Pennsylvania Pharmacists Vol #94, Issue 2

March/April 2013 z Volume 94 z Issue 2

The official publication of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association

April 9, 2013 PA Pharmacy Legislative Day Pennsylvania Pharmacist Publishes First Peer Reviewed Article 2013 Mid-Year Conference Highlights

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PPA Board of Directors PPA Officers: President: Robert B. Frankil, RPh President Elect: J. Scott Miskovsky, RPh First Vice President: Eric R. Esterbrook, RPh Second Vice President: Donna Hazel, RPh Immediate Past President: Adam C. Welch, PharmD, MBA, BCACP Regional Directors: Central: Janet Getzey Hart, RPh Northeast: Jonathan D. Ference, PharmD, BCPS Northwest: Mary E. Grisnik, PharmD Southeast: David B. Cunningham, RPh 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 Pharmacy Industry Association: Al Emmans Academy of Student Pharmacists: Tamiko Yamatani 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 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 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. 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 State Board of Pharmacy Members: Edward J. Bechtel, R.Ph. – Independent Community Gayle A. Cotchen, PharmD., MBA – Institutional Philip McCarthy – AG/Consumer Pauline Montgomery, R.Ph. – Independent Community Theresa M. Talbott, R.Ph. – Chain Community Mark J. Zilner, R.Ph. – Chain Community 2013 Board of Pharmacy Meeting Dates: January 15, February 19, March 19, April 16, May 14, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 10

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 Pharmacy Time Capsules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Features Community Pharmacy Spotlight – Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy . . . . . . 11 Financial Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Rx and the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 PPA Member Profile: Jennifer L. Bacci, PharmD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation: Dr. Roberta M. Farrah, PharmD, BCPS . 18 Students – Study. Breathe. Relax. Remember Why You’re Here . . . . . . 19

Association News 2013 Mid-Year Conference Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 PPA Educational Foundation 2012 Annual Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 PPA Pharmacy Legislative Day, Tuesday, April 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Member Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 The Science of Advocacy: Perspective on a Unique Advanced Pharmacy Practice Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Pharmacy Technician Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 2012 PharmPAC Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Call for Award Nominations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Industry News APhA Board of Trustees Commits $1.5M to Ensure Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Clinical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 On the Rebound: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 More Pennsylvania Pharmacies Use e-prescribing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Journal (Peer Review Article) Developing an Immunization Administration Service: A Survey of Pennsylvania Pharmacists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Pennsylvania Pharmacist Publishes First Peer Reviewed Article . . . . . 46

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 3

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Departments

Robert Frankil, RPh PPA President 2012-2013

Message from the President

F

or those of you who attended the PPA Mid-Year Conference in Camp Hill, thank you. I hope you enjoyed yourself. We had a full schedule of very relevant CE programs, and an amazing keynote address by RADM Scott F. Giberson. After hearing his vision for pharmacy and what pharmacists are capable of (and expected to do), we all should be inspired to take our profession to the next level. The student contingency continues to raise the bar for enthusiasm….the Phlash Mob was awesome! Hopefully, the torch will be passed to the upcoming classes as this group of students graduate and become pharmacy leaders.

As we forge ahead in 2013, there is much to be excited about for pharmacy in Pennsylvania. PPA is very close to hiring a pharmacist to help promote and administer our network. This will dovetail very nicely with ACT 207. As we know, SB 201 for Equal Access to Community Pharmacy was passed into law and becomes effective on March 1st as ACT 207. The act will apply to contracts as they expire and are renewed after March 1st.

If we can offer the network to

payers and promote the network of pharmacists to improve patient care, this will be a win-win for all.

We need your help to enforce ACT 207. As we fill prescriptions and we notice that our patients have mandatory mail order or preferred networks, please find out who the payer is. If we can determine when those contracts expire and need to be renewed, PPA can initiate a conversation to make sure the new contract complies with the new law. PPA will have materials available to help with this data collection…. check the website.

PBM legislation is next on our agenda. This will be our top priority for the current session.

Without transparency and fair play by the PBMs, equal access and a level playing field is difficult if not impossible. Stay tuned for details.

We all know that the flu hit Pennsylvania hard this season.

Many of us had families request flu shots for their children under 18, and we could not help as pharmacists. Currently we can only administer injectables and vaccines to those over 18. Many physicians were out of the vaccine. This is a perfect opportunity for pharmacists

to lobby our legislators and help pass laws that lower the age restriction.

These issues, as well as Fair Audit Legislation, will be at the top of our agenda for Legislative Day April 9th. Last year, we had a record turnout. We also raised more PharmPAC money than ever in 2012. It is no coincidence that we got SB201 passed.

Pharmacists’ involvement and PAC money drives our ability to pass favorable legislation to ensure an environment in PA so pharmacists can continue serving our patients.

So please turn out April 9th in Harrisburg. And please contribute to PharmPAC. More than ever, as we have good momentum from 2012, “Get into politics or get out of pharmacy!”

One more final thanks: To Pat and the staff for continuing to produce outstanding events and timely communication to help pharmacists in PA be better professionals.z Robert Frankil, RPh PPA President 2012-2013 Bobbygolf@comcast.net Twitter @bobbygolf

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 5

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

PLATINUM LEVEL

GOLD LEVEL

SILVER LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

Calendar of Events

April AMCP Annual Meeting

3-5 San Diego, CA

9 PPA Pharmacy Legislative Day

20-23 NACDS Annual Conference

Palm Beach, FL

May NCPDP Annual Conference

5-9 Phoenix, AZ

9 PPA Board of Directors

14-17 ASCP Spring Conference & Exhibition

Orlando, FL

18-21 NABP Annual Meeting

St. Louis, MO

June ASHP Summer Meeting

1-5 Minneapolis, MN

July AACP Annual Meeting

13-17 Chicago, IL

August NACDS Total Store Expo

10-13 Las Vegas, NV September PPA Annual Conference

26-29 Gettysburg, PA For additional events and PPA committee meetings, be sure to see our Calendar of Events on the PPA website!

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Departments Department

Member News

Lancaster County Pharmacists Association 2013 Board.

The APhA Foundation Awards 2013 Incentive Grants Larry Doud Receives Award

P

PA congratulates Larry Doud, CEO of RDC, Rochester Drug Company, who recently received the Champion of the Year Award by the Pharmacy Society of Rochester and the Rochester Society of Health System Pharmacists during their first annual Pharmacy Gala held at Ridgemont Country Club in Rochester, NY. Larry has done much for the profession of pharmacy and certainly is deserving of this honor.

Thank you Larry for all you do.

8 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation announced the recipients of the 2013 Incentive Grant recipients.

The awarded grants offer pharmacists seed money to implement or support innovative patient care services within their pharmacy practice. The awards are given out in four categories: Residents and their Preceptors, Practitioner Innovation in Pharmaceutical Care, Innovation in Immunization Practices and Student Pharmacist Innovation in Immunization Practices. The 2013 recipient within Pennsylvania is Sarah Krahe Dombrowski of Ride Aid Pharmacy/Rite Care in

Pittsburgh, PA, Sarah received a grant in the Resident and their Preceptors - $1000 category.

The Lancaster County Pharmacists Association Board Installed The Lancaster County Pharmacists Association installed their Board for 2013 at the Lancaster Country Club on January 12, 2013. Pat Epple installed the board and Coleen Kayden served as the emcee for the evening. The new board members included President, PJ Ortmann; Vice President, Bob Kayden; Treasurer, Jay Rhodes; Secretary, Mark Stephan; and board members Erika Morgan, Steve Wiley, Brianne Polito, Robin Shaub, Mike Curran, Dustin Garber, and Kellie Stauffer.z

Departments

New Members P

PA welcomes the following New Members who joined the association December 1, 2012 – February 4, 2013. Please make these new members feel welcome and part of Pennsylvania pharmacy!

Active Pharmacist

Resident

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at USP

Maryah Haidery

Tyler Chanas

Dana Jordan

Katelyn DelGrande

Ahmed Mohamed Bachir

Michael Lacon

Julie DiBridge

Cindy Bui

Randy Lina

Jocelyn Hatfield

Parth Champaneri

Drew Lockstein

Jessica Janda

Matthew Howard Folk Walmart Pharmacy Chambersburg

Armisha Desai Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh

Syed Sohaib Kazim Baisley Pharmacy Valley Stream

Ravi Nehra Geisinger Medical Center Danville

Chelsea Cunningham

Rebecca Luu

Cayla Jones

Dylan Fabrizio

John Marasigan

Alison Merkel

Nicole Hemmann CVS Pharmacy Red Lion

Kayla Garzio

Matthew Marianski

Colleen Moroney

Student

Sarika Gupta

Robert Milby

Vivian Nguyen

Stuart Andrew Helster

Shawn Mishkin

Paula Nociolo

Jordan Kolbush

Brian Mondonedo

Matthew Rinkus

Kathy Lu

Duy Nguyen

Nicole Romstadt

Deanna Cooke

Jennifer Moon

Hatil Patel

Greg Trietley

Holly Filip

Komal Parekh

Ashley Riggs

Neil Turco

Ian Kish

Samarth Parikh

Greg Shertzer

Natalie Valentino

Matt Michael Manning

Evana Patel

Selamawit Teklu

Sarah Ward

Attila Mihalik

Rinki Patel

Larissa Woloszczuk

Gordon Watkins

Caitlin Mitchell

Nicholas Peng

Jessica Mountain

Michael Rabinowitz

Diem Nguyen

Joe Schafer

Nicole Marie Pavlik

Brandon Sooknandan

Thomas Jefferson University School of Pharmacy

Wilkes University – Nesbitt College of Pharmacy

Mariana Pelts

In Hye Suh

Amanda Gibson

William Eggleston

Laura Walter

Joanna Marie Headley

Megan Elizabeth Parsi

Oludamilola Olugbile

Neepa Patel

Evelyn Rowland Walgreens Frederick, MD Samantha Lynn Trumbo CVS Caremark Pittsburgh

Technician Carlie D. Frick Forest Hills Pharmacy, Inc. Johnstown Ashley M Iuliucci Sellersville Pharmacy Lansdale

Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy

Michael M Piskuric

Jennifer Ann Kerrane Levittown

Michael Schontz

Breosha West

Ashley Adele Owens Duquesne

Joshua Snodgrass

Robert Rossi

William Trombatt

Mahmoud Samaoui Philadelphia Mahesh Shukla Pottsville Bhim Raj Timsina Harrisburg

LECOM School of Pharmacy

Temple University School of Pharmacy Ryan Basa

Alex Covey

Lisa Chan

Nicole Prather

Joy Chen Alexis Gross

Quoc Duy Vo University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Ukwen Akpoji Hannah Allegretto Tara Bastawrous Joni Carroll

Elizabeth McCartney Thank you to everyone who has helped to recruit a member. You have helped to make PPA stronger!

