennsylvania pharmacy practice site, and must be nominated by a PPA Student Member. Pharmacy Technician of the Year* Presented to an individual who has at least 2 years of experience working as a pharmacy technician in any pharmacy setting, who has demonstrated a professional attitude at their place of employment, and who has shown leadership in the training of their technicians in their practice settings. J. Allen Duffield Pharmaceutical Industry Award* Presented to an individual who is associated with the pharmaceutical industry or other pharmacy associated/related business or service, who has contributed time, effort, commitment, and supported and participated in the activities and programs of PPA and who has, through his/her affiliation with the company and industry he/she represents, contributed to the betterment of the profession of pharmacy.
Nominate a deserving individual for an award and recognize them for all they do for the pharmacy profession! Find the nomination form at http://www.papharmacists.com/Awards
www.papharmacists.com 31
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2019 Mid-Year Conference “The Battle for Patient Care” at the Wyndham in Gettysburg from January 25th to 27th!
Special Thank Yous! PPA sends a special thank you to the 2019 Conference Committee for all of their hard work and dedication. Committee members include: • Brandon Antinopoulos
• Tanya Dougherty
• Jamie McConaha
• Kayla Bardzel
• D Scott Himler
• Barbara McNeal
• Ann Campagna
• Coleen Kayden
• Lauren Simko
• Jenna Carmichael
• Robert Kayden
32 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
Thank You Sponsors! PPA thanks our Annual Corporate Partners and Conference Sponsors! The funding and support they provide allows PPA to provide conference attendees with a remarkable experience. We thank them for their generosity to PPA! ANNUAL CORPORATE SPONSORS:
Platinum Level: Value Drug Company
Bronze Level: R.J. Hedges & Associates
Diamond Level: Independent Pharmacy Buying Group, Pharmacists Mutual Companies, Rochester Drug Cooperative, Inc.
Gold Level: Keystone Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance
CONFERENCE SPONSORS:
Silver Level: AmerisourceBergen, HD Smith, McKesson
Contributor Conference Sponsors: Rite Aid and Performrx
OTC Competition Played very similar to Jeopardy, the OTC Competition was once again a signature event of Mid-Year Conference! Teams from LECOM, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Duquesne University, Jefferson School of Pharmacy, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Wilkes University competed and Philadelphia College of Pharmacy took home the 2019 traveling plaque! Team members of the winning team included: Ally Cerino, Jenna Januska, and Melissa Weigartner.
Congratulations to the PCP team!
Student Poster Presentations A total of 19 posters were presented on Saturday evening at Mid-Year. Those who attended earned CE credit by learning from each student about their work. Thank you to the multitude of pharmacists who evaluated these student posters — we appreciate your interest and support!
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Know Pain, Know Gain Competition Contestants competed in a rapid-fire Q&A session on pain management, followed by the top three finalists competing in a patient counseling session. Congratulations to this year’s Know Pain, Know Gain Competition winner: Jacquelyn Madler, Duquesne University School of Pharmacy, who received a cash prize of $75. The other two finalists were: Nicholas Field, PCP and Kevin Kachurak, Wilkes, who each received $25. Other competitors included: Dylan Fox, Erica Jackson, Abby Kois, Christopher Mina, Cody Morcom, Brett Nguyen, Kevin Nguyen. A big thank you to our competition judges: Kim Carozzoni, Maria Foy, Coleen Kayden, Michele Musheno and Jennifer Smith, Tanya Uritsky, who posed as our pain patient for the counseling portion and Tom Franko, who posed as our moderator for the competition.
Educational Foundation Fundraisers The Foundation hosted its annual Sunnyside Up Breakfast on Sunday, January 27th, which included presentations on the Foundation and two reports from the grants that were awarded in 2018. Additionally, the five grants awarded for 2019 were announced and outgoing board members were recognized and thanked for their dedication through the last few years.
Sara Weinstein presents her study results from a Foundation grant.
Maria Osborne swears in Gale Garmong Officers of PPA & PPAEF cut the ribbon on as new PPAEF Board Member. our renovated building.
