Legacies begun, legacies continued

Abstract

The theme from the 2017 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition, “Making an Impact in Patient Care,” certainly resonated with me. It is what I have striven to do since becoming a pharmacist 20 years ago. I have had the good fortune of working in several different dynamic patient care and academic settings, and within each I have worked alongside other pharmacists and health care providers who wanted to make a positive impact in patient care. Now I find myself as APhA–APPM President, and I am again working alongside others who want to make an impact in their patients' lives—and do so in creative ways. I am so proud to be a part of an organization that is accomplishing so much and advancing the profession of pharmacy and honored to share some of what our APhA–APPM members have contributed to those efforts over the past year. APhA–APPM is dedicated to assisting members in enhancing the profession of pharmacy, improving medication use, and advancing patient care. The Academy represents pharmacists in all practice areas and has a member-driven structure where members can engage, interact, lead, and actively participate in activities of the Academy, Association, and the profession. The work of our members, whether through our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), standing committees, or other opportunities to volunteer their expertise, all contribute to making an impact on our patients and advancing the profession. The APhA–APPM Executive Committee, composed of 9 elected officers, met routinely to track progress made toward the 2017–18 Academy work plan. The Executive Committee was focused on engaging members, advocating for the profession, and providing resources to Academy members to advance patient care. I thank the 2017–18 APhA–APPM Executive Committee officers for your dedication this past year:•Wendy Weber, Immediate Past-President, Bellevue, NE•David Barnes, Member-at-Large, Pembroke Pines, FL•Sandra Bollinger, Member-at-Large, Sikeston, MO•Nicole Gattas, Member-at-Large, St. Louis, MO•Jim Kirby, Member-at-Large, Cincinnati, OH•Ann McManis, Member-at-Large, Vienna, VA•Wendy Mobley-Bukstein, Member-at-Large, Clive, IA•Stephanie Gernant, New Practitioner Officer, Storrs, CT Our SIGs continue to mature, growing in number of members and enhancing their role as a way for members to get involved in the Academy. We welcome members from all 3 Academies to join our SIGs. Members are able to join multiple SIGs, depending on their interest areas. APhA's Engage virtual community platform empowered members to share best practices, patient cases, and journal clubs, discuss hot topics, highlight their colleagues, and network with fellow members around the country. Members also had many opportunities to get engaged in the Academy via elected and nonelected SIG positions. Finally, all of the SIGs contributed to the Academy's strategic work plan, completing more than 20 projects throughout the year. Some of the great work of the SIGs is highlighted in report. I thank the 2017–18 APhA–APPM SIG Coordinators and Coordinators-elect for their leadership this past year:•Compounding SIG: Michael Blaire, Scottsdale, AZ, and Gina Besteman, Deerfield, IL•Diabetes Management SIG: G. Blair Sarbacker, Spartanburg, SC, and Kayce Shealy, Clinton, SC•Immunizing Pharmacists SIG: Monali Majmudar, Alpharetta, GA, and Jessica Hinson, Ada, OH•Medical Home/ACO SIG: Kelli Barnes, Columbus, OH, and Courtney Doyle-Campbell, Springfield, MA•Medication Management SIG: Rachel Stafford, North Little Rock, AR, and Ashley Coleman, Hilliard, PA•Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG: Wendy Galbraith, Oklahoma City, OK, and Ashley Mishoe, San Francisco, CA•Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG: Jeffrey Bratberg, Attleboro, MA, and Amanda Ward, Louisa, KY•Preceptor SIG: Lanita White, Little Rock, AR, and Cortney Mospan, Indian Trail, NC•Transitions of Care SIG: Brittany Stewart, Livonia, MI, and Rupal Mansukhani, Hillsborough, NJ The SIG leaders are supported by Executive Committee Liaisons and, new this year, APhA staff liaisons, who help the SIGs accomplish their goals. Academy leadership and member volunteers contributed to the following outcome areas of APhA's strategic plan:1.Transforming the role of the pharmacist by supporting pharmacists as providers of evidence-based patient-centered care.2.Empowering members by providing them with opportunities to interact, network, and engage with others to advance the profession.3.Advocating for the profession by supporting and contributing to the initiative to recognize the value of pharmacist-provided patient care services and achieve provider status.4.Developing leaders and engaging leadership and members in work that advances the strategic plan of the Association and contributes to the advancement of the profession. Beginning with APhA2017 and continuing throughout the year, APhA–APPM sought to provide opportunities to members to enhance their role in the health care system. SIGs created resources to highlight emerging examples of pharmacists providing patient care, such as through the Transitions of Care SIG's “Transitions of Care Case Examples” and the Medication