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 9

Departments

Pharmacy Time Capsules 2013 (First Quarter) 1988— Twenty-five years ago:

Medicare Catastrophic Health Care Act passed by Congress but repealed also immediately after outcry by a groundswell of negative reactions.

Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) recognizes Pharmacotherapy and Nutritional support as pharmacy practice specialties.

1963—Fifty Years Ago:

Albert Hofmann of Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland synthesized LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide).

1913—One hundred Years Ago:

Alaska passed Territorial Practice Act.

1888—One hundred twenty-five years ago:

First class of pharmacy students enrolled in the South Dakota State College (then the State Agricultural College) in Brookings, SD.

By: Dennis B. Worthen Lloyd Scholar, Lloyd Library and Museum, Cincinnati, OH

One of a series contributed by the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, a unique non-profit society dedicated to assuring that the contributions of your profession endure as a part of America’s history. Membership offers the satisfaction of helping continue this work on behalf of pharmacy, and brings five or more historical publications to your door each year. To learn more, check out: www.aihp.org.z

The first measles vaccine was licensed for use in the U.S. in 1963. John Enders developed the vaccine from a strain of measles isolated by Thomas Peebles.

Valium (diazepam) marketed by HoffmanLaRoche.

1938— Seventyfive Years Ago:

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed in response to deaths from the use of Massengill’s Elixir of Sulfanilamide.

10 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

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

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

Features

Community Pharmacy Spotlight

Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy By: Andrew Santeusanio, PharmD Candidate 2013, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

F

irst established in 1947, Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy has been providing compassionate pharmaceutical and healthcare services to the citizens of York for more than 50 years. This historically communal atmosphere is reflected not only in the pharmacy’s name, but also in its current president, Scott Miller, who was born and raised in the city of York.

Scott first became interested in the pharmaceutical field at his local high school’s career day, when a pharmacist’s presentation initially piqued his curiosity. Scott’s dad knew the owner of Minnich’s at the time, so Scott spent that summer working as a clerk at Minnich’s Pharmacy before heading off to college to pursue his dream. Scott attended Towson in Maryland for his pre-pharmacy coursework before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh to complete his remaining course requirements for a bachelor’s in pharmacy.

Upon graduation, Scott returned home to York and started as a staff pharmacist at Minnich’s, where he

Continued on page 12

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 11

Features Community Pharmacy Spotlight

Continued from page 11

immediately began climbing the company ladder. Two years ago he became pharmacy manager and in the past year Scott was named president of Minnich’s Pharmacy.

Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy was first started as a family-run business in the 1940’s and was passed down through several generations of Minnichs until Fred Minnich suggested converting the pharmacy into an employee stock option plan in order to hand control of the business over to its most valuable asset: its employees.

In his time at Minnich’s, Scott has seen the pharmacy grow both in terms of physical size as well as volume of prescriptions. Minnich’s has significantly expanded its long-term care and assisted living services to even include an inpatient pharmacy work area within the outpatient pharmacy.

Technological advances have also accompanied these physical changes, as Minnich’s now utilizes automated bubble packing and unit dose dispensers to increase convenience of medication administration for long-term care providers. In addition to its longterm care services, Minnich’s also offers compression stocking fitting, limited compounding of various gels and suspensions, weekly mediset and pillbox filling, and free delivery services for customers who cannot easily access the store.

The pharmacy is also licensed to provide immunizations.

However, despite these superficial changes to the business,

12 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Minnich’s is still located within the same shopping center in York and remains focused primarily on providing targeted patient career services to its customers in the most convenient manner possible.

When asked how best to compete with the growing population of chain pharmacies in the area, Miller proposed that it is by going that extra step. Specifically, getting to know each of your patients and remaining flexible within a rapidly evolving marketplace. Scott also reinforced the importance of identifying gaps in service that other pharmacies do not specifically cover and finding ways to provide that service through your own business.

In the near future, as community pharmacy continues to shift more toward patient care services, Scott envisions pharmacists taking a greater responsibility for each patient’s drug therapy.

With the growth of electronic medical records and increased

automation, pharmacists will have greater access to patient health information than ever before.

But along with this increase in information will come an increase in the responsibility of pharmacists to take a greater role in providing patient care services and collaborating with other healthcare providers to identify medication errors and improve patient outcomes. Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy hopes to remain on the forefront of this evolution in healthcare by continuing to establish its roots within the York community and rapidly identifying advances in technology and patient care models. With these goals in mind, Minnich’s Colonial Pharmacy will help to bring classic community pharmacy charm to a new wave of patients and providers.z

Features PHARMACY MARKETING GROUP, INC.

Financial Forum

T

his series, Financial Forum, is presented by Pro Advantage Services, Inc., a subsidiary of 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.

How Much Retirement Income Should You Withdraw?

The answer varies for everyone.

Here are some important factors to consider.

The big question: how much is too much? In the first few years of retirement, some couples really “live it up” … and some of them risk spending down their retirement savings. Their portfolios aren’t earning enough to make back the income they’re withdrawing.

Some new retirees end up withdrawing as much as 7-10% of their retirement assets annually.

A bull market tends to encourage this kind of exuberance. But what happens when the bulls don’t run?

What if your portfolio only returns 1-2% this year? Can you see the potential problem?

Ultimately, the answer is highly personal. There is no “standard” retirement income withdrawal rate. Your withdrawal rate should be determined in

consultation with your financial advisor, who can help you evaluate some very important matters: your risk tolerance, your age and health, and your lifestyle needs.

Many new retirees are told that a 4-5% annual withdrawal rate makes sense. If you withdraw 4-5% from your retirement nest egg annually and your investments steadily earn about 5-6% year-to-year, it is quite possible that your invested assets will last a quarter-century or longer given mild inflation.1 But that’s a rather stable scenario. Even more variables come into play.

Consumer costs. Over the past 50 years, consumer prices have increased (on average) about 4% annually.2 So you might assume that your portfolio should generate at least a 4% annual return just to help you keep up with the cost of living. But if you retire with that assumption and inflation should spike notably higher for some reason after you retire, you may need to adjust your withdrawal rate.

Now consider the price of health care. In recent years, health care costs have increased at a much greater rate than inflation. The same goes for nursing home care.

Market dips. When you are 35 or 40, your investments have time to rebound from a market downturn. When you are 70, things

are different.

Let’s cite an example: let’s say you are 70 years old, and you have $250,000 in your portfolio. All of a sudden, your portfolio has two really bad years: you lose 12% in Year 1 and 7% in Year 2. So at 72, your portfolio is now worth $204,600. You want to get back to $250,000 or better. How long will that take? Well, your portfolio would have to gain almost 23% in Year 3 to get back to that $250,000 level.2 So if you suffer through a couple of bad years with ill-chosen investments or ill-advised asset allocations, your nest egg may be considerably smaller and your income withdrawal rate may have to change. *This is a hypothetical example and is not intended to imply the performance of any specific investment.

The merit of conservative withdrawals. With ongoing improvements in healthcare, today’s retirees stand a good chance of living into their eighties and nineties (and perhaps even longer). This is a good reason to exercise a little moderation when scheduling retirement income.

Continued on page 15

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 13

Features PHARMACY MARKETING GROUP, INC.

and the Law

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.

Do I Have To Fill This Prescription?

M

any pharmacists have asked the question, “I have some doubts about this prescription, do I have to fill it?” We will deal with this question in terms of therapeutics and patient health.

We will reserve the topic of conscientious objection for a different time. When I was a young pharmacist, a more experienced colleague at the hospital received a phone order for IV propranolol, but at an oral dosage. The other pharmacist refused to dispense it, even in the face of verbal threats from the prescriber. In the end, the order wasn’t filled and any potential harm to the patient was avoided. What should you do if faced with a prescription that you believe is harmful to the patient?

This harm may come from serious side effects, drug interactions, or possible addiction to controlled substances. Some states deal directly with this question in their regulations. For

14 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

example, California states that pharmacists can refuse to fill prescriptions that would be against the law or that could potentially have a harmful effect on a patient’s health. Indiana states that the pharmacist can refuse to fill a prescription that is contrary to law, that is against the best interests of the patient, that would aid or abet an addiction or habit, or that is contrary to the health and safety of the patient. Two general rules can be formulated from these examples.

1. Prescriptions that are illegal or invalid can’t be filled – this is one of the most difficult scenarios for a pharmacist when it comes to controlled substances. The DEA takes the position that to be valid; a prescription for a controlled substance must be issued for a legitimate medical purpose by a practitioner acting in the usual course of professional practice.

The DEA believes that the law does not require a pharmacist to dispense a prescription of

doubtful, questionable, or suspicious origin. It is difficult for a pharmacist to know when the line has been crossed from legitimate treatment to addiction.

I think it is safe to say that if the current prescription presented to you is causing you to ask the question, then the line is very close or perhaps already crossed.

2. Prescriptions that could harm the patient shouldn’t be dispensed – This seems obvious, but is not always easy to apply in the real world. The dosage is on the high side of normal,

Features the patient has had penicillin before, the drug interacts with a previous prescription, or any other scenario that you can imagine where the prescriber directs you to go ahead and fill the prescription. However, if you think there is a high probability that the patient will be harmed, no one can order you to dispense the prescription.