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Pennsylvania Department of Health Pharmacy Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Agreement Project The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Agreement project began in March of 2016 when the National Association of Chain Drug Stores provided a grant opportunity for improving vaccination rates through community partnerships and technology. The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy applied for the grant in collaboration with Giant Eagle Pharmacy, and with a DOH signed letter of support, received funding in July of 2016. As part of this project, DOH worked with Giant Eagle Pharmacy to enroll them in and test the PA State Immunization and Information System (PA SIIS). PA SIIS is a database used by the DOH to track vaccination rates by vaccine providers. In March of 2017, Giant Eagle Pharmacy completed their testing of PA SIIS, and in April of 2017 they began reporting immunizations to PA SIIS. Around the same time period, the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and Giant Eagle Pharmacy hosted a stakeholders’ meeting. The meeting brought together public health and community pharmacy partners to expand the capacity to deliver pandemic vaccination through Pennsylvania community pharmacies. One of the goals of the meeting was to operationalize the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Pharmacy Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Understanding in Pennsylvania. During the meeting there was consensus on moving forward with operationalizing the ASTHO MOU toolkit and template. The DOH developed a draft Pharmacy Pandemic Influenza Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and distributed it to stakeholders in September of 2017 for comment. The proposed MOA was finalized
and introduced at the annual Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association meeting in January 2018.
The feedback was positive, and the webpage went live on October 31, 2018.
In November of 2017, ASTHO provided a funding opportunity to assist in a project such as this. DOH applied and received funding for one statewide meeting and four regional meetings to operationalize the approved MOA.
The webpage can be accessed at http://pharmacymoa.health. pa.gov and questions or concerns may be directed to RADHPHARMACYMOA@pa.gov. The webpage contains information on the MOA and why coordination between public health agencies and pharmacies is important. Links to the MOA itself and other pertinent documents are also available, and we encourage pharmacies to participate in this initiative. DOH received several signed MOAs and has had discussions with Giant Eagle Pharmacy and Value Drug on completing the MOA process. Meetings with Rite Aid and Walgreens are being scheduled as well.
On March 29, 2018, there was a statewide meeting in State College to engage the pharmacy community in pandemic and all-hazards planning. Attendees included the PA Pharmacy Association, PA State Pharmacy Board, Rite Aid, Giant Eagle, University of Pittsburgh and independent pharmacies. The meeting provided an opportunity for the DOH to gather valuable feedback to move forward with the project, and also for the various stakeholders to engage with one another. Additional meetings were held from June through September in Wilkes Barre, Conshohocken and Pittsburgh. At the time of the final meeting in Pittsburgh, DOH presented the draft Pharmacy MOA webpage for the DOH website.
The ASTHO grant provided the opportunity for DOH to meet faceto-face with the statewide pharmacy community and engage them in supporting their community during a public health emergency. We appreciate the support from the pharmacy community on this initiative and look forward to the continued engagement.
First Open Forum of PC2 — a Huge Success! Twenty- nine primary care pharmacists attended the first open forum of the newly formed PC2 group during PPA’s Mid Year Conference. The group connected, networked, and collaborated to create a plan to move their efforts forward. They are excited to continue to work on sharing resources, exploring collaborations and partnerships, and advancing the profession. Interested primary care pharmacists should contact PPA about joining this group; send an email to ppa@papharmacists.com
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Pharmacy and the Law: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Regulation By Don. R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph., J.D. This series, Pharmacy and the Law, is presented by Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company and your State Pharmacy Association through Pharmacy Marketing Group, Inc., a company dedicated to providing quality products and services to the pharmacy community. A first step in the regulation of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) occurred at the quarterly meeting of the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) in December 2018. That group’s Health, Long Term Care and Health Retirement Issues Committee passed a Model Act providing for the regulation of PBMs by state insurance commissioners. National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA) regulatory affairs Vice President Ronna Hauser said, “We believe the act is a robust chassis that will put state insurance commissioners in a better position to regulate PBMs.” Many pharmacists may not have heard of NCOIL nor are they aware of how insurance is regulated in the United States. In 1944, Congress passed the McCarran Ferguson Act which provided for the regulation of the insurance industry by the states rather than the Federal Government. As part of this regulatory design, Congress mandated that states must adopt an Unfair Trade Practices Act by 1948. The states did this through the adoption of a Model Act. Model Acts provide a template for state legislatures to review and adopt in their state. This eases the drafting burden on the legislatures while provided some uniformity across the several states. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy provides the same service with its Model State Pharmacy Act. To facilitate the state regulation of insurance, there are two groups that provide assistance to the state legislatures and departments of insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) was founded in 1871 and establishes standards, best practices, and coordination of regulatory oversight. NAIC also drafts and proposes Model Acts. NCOIL was founded in 1969 and brings together legislators from the states. NCOIL functions to educate legislators on insurance issues and to create Model Acts for states to adopt. So what does the adoption of this Model Act mean for pharmacy? There have been attempts by a few states to regulate PBMs. These attempts have not been consistent in their approach and some have not survived judicial scrutiny. The Model Act provides a consistent approach to PBM regulation. The Model Act specifically grants the state insurance commissioner the authority to regulate PBMs and to promulgate rules covering items such as network adequacy requirements, pharmacy compensation, and prohibited market conduct practices. Aside from the legal technicalities, the Model Act facilitates the passage of the law in the various states. The fact that a 36 Pennsylvania Pharmacist — Mar/Apr 2019
The Model Act is available, but that is not the end of the story. Now the scene shifts to the state legislatures. The Model Act will likely face stiff opposition in each state where it is introduced. Pharmacists need to be prepared to get involved and advocate for passage of the Model Act. Model Act has been drafted highlights to state legislators the severity of the issue. The absence of a Model Act can sometimes be used by opponents to advocate that the issue isn’t that important simply because there is no Model Act addressing it. The drafting of a law takes a lot of research time and drafting effort. As mentioned earlier, the Model Act relieves the state legislators of this burden and makes it easier for them to pass the law. The passage of the Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure and Regulation Model Act is a positive step in the right direction for the profession of pharmacy. However, advances like this are not easy and are not free. NCPA worked with NCOIL members for more than nine months on the language of the Model Act to make sure that it addressed pharmacy owners’ concerns. This highlights again the need for pharmacists to be involved in the legislative process. As a previous article in this series said, “Even if we don’t get involved in the making of laws, we will be subject to them nonetheless. Pharmacists can ill afford to be impacted by laws drafted by those who know nothing about pharmacy.” The Model Act is available, but that is not the end of the story. Now the scene shifts to the state legislatures. The Model Act will likely face stiff opposition in each state where it is introduced. Pharmacists need to be prepared to get involved and advocate for passage of the Model Act. If you don’t, who will? © Don R. McGuire Jr., R.Ph., J.D., is General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Risk Management & Compliance at Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company. This article discusses general principles of law and risk management. It is not intended as legal advice. Pharmacists should consult their own attorneys and insurance companies for specific advice. Pharmacists should be familiar with policies and procedures of their employers and insurance companies, and act accordingly.
Professional Development for the Practicing Pharmacist: Generating Research Ideas and Getting Started Olivia Schlottmann, PharmD/MBA Candidate 2019, Wilkes University and Eric A. Wright, PharmD, MPH, Professor and Director, Geisinger Center for Pharmacy Innovation and Outcomes Acknowledgement: Thank you to Drs. Brandon Antinopoulos and Michael Gionfriddo for their comments and suggestions to this paper. For the practicing pharmacist, the thought of conducting research is intimidating. But, did you know you conduct research every day? For example, if you ever wondered if stapling flyers to prescription bags would lead to more patients requesting an influenza vaccination, then you already have the basic mindset of a researcher. Research is not an obscure concept relevant only to those with advanced degrees working in laboratories. Research can be practice based and relevant to your day to day. In this article we describe how to come up with an idea that can be researched and how to take the next step towards developing a research project. Future articles will describe more explicit steps of conducting research and implementing within practice.
How to Get an Idea? Research begins long before you design your study and measure outcomes. Research begins with an idea. This idea may stem from personal experiences, conversations with patients or colleagues, or reading an article. When you question normal processes or think if something can be done better, ask yourself, is there evidence to support it? Ideas should first be interesting and relevant to you, but do not need to be fully developed. For starters, consider the environment in which you practice. Are there opportunities for improvement? What problems do you or your colleagues share that need solving? For example, pharmacies are increasingly using appointmentbased medication synchronization although they are not all the same. At your pharmacy you may wonder, does counseling along with medication synchronization improve medication adherence more than medication synchronization alone?