Management SIG Telehealth Committee's “Telehealth Testimonials.” The Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG Coordinator, Jeff Bratberg, played a key role in the development and implementation of the APhA2017 Pain Institute: Pharmacists on the Frontlines of the Opioid Epidemic, which highlighted the role of the pharmacist in an expanding and rapidly changing practice area. Immunizing Pharmacists SIG members contributed to APhA2017 programming on immunizations and created a “Travel Health Pocket Guide” and “Immunization Quick Reference Guide,” valuable tools for our immunizing pharmacists. The Diabetes Management SIG developed “CDE vs. BC-ADM,” a 1-page tool to help pharmacists understand the differences between the 2 advanced diabetes certifications. One of the most accessed SIG resources this year was the Medication Management SIG Clinical Committee's new clinical guidelines webpage (www.pharmacist.com/clinical-guidelines), which links to more than 80 clinical guidelines relevant to pharmacists and provides summary tables to help pharmacists hone in on where the most important information is located in each guideline. In collaboration with APhA–APRS, the Academy responded to APhA President Nancy Alvarez's charge to identify and develop guidance to Academy members regarding a patient care referral system for pharmacy. Academy officers Wendy Weber and Wendy Mobley-Bukstein worked alongside APhA–APRS Officer Adriane Irwin and, assisted by APhA staff, performed a literature search, polled members, and drafted a summary of findings and recommendations for moving forward on this topic. The Academy looks forward to delving deeper into this charge in the upcoming year. APhA–APPM also contributed JAPhA articles on the following topics: cultural competency, policies passed during the 2017 APhA House of Delegates, public health, mental health, and improving the utilization of pharmacist technicians in patient care settings. The Academy thanks the following leaders and members for their time and contributions to JAPhA: Ashley Lorenzen (Marshfield, WI), Loren Kirk (Alexandria VA), Stephanie Gernant (Storrs, CT), and G. Blair Sarbacker (Spartanburg, SC). The Communications Standing Committee was given the task of evaluating and formulating recommendations for effective communication with Association members. The Committee used the Academy structure by assigning committee members to each SIG to encourage and promote communication and participation. The Committee also assisted staff in developing messages around member value proposition and provided recommendations on practice-related topics, as well as authors for APhA publications. In addition, the Committee helped to educate and inform practitioners about various practice issues and available resources and identified the most appropriate vehicles for communicating information to members and to nonmembers. Throughout the year, several SIGs conducted surveys and polled members to help identify SIG member needs. As a result, continuing education webinars were developed by 4 different SIGs on the following practice-related issues:•Preceptor SIG: Precepting Across Generations; and Statistical Testing in Excel: Practical Applications•Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG: Nuclear Pharmacy for Acute Care Pharmacists; and Practical Steps to Integrate Radiopharmaceuticals into the Institutions Medication Management Program•Diabetes Management SIG: The Skinny on Weight Loss: A Review of Pharmacological Obesity Management•Transitions of Care SIG: Use of Telehealth to Enhance Pharmacy Services During Transitions of Care Home study webinar recordings and slide presentations were made available to members via the Continuing Education webpages on www.pharmacist.com. The Academy continued to explore ways for its members to find a home within one of our SIGs. The Executive Committee received an application for a new SIG with a focus on the care of underserved patients. The committee held a robust discussion and will continue to work with staff and applicants on application logistics and next steps. The SIGs continued to be a valuable way for Academy leaders and members to interact and network. Various SIG committees have formed, and those members, with the support of APhA staff, have created webinars and tools (as already mentioned), as well as many more valuable products for use by our members, including the Medication Management SIG Business/Practice Model Committee's 12-document toolkit on Marketing MTM to Prescribers. SIG members are able to explore volunteer opportunities at www.pharmacist.com/volunteer and determine where their expertise could be applied. Academy leaders and members continued to participate in the APhA–APPM SIG Engage virtual communities. Participants engaged in active discussion on various topics (e.g., clinical/therapeutic patient cases, legislative and regulatory issues, and the successes and barriers in practice). In addition, members of the APhA–APPM Communication Standing Committee and SIG Engage Moderators continued to work to help increase awareness and participation within the communities, better linking all members together. The Academy also sought ways to help students and new practitioners to find a