American Pharmacists Month Planning Guide

Ideas for Pharmacists in Community Settings

1. Schedule special health events that encourage patients with the message of "talk to your pharmacist today." Examples include a flu shot clinic or health screening day (e.g., cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis screening).
2. Hold one or more "Medication Check-Ups." Invite your patients to bring all their medications- prescription and nonprescription- to the pharmacy, so pharmacists can examine them for expiration dates, potential drug interactions and other problems.
3. Conduct "OTC tours" geared toward the needs of specific groups- parents of young children, older adults, athletes and others. Help each group understand how to select appropriate products for the conditions most likely to affect them. Emphasie the importance of reading product labels, knowing the active ingredients in certain medications and consulting with the pharmacist when questions arise.
4. Provide Medicare counseling to the seniors in your community. List information about your Medicare events in the local newspaper or send the information to the local radio station. You can also provide personalized counseling in your area by contacting your local office on aging. For the telephone number, visit www.eldercare.gov.

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Ideas for Pharmacy Technicians

1. Help decorate the pharmacy with banners, posters and balloons announcing American Pharmacists Month.
2. Assist with special health events planned for American Pharmacists Month. Conduct blood pressure screenings and encourage patients to take advantage of other pharmacy-based patient care services. 
3. Co-host a party for the public! Pick one or more days during American Pharmacists Month to offer cake or other treats. Hand out patient education brochures and small promotional items, like magnets, tote bags and pens. Volunteer during the event by welcoming patients and demonstrating the prescription-filling process. Show them how your crucial role in the pharmacy impacts their positive experience in improving their medication use.
4. Encourage the pharmacist to replace your usual bags with American Pharmacists Month plastic bags, or put American Pharmacists Month stickers on pharmacy bags and purchases.
5. Use a special message promoting American Pharmacists Month when you answer your telephones and on your voicemail: "Hello, this is Main Street Pharmacy, where we're celebrating American Pharmacists Month. How may I assist you?"

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Ideas for Pharmacists in Hospital Settings

1. Visit patients in their hospital rooms. Introduce yourself and answer any questions they may have about pharmacy services or drug therapy. Provide patient education brochures and small American Pharmacists Month-themed giveaways, like magnets, pens, tote bags, etc.
2. Talk to your administrator(s). Explain the goals and the patient education benefits of American Pharmacists Month to help build a sense of teamwork within the health system. Be sure to invite them to participate in the month's activities.
3. Create a lobby display. Use it to promote the pharmacy department. Include information about pharmacy services and photos of the pharmacy staff. If your facility is large, consider changing the display weekly to focus on a different pharmacy activity or function. Make the display colorful and fun, with eye-catching elements like red and white streamers or American Pharmacists Month balloons and banners.
4. Set a goal. Choose activities that will best help you meet your needs. For instance, if you'd like to focus on educating patients about safe medication use, a "medication check-up" or a brown bag workshop would be a great choice.
5. Schedule an "open house." Invite all hospital employees to visit the pharmacy. Conduct brief tours that showcase daily pharmacy operation, and describe how medications move from the initial physician order to the patient. Demonstrating how a pharmacy really operates could prove to be a real draw!
6. Get the word out. Tell people about American Pharmacists Month and the activities you have planned. Use bulletin boards and internal email systems to communicate with hospital staff. Spread the word to patients using notes on meal trays, announcements on the public address system or with personal room visits.
7. Hold a community event. Be sure to publicize your event like a health fair at least four weeks in advance with notices at libraries and grocery stores and announcements in local papