APhA Academies 2004–2005: Answering the Bell on MTM Services and Much More
2005; Elsevier BV; Volume: 45; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1331/1544345054003750
ISSN1544-3450
Autores Tópico(s)Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes
ResumoValerie T. Prince Academy efforts in 2004–2005 focused on assisting with grassroots advocacy for the Medicare drug benefit, initiating the pilot-testing phase for the Patient Care e-Community, increasing Academy member involvement in Section subcommittee activities, and increasing the awareness of the value of a pharmacist as a member of the health care team. Through the APhA's Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA–APPM) Standing Committees, the Academy supports APhA's educational, awards, policy, and publications programs. The Academy also provides input on key practice issues, develops resources to support practitioners, and provides a mechanism for members to become involved with the Association. Accomplishments and activities that addressed these efforts, as well as other priorities, are outlined in this report. The APhA–APPM Education Standing Committee provided significant input on the educational programming for the 2005 APhA Annual Meeting, with emphasis on business practices for pharmacy; understanding changes within Medicare and implementing medication therapy management, senior care, prevention, and wellness activities to advance patient care; and pharmacist involvement in patient self-care. In addition, concentrated education tracks on nuclear pharmacy and clinical perspectives in patient care management have been developed. The APhA2004 session “Poster Rounds with the Experts,” designed to enhance the APhA Contributed Papers Poster session, has become an established activity at the meeting and has increased awareness of, and participation in, the poster program. Approximately 60 participants discussed selected posters from a scientific and clinical relevance perspective. The Academy also coordinated the practitioner abstract review process for the APhA Contributed Papers program. APhA–APPM members contributed 181 abstracts for the Contributed Papers Program compared with 210 the previous year. The APhA–APPM Policy Standing Committee members reviewed the policy passed at the 2004 House of Delegates and provided recommendations to the APhA Board of Trustees on how to best implement the policy. The committee members also helped develop policy items to be considered at the 2005 APhA House. APhA–APPM collaborated with APhA–APRS to introduce two New Business Items for the 2005 APhA House on the topics of making public the results of all clinical trials and compounding using multicomponent vehicles. Volunteer Academy members, including those in the APhA–APPM Compounding Practitioner Interest Group (PInG), have taken an active role in working on subcommittees to develop the draft policy language. APhA–APPM also developed a New Business Item to address the use of pseudoephedrine-containing products to produce methamphetamine. The Academy played a significant role in helping to inform and educate members on the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. APhA– APPM Section Chairs developed e-mail correspondence for grassroots advocacy to encourage members to submit comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the proposed rules for the MMA 2003. The communication emphasized the importance of commenting on the Medicare drug benefit, including medication therapy management (MTM) services. The Academy also initiated the development of an educational PowerPoint presentation on MMA 2003 and MTM services to serve as a resource tool for members, students, faculty, and other interested parties. Officers have also been actively involved in the development of a Medication Therapy Management Services Survey for practitioners. This information will be important in developing tools to assist pharmacists in implementing MTM services and also to help educate legislators and regulators about pharmacists’ activities related to MTM services. The survey was launched in January. The APhA–APPM Awards Standing Committee is responsible for administering a comprehensive awards program that provides recognition for the outstanding contributions of pharmacists from diverse practice settings. In addition to reviewing and revising the Awards criteria and selection processes, the committee is responsible for selecting the recipients. The committee also administers the on-site judging and selection process for the APhA–APPM Presentation Merit Awards, recognizing outstanding poster submissions to the APhA Contributed Papers Program. At APhA2004, five recipients were chosen from 75 eligible poster presenters. The APhA–APPM Publications Standing Committee was instrumental in providing content for the bimonthly Academy e-newsletter APhA–APPM News You Can Use and the bimonthly Hospital/Institutional and Nuclear Pharmacy Section e-newsletters. The committee continues to provide input on the enhanced design