Provider Status: Anyone Can Get Involved!

       The opportunity to spread the word about provider status for pharmacists and promote the pharmacy profession fell into my lap and I did not have to go out of my way do it. I stumbled upon the opportunity while on rotations at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, FL. My preceptor at the time, who also writes for the Space Coast Daily magazine, asked me to write an article on any pharmacy-related hot topic. 

What better hot topic to write about than provider status for pharmacists?

        I really wanted to inform the public about the integral role that pharmacists play every day and enlighten the public to the fact that pharmacists are not considered healthcare providers according to CMS. There are many people out there that love his/her pharmacist who would help us advocate for the pharmacy profession. I just wanted to get the word out about our mission to achieve provider status and expand services that pharmacists can offer to improve patient care.

Take a peak at what was printed below, hopefully this can serve as a model for anyone else interested in writing articles for upcoming American Pharmacists Month!

Submitted by: Sarah Paiement

       This has been a very busy year for the Wingate University School of Pharmacy chapter of APhA-ASP. One event however, has stuck out in the minds of everyone who was involved. Last fall our chapter partnered with the WUSOP Student Senate and various other student organizations to hold a health fair at the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, a local homeless shelter. This health fair was an attempt to reach out to an under-served population, a change from previous health fairs.

        At the health fair we were able to provide a variety of health services, free of charge. These services included blood pressure screenings, blood glucose readings, DEXA scans, and flu shots. The flu shots were provided by Walgreens, and a total of 60 homeless men were immunized that day. In addition to the health services, student pharmacists were given the opportunity to practice their counseling skills by providing counseling on hypertension, heart health, diabetes, smoking cessation, over the counter medications, osteoporosis prevention, and how to differentiate between heartburn and a heart attack. The residents of the shelter who received health screenings and education were also given a “goody bag” filled with snacks, dental care items, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hand sanitizer, TUMs, and clean socks.

       Not only were our student pharmacists able to have a huge impact on the men of the shelter, they had a tremendous impact on the students. Several students reported receiving hugs and heartfelt thanks from the patients, which aren’t often received from the patients that we interact with. Overall this event was a massive success, and is definitely something WUSOP would recommend to any chapter. It was a truly eye-opening event, and can hopefully be carried on in the future. 

First-Year Student Pharmacists Attending APhA2014 - Q & A

          We on the verge of APhA2014! As we have been approaching the meeting I've asked a few first-year student pharmacists to speak about why the are coming and what they expect to see in Orlando.

       Once everyone returns home in April, I'll be able to ask a few more questions to see if their experiences were met, exceeded, or let down. On to the Q & A!

Allie Jo Shipman - Region 3 MRMC -  Mercer University

Q: What made you interested in attending APhA2014?

          MRM2013 - MRM is where I really got involved in and excited about APhA-ASP, and it is also where I found out about Annual Meeting. If the regional meeting was that awesome, then the national meeting must be even better, right? I'm excited to meet more pharmacists and student pharmacists, learn more about APhA-ASP patient care projects, get to know the national officer candidates, and learn more about APhA-ASP in general.

Q: Are there any specific events you are looking forward to attend?

           Pretty much everything, but definitely the APhA Foundation Women in Pharmacy 5K Fun Run/Walk and the Welcoming Social - "if it ain't neon, it shouldn't be on!" 

Scott Brewster - Chapter President Elect - East Tennessee State University

         Attending the Midyear Regional Meeting in Birmingham, AL made the decision for me to attend the APhA2014. I knew that if a Regional meeting could have such great speakers, networking, and educational value, Annual and the national collection could only get better.

Q: What are you looking forward to the most while in Orlando?

          I’m looking forward to continuing to develop my connections with Region 3 schools, meet other student pharmacists throughout the country, and participate in pharmacy on a national level. Being a first-year student, I am looking forward to the learning “How to Get the Job You Never Knew You Always Wanted” workshop. It has been great to learn of the opportunists in health care we have as pharmacists, and I know there are careers that I haven’t been exposed to yet. Most of all, I hope I can bring back the passion of the experience back to my school and chapter.

Jared Frye - Chapter President Elect - Wingate University

Q: Did a certain person or event convince you into coming to APhA2014? If so, who or what?

            I had the privilege to attend the Region 3 MRM in the fall semester of my first year. During this conference, I met individuals who are not just student pharmacists but motivated student pharmacists, which makes a huge difference. Being surrounded by motivated student pharmacists from other chapters allows you to brainstorm ideas that you can implement within your own chapter to benefit the community that you serve.  After this experience, I realized that I could not turn down another opportunity to interact with my peers. Therefore, I signed up for the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition.

            What's great is APhA2014 gives individuals the opportunity to gain a better insight on what the future of pharmacy is leading to but also allows you to interact with other chapters, including those from other regions, to gain ideas that you can implement within your own chapter. I am excited to meet both pharmacists and student pharmacists from around the country. APhA2014 will also help mold me in being a better leader within my own chapter.

 Q: What events are you looking forward to attending at APhA2014?


            While there are many events I am looking forward to attending, there are two events that I feel will benefit me the most as an individual. The first is the APhA-ASP Chapter Presidents-Elect workshop which will help sculpt myself into the President-Elect that my chapter deserves. The second event I am looking most forward to is the APhA-ASP Working with Your State Association Workshop because currently I feel there is a lack of a unified body speaking. Whereas, if student pharmacists and the State Association worked together and spoke as a unified body there would be a bigger chance for positive change.

           

Chapter Spotlight: Auburn University - Harrison School of Pharmacy

by: Sierra Schmidt

          During the fall semester, our APhA-ASP chapter coordinated our school’s largest health fair of the year, a health fair at the Syrup Sopping festival in Loachapoka, AL. This year, we invited four other organizations to partner with us in hosting the health fair to expand our offerings. Our Operation Heart, Operation Diabetes, Operation Immunization, Generation Rx, and IPSF committees were highly involved in making this health fair a success. We were able to offer blood pressure screenings, blood glucose screenings, education about the influenza immunization, diabetes-friendly nutrition information, prescription drug abuse awareness for parents and teens, and information about smoking cessation. In total, we had 95 student pharmacist volunteers come help have a positive impact on the health of our community!

            In the past few months, our chapter has also been very active in educating our colleagues and community about prescription drug abuse. This year, we formed a Generation Rx Task Force to strengthen our Generation Rx program. Our Task Force took ideas from the Utah School and the InterACT Skit performed at Ohio State and by the University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy APhA-ASP chapter and developed a skit based on true stories of prescription drug abuse and addiction. We presented this skit at our local Boys & Girls Club, at the Lee County Youth Development Center, and to the Girl Scouts of South Alabama. We were also invited by the Alabama Department of Public Health to record our skit, and the Department of Public Health plans to send the recording to schools all across the state. Finally, our Generation Rx Chair presented the Provider Toolkit developed by the East Tennessee State University APhA-ASP chapter to our first-year, second-year, and third-year student pharmacists. We are excited to see our Generation Rx program expand this year and are looking forward to growing more in the future.