home within the Association. APhA–APPM New Practitioner Officer Stephanie Gernant collaborated with the APhA–APRS Postgraduate Officer to provide feedback on a short video that is currently in development by the APhA New Practitioner Advisory Committee (NPAC). The video will include information on new practitioner and postgraduate opportunities within APhA and the Academies. The New Practitioner Officer is also working with APhA–APPM Communications Standing Committee New Practitioner members to explore additional opportunities to increase awareness and to engage new practitioners within the Academy. In addition, the Diabetes Management SIG Student Affairs Committee began to adapt their current student mentor program to focus on supporting APhA–ASP chapters' Operation Diabetes efforts. During APhA2017, 16 Academy and SIG meetings were conducted, providing attendees an opportunity to interact with Academy leaders and colleagues on practice issues and to learn about elected and nonelected opportunities. Academy leaders used APhA–APPM SIG hashtags and distributed SIG business cards throughout the Annual Meeting in an effort to increase member awareness and participation in the SIGs and to engage members in SIG-related projects/initiatives. New this year was the Meet and Greet: Basic Science/Compounding SIG session. The session brought researchers together who teach or oversee compounding/formulation, or sciences related to these activities, closer together with the practitioners of compounding. Throughout the year, APhA–APPM identified opportunities to enable, empower, and inspire members to drive change and elevate the level of pharmacy practice. The Executive Committee appointed 36 member volunteers to the 4 Academy Standing Committees: Awards, Communications, Education, and Policy. Member volunteers had an opportunity to interact and exchange ideas, knowledge, and skills with leaders and fellow colleagues. The Executive Committee also worked with the Chair of the Awards Standing Committee to appoint 8 Academy leaders and members to serve on the Fellows Selection Subcommittee. The APhA–APPM Education Standing Committee recruited 165 member volunteers to serve as Abstract Reviewers for the 2018 Contributed Papers Program. The Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG worked throughout the year with the APhA Education Staff to bring 15 hours of nuclear-focused CPE to APhA2018. The APhA–APPM Policy Standing Committee was asked to review current APhA policy and policy adopted during the APhA2017 House of Delegates to propose new policy as appropriate and promote APhA advocacy-related resources and tools. The Committee also assisted the Association with provider status initiatives by collecting provider status stories and encouraging Academy leaders and members to become APhA Key Advocacy Contacts to communicate with legislators and to contribute to the APhA Political Action Committee (APhA–PAC). Committee members also promoted policy-related webinars to help prepare members and delegates for the APhA2018 House of Delegates. In addition, the Committee worked virtually to review and draft recommendations to the Executive Committee for consideration on a proposed New Business Item submitted by the APhA–APPM Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG for consideration for the APhA2018 House of Delegates. The 4th Annual APhA–APPM SIG PAC Challenge began on October 1, 2017, and concluded on November 1, 2017. The SIGs held a friendly competition against each other to see which SIG could raise the most money for the APhA–PAC. With the assistance of staff, each SIG identified a SIG PAC Champion to help drive the competition. Members of the APhA–APPM Policy Standing Committee were also assigned to a SIG to help increase awareness and participation in the Challenge. The Academy raised a record amount of $11,915. The Compounding SIG raised the most and had the highest average contribution. The SIG and the SIG's PAC Champion, Michael Blaire, of Scottsdale, AZ, will be recognized during the APhA2018 Annual Meeting SIG Open Business Meeting. The Academy looks forward to continuing the Challenge in 2018. The Academy appreciates the hard work of all SIG PAC Champions:•Compounding SIG: Michael Blaire, Scottsdale, AZ•Diabetes Management SIG: Starlin Haydon-Greatting, Springfield, IL•Immunizing Pharmacists SIG: Jessica Hinson, Ada, OH•Medical Home/ACO SIG: Kelli Barnes, Columbus, OH•Medication Management SIG: Rachel Stafford, North Little Rock, AR•Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG: Ashley Mishoe, San Francisco, CA•Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG: Jeff Bratberg, Attleboro, MA•Preceptor SIG: Cortney Mospan, Indian Trail, NC•Transitions of Care SIG: Brittany Stewart, Livonia, MI, and Rupal Mansukhani, Hillsborough, NJ Academy members supported APhA's advocacy efforts throughout the year by visiting legislators in their state capitols or in Washington, DC, and by hosting legislators at their practice sites. Academy leaders participated in, and encouraged colleagues to e-mail members of Congress about, the many services beyond the safe distribution of medication that pharmacists provide within their scope of practice. Academy leaders and volunteers