Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 - (Page 34)

34 DRUG TOPICS MAY 12, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Community Practice APhA leader’s plan to leave office takes center stage at its conference Judy Chi T he recent American Pharmacists Association annual meeting, held in San Diego, marked a turning point in the organization’s history. At the show’s final House of Delegates session, APhA’s CEO John Gans announced that he would be stepping down from his position after nearly 20 years at the helm. Gans plans to turn over the reins in early 2009 to his successor, now being sought by the Miles LeHane Co., a recruitment firm. This announcement caught many members unawares. List of accomplishments Gans’ imminent departure comes at a time when there’s much the association can write home about. Not only is membership at a record high of 63,000, but also there’s progress to report on many fronts, said president-elect Timothy Tucker, Pharm.D. The expansion of APhA headquarters is ahead of schedule and under budget. More than $8 million have been raised toward the goal of $15 million. APhA staffers expect to move into their new home on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 2009. Ready to pass on APhA is also pleased with the inthe APhA scepter is terim results from its Diabetes Ten its CEO John Gans City Challenge (DTCC). They show that the use of so-called pharmacist coaches has helped participating employees significantly improve their A1c, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. The DTCC model is now being expanded to an additional 50 employers and 1,300 employees through HealthMapRx to manage additional diseases. (For more information, see page 40.) Results were also reported from the first phase of Project Destiny, a collaborative effort among APhA, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Community Pharmacists Association. According to APhA president Winnie Landis, the project’s goal is to expand from a commoditized dispensing model to a service-based approach that is scalable, measurable, and economically viable. BearingPoint, the consulting firm the three groups have hired, has issued a report, which calls for the development of primary care pharmacists who would work to reduce overall healthcare costs and empower patients to manage their own health. The work being done by this project will help the profession achieve the 2015 vision of pharmacy practice as adopted by the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners, Landis said. Other initiatives APhA also released the following news at its meeting: •It unveiled a new framework for medication therapy management. The new and improved version of MTM core elements is a follow-up to Version 1.0, launched in 2005. Both versions are a joint effort between APhA and NACDS. •It rolled out a package of materials pharmacists can use to promote their value to the public as part of a “Use Medicines Safely” campaign (see page 36). •It added the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America as a partner to the SMARxT Disposal campaign. Along with APhA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the campaign urges consumers to flush less and crush more when disposing of their unwanted medications. •Thanks to a $1.5 million gift from former APhA president Calvin Knowlton, the association has set up a Knowlton Center for Pharmacist-Based Health Solutions to foster leadership in the profession. “Over the next two years, as we move into a new headquarters and transition to new leadership, we will always remember the vision and progress John Gans and our association’s leaders have provided,” Tucker concluded. Policies passed at a glance A Photo: Judy Chi s if there wasn’t enough going on at the APhA annual meeting, the House of Delegates also passed these policies: • Called for pharmacy schools to standardize their experiential education. • Voted in support of post-graduate training for new Pharm.D. students. • Backed the accreditation of compounding pharmacies by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board. • Endorsed requirements for all new technicians to be trained by an accredited program and certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board by 2015. http://www.drugtopics.com

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Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 Contents Latebreakers Letters R.Ph.s Say More Needs to be Done to Prevent Pediatric Drug Errors There's a New School of Thought on Use of Beta-Blockers for Hypertension Cover Story Guest Spot Letters Clinical Practice Special Report Professional Practice Broad Label for New Leukemia Therapy Looks Promising Treating Asthma During Pregnancy Safer than Not, Says New Guide In the Pipeline Clinical Q&A APhA Leader's Plan to Leave Office Takes Center Stage at its Conference Policies Passed at a Glance Giving a Talk to the Community? Check Out These Materials This Foundation has Funds to Spare JP at Large Cover Story: Employers and R.Ph.S: A Win-Win Combo FDA's Ilisa Bernstein Discusses Pharmacy Affairs Legal Q&A Manufacturers Unleash a Rash of Poison Ivy Treatments Are OTC Cold Remedies Safe for Kids? Probiotics are All the Rage: How You Can Capitalize on It CMS' Prices for Round One of DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Raising Concerns CVS Caremark's Mentoring Program Recruits and Retains R.Ph.s Antibiotic Resistance Among Community Pathogens Technology Update New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - May 12, 2008

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