While California and Indiana spell out the responsibility of the pharmacist in these two situations, I believe that the same responsibility exists even in jurisdictions that don’t explicitly cite it. If not, then why bother to require that drug utilization reviews be performed? And if the pharmacist is powerless to act when something is detected, again, why require them? We all know that there are some risks associated with every drug and every treatment. What we are talking about here are the large, severe risks. In the propranolol example given earlier, the pharmacist was convinced that the patient would die if he dispensed that order as prescribed. If the prescriber can overrule the pharmacist’s professional judgment in this situation, then the chances of an irreversible, negative outcome increase. But you can’t make these decisions in a vacuum. Discussion with the prescriber will probably be necessary. Perhaps discussions with the patient also will be necessary. Use the information from these discussions in conjunction with your professional

knowledge, experience and judgment.

As I tell pharmacists in these situations, it is much easier to defend a case where the pharmacist refuses to fill a questionable prescription than it is to defend a case where the pharmacist has doubts about what was dispensed. You don’t want your answer to the deposition question, “And what did you do when you became aware of this potential danger?” to be, “Nothing.”

We can’t insure 100% safety, but we want to avoid high probabilities of serious harm.

Pharmacists owe patients their highest efforts to treat their health problems and try to protect them from avoidable harm. The pharmacist’s duty to a patient does not require the pharmacist to do anything illegal. However, I do believe that it requires the pharmacist to use their professional judgment for the patient’s benefit.

That may mean refusing to dispense a particular prescription.

And that situation may require some intestinal fortitude on the part of the pharmacist. © 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.

Financial Forum

Continued from page 13

The wisdom of a retirement income plan. Ideally, you will retire with the help of a financial advisor who will meet with you periodically to review your investments and income needs, and adjust your withdrawal rate over the course of your retirement.

If you don’t have a personal financial advisor or a personalized retirement income plan, change that situation today and make sure you prepare for retirement with both.

Citations. arpmagazine.org/money/ retirement_planning_made_easy. html [Jan/Feb 2008] 2 finance.yahoo.com/how-toguide/retirement/18310 [7/25/08] 1

Provided by courtesy of Pat Reding, CFP™ of Pro Advantage Services Inc., in Algona, Iowa. For more information, please call Pat Reding at 1-800-288-6669.

Registered representative of and securities offered through Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. Member NASD & SIPC Pro Advantage Services, Inc./Pharmacists Mutual is independent of Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services Inc. Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. does not provide legal or tax advice.

Before taking any action that would have tax consequences, consult with your tax and legal professionals. This article is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be a recommendation or solicitation of any securities or market strategy.

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 15

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6/4/12 10:13 AM

0:13 AM

Features

PPA Member Profile experienced with a typical job. For instance, I had the chance to teach, see patients, and work in a number of different environments. I was also able to work under strong mentorship during the residency which helped me to develop as a pharmacist.

What do you like most about being a community pharmacist?

Our ease of accesibility to patients.

They can stop in and just have a conversation any time they want to. As a community pharmacist you also get to administer a lot of immunizations which I enjoy.

Jennifer L. Bacci, PharmD Practice Site: Rite Aid Corporation® Education: PharmD from the University of Pittsburgh, 2011 Community Practice Residency University of Pittsburgh/Rite Aid 2011-2012 What made you choose the profession of pharmacy?

I knew that I wanted to go into a medical profession since the time that I was diagnosed with asthma at a young age. Then my sister went through pharmacy school two years ahead of me, so I decided to follow her.

How do you think that doing a residency has helped to advance your career?

I was afforded a number of opportunities through residency that I would never have

What made you decide to be a member of PPA? I initially joined as a student but did not become very involved until I was a resident and had the opportunity to work on several of the committees and attend some of the bigger meetings.

How has being a member of PPA helped you professionally?

I benefit most from the networking opportunities available as well as the great continuing education programs offered through the annual meetings and other regional outreach events.

Is there one specific patient interaction that you will always remember?

Whom do you consider a mentor and why?

Yes, and it is actually what made me want to be a community pharmacist. I was working as a technician at Rite Aide when a patient’s wife called the pharmacy, and I just happened to pick up the phone. This particular patient had just been discharged from the hospital after experiencing a stroke and was on a number of new medications. The patient’s wife was extremely concerned that she was going to give him the wrong thing and was feeling completely overwhelmed, so I invited them to the pharmacy the next day to provide them with a complete list of his medications and when to take them. I could see that by the time they left, the patient’s family had a much better understanding of his medications.

Do you have any specific advice for new practitioners?

Dr. Melissa McGivney and Dr. Stephanie McGrath are both my personal and professional mentors.

Patients are the most important thing to each of them, and they taught me to always put the interest of my patients first. They also helped me to establish an appropriate balance between work and my personal life.

Make sure you spend time networking whether you are doing it through a company or pharmacy organization. The ability to talk to colleagues about patients or what you are experiencing as a professional is very important.z

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 17

Features

Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation: Brought to you by the PPA Educational Foundation.

Pharmacists…

Advancing patient care!

Dr. Roberta M. Farrah, PharmD, BCPS Graduate of: University of Wisconsin, BS in Pharmacy; University of Pittsburgh, PharmD Post-Graduate Training: ASHP specialty residency in primary care (Middleton, VA in Madison, Wisconsin) Name of Practice Site and Location: UPMC St. Margaret’s Lawrenceville Family Health Center 3937 Butler Street Pittsburgh, PA 15201 (412) 622-7343 Site Description: Dr. Farrah always had a unique interest in ambulatory care services. She first gained practice experience through the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis before moving on to work at an internal medicine office in Pittsburgh. This interest in outpatient care has continued, and today Dr. Farrah practices at the Lawrenceville Family Health Center in association with UPMC St. Margaret’s Hospital. In this setting,

18 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

she has the opportunity to work in conjunction with physicians and other members of the healthcare team to help coordinate and streamline patient care.

Innovative Services Provided: By working in family medicine, I have the opportunity to function as a clinical pharmacist integrated within the framework of a physician’s office practice. Our model is based on the Patient Centered Medical Home, so I have immediate access to electronic medical records as well as a patient’s PCP to make necessary changes. As a pharmacy service, we can then collaborate with the physician and if there is a question or error, we can walk over and talk to them because we are physically in the same office. We come to the table as a part of the team, and this in turn allows us as pharmacists to assume a greater responsibility for a patient’s care.

Patients can be referred to our pharmacy service for a variety of reasons such as: • Med Management – for patients who are on a number of chronic therapies and require assistance with taking all of their medications appropriately • Transitions of Care – for patients who are being discharged from a hospital or nursing home

• Any patient identified by the UPMC health system as “high risk” • Any patient scheduled for a physician office visit that could benefit from medication counseling As a result, I deal primarily with high risk patients who are on multiple medications and may have a number of comorbidities.

I believe this provides us the opportunity to practice where we can have the greatest impact on patient care. What is truly unique to our practice in family medicine though is the integration of care between inpatient and outpatient services. If any of our patients are admitted to UPMC St. Margaret’s Hospital, they are placed on a special service that one of our pharmacy team members rounds with. This allows for a smoother transition of care and also helps us to identify whenever our patients have been hospitalized. We then follow-up with a phone call once they have been discharged from the hospital to identify and reinforce any changes in medication therapy.

In the future I see pharmacy moving more toward patient care services and involvement with physician’s practices. At UPMC were are currently involved with the Scripts Project, which is paying Continued on page 20

Features

Students – Study. Breathe. Relax.

Remember Why You’re Here Authors: Daniel P. O’Neil, BS, PharmD Candidate, 2013, LECOM School of Pharmacy & Matthew P. Madurski, BA, MS, PharmD Candidate 2013, LECOM School of Pharmacy

The Lessons in Life As we go through life, we constantly look toward the next milestone, rarely taking pleasure in the present moment. Each class, event, or social gathering comes and goes with our thoughts and attention focused forward.

Oftentimes, we lose sight of what is in front of us, sometimes choosing instead to reflect on the past or contemplate the potential successes of the future.

Kindergarten graduation, the first grade-school dances, driver’s license testing, high school commencement, marriage, family life, retirement – all great moments, but the essence of the moment can be lost in the daily trials, tribulations, and hurdles we bypass on our way to those notable achievements. When life finally grants us the serenity to reflect on our past accomplishments, we tend to both revel in our lifetime success while lamenting how the path through our life may have prevented us from truly grasping their enormity. We will think back to grades, yearly evaluations, and superficial goals and question what we have actually learned.

During this reflection process, we

will finally understand that the most important lessons in life are not those that we learned in a classroom or from a journal article, but throughout the experiences along the way.

The Didactic Years Our classroom experience is a never-ending cycle of exams and studying, with internships and club activities sandwiched in between. When do we ever take time to appreciate the issues most important to us? Breaks in the schedule are often spent recuperating, taking a breath after constantly drinking from the “fire hose” of pharmacy knowledge.

It seems that most of us have forgotten to enjoy the present moments – even finding some pride and fulfillment in our study habits. We tend to look at this task, for a minimum of six years, as an agonizing and unbearable formality that we have to run through with our eyes closed in order to become licensed. Although it is the mountain we all are forced to climb, we must to learn to take a step back to enjoy the view.

Anyone can memorize the basics of an antibiotic regimen or rattle off the steps in asthma treatment verbatim from the guidelines, but you learn to live the profession of a pharmacist by giving yourself the freedom to enjoy the learning

as much as possible. Take time in your study groups to crack jokes, sneak away for an hour or two and watch a movie or go on a quick trip someplace fun. Nine times out of ten, it’s those moments that will bring the biggest smiles and create the long-lasting friendships that will be the foundation of a long and engaged career.

Remembering Why You’re Here There isn’t a single pharmacy student who, at one time or another, called into question their own resolve or dedication during the toughest moments of their didactic careers. Long days in the library, long nights in the pharmacy, and long weekends studying can cause us to overlook the true lessons learned in these experiences. As you begin your advanced practice pharmacy experiences (APPEs), take time to remember that this entire journey was worth it. Grades and shortterm goals are important and can help keep you motivated, but often we lose track of our longterm objective while failing to foster the kinds of professional and personal relationships that will carry us through a long life in this rewarding occupation. At the end of pharmacy school, it is not about Continued on page 20

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 19

Features Profiles in Pharmacy Innovation

Students – Study. Breathe. Relax.