also responded to nearly 30 Association requests for input on various practice-related issues, including those from government agencies (e.g., Food and Drug Administration, Health and Human Services, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission) and other pharmacy-related organizations (e.g., Board of Pharmacy Specialties and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists). In preparation for the 2018 APhA Annual Meeting, Academy leaders worked with staff to recruit 38 Academy Delegates and Alternate Delegates to serve in the APhA2018 House of Delegates. Delegates were selected from various practice settings, representing varying levels of expertise, interest areas, and perspectives on pharmacy practice–related issues. To make an impact in patient care, leaders must be cultivated and nourished. APhA–APPM offers a member-friendly structure through which individuals can engage, interact, lead, and actively participate in Association activities. With ongoing support of Academy leaders and staff, the SIGs actively recruited nominees and provided a recommended slate of candidates to the Executive Committee for consideration for the 2017 APhA–APPM SIG Coordinator-elect elections. One Coordinator-elect appointment was made by the Executive Committee, and 8 elections took place during the respective 2017 APhA–APPM SIG Business Meetings. The following individuals were appointed or elected to serve as the 2017–18 APhA–APPM SIG Coordinators-elect:•Compounding SIG: Gina Besteman, Deerfield, IL•Diabetes Management SIG: Kayce Shealy, Clinton, SC•Immunizing Pharmacists SIG: Jessica Hinson, Ada, OH•Medical Home/ACO SIG: Kelli Barnes, Columbus, OH•Medication Management SIG: Ashley Coleman, Hilliard, PA•Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG: Ashley Mishoe, San Francisco, CA•Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG: Amanda Ward, Louise, KY•Preceptor SIG: Cortney Mospan, Indian Trail, NC•Transitions of Care SIG: Rupal Mansukhani, Hillsborough, NJ The APhA–APPM SIGs recognized outgoing Coordinators for their service and leadership during their respective APhA2017 Business Meetings:•Compounding SIG: William Mixon, Hickory, NC•Diabetes Management SIG: Andrew Bzowyckyj, Kansas City, MO•Immunizing Pharmacists SIG: Sheila Seed, Worcester, MA•Medical Home/ACO SIG: Jeremy Thomas, Little Rock, AR•Medication Management SIG: Denise Clayton, Mayflower, AR•Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG: James Velez, Bellevue, WA•Pain, Palliative Care, and Addiction SIG: Brian Fingerson, Louisville, KY•Preceptor SIG: Nicole Avant, West Chester, OH•Transitions of Care SIG: Ashley Lorenzen, Marshfield, WI In addition, 5 SIGs recognized a total of 41 SIG members for their leadership and service during their respective APhA2017 SIG Business Meetings. APhA–APPM and APhA–APRS also hosted a joint Academies Networking and Recognition Reception at APhA2017. Outgoing and incoming Academy officers and APhA Fellows were recognized during the reception and interacted with attendees, sharing information about elected and nonelected leadership opportunities within the Academies. Eight APhA–APPM elected leaders and, new in 2017, 8 APhA–APPM SIG representatives attended the 2017 Academies Leadership Meeting. Leaders spent the weekend in strategic planning, participating in professional development sessions, networking, and conducting Hill visits. Leaders also discussed policy topics to be presented to the Board for consideration by the APhA2018 House of Delegates. In 2017, the Education Standing Committee was given the task of contributing to the APhA2017 Annual Meeting educational programming, assisting staff in identifying Abstract Reviewers and Poster Judges for the APhA Contributed Papers Program. A total of 40 volunteers were identified to serve as Poster Judges for the APhA Contributed Papers Program. Volunteers reviewed 208 practitioner, pharmacy resident, and student pharmacist posters related to a wide range of research and innovative practice topics. In preparation for the APhA2018 Annual Meeting, the committee worked with staff to identify 165 member volunteers to serve as abstract reviewers for the APhA2018 Contributed Papers Program. A total of 407 papers were submitted for consideration. During APhA2018, member volunteers serving as Poster Judges will help select the 2018 APhA–APPM Presentation Merit Award winners. Award recipients will be recognized during the 2018 APhA Annual Meeting. The APhA–APPM Awards Standing Committee was equally busy during 2017. The Committee was responsible for administering a comprehensive awards program that provides recognition for the outstanding contributions of pharmacists from diverse practice settings. The Committee provided recommendations for improvement in the APhA–APPM Awards Program and was responsible for selecting the recipients for recognition at the 2018 APhA Annual Meeting. The Fellows Selection Subcommittee also assisted and provided recommendations to the Awards Standing Committee. Congratulations to the following individuals who will be recognized by the Academy during the 2018 APhA Annual Meeting for their contributions to the profession:•Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award: Bella