of the e-newsletter. The committee also provided input to APhA editorial staff on APhA publications and periodicals throughout the year. APhA–APPM conducts programming during each Annual Meeting designed to foster member involvement in Academy activities. APhA2004 programs included two Delegate Caucuses, three PInG meetings, an Open Forum on Practice Issues, and Nuclear Pharmacy and Administrative Practice Section Business Meetings. In addition, the third Open Forum on Shared Faculty issues was conducted by the APhA–APPM Clinical/Pharmacotherapeutic Section. These same programs occurred at APhA2005, with the addition of a Hospital/Institutional Section Business Meeting and a luncheon for the Administrative Practice Section. Academy leaders and members were involved in reviewing contributed papers, judging posters for the APhA–APPM Presentation Merit Awards, submitting items for the e-newsletters, and reviewing APhA documents, as well as guidelines and position statements from other pharmacy and governmental organizations. Academy leaders attended six of the eight APhA–ASP Midyear Regional Meetings in the fall. Academy members responded to questions in the Academy e-newsletters, provided input on the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) revision to the standards for the PharmD degree and actively participated in generating APhA comments related to pharmacy technician training and education. In October, the pilot Patient Care e-Community was launched to a targeted group of APhA–APPM members. Policies and procedures, software issues, and mechanisms for stimulating discussions are being examined. Expanding the e-Community to the APhA membership is planned this year. Developing of Section subcommittees to foster Academy member involvement was a key priority. All six sections developed subcommittees focused on information, education, and advocacy. The subcommittee members are Section members who have indicated an interest in being more involved in APhA. The successful effort to expand the Academy subcommittee structure has provided the opportunity for active involvement from a greater number of Academy members. As a result, the Academy has successfully utilized the expertise of its membership to address emerging issues facing the profession. Efforts in 2005 will focus on further enhancing the utilization of these subcommittees and continued grassroots outreach to Academy members. In addition to the above mentioned activities, highlights from each of the Sections included: The APhA–APPM Administrative Practice Section initiated four new subcommittees within the Section: Advocacy/Policy, Communication/Networking, Education, and Reimbursement. Section members were recruited to participate on these committees. The Section Officers also worked to establish better channels of communication to the section's membership, and secured a sponsor and organized a business meeting and luncheon at APhA2005. The APhA–APPM Clinical/Pharmacotherapeutic Section focused its work on the developing the first e-Community for the Association. The e-Community is focused on patient care and is meant to be a home and resource for pharmacists in clinical practice. It provides a destination through www.pharmacist.com and enables members to ask questions and get responses from other practitioners. It will also provide a timely mechanism to get news out to members and solicit feedback. The testing phase was launched in October to a targeted group of practitioners. Current plans are to expand the number of people involved in the testing phase to get a better idea of its use on a larger scale. Section Officers also worked to organize the fourth Open Forum on Shared Faculty Issues for APhA2005. The forum focused on practice-based research and the objective of the session was to break down barriers to performing practice-based research and begin to establish a community-based research network to prove the value of pharmacist care on a national level. Advisory committees were created that mimic the standing committees within APhA–APPM. An Education Standing Committee was already in place from 2003–2004. New opportunities were created via the Practice Issues, Website Development, and Recognition and Nominations Advisory Committees. Members for each advisory committee were solicited from the list of volunteers that was received from the Section survey in fall 2003. Communications regarding opportunities for involvement were sent to all Section volunteers regardless of their advisory committee assignment. Section members provided information for the three issues of the Hospital/Institutional Section e-newsletter published in 2005. A Section-specific meeting to educate members on the opportunities available within the Section and to get member feedback on specific information and tools that would enhance their membership, was held during APhA2005. The APhA–APPM Nuclear Pharmacy Practice Section continued to use its Annual Meeting Sunday-morning Business Meeting to report activities to members and encourage