Continued from page 18

Continued from page 19

for two pharmacists to be split between four practice sites in order to assess the feasibility of placing pharmacists in a variety of settings. It will be important for pharmacists to be recognized as healthcare providers so that we can be appropriately reimbursed for our services and to make our practice model economically viable. However, as long as we have the reimbursement structure to support it, I envision the pharmacy profession continuing to move toward more direct patient involvement.

For any students or new practitioners looking to make an impact, once you have a good sense of the environment you are working in, identify a patient or system need that inspires you to work hard and then go for it.

You cannot expect big changes overnight but start small and be persistent. This will allow you to have the greatest influence on your patients and a much more satisfying career.z

a GPA, but rather the connections made, relationships built, and the lessons you actually learned.

Remember the small gifts that life holds, don’t lose sight of the happy moments interspersed between the difficult ones, and never forget the many reasons you decided to pursue this respected profession.

Breathe, relax, and remember why you’re here. You’ll be glad you did. z

Contact Information: Phone – (412) 622-7343 E-mail – farrahrm@upmc.edu

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

20 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Association News

ArticleMid-Year 2013 Head Goes Conference Here Highlights Stake Your Claim For The Future

inspired to improve the Nation’s health and safety.

Radisson Penn Harris/Radisson Harrisburg, Camp Hill, PA

P

harmacists from across the Commonwealth gathered January 25-27, 2013 to stake their claim for the future of pharmacy at the 2013 PPA MidYear Conference! More than 250 attendees networked with their pharmacy peers throughout the weekend while also attending continuing education programs.

One of the major highlights of the weekend was keynote speaker, Rear Admiral Scott F. Giberson, RPh, PhC, MPH, U.S. Assistant Surgeon General; Director, Commissioned Corps Personnel and Readiness; Chief Professional Officer, Pharmacy. During RADM Giberson’s address Transform Health Care in 2013! A Call to Action, he discussed his Pharmacy Report to the U.S. Surgeon General and provided ideas to address current health system needs and to advance current pharmacy practice. He also advised attendees on facilitating partnerships at the state level to transform practices, and participants left the program

Conference attendees also experienced PPA’s first ever “Phlash Mob” during the Beer & Banter Reception on Saturday evening.

Thanks to all of the students who put this surprise together for conference attendees. This was an event that PPA members will remember and talk about for many years to come! Video of the “Phlash Mob” is available on the PPA Facebook Fan Page.

Additional conference photos are also available on the PPA website and on the PPA Facebook Fan Page!

Annual Student OTC/ Self Care Competition Congratulations to Wilkes University who took home the winning title this year! The University of Pittsburgh came in second place. Due to the snow storm on Friday evening, both the University of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia College of Pharmacy competitors arrived a bit late to the competition and the start time had to be pushed back slightly. We were glad all students made it to the competition safely to compete!

Continued on page 23

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 21

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 2013 Mid-Year Conference Highlights

Continued from page 21

General Session During the Saturday breakfast, Dan Rodriguez, RPh and Molly McBryan, of OutcomesMTM conducted a general session titled OutcomesMTM: The Role of the Pharmacist in Improving Patient Care. The session discussed various strategies pharmacists can use to successfully engage and deliver MTM services to eligible patients. This session preceded RADM Giberson’s keynote speech.

Colleagues in Consultation Conference attendees had 17 different choices of topics to choose from during the round table discussions at the Colleagues in Consultation Luncheon on Saturday. Topics varied from Travel Vaccines in the Community Pharmacy to Career Tips for Pharmacy Students. Thanks to all of our round table hosts for facilitating these discussions.

State Board of Pharmacy Legal Counsel, Kerry Maloney, also conducted a brief update session on the status of compounding for the Mid-Year Saturday luncheon.

He provided an overview of what is being discussed in Pennsylvania and what the Board and other agencies are looking at in trying to address these concerns.

Know Pain Know Gain Competition More than 19 students were potential contestants for the Know Pain Know Gain Competition Saturday afternoon. 12 numbers were drawn at random to choose the final contestants. After the Rapid Fire Question Elimination Round, three contestants were left to participate in the Finalist Patient Counseling Round, Tyler Chanas, University of Pittsburgh, Gale Garmong, LECOM, and Victoria Hart, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. Congratulations to Gale Garmong who received first place, with a $250 prize, and, the two runners-up who both received a $100 prize. This competition is offered through support from the PPA Educational Foundation, The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and Purdue Pharma L.P.

Continued on page 24

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 23

Association News Mid-Year Conference Highlights

Continued from page 23

Student Poster Presentations and Beer & Banter Reception There was a wonderful response this year for student poster presentations at the Mid-Year Conference. More than 20 posters were on display throughout the weekend showcasing innovative pharmacy practices. The students presented their posters during the Saturday evening Beer & Banter Reception. More photos are avaialable at www.papharmacists. com/foundation and look under Other Programs.

Team Spirit!

When Melissa McGivney, President of the PPA Educational Foundation Board, gave her Foundation update to the conference attendees on Sunday morning, she looked out into a room filled with sports jerseys. Even though no Pennsylvania teams were represented in the Super Bowl, many conference attendees still sported their favorite NFL team jerseys and showed their team spirit on Sunday at the conference.

Save The Date!

Save the date for PPA’s 2013 Annual Conference this fall, September 26-29, 2013, at the beautiful Wyndham Gettysburg.

Don’t miss out on the networking, fun, and educational opportunities!

Educational Foundation Silent Auction & Chinese Raffle The Educational Foundation raised a total of approximately $4,500 during the Mid-Year Conference weekend through the Silent Auction bids and selling of Chinese Raffle tickets. Final details will be reported in the Foundation ebulletin. Thank you to all of our donators and purchasers!

24 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Special Thanks to the 2013 Conference Committee Scott Himler, chair and members Thomas A. Pratt, Barbara McNeal, Robert Frankin, P.J. Ortmann, David Cunningham, Lukas Barnes, Leigh Godfrey Webber, Kimberly Ference, Jacqueline Klootwyk, Sean M. Lynch, Tanya Dougherty, Bruce S. Sigman, Jamie McConaha, Julie Olenak, Ellen Nastase, Wendy Zern, Al Emmans, Scott Miskovsky, and Lauren Simko.

PPA would like to extend a big thank you to our corporate partners whose year-round contributions are crucial to PPA’s success and stability and our service to our members! Thank you so much!

Platinum Level Independent Pharmacy Buying Group Pharmacists Mutual Companies Rochester Drug Cooperative, Inc. Gold Level H.D. Smith Keystone Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance Value Drug Company Silver Level AmerisourceBergen Kinray McKesson Bronze Level R.J. Hedges S.&L. Solutions LLC PPA also thanks the following companies whose sponsorship has helped to provide key funding for this year’s Mid-Year Conference.

Gold Level Rite Aid Pharmacy Silver Level Montgomery County Pharmacists Association Bronze Level Lancaster County Pharmacists Association NACDS Meeting Patron Allegheny County Pharmacists Association Educational Grant Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.

Association News

January 2013

Mission

To foster research, education, and practice models that advance patient care.

Foundation Board of Directors President—Melissa McGivney, PharmD, FCCP Vice President—Jon Ference, PharmD, BCPS Secretary/Treasurer—Pat Epple, CAE Sharon Abayasekara, RPh Brian Catton, PharmD Larry Doud George Downs, PharmD Bill Ferri, RPh Julie Gerhart, RPh, MS Nish Kasbekar, BS, PharmD, FASHP Coleen Kayden, RPh Melissa Krause, PharmD Michele Musheno, RPh, MS PJ Ortmann, RPh Marie Roke-Thomas, PhD Greg Schaeffer, MBA, RPh, FASHP, FASCP

PPA Educational Foundation 2012 Annual Report Pharmacists….Advancing patient care!

2012 Mid-Year Conference Fundraiser Raises Nearly $5,000 In order to build awareness and raise funds, the Foundation decided to try a new fundraiser during the 2012 PPA Mid-Year Conference and thus the Silent Auction and Chinese Raffle were created.

The Board and others donated approximately 12 items for the silent auction. Most of which were items valued at more than $100 and included such items as a Wii, Kindle Fire, Italian Dinner Basket, DVD player, vacation stays, and more.

Bidding was available on line prior to the conference and several people took advantage of that opportunity. Bidding at the conference took off with earnest Saturday afternoon, as people scrambled to “win” their favored item. Bidding officially concluded at the end of the Beer/Banter reception and student poster presentations. Bidders then claimed their items either at the dessert reception or on Sunday.

Inside this issue: Message from the President

2

Meet the New Board Members

2-3

Contribution Honor Roll

3

Substance Abuse Program at Annual Conference

3

Fiscal Report 2011-2012

4

Foundation’s Grant Program

4

A Chinese Auction was also going on simultaneously for approximately 15 items ranging in value from $10 to $50. Tickets were purchased feverishly throughout Friday and Saturday

and the bags for many items were quite full of chances.

Tickets for the lucky winners were drawn at 9:30 Saturday evening during the dessert reception.

and online bidding will begin in early January. The Board is hoping to exceed last year’s proceeds.

During the Annual Conference, the PPA Golf Outing raised an additional $2500 for the Foundation, along with almost $300 in the 50/50.

These fundraisers helped the Foundation raise its largest annual amount ever of $19,000 and place the total Foundation assets, including the LCPA Scholarship fund, at over $100,000. As this base grows, the Foundation will be able to expand its programs, offerings, and grants to benefit the pharmacy profession.

The Board was quite pleased with the results of the Auction, since nearly $4700 was raised.

The Auction returns during the 2013 Mid-Year Conference

Foundation Sponsors First Pain Competition The Foundation sponsored PPA’s first-ever Pain Competition during the 2012 Mid-Year Conference and drew 18 interested students and new practitioners.

The field was reduced to the maximum number of 12 contestants who were challenged by a series of rapid fire questions dealing with pain management.