Mehta, Columbus, OH•Pharmacy Management Excellence Award: Brian Komoto, Visalia, CA•Distinguished Achievement Award in Pharmacy Practice: Stephanie Ferreri, Chapel Hill, NC•Distinguished Achievement Award in Service: Emily Prohaska, Overland Park, KS, and Melissa Skelton Duke, Phoenix, AZ•Fellows of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA–APPM Fellows): Jennifer Adams, Meridian, ID; Richard Green, Powell, OH; Rupal Mansukhani, Hillsborough, NJ; Kenneth McCall, Portland, MA; Wendy Mobley-Bukstein, Clive, IA; Ronald Nosek, Hollidaysburg, PA; Sarah Ray, Milwaukee, WI; Rebecca Snead, Richmond, VA; Alex Varkey, Sugar Land, TX; and May Woo, Houston, TX The APhA–APPM Nuclear Pharmacy Practice SIG Awards Committee also selected member Duann V. Thistlethwaite, of Jefferson, PA, for the 2018 William H. Briner Distinguished Achievement Award in Nuclear Pharmacy Practice. The awardee will be recognized during the APhA2018 APhA–APPM Nuclear Pharmacists' Breakfast and SIG Open Business Meeting. The Academy is pleased to welcome 4 newly elected APhA–APPM officers who will be installed during the 2018 APhA Annual Meeting:•President-elect: Catherine Kuhn, Plainfield, OH•Members-at-Large: Andrea Brookhart, PharmD, Palmyra, VA; Denise Clayton, BSPharm, Mayflower, AR; and Brent Thompson, PharmD, Mora, MN Academy leaders and APhA–APPM Communications Standing Committee members began to identify opportunities to promote and identify candidates to participate in the new APhA Leadership360 Institute programs: Lead360 and Mentor360. The Institute helps to provide pharmacists with opportunities to develop leadership skills and to connect with individuals that share common interest areas and topics within pharmacy. Two Medication Management SIG Committee Chairs volunteered to serve as mentors for APhA Mentor360: Practice Collaborative on Getting Started with MTM and hosted 3 webinars for the mentees. Likewise, all Executive Committee and SIG leaders were challenged to join as a mentor or mentee in the January 2018 cycle. Looking forward to 2018–19, the Academy will continue to promote elected and nonelected member volunteer opportunities via the APhA SIG Engage virtual community platform, APhA volunteer web page, and other available vehicles. The Academy and SIGs are dedicated and committed in continuing to increase member engagement and leadership opportunities within the Academy. APhA Pharmacy Practice staff are working to streamline and enhance the onboarding, governance, and operations of the SIGs for the 2018–19 Academy year. With input from leadership, staff are working to revise Academy-related documents, create training tools, and prepare for work plan development at the 2018 Academies Leadership Retreat that will take place in April 2018. These efforts will help SIG and Academy leaders to jump start their 2018–19 work plans and to improve operations. Throughout my years of involvement in APhA, I have always been amazed at the talent and passion that so many of our members possess and how you so tirelessly give back to the profession. Without you, APhA would not be able to provide the wealth of opportunities and resources that advance our profession. Thank you for everything you do for APhA and APhA–APPM. I continue to be inspired by your passion to improve medication use and advance patient care. As APhA–APPM President, I have seen first-hand how great a steward the Association is with its resources of time, talent, and treasure. I extend a thank-you to APhA staff Margaret Tomecki, Director, Practice and Science Academies, for her APhA–APPM facilitation, coordination, and dedication. I also extend special thanks to Vice President of Professional Affairs Anne Burns, Vice President of Practice and Science Affairs James Owen, Senior Director of Practice Advancement and Pharmacist Engagement Lindsay Kunkle, Director of Practice Affairs Ryan Burke, Associate Director of Practice Programs and Operations Monica Ostrander, and Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Practice and Government Affairs Stacie Maass for her leadership of the provider status initiative. The accomplishments of the Academy would not be possible without your support and dedication to the profession and the Association. The theme for APhA2018, “Leading our Communities in Patient Care,” spurs us all forward. As the present report illustrates, each and every one of us, as members of APhA–APPM, can respond to this call. We can continually look for ways to improve patient care—and to share our stories with others!—advocate for the profession, and develop into the leaders that our profession and the communities we serve need. As a result of your passion and dedication to the profession and APhA, provider status is moving closer to being a reality. We must never stop sharing our stories of how we lead our communities in enhancing patient care. I am honored to represent all of the members of APhA–APPM as your President and Trustee. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you! A complete list of APhA--APPM committees/work groups and member volunteers has been included in the 2017 APhA Annual Report. Sarah Ray, PharmD, BCPS, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. 2017–2019 President of APhA–APPM.