Section member participation in its five subcommittees. The Education Subcommittee created a five-session program of 15 hours for nuclear eligible Continuing Education. APhA2005 sessions addressed advances in clinical nuclear practice, compliance with emerging federal requirements, advances in pediatric nuclear medicine, new product offerings and current interest issues (HOT topics), and drug interactions and interventions in nuclear pharmacy practice. The Regulatory Affairs subcommittee reviewed the impact of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) chapter 797 on sterile compounding. The subcommittee prepared APhA's response to the USP, which addressed concerns about the chapter's impact on nuclear practice and suggested revisions to make it more efficacious. Seventeen members actively participated in drafting and reviewing this white paper. The Awards Subcommittee identified and nominated colleagues for recognition by APhA. The Communications subcommittee gathered news items for the Academy e-Newsletter and prepared a bimonthly Section e-newsletter of specific interest to nuclear pharmacists. The Advocacy/Professional Affairs subcommittee investigated membership initiatives. The APhA–APPM Specialized Pharmaceutical Services Section performed member outreach in 2004–2005 through a Section survey process, with nearly 16% of membership responding. After an analysis of the results of the survey, the Section formed three subcommittees to address immediate and long-term Section priorities. The Communication Subcommittee concentrated on developing strategies and implementation methodologies to enhance communication between and among Section members. The Policy and Advocacy Subcommittee addressed evolving issues to provide guidance to the Section officers when representing the Section's interests. the Education Subcommittee considered ways of identifying topics and contributors/speakers for educational programs and tracts appropriate to the interests of the Section. The Section targeted outreach activities and opportunities for member involvement focused on submitting comments to CMS regarding the proposed rules for MMA 2003, and assisting with the development of the MTM services consensus definition. Section advocacy focused on collaborating with other Academy officers and members, the APhA Payment Strategic and Statistical Analysis Team (STAT), APhA Foundation Staff, and APhA staff during these efforts. Additionally, the Section initiated the concept of an MTM survey that was developed and implemented by the Academy. The New Practitioner Advisory Committee is charged with developing programs, recommending products and services, and providing networking opportunities for New Practitioners. At APhA2004, educational programs and networking functions were conducted for New Practitioners. Current projects include helping prepare graduates for life as a New Practitioner via the “Smooth Transitions” educational presentation at schools of pharmacy, developing products and services for the New Practitioner Network, and providing quality programming for New Practitioners at APhA2005. Business meetings of the Addiction PInG, Compounding PInG, and Industry Pharmacists PInG, were conducted at the 2004 and 2005 APhA Annual Meetings, and educational programming was offered for members of each group. Throughout the year, Addiction and Compounding PInG members provided input on policy-related activities. The Addiction PInG is involved in the administration of the Ron L. Williams Memorial Fund scholarships for the University of Utah School on Alcoholism and other Drug Dependencies, and the development of programming for the June 2005 Utah School meeting. I would like to recognize my fellow APhA–APPM officers and APhA staff members for their hard work and dedication toward advancing the Association's goals and objectives, especially in the priority to make adopting MTM services a reality for the profession. The members and leaders of APhA–APPM will continue to promote and support pharmacists in their role as MTM experts. Earlene Lipowski This past year for the Academy has been one of seeking and obtaining opportunities to build a stronger bridge between science and practice. As U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, MD, stated at the 2004 APhA Annual Meeting, “This truly was the year of the pharmacist.” APhA's Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA–APRS) had numerous instances to seek input from its members on topics ranging from clinical issues to public policy matters. The Academy provided input on issues related to the new Medicare drug benefit and MTM services, drug importation, clinical trial registries, drug recalls, practice guidelines, compounding, measuring quality in pharmacy practice, and the future of research funding. Through these activities, Academy members confirmed the value of science within APhA and demonstrated the need for a governance structure that can fully utilize the expertise of its members. Consequently, there were modifications