Coleen Kayden served as the moderator offering questions

that became increasingly more difficult. The field was narrowed to three finalists, Justin Balint, Brian Catton, and Alicia Lichvar for a final five minutes case study. Mary Ray was the patient and the judges were Hilde Berdine, Maria Foy, and Jim Ray.

final winner and recipient of the $250 cash prize. The other finalists each received $100.

Brian Catton was the

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 25

Association News Page 2

PPA Educational Foundation 2012 Annual Report

Message From the President

Melissa Somma McGivney, PharmD, FCCP Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy; Director of the Community Pharmacy Residency

It is truly exciting to see the growth and reach of our Foundation over the past few years.

We have been able to establish a number of programs to engage students, residents and new practitioners in helping to move our profession forward.

learning “best practices” to advance patient care.

We are once again sponsoring the Pain Competition at the Midyear Meeting and will be hosting a Substance Abuse Workshop in the upcoming year.

During the Midyear Meeting, we will have 22 student and resident posters on display.

Each poster will report the findings of a research project or an innovative practice concept at a community pharmacy.

We are proud of the work of all of those who have contributed to these initiatives. We are especially grateful to the contributions to the Foundation. Your financial support allows us all to grow and develop in our understanding of providing care in our communities.

We have also awarded two research grants in 2012 and will be announcing 4 additional grants for 2013. The research projects lead by resident and new practitioners aimed at

Our sincere thanks!

Be sure to visit the Foundation online at www.papharmacists.com/Foundation!

Learn more about who we are and what we do to benefit your pharmacy profession Make a contribution today! Become a monthly contributor during the Mid-Year Meeting and be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card.

Meet the New PPA Educational Foundation Board Members Brian J. Catton, PharmD Brian J. Catton, PharmD is a staff pharmacist with Weis Markets in Mifflintown, PA. Along with community pharmacy responsibilities, Brian also offers MTM services for patients with various conditions, ranging from asthma, COPD, CAD, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Brian graduated from the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy from Shenandoah University in 2010 and has experience in community pharmacy and home infusion pharmacy. He is currently a New Practi-

Melissa Sherer Krause, PharmD Missy Krause is a consultant pharmacist at Pharmacy Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (PHSI), in Pittsburgh. She is a graduate of Duquesne University, and currently serves as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor (preceptor) for student pharmacists from Duquesne. She enjoys educating sixth year students about non-traditional career options in pharmacy.

Missy’s areas of focus include pharmaceutical manufacturers’ trade

26 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

tioner Member with the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association. Along with being a New Practitioner Member with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, Brian also serves on the New Practitioner Committee and the Public Relations Committee.

Brian plans to bring his dedication as the New Practitioner Representative to the Educational Foundation. He believes that by utilizing the pharmaceutical knowledge, skills, and art from various experiences, pharmacists will be equipped to competently dispense patient-centered, cost-effective pharmaceutical care.

initiatives, medication adherence, drug database systems and classification, Medicare Part D operations and risk management, consumer focused education opportunities, and pharmacy school and professional association relations.

In addition to PPA, Missy is an active member of the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association (ACPA), where she serves on the board of directors, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Duquesne University Pharmacy Alumni Association, where she serves as treasurer, Lambda Kappa Sigma (LKS) Tau Alumni Chapter, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community Pharmacists Association, and the North Hills Toastmasters Club. Missy and her husband, Jonathan, live in Wexford.

Association News Page 3

2012 Contribution Honor Roll Over $ 19,000 Raised in 2012. Help us exceed $25,000 in 2013!

Mortar and Pestle Club ($1,000 +) Greg Drew Rx Club ($500—$999) Alliance for Patient Safety Medication for Tony Dougalas Carbon, Monroe, Pike County Pharmacists Pat Epple*(ASAE Match) Rob Frankil* Julie Gerhart (Merck Match) Donna Hazel* Coleen Kayden* Robert Kayden* Scott Miskovsky* Darrin/Debra Silbaugh** Cornerstone Club ($250—$499)

Dave Cunningham*

George Downs

Adam/Kim Welch*

Century Club ($100—$249)

Sharon Abayasekara Joe Bechtel Jim Dillon Larry Doud Ida May Englehart* Jon/Kim Ference* Bill Ferri Paul Kocis Dan Wright*

Patron of Pharmacy ($50—$99)

Marie Roke-Thomas Alan Vogenburg

Donors Stephanie McGrath Phil Solomon *-Monthly Contributor **Quarterly Contributor Please consider becoming a monthly/quarterly contributor!

Substance Abuse Hits Home A report from Talbot Associates identified that 21.8 million Americans aged 12 or over used illegal drugs in August 2010. This accounts for 8.7 % of the population. 13 million more Americans have an alcohol abuse problem. Data from Quest Diagnostics showed a 40% jump in employees testing positive for prescription narcotics between 2005 and 2009.

How many of your patients, employees, colleagues, or friends are included in these numbers?

Wondering how you can help in the face of this epidemic?

What is the role of the pharmacist?

What professional or legal responsibilities do you have?

The PPA Educational Foundation will be addressing these and other questions in a one-day CE program to be held in conjunction with the PPA Annual Meeting in September 2013. You will not want to miss this informative and interactive continuing education session. Watch for further details in the Weekly eBulletin, Pennsylvania Pharmacist, website, and in the conference brochure.

PJ Ortmann, RPh, MBA PJ Ortmann is the Managing Partner of Medvisors, LLC, a Pharmacy Benefit Conulting company. Medvisors provides education and advises employers regarding their prescription benefits through Analytics, Intervention Services, and ongoing Medication Utilization Management. Medvisors promotes the value of appropriate medication use and prevention-based clinical interventions to help pharmacists manage employee patients with chronicdiseases, while reducing overall employer health care costs.

After graduating from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1977, PJ served as an active-duty pharmacy officer in the US Army; worked as a Hospital supervisor at Lancaster General Hospital; led 2 mid-sized Managed Care Plans in Central Pennsylvania as Pharmacy Director; worked as an Account Manager for Novartis Pharmaceuticals providing educational and adherence programs to Pharmacists and Physicians; and continues practicing Community Pharmacy part-time in the Lancaster area. He also markets the LPIHO (Linking Pharmacists to Improved Health Outcomes) Chronic Disease Management program. In 2011 he and his partner formed Medvisors to bring transparency and a better understanding of PBM and Pharmacy Benefits to Employers. PJ has been the multi-year VP of the Lancaster County Pharmacists Association, and was elected as President of LCPA for 2013. He is an active member of PPA, and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy as well.

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 27

Association News — Balance Sheet December 31, 2012

Liabilities/Equity

Assets Checking $ Savings Total

Opening Equity $ 5,465.19 Ret. Earnings $ 95,531.71 Net Income - $ 1,326.54

86.74

$ 99,583.62

Total

$ 99,670.36

$ 99,670.36

Profit and Loss Income Contributions (PPA and LCPA) $ 58,032.48 Interest $ 112.04 Total $ 58,144.52 Expense Fundraising Grants Scholarships Administrative Total

$ $ $ $ $

Net Income

$ 41,755.42

The PPA Educational Foundation relies on fundraisers like our Auction, Raffle, Golf Outing, and member contributions to build up its corpus and increase its ability to offer grant opportunities. (Photos from the 2012 Golf Outing appear to the right.)

1,263.14 1,800.00 12,000.00 1,325.96 16,389.10

The Foundation also proudly supports profiles In Innovation, a feature of the Pennsylvania Pharmacist, the pain competition, and encourages the Poster Presentations at the Mid-Year Conference. Photos from the 2012 posters are below.

Foundation’s Grant Program Since 2009, The PPA Educational Foundation has annually been providing the opportunity for 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.

The grants may be used for projects which are targeted towards patient care by pharmacists and innovative activity around pharmacy practice. Grants may not support capital expenditures, regular administrative expenses, and travel expenses. But can be used for many other things including patient

incentives, survey costs, etc. Monies may also be used for reasonable printing costs relative to materials used for the project.

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

The Grant Announcement and Application, available on our website, contains all the details. 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.

The Foundation has also sponsored a Grant 101 Workshop at the Annual Conference and this year offered a pre-submission webinar to assist applicants in success-

28 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

fully completing their grant application. Copies of the submitted reports from previous grant recipients are housed on the Foundation website for several years. To view these, go to www.papharmacists.com.foundation and then Grant Program.

The announcement of the 2013 Grant Recipients will be on Sunday, January 27 at the final breakfast of the Mid-Year Conference. Following the Conference, this information will be added to the web.

The Foundation encourages anyone to consider applying for a grant! What practice question might you have? What do you want to study or learn?

Association News Schedule of Activities: 8:00 a.m.

Registration begins East Wing Rotunda, Capitol Building 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.

Continental breakfast for attendees, invited legislators and staffers, East Wing Rotunda 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Pharmacy Rally Main Rotunda 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Screenings and informational displays presented by student members of PPA, East Wing Rotunda 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Legislative appointments as scheduled with legislators or staffers PPA will provide you with issue briefings, background papers and leave-behind packets for the major legislative issues affecting pharmacy.

PPA

PHARMACY LEGISLATIVE DAY

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 Calling all Pennsylvania Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, And Student Pharmacists!

We need you to be here and speak out for the Future of pharmacy and for your patients!

Are You Frustrated about a level playing field for pharmacy?

Advance briefings: Conference calls to help you prepare for the issues will be held: Pharmacists: Tuesday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. or Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Experiencing or experienced an unfair pharmacy audit?

Students: Wednesday, April 3 – 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 4 – 7:30 p.m.

speak out for pharmacy

Don’t miss this opportunity to add volume to the voice of pharmacy in Harrisburg.

Interested in expanding your immunization care to adolescents?

Passionate about advancing pharmacy practice?

You need to be here on April 9 and join us to

“I came to Legislative Day because I wanted to represent community pharmacists throughout the entire state that share the same concerns as I do. We need to let the legislators know that we will not stand by and let PBM's control our future anymore. I feel that being in Harrisburg face to face with our Representatives and Senators carries more weight then an email or phone call. They know I really care! ” Dave Cunningham, Southeast Region Director, Independent Pharmacy Owner

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 29

Association News

J

oin your colleagues in pharmacy as we make our voice for Pharmacy heard throughout the Capitol in Harrisburg. This is our day and our chance to make our issues heard loud and clear! Please take the time to join us and participate in this ever-important endeavor.

