Spread the word about provider status: Pharmacists Provide Care

Abstract

APhA’s number one priority is seeking the recognition of pharmacists as health care providers who, through their patient care services, improve the access, quality, and value of health care. The campaign to promote pharmacist provider status, Pharmacists Provide Care, is being unveiled right here, right now at the 2014 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition. During APhA2014, pharmacists and student pharmacists can learn about provider status; share their patient care stories; and attend provider status education sessions, including the Second General Session and a three-part series on the issue. APhA’s number one priority is seeking the recognition of pharmacists as health care providers who, through their patient care services, improve the access, quality, and value of health care. The campaign to promote pharmacist provider status, Pharmacists Provide Care, is being unveiled right here, right now at the 2014 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition. During APhA2014, pharmacists and student pharmacists can learn about provider status; share their patient care stories; and attend provider status education sessions, including the Second General Session and a three-part series on the issue. To support the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign, fill out a commitment card to take action to help the profession achieve provider status recognition under federal law; commitment cards will be handed out throughout APhA2014 (see sidebar). And stop by the Government Affairs (GA) Advocacy Action Center Booth, located on APhA Main Street in the Orange County Convention Center and open Friday, March 28, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm; Saturday, March 29, from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm; and Sunday, March 30, from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm. At the GA booth, you can Share Your Story—your example of providing patient care. The goal is to collect 1,000 stories of care. (For more information on the GA booth, see page 42.) Keep an eye out for videos around the Convention Center that feature members of the APhA Board of Trustees discussing provider status. APhA’s efforts to advance provider status in all areas of opportunity by collaborating with stakeholders and decision makers are the subject of APhA2014’s Second General Session on Sunday at 9:00 am. In the keynote presentation, Priority One: Provider Status, APhA Executive Vice President and CEO Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, ScD (Hon), FAPhA, and Georgia state Sen. Buddy Carter, BSPharm, who is running for Congress, will discuss how pharmacy as a profession and individual pharmacists can move forward to address the health care needs of the nation. Busy pharmacists can learn about the complex issue of provider status in three easy lessons at APhA2014. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Provider Status But Didn’t Have Time to Ask on Friday at 1:00 pm will explain everything you ever wanted to know about provider status in an interactive session. Achieving provider status for pharmacists will improve patient access to pharmacist-provided patient care services. But what does this mean? Aren’t pharmacists already health care providers? What is provider status and what does the Social Security Act have to do with it? What does it mean when pharmacists achieve provider status on a state level, and what are the implications of that for pharmacists and the services they provide? What Does the Promise of Provider Status Mean for You? on Sunday at 3:30 pm will focus on how provider status can enhance the value of the pharmacist throughout the health care system, and will describe in detail emerging opportunities for pharmacists as a result of efforts to promote provider status. When pharmacists are involved in patient care, patient outcomes improve, patients report higher rates of satisfaction, and overall health care costs are reduced. Achieving provider status will increase pharmacists’ opportunities to provide patient care services that improve patient outcomes. Provider Status: Where Do We Go From Here? on Monday at 7:30 am will teach practical strategies that busy pharmacists can use to make a difference for themselves, their patients, and the profession of pharmacy. Improving quality of life and health outcomes in a cost-effective manner are important goals of the evolving health care system. Proper use of medications is essential to meeting these goals, especially for patients with chronic conditions requiring complex medication therapies. Does the concept of pharmacists receiving reasonable compensation for providing patient care services seem like a pipe dream? What can busy practicing pharmacists really do to improve payment opportunities? Commit to supporting Pharmacists Provide CareAs part of the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign launch at APhA2014, pharmacists and student pharmacists can fill out a commitment card to take action to help their profession be recognized under federal law. Action steps to help pharmacists achieve federal recognition for their patient care services include the following:■Meet with your Member of Congress to educate on why federal recognition matters.■Give a pharmacy tour to a Member of Congress.■Introduce three of your colleagues to the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign.■Tell family, friends, and patients that Pharmacists Provide Care and pharmacists and their patient care services should be recognized under federal law.■Share your story at the Government Affairs Advocacy Action Center Booth on APhA Main Street or through pharmacist.com, Instagram, or YouTube. Make sure to send the link to APhA through Facebook or Twitter using #ProviderStatus or #APhA2014. As part of the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign launch at APhA2014, pharmacists and student pharmacists can fill out a commitment card to take action to help their profession be recognized under federal law. Action steps to help pharmacists achieve federal recognition for their patient care services include the following:■Meet with your Member of Congress to educate on why federal recognition matters.■Give a pharmacy tour to a Member of Congress.■Introduce three of your colleagues to the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign.■Tell family, friends, and patients that Pharmacists Provide Care and pharmacists and their patient care services should be recognized under federal law.■Share your story at the Government Affairs Advocacy Action Center Booth on APhA Main Street or through pharmacist.com, Instagram, or YouTube. Make sure to send the link to APhA through Facebook or Twitter using #ProviderStatus or #APhA2014.