to the programming at the 2005 APhA Annual Meeting and a proposal for governance changes currently under consideration by Academy members and the APhA Board of Trustees. The Academy's lines of communication have been enhanced through its electronic newsletter, journal articles, and outreach by officers. Officers are exploring the feasibility of a Science Policy Conference within the next year because all APhA members are affected positively and negatively through decisions made in Washington, D.C. As the profession expands into new opportunities, the Academy and its members must be positioned to provide support and guidance that is evidence based. This requires APhA members to work collaboratively as scientists, graduate students, practitioners, and student pharmacists to demonstrate the value of pharmacy and science. The officers, staff, and members of the Academy accomplished much during the past year and are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to achieving the Academy's goals. Traditional APhA–APRS programming at the 2005 APhA Annual Meeting was evaluated during the spring Academy Leadership Meeting, in collaboration with the Education Standing Committee. Science Symposia were rescheduled to follow the Science Luncheon, with futuristic presentations on nanotechnology and the science and technology of patient safety. The sponsorship of students attending the Science Luncheon initiated in 2004 continued into 2005 with the goal of highlighting the importance of leadership in science. The featured speaker at the Science Luncheon was James Cloyd, recipient of the 2005 Research Achievement Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical Sciences). Furthermore, the perennially popular Research Roundtables organized by the APhA–APRS Economic, Social, and Administrative Sciences (ESAS) Section was expanded with tables intended to foster interdisciplinary discussion among members. Section-specific programming included business meetings, symposia, 278 contributed papers and posters in conjunction with awards, and recognition of science colleagues. Matters of policy benefited from a synergy among Academies that resulted from excellent communication and coordination. Public interest in a Clinical Trials Registry led to the appointment of an APhA–APRS Task Force, led by APhA–APRS Clinical Sciences Section Immediate Past Chair Gary Smith. The Task Force's work produced a series of commentaries published in the January/February 2005 issue of JAPhA, and the introduction of a New Business Item for consideration by the 2005 APhA House of Delegates. The group's work products were provided to APhA–APPM and APhA–ASP, as their members addressed this complex issue. The discussion among the Academies generated well-vetted policy statements and a background paper that was distributed to delegates in advance of this Annual Meeting. APhA–APRS members Leslie Hendeles, William Garnett, Paul Doering, Carole Tucker, Elliott Sogol, and Chienning Hsu also served on the Task Force. A policy item on compounding that was introduced at the 2004 APhA Annual Meeting was referred to the Academies by the Board of Trustees. Revised language was considered by a joint committee of representatives of APhA–APPM Compounding PInG and APhA–APRS members Walter Chambliss, William Garnett, Art Kibbe, Loyd Allen, and Jim Polli. A report, with the outcome of the extended discussion, was prepared and was considered by the House of Delegates at this year's meeting. APhA–APRS members participated in several legal, legislative, and regulatory efforts on behalf of APhA members that included providing comments on proposed regulations pursuant to MMA 2003, visits to members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill, and consultation with officials at relevant federal agencies. APhA–APRS members responded with substantial interest in changes proposed and incorporated by JAPhA. Members provided guidance about how the Journal is best positioned to serve the needs of researchers, practitioners, and student pharmacists to provide evidence for improving the use of medicines and advancing patient care through research and experience papers. It was an excellent year of growth for APhA publications leading the world in published materials related to pharmacy. APhA–APRS members made significant contributions as authors, peer reviewers, editors, and contributors to these works. JAPhA completed the transition to a Web-based submission and review process that provides new tools for contributors and reviewers, and shorter turnaround times. Upgrading of the APhA Internet site and Academy e-news continues the quest for increasing the ease and speed of communications for the Academy and its members. The Awards Committee named eight APhA–APRS members as APhA Fellows with their recognition occurring at the APhA2005 Second General Session and selected four other award winners. Programming to meet the needs of postgraduates was ably prepared by postgraduate officers. A top priority for APhA–APRS, recruitment of