We plan to focus on our three priority issues: 1. Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency 2. Fair Audits 3. Reducing the age restriction to 7 for immunizations and allowing student pharmacists to immunize WE NEED YOUR HELP ADVANCING THESE IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND YOUR ATTENDANCE WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

All Attendees need to pre-register so we have enough packets for both you and your legislators.

To simplify the pre-registration process, PPA is asking that all who plan to attend email PPA’s Government Relations Manager, Don Smith (dsmith@papharmacists.com), with the following information, No later than FRIDAY, April 5 at 5:00 p.m.

1. Your name 2. All legislative appointments you have scheduled (include legislator and time) 2. Your appointment time *Attendees are asked to schedule their own appointments directly with their Representative and Senator. We recommend trying to do this several weeks out—so start now! When making your appointments, be sure to tell them you are a constituent, and that you would like a few minutes of their time to discuss some key pharmacy issues. If you are not sure who your legislator is, go to legis.state.pa.us or visit PPA’s Advocacy Center.

Please do not be discouraged if the only appointments available are with legislative staff since Tuesday, April 9 is a busy session day. Meetings with staff can be as effective and sometimes more effective, as a meeting with the legislator.

Bring your pharmacy technician. Have a student on rotation? Bring him/her too... The more people—the more effective! *Professional Attire – wear comfortable shoes. Students - Bring your white lab coat.

Please note for security reasons, visitors to the Capitol go through a screening process.

30 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Association News

Member Services Career Center

A

re 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 resumes from qualified individuals • Post jobs online and/or have your posting featured in a blast email • Job Seekers • Post your resume • Create an anonymous profile enabling employers to contact you directly with job opportunities • Receive email alerts when a job is posted that meets your selected criteria PPA’s Career Center is an easyto-use resource; for additional information regarding the Career Center, please click “Contact Us” at the bottom of the Career Center website.

For more information on any of these or other member benefits, please contact Corey Wenger at (717) 234-6151 ext. 101 or cwenger@papharmacists.com

Electricity Competition: The Facts That Could Earn You Rewards Did you know that the state of Pennsylvania has given you the right to choose your electricity supplier? You can join thousands of other customers who are exercising this right and earning rewards on their electric bills with Energy Plus®. Through its unique Cash Back rewards program, Energy Plus has sent over $1.4 million back to Pennsylvania customers.

So, the obvious question is, “How is this possible?” Pennsylvania has limited the control of utility companies, which were dictating the generation, delivery, and sale of electricity. This has allowed electricity suppliers like Energy Plus to reach customers in a whole new way. Earning Cash Back rewards from your electric bills can be fun and easy. The best part is that nothing about your delivery service will change.

PPA members who enroll will still have their electricity delivered by their utility, but the supply portion of their bill will be managed by Energy Plus. So, another question you may have is “Who is Energy Plus and what differentiates them from the other electricity suppliers?” Energy Plus supplies energy to customers in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas and rewards customers with Cash Back.

Not only does Energy Plus supply electricity to your business, but they can also accommodate the electricity needs of your home.*

Here are the Unique Benefits that you can earn as an Energy Plus Customer*: • Business electric accounts that you enroll will receive a $50 Activation Bonus after two months of active service AND 5% Cash Back after twelve months of active service on the supply portion of your electric bill.

• For each electric home account you enroll, you’ll receive a $25 Activation Bonus after two months of active service AND 3% Cash Back after twelve months of active service annually on the supply portion of your electric bill.

Now is the time to take a look at your electric bills and pick a supplier that is right for you!

Enrolling with Energy Plus is easy. There are no sign-up fees, cancellation fees, or long-term commitments. Energy Plus is one of the nation’s fastest-growing electricity companies, serving more than 200,000 customers.

As one of the only companies to offer superior customer service, green energy options and an ongoing rewards program to every customer, Energy Plus is becoming the preferred electricity company Continued on page 37

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 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?

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Membership Dues for PPA and NCPA Paid in Full (not just a percentage off of your dues) Paid Membership Fee to DeaLookUp.com Pharmacy Audit Assistance Service (PAAS) Yearly Fee Paid 100% of all rebates received from Federation Pharmacy Network (FPN) contracts returned to our members Up to $1,200 for attending AmerisourceBergen’s Wholesale Expo in Las Vegas Free Seminars on Accreditation and Competitive Bidding, FSA Certification, and Fraud, Waste and Abuse Compliance

$3,500,000 was distributed to our members in the form of rebates and end of year bonuses

IPBG and it’s Members Proudly paid the PPA over $76,000 for dues and Political Lobbying Efforts during the last 12 months Mention This Ad and Receive $50 Off Processing Fee

In Addition, IPBG Provides:  The Lowest Cost of Goods From AmerisourceBergen With The Highest Generic Rebate Percentage  Free HIPAA Custom Manuals Prepared For Your Store At NO CHARGE  Lowest VISA/MASTERCARD Contract for Independent Pharmacies in Pennsylvania  And Much More – All For A One Time Processing Fee of $100

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Association News

The Science of Advocacy: Perspective on a Unique Advanced Pharmacy Practice Rotation Andrew Santeusanio, PharmD Candidate 2013 University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy

How do drugs reach their site of action within the body?

What factors influence a medication’s toxicity profile? How does the human body respond to long-term exposure to medications? These were the questions that sparked my interest in the pharmaceutical sciences and ultimately lead me to pursue a career in pharmacy.

So as a self-proclaimed “science geek,” I never imagined that one day I would go from counting valence electrons to tallying up congressional seats.

Entering my final year of pharmacy school and my advanced practice rotations, I originally planned on scheduling as many medicine intensive rotations at acute care sites as possible. However, several of my mentors and close family members suggested that rather than focusing on one particular specialty, I should use my rotations to experience all that pharmacy has to offer in order to broaden my perspective of the practice as a whole. As a result, I found myself trading physicians for politicians by

participating in an elective rotation with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association at the Capitol in Harrisburg. And the scientist inside me must admit…I thoroughly enjoyed it.

During the course of the rotation I had the opportunity to see and experience all of the factors that contribute to running a state-wide professional organization, from helping to write articles for their bimonthly publication to socializing with congressional representatives at political fundraisers. I was also able to sit in on meetings to help coordinate PPA’s Mid-Year Conference as well as meet with a number of representatives at the capitol building itself to discuss issues pertinent to the future of pharmacy practice. Through these experiences I gained a true appreciation for the impact that legislation can have on pharmacy as a profession. Universal access to community pharmacy services, expanded immunization responsibilities for pharmacists, and fair auditing are just a few of the political issues that PPA is currently monitoring and lobbying for that will play a significant role in how I will be able to practice my trade in the years to come.

All of the specialized knowledge

that we accrue through years of pharmaceutical education and training will never be relevant if, as a profession, we do not have the legal capability to practice.

What I found most rewarding about this rotation though, was the opportunity to be actively involved in all of the association’s activities. Certain rotations can sometimes feel like advanced pharmacy shadowing rather than advanced pharmacy practice, but with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association I was given clear independent responsibilities with the appropriate balance between autonomy and oversight.

I would recommend this rotation to any students with an interest in politics or pharmacy organizations as well as students just looking for a unique experience outside of the realm of standard hospital or community practice. I still plan to pursue a residency in the coming year with a focus primarily on clinical pharmacy, but I will always appreciate the time I spent with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association. Ultimately, these experiences helped me to become a more well-rounded professional and will hopefully allow me to be a knowledgeable practitioner of my own in the near future. z

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 33

Association News

Pharmacy Technician Corner Pharmacy TEAM Series Pharmacy technician members of PPA can now access ten free one-hour home study CEs through PPA’s partnership with the Collaborative Education Institute (CEI). These home study articles are available online and can be accessed 24-7. Paper copies are available for an additional fee.

Yet another benefit of being a PPA member, technicians can learn about relevant topics such as Mental Health Medications, Medication Safety, Electronic Health Records, Pharmacy Purchasing and Inventory Management, and more. Contact Sara Powers, PPA Program Coordinator, at (717) 234-6151 x100 or spowers@papharmacists.com for an access code today!

Lunch N’ Learn CEs Coming Soon

Pharmacy Technician Forum

Pharmacy technicians in need of continuing education credit will soon be able to learn on their lunch break! PPA will be offering quarterly webinars with CE credit designed just for technicians. Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Are you, or do you know someone who would be, interested in presenting one of these programs? Contact Sara Powers, PPA Program Coordinator, at (717) 234-6151 x100 or spowers@papharmacists.com with your ideas, and keep an eye on your email for more information.

In an effort to connect with our pharmacy technician members on a deeper level, PPA has established a Pharmacy Technician Forum, comprised of seven to ten pharmacy technician members who represent the interests of their peers. Quarterly conference calls allow members of the forum to voice their opinions on many topics ranging from CE programming to legislation to member involvement. Pharmacy technicians are often the glue that holds a pharmacy together, and PPA recognizes and respects our technician members! z

certified pharmacy technicians:

join today & receive free cpe! receiVe 10 free hours of cpe Become a PPA Pharmacy Technician Member in 2013 and receive the Pharmacy TEAM Series - a new benefit which will give you free access to quality, acpe-accredited cpe activities.

The complete TEAM Series of 10 CPE activities are available Jan. 2013.

Go to www.Gotocei.org (under OF INTEREST) to review this year’s TEAM activity topics.

Pharmacy Technician Education for Association Members

34 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Association News

2012 Report A special thank you is in order to all 2012 PharmPAC donors…

This marked another historic and successful year for PharmPAC! The 2012 goal was to raise $45,000.

That objective was greatly exceeded as PharmPAC raised $50,086.00. This is the first time PharmPAC has raised more than $50,000! And the impact was felt! With a stronger PAC, we were also able to deliver real and meaningful results! Carrying this momentum forward, we are aiming for $75,000 in 2013 – and it’s a goal we NEED to reach. Please consider making your contribution today; or donate monthly via our regular credit card charge program.