Remember Your Ideas — Write Them Down Once you have an idea, it is time to write it down! Many ideas are generated in the spur of the moment, ranging from conversations with colleagues to even dreams during the night. We recommend finding a way to keep all these ideas together in one spot. A time-tested method involves carrying around a notepad, but perhaps more common today is downloading a notes app on your smartphone and creating an “Ideas” folder. Find a way that works for you and stick with it.
Developing the Idea When you have a break from your day, take time to work through your ideas. Your time is precious and should be spent exploring an issue relevant to you. Ask yourself, can this idea lead to something valuable to me or my patients? Is it relevant to the business I am in? If so, it may be worth
developing the idea further. Let those passionate, relevant ideas rise to the top and then move those forward.
You’re Not Alone … Finding an Expert Research is rarely done in isolation. Consider reaching out to someone you respect to help mentor you through this journey. This is especially important if you have an idea, but no research experience. Look for an individual with experience in conducting research and knowledge in your area of interest. If you are stuck on deciding who to ask, consider reaching out to a faculty member or experiential director from your alma mater or local school of pharmacy. Many professors have experience conducting research and are often eager to collaborate. Schools of pharmacy sometimes have faculty on staff whose primary role is to network with others to create collaboration opportunities. For example, the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy employs a Pharmacist Senior Program Manager who serves as a research facilitator to connect research opportunities and resources to community partners based on the partner’s needs and interests. Also, within a college/university there are multitudes of resources and connections to be leveraged to improve your research. Once you have determined who to collaborate with, reach out. Introduce yourself and describe you, your practice and your ideas and reason for connecting. If possible, offer to meet in person for a more personal introduction and discussion as it helps the relationship and develop rapport easier than through the phone or e-mail. Consider inviting the faculty/collaborator to your site of practice to discuss the idea. If things go well, consider asking them to be engaged in the project and be a research mentor. As a mentor, they can provide guidance, advice and connect you with additional collaborators and resources.
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In addition to faculty at schools of pharmacy, students can be valuable collaborators. Students take classes on research methods, learn about innovation and often seek out opportunities to advance the profession. They can provide valuable insights on research ideas and may lead study development, implementation and evaluation. By joining forces with faculty, students and staff at schools of pharmacy, it provides benefits to yourself, the academic institution and the future of pharmacy practice.
Key Points • Research ideas can come from anywhere (or anyone) • Keep track and write down your ideas • Pursue research ideas that are relevant and interesting • Seek out help from an experienced person
Don’t Forget to Ask Conducting research within your pharmacy practice may require approval. It is a good idea to check with your manager and later in the research process assure your study has appropriate approval and oversight from an institutional review board (IRB). Details on IRBs will be covered in a future article.
Final Thoughts Be confident in your abilities and persevere even if your initial idea takes an unexpected turn. Approach research with an open mind and pursue questions that matter to you. Transforming an idea into a research study takes time and dedication, but if done well, can be rewarding and your idea could change practice.
• Get approvals before pursuing
Further Reading • Conducting Research Projects (Selecting Your Project). American Pharmacist Association. Available at: https://www.pharmacist.com/ conducting-research-projects • Hulley SB et al. eds. Designing Clinical Research 4th ed. • Vandenbroucke JP, Pearce N. From ideas to studies: how to get ideas and sharpen them into research questions. Clin Epidemiol. 2018;10:253-264.
PTCB Certification Eligibility Requirements to Change in 2020 Education/Training Programs Can Apply Now for PTCB Recognition Starting in 2020, PTCB, the nation’s leading certifying organization for pharmacy technicians, will change its eligibility requirements for the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) Program and update its Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE). PTCB will offer two eligibility pathways for technicians submitting certification applications beginning January 1, 2020. One will be completion of a PTCB-recognized education/ training program, and the other will be equivalent work experience. Announced in January 2018, these changes are based on data PTCB
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collected via Job Task Analysis survey responses from more than 40,000 pharmacy technicians and comments from the pharmacy community, including technician employers and educators, state and national pharmacy associations, and state boards of pharmacy.
Students who complete a PTCB-recognized education/ training program will be eligible to apply for, and earn, their CPhT credential starting in 2020. As an alternative, PTCB will offer a second eligibility pathway based on work experience for technicians who have completed 500 work hours and attest to fulfilling specified knowledge requirements. More information is available on PTCB’s website (www.ptcb.org), including the listing of PTCBrecognized education/training programs, program recognition attestation form, and updated PTCE content blueprint.
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