students to careers in the pharmaceutical sciences, was addressed by commitment on the part of APhA–APRS leaders and postgraduates through personal contact with student pharmacists at all of the APhA–ASP Midyear Regional Meetings. Activities in support of the drug benefit under MMA 2003 highlighted and invigorated the involvement of APhA–APRS members. There was substantial member input to the effort undertaken by the APhA Foundation to develop a working definition of MTM. This document was endorsed by 11 professional associations and was responsible for shaping the perspective of CMS. APhA–APRS complemented work on the definition of MTM by assembling an expert team to assemble a set of quality indicators appropriate for monitoring the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The output of the effort is expected to shape regulations emanating from CMS and to inform providers of prescription drug plans and those groups charged with oversight and quality improvement. The members of the Task Force included Elliott M. Sogol, Rajender R. Aparasu, Ed Armstrong, Richard A. Hansen, Frances Lobo, L. Douglas Ried, Sebastian Schneeweiss, and Phillip J. Vuchetich. A Science Meeting Task Force will continue to further develop consensus around a unifying theme for the meeting. A meeting-within-a-meeting concept was tested in Orlando with the introduction of programming in support of interdisciplinary research. Special sessions were planned to focus on building collaborative relationships and practice-based networks to translate research to practice and enhance the foundation for evidence based practice. Science Officer Elliott Sogol is now an integral part of APhA–APRS in his role as liaison between the working of the Association and those members with the expertise needed to move us forward with evidence-based practices. Sogol has proved to be an important communication link with APhA–APRS Executive Committee. The future holds promise of a refined set of expectations and opportunities for ever greater contributions. In addition to introductions and installation at APhA2005, incoming officers will work with current Academy leaders to set and communicate priorities and charges for the upcoming year. An active and productive year on the part of APhA–APRS, and the desire to do even more, makes officers acutely aware of the need for an organizational structure that is efficient and effective. Governance changes designed to do just that are in the final stages of discussion. Under reorganization plans initiated by the APhA Board of Trustees, Jon Schommer, PhD, incoming APhA–APRS President, will serve a term of 1 year. His successor, Gary Smith, will serve a 2-year term as APhA–APRS President and member of the Board of Trustees. Recommendations for governance changes at the Academy level received considerable scrutiny and additional input is welcomed for making Academy leadership flexible, responsive, and efficient. There will be greater emphasis on member involvement to Standing and Ad Hoc committees. After input from the membership at this Annual Meeting, officers will refine policies and procedures at the section level and obtain final Board approval for implementation in the election cycle for 2006. A new Association year now begins with members who are not only to be invigorated by an improved governance structure, but with a goal of increased strength in numbers. Membership goals are in place for each Section, driven by the promise of an Association that continues to provide value to pharmacy and science. The APhA–APRS ESAS Section has taken the lead in information, education, and advocacy through the implementation of a strategic plan. Their first priority is the promotion and enhancement of the scholarly work of members through communicating research products to APhA and the profession. Yes, this is an ambitious agenda but there is a place for every member to contribute time and talent. Officers encourage all members to get involved and make APhA more vigorous in pursuit of common goals to improve medication use and advance patient care. Thank you to all of my fellow Academy and Board of Trustee members and APhA staff for their support in making this year a success. I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to serve you during this past year. Best wishes to all incoming officers and leaders for 2005–2006. Thank you all for reinvigorating my passion about the profession and the opportunity to serve. Alex Varkey The profession of pharmacy is continuously changing, and the outlook on pharmacy's future is very positive. It is imperative that all student pharmacists embrace the idea of a changing profession, so that they may help facilitate further advancement of the profession upon becoming practitioners. More importantly, students must all share their visions for advancing the profession and never stop working for those innovations in patient care that will ultimately benefit those they serve. APhA continues to be the only national pharmacy association that allows student pharmacists to have as strong a voice in developing the profession's future. APhA's Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA–ASP) continues to serve as the premier platform where student pharmacists can not only voice their concerns regarding the future, but also develop necessary values such as leadership, professionalism, and an unconditional dedication to service that will ultimately benefit the pharmacy profession, our respective communities, and our patients. For the last 36 years, APhA–ASP has developed a tradition of excellence in promoting active student involvement in pharmacy. This is still our moment to preserve such a tradition while emphasizing the importance of leadership and professional development to better serve our patients. Developing such a mindset now, as students, will help the profession's future practitioners and leaders transfer that attitude to their practice, ultimately contributing to our profession's further advancement. Last April, the APhA–ASP National Executive Committee met at APhA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to develop the strategic plan for the Academy by determining 2004–2005 goals and objectives. The following five goals were developed:1.Increase student awareness and utilization of APhA member benefits.2.Improve communication within APhA–ASP to increase member involvement.3.Advance public health by promoting the pharmacist's role in patient care.4.Increase student pharmacist involvement in legislative issues and advocacy for the profession.5.Enhance leadership and professionalism in pharmacy through active APhA–ASP involvement. During the Academies Leadership Meeting (ALM), the APhA–ASP Standing Committees on Education and Policy joined the National Executive Committee to form the APhA–ASP Strategic Planning Committee, which collectively reviewed the goals and objectives aforementioned. Through this collaboration, Committee members provided comments and suggested modifications to further focus on improving the value of APhA membership and increasing projects and programs for America's student pharmacists. The committees also met with the APhA New Practitioner Advisory Committee to discuss ways to further increase membership and membership benefits for graduating student pharmacists transitioning into practice. ALM proved to be successful in other ways, as well. The APhA–ASP Standing Committee on Policy met with members of the APhA–APPM and APhA–APRS Policy Committees to determine topics to be discussed in the 2005 APhA House of Delegates. An item submitted by the APhA–ASP delegation involved the standardization of the role of student pharmacists on advanced pharmacy practice experiences was one of the three main topics discussed in the APhA House. Also, in 2003, the APhA–ASP National Executive Committee had the privilege to review the current ACPE Accreditation Standards and Guidelines for the Professional Program in Pharmacy Leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree and share concerns directly with ACPE. At the 2004 ALM, findings were shared in a joint meeting between the Executive Committees from all three Academies in a collaborative effort to provide ACPE sound feedback from the Association prior to the revising of the current accreditation standards. The APhA–ASP Awards Standing Committee met in Washington, D.C., last fall, and held several teleconferences throughout the year to discuss nominees and determine the recipients of the 2005 APhA–ASP Awards. It is important to note that the committee had the privilege of selecting the first-ever winner of the APhA–ASP Outstanding Dean Award, which was created to honor a dean who has shown great support for active student pharmacist involvement in APhA–ASP and the profession of pharmacy in general, as well as three other individual awards. The Awards Committee also decided on the winners of the 2003–2004 Chapter Achievement Awards, 2004 Operation Immunization campaign, 2004 Operation Diabetes campaign, the recipient of the APhA–ASP Mortar and Pestle Professionalism Essay Contest Award. The APhA–ASP Education Standing Committee reviewed the programs presented at the 2004 Annual Meeting and brainstormed several topics important to student pharmacists for APhA2005. The Education Committee also participated in the first-ever Heartburn Awareness Challenge awards selection process and worked with the New Practitioner Initiative to educate students on programs that are available after graduation. The APhA–ASP Policy Standing Committee reviewed each of the resolutions passed in the 2004 APhA–ASP House and developed action plans for implementing the policy statements. In addition, this committee added three additional steps to the APhA–ASP policy process, as delineated in The Capsule, APhA–ASP's orientation guide to the APhA–ASP policy process. The committee felt that the addition of these steps would better describe the implementation process once an APhA–ASP resolution has been adopted. The APhA–ASP Publications Standing Committee had
Referência(s)