Presidential Club ($2,500+) Mark & Sandra Szilagyi

Congressional Club ($1,000+) Brockway Drug (Ronald Matson) J. Richard Brown* Rob Frankil* John F. Hinkle, Jr.* Nick Katra Robert & Coleen Kayden* McCraken Pharmacy, Inc . (Jeff McCracken) Millersburg Pharmacy, Inc. (George & Dorathy McAlanis*)

John A. Pavis* Primary Care Pharmacy Services (Anthony Bertola*) Quik-Stop Pharmacy (Robert Steele*) Darrin & Debra Silbaugh* Mat Slakoper* David Smith* Wiley’s Pharmacies (Stephen Wiley)

Keystone Club ($500+)

Thomas A. Bradley* Contract Pharmacy Services (Wayne Shafer) David Cunningham* Pat Epple* Eric Esterbrook Randy Heiser* Scott Himler* Henry Katra

Martin Kendra Melissa Krause* Patrick Lavella* Charles Lebegern Main Line Pharmacy (Jerry Moschgat) Medicine Shoppe #1468 (Michael Fapore*) Bethany Miller*

Scott Miskovsky* Shawn Nairn* Richard Ost Eric Pusey* Ring’s Pharmacy, LTD (John Riehl) Robert Schreiber*

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 35

Association News

Capitol Club ($250+)

Mel Brodsky* David Cippel* Dorneyville Pharmacy (Thomas E. Silvonek) F.B. Thomas Drug Store, Inc. (Andrew Thomas) Gary Fields Mary Grisnik* Donna Hazel Carlos Aquino Phillip Arlia Lawrence Barnes Joe Bechtel Joe Bettinger* Ross Bevevino Thomas G. Bradley Richard Bronstein Bushy Run Pharmacy Inc. (Thomas Ross) Bob & Carol Bylone Vincent Canzanese Edward Casey Arthur Cipriany County Line Pharmacy (Gerald Eves) Russell Daniels James Dillon

Nickolas Kernich* Bob Killoran* Charles Kohlerman III* Laslow’s Pharmacy (Dona Laslow) John McCullough* McElroy Pharmacy, Inc. (Jeffery Eshelman) Norland Avenue Pharmacy

Mark Salvatore Sheehans Pharmacy, Inc. (Charles Obeid) Marvin Sheffler Bruce Sigman Stephanie Smith Cooney* Greg Teitel* Jude Vavala Adam & Kim Welch*

Mark Doyle Ellis Pharmacy (Walter Cwietniewicz) Jon & Kim Ference* William Ferri Gary’s Rx Shoppe (Gary Fried*) Rosemarie Halt Janet Hart* Robert Hennessy Paul Kocis Judith Kristeller Sherri Lee* Lehigh Pharmacy (Paul Scota) Life Tree Pharmacy (Mark Taglianetti) Robert Maher, Jr. David E. Mateer Medicine Shoppe (Dan Swain)

Cheryl Meek Edward Millward Jr. Queen Pharmacy (Herman Glassman) Clinton Roderick III Rubino’s Pharmacy (Antonio Sellecchia) Lee Shafer Jared Shayka William Sherman Joseph Sobolewski Stanwood Pharmacy (Stan Camson) Thomas Stonesifer Melissa Sweigart Tom Olcese Pharmacy (Janice Miner) Daniel Wright*

Patriot’s Club ($100+)

Sustaining Members ($50+)

Douglas Allen Justin Balint* Martin Brian David Bruder Colonial Pharmacy (Ethan Schwarz) Desiree Croteau Loc Dao

Robert Esgro Eric Fox Neil Goldman George Haynes Paul Hiller Daniel Hussar Barry Jacobs Adlai Joseph

Nicholas Karalis Minnich’s Pharmacy (Scott Miller & Deron Shultz) Maria Osborne Shannon Roth Maureen Scheuerman Eric Shelly

Robert Spera Leonard Starr Daniel Wagner Dawn Wagoner Brian Walker Burton Zaslow

Christine Cassel Diane Fusco Gary Garrett John Gatto

Robert Hartzell Jr. Jack’s Pharmacy (Joe Cirrincione) Amber Jerauld

Carl Marrara Stephanie McGrath James Moore Anthony Mortelliti

Joel Roman James Vickery

Walid Hammound Dawn Rochester

Contributors ($25+)

Lauren Simko Phil Solomon

36 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Donors ($10+) Waschko’s Pharmacy (George Waschko)

Albert Wertheim

Please note: Donations under $10 not listed *Designates regular monthly or quarterly donors

Association News Member Services

Continued from page 31

for an increasing number of small businesses and homes.* To learn more or to enroll, visit www.EnergyPlusRewards.com/ PPA6132 *Important Offer Details: Electricity service offer valid for Pennsylvania residents serviced

by Duquesne Light Company, Met-Ed, PECO, Penelec, PPL Electric Utilities Corporation or West Penn Power only. Limitedtime offer only available to firsttime Energy Plus residential and small commercial customers.

Previous and existing Energy Plus customers are not eligible.

Offer is non-transferable, cannot be combined with other Energy Plus offers, is subject to change or cancellation and is not available for all rate classes, customer types or in all areas. Additional eligibility requirements, terms and conditions may apply. Please see our Terms of Service for full details which can be found online via the web address listed above and in your Welcome Email/Letter. Our Pennsylvania license # is A-20092139745. Rewards Information: Active accounts are defined as

those (i) that are billing more than $0 and (ii) for which we have not received a request to discontinue service. Your Cash Back rebate will be mailed automatically after the close of your twelfth billing cycle which means you must have an active Energy Plus account for 12 billing cycles to receive the Cash Back rebate. Energy Plus is solely responsible for the content of this marketing material and for the selling to, solicitation of, and enrollment of customers for energy supply services. PPA provides us access to its members as a benefit for members. z

Call for Award Nominations P PA’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 26 to 29, 2013 at the Wyndham Gettysburg in Gettysburg, 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.

Hyperhidrosis / Extreme Sweating?

Richard R. Smiga, RPh, is presented the 2012 Bowl of Hygeia Award from his nominator, Dean Douglas Bricker, Ph.D.

Criteria for all awards A nominee must be a current member of PPA to be considered.

All nominations will be held on file and eligible for consideration for 3 years.

Nominate a deserving individual for an award and recognize them for all they do for the pharmacy profession!

Find the nomination form at www.papharmacists.com/ awards.z

Before you recommend surgery, please try Klima.

Klima Health Solutions offers professionalstrength topical products to treat: • Genital Sweating • Facial Sweating • Chest and Breast Sweating • Foot and Hand Sweating • Underarm Sweating

www.klimadeodorant.com Toll Free: 877-295-5462 Use the code “pennsylvania” for 20% off your order.

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 37

Industry News

APhA Trustees ArticleBoard Head of Goes Here Commits $1.5M to Ensure Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Clinical Services

T

he American Pharmacists Association announced a major commitment by the APhA Board of Trustees to seek increased access for patients to pharmacists’ clinical services. The APhA Board allocated $1.5M toward a multi-million dollar, multi-faceted, long range effort by APhA and the profession to gain recognition for pharmacists’ role as health care providers (aka provider status).

As medication experts, pharmacists play a critical role in the provision of patient care services, in collaboration with physicians and other providers on the healthcare team. Pharmacists’ patient care services have grown beyond functions tied to medication product and delivery.

Many pharmacists are providing expanded service offerings such as medication monitoring, patient education, comprehensive medication reviews,coordination of medications during care transitions, prevention, wellness and chronic disease management. Studies and practice-based experience have

shown that when pharmacists are involved as members of the health care team, patient outcomes improve, patients report higher rates of satisfaction and overall health care costs are reduced. But without the proper recognition and payment models in place, patients and health care providers are often denied access to the benefits of those clinical care services.

Steven T. Simenson, BSPharm, FAPhA, FACA, FACVP, APhA President-elect and Chair of the Provider Status Task Force, stated, “The APhA Board of Trustees is excited to commit to this multifaceted approach to the value recognition of pharmacists’ clinical services. The pharmacy profession is coming together on principles to achieve provider status and to integrate pharmacists within developing health benefit delivery models. Factors like CMS’s Three Part Aim approach to optimized health system performance — improve the patient experience of care, improve the health of populations and reduce the per

capita cost of health care — will be considered in the development of principles. But the ultimate goal is a consensus-based approach for advocacy and legislative efforts, which increases our chances of increasing patient access to the clinical care services we can provide.”

The Initiative seeks to ensure that: 1. Payers and policy makers give patients access to pharmacists’ clinical services and recognize pharmacists as health care providers who improve access, quality and value of health care; Continued on page 46

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 39

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and the Cardinal Health Foundation congratulate Anthony C. Dougalas as the recipient of the 2012 Cardinal Health Generation Rx Champions Award!

This award recognizes a pharmacist who has demonstrated excellence in community-based prescription drug abuse prevention. We celebrate Anthony’s outstanding efforts and commitment to raising awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse among the general public and among the pharmacy community.

For more information about the award, visit cardinalhealth.com/GenerationRx

Š 2012 Cardinal Health. All rights reserved. CARDINAL HEALTH, the Cardinal Health LOGO, and ESSENTIAL TO CARE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cardinal Health. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Lit. No. 5CR10670_PA (12/2012)

cardinalhealth.com/GenerationRx

Industry News

On the Rebound: Find out how McKesson is helping independent pharmacies stay independent and thrive.

C

ould independent pharmacies slowly die out like their independent book store and video store counterparts? Not if the RxOwnership team at McKesson can help it. In the early 1980s there were about 30,000 independent pharmacies in the U.S. By the early ’90s, the number dropped to 20,000. However, according to the National Community Pharmacy Association (NCPA) that number rebounded to about 23,000 stores in 2010 as a result of more new independent pharmacies opening (about 1,000) than closing1. On the flip side, NCPA also predicts 10,000 independent pharmacies will change hands in the next 10 years1.

RxOwnership to the Rescue After owning a pharmacy for 25 years, Bob Graul was ready for a new adventure. But when it came time to sell, he realized there were no tools or resources to help him get answers he could trust. As a long-time McKesson customer, Bob discussed his plight with his McKesson representatives.

Bob explained that after a lifetime of building a family business and serving their communities, independent owners realize they never took the time to develop their exit strategy. “When the time comes to retire, they often choose to sell their patient files to a chain drug store or just close up shop.”

In an effort to address the lost business associated with store closures, McKesson decided to invest in a succession planning and ownership transfer solution for independent pharmacy owners and those interested in ownership.

RxOwnership was born in 2009, and Bob’s “new adventure” became leading its development.

Originally, RxOwnership’s goal was to educate and advise independent pharmacy owners and potential owners about alternatives to selling to chains. Bob said, “We set a goal to help 40 pharmacies in that first

year, but we ended up helping 93 independents stay independent.”

Now, Bob continues, “We offer wide variety of resources — from advice to financing, you name it.

Pharmacists sometimes think they have no choice but to sell to a big chain. We explain that there are other viable and sometimes even more attractive options — like selling to a buyer interested in keeping the business independent.”

He adds, “Selling my pharmacy would have been a whole lot easier if RxOwnership existed back then.”

A Dream Team to Handle the Growing Demand Over the past two years, Bob has recruited a skilled team of ownership experts to manage the growing demand for RxOwnership Continued on page 44

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 41

CHANGE IS ON THE HORIZON Our

new

195,000

Distribution

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square is

foot nearly

complete. The automation provided in this state-of-the-art facility will create efficiencies to better serve our members.

We also look to expand our current distribution area to service the independent pharmacy beyond our current 8 state region.

Value Specialty Pharmacy (VSP) can be your local answer to filling YOUR patients’ specialty medications.

VSP is delivering personalized care to patients with complex and chronic conditions improving health outcomes through our Value Specialty Pharmacy Care Sites (VSP Care Sites).

VSP Care Sites are a network of independent community pharmacies which are among the most accessible and trusted sector of health care for many patients.

Contact us today to be a part of this exciting cooperative, 800-252-3786 ext. 126 toll free: 800-252-3786 fax: 814-944-9553 www.valuedrugco.com

toll free: 855-265-8008 fax: 814-283-2211 www.vsprx.com

follow us on www.ValueWorldConnect.com

Industry News

More Pennsylvania Pharmacies Use e-prescribing

N

early 94 percent of all pharmacies in Pennsylvania are using e-prescribing, up from 92 percent a year ago, according to research conducted by SureScripts, the nation’s largest e-prescription network.

The Pennsylvania eHealth Partnership Authority, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, conducted a survey to better understand why or could not be reached via some pharmacies are still choosing telephone). not to use e-prescribing. The Under “Meaningful Use” rules survey found that 82 pharmacies from the Office of the National are not using e-prescribing Coordinator for Health Information mainly because they feel they can Technology, medical providers are conduct their business via fax and/ required to implement electronic or they believed that enrolling medical record systems that enable in e-prescribing e-prescribing. To was too expensive. use such systems, The survey found Other reasons for pharmacies also need that 82 pharmacies not e-prescribing to be enabled for are not using include a lack of e-prescribing. e-prescribing mainly IT knowledge or Health information support, and a lack exchange (HIE) because they feel of demand on behalf is the electronic they can conduct of the providers they their business via fax movement of health– regularly do business and/or they believed related information with. among unaffiliated that enrolling in The survey was organizations e-prescribing was a follow up to according to too expensive. one conducted in nationally recognized late 2011, when standards.

189 pharmacies were not using Pennsylvania was awarded $17.1 e-prescribing. Of those, 125 million under the American participated in the 2012 survey (the Recovery and Reinvestment Act to balance either closed for business help establish a health information

exchange.

Encouragement of E-prescribing is one of the ways the Authority is working to meet federal requirements and enable the use of information technology to advance HIE, which has been shown to improve healthcare quality and efficiency, ensure patient safety and provide secure, confidential access to health information for making the best possible health decisions.

To view a complete copy of the survey, visit the Authority’s website www.paehealth.com and click on General Info & Resources. To learn more about e-prescribing or electronic exchange, contact the Authority at ra-paehealthcollab@ pa.gov. z

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 43

Industry News On the Rebound:

Continued from page 41

services on a regional level. Bob and his team work closely with their customers, McKesson field sales, marketing, analytics and finance in nearly every aspect of buying or selling a pharmacy.

Since its inception, RxOwnership has helped close to 900 independent pharmacies stay independent — and assisted more than 400 new owners start a ground-up pharmacy. As for how it feels to be in charge of such a successful program, Bob says, “I’m proud that an old guy like me got to be part of a program as cool as this.” He credits his “dream

team” for making the program so successful. “My team is worldclass. When we collaborate with potential and existing owners, it’s magic.

Learn How RxOwnership Can Help You Planning is one of the most important things you can do for your long-term success. That’s why RxOwnership, a free service for anyone interested in independent pharmacy ownership, provides industry expertise and a host of resources and tools. RxOwnership also offers individualized matching services for buyers and

Why do our clients stay with us?

sellers. There are no obligations or contracts to sign. And, the confidential nature of the process is respected.

Backed by McKesson, RxOwnership additionally provides ballpark pharmacy valuations, inventory credit and financing in some cases. Know anyone interested in buying, selling or starting an independent pharmacy?

Check out www.RxOwnership. com for a wealth of resources, or to get in touch with a Regional RxOwnership Advisor. Or call your local McKesson Sales Representative. z 1

Source: 2011 NCPA Digest

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44 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Journal

Developing Article Headan Goes Immunization Here Administration Service: A Survey of Pennsylvania Pharmacists Adam C. Welch, PharmD1 and Kimberly Clouse, PharmD2

Department of Pharmacy Practice Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing Wilkes University 84 W. South St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 1

(at the time of research, Kimberly Hoffmann, PharmD Candidate, Wilkes University) 2

Research Report Acknowledgement: Kimberly Metka Welch, PharmD, BCPS Rhonda Waskiewicz, EdD, OTR/L For assistance in data preparation, collection, and analysis

Corresponding Author: Adam C. Welch, PharmD, MBA, BCACP Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and

Nursing Wilkes University 84 W. South Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 570-408-4290 (v) 570-408-7729 adam.welch@wilkes.edu www.wilkes.edu The authors and acknowledged contributors declare no conflict of interest in the preparation of this manuscript.

Abstract Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to capture the general policies that were used

by Pennsylvania pharmacists in establishing an immunization service. Secondary objectives were to identify the barriers to providing vaccine administration and the extent of vaccine administration by Pennsylvania pharmacists.

Methods: A four page questionnaire with a one page cover letter was mailed to

pharmacists licensed to administer injectables in Pennsylvania.

Responses were collected by fax and through www.surveymonkey. com. The questionnaire included 27 questions in four sections for the participants to complete. The sections identified information including the extent of practice, establishing a practice, communication strategies, and demographic information.

Results: There were 1118 questionnaires sent to Pennsylvania pharmacists and 219 (19.6%) responses collected. Of those, 186 (84.9%) reported administering at least one vaccine in Pennsylvania.

Of the 186 vaccinators, the most commonly administered vaccines were influenza (93.5%), zoster (62.9%), and pneumococcal (55.4%). The most common practice setting of physicians entering into written protocols with pharmacists was family/general practice (43.3%). Most of the respondents (67.6%) reported using Continued on page 46

Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013 I 45

Journal Developing an Immunization

Continued from page 45

the fax machine as a method of notifying physicians after vaccine administration. In addition, a majority of responding pharmacists (57.5%) mailed biohazard waste to a company for disposal. The largest barriers to developing an immunization service were establishing and maintaining billing processes (22.9%).

Conclusions: The immunization services provided by most pharmacists were limited to three different vaccines.

Pharmacists looking to expand their immunization services could consider offering other adult vaccines. Securing adequate compensation could be a potential barrier to administering immunizations. Developing an immunization administration service should be based on several factors such as logistical, legal, and practical issues.

Keywords: Practice model, questionnaire, policy, barriers, vaccine Access to the full reference articles will be available on-line at www. papharmacists.com/peer, or by visiting www.papharmacists.com, clicking on the Communications tab on the left side of the page, and then clicking on Peer Review Process. z

46 I Pennsylvania Pharmacist I March/April 2013

Pennsylvania Pharmacist Publishes First Peer Reviewed Article

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he Pennsylvania Pharmacist is excited to announce the publication of the first peer reviewed article available in our publication, Developing an Immunization Administration Service: A Survey of Pennsylvania Pharmacists by Adam C. Welch, PharmD and Kimberly Clouse, PharmD. A new Journal Section has been added to the publication to include this and future peer reviewed articles. The abstracts of the articles will be included in the print version. Access to the full reference articles will be available on-line at www.papharmacists. com/peer, or by visiting www.

papharmacists.com, clicking on the Communications tab on the left side of the page, and then clicking on Peer Review Process.

The Editorial Board is accepting submissions for future peer reviewed articles. Specific information and guidelines for authors is available on-line at www.papharmacists.com/peer. PPA is still accepting volunteers to serve as peer reviewers as well. More information about expectations of peer reviewers and a form to submit your interest in serving as a peer reviewer is available at www. papharmacists.com/peer. z

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APhA Board of Trustees

Continued from page 39

2. Patients have access to pharmacists’ clinical services through Medicare/Medicaid, other federal and state health benefit programs, Integrated Care Delivery Models (e.g.

ACOs and Medical Homes) and/ or private payers (commercial insurers, self-insured, patient self-pay) by listing pharmacists as providers and/or properly valuing these services in payment models; 3. Every patient’s health benefit plan package includes pharmacists’ clinical services (patient care services) as a core component.

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APhA is committed to optimizing the medication experience and wellness of our patients.

By working with national and state pharmacy organizations through common principles, we can assure that patients do not continue to experience a lack of access to pharmacists’ patient care services. By working together with patients, other providers and payers, we will optimize safe, effective and appropriate medication use while gaining recognition for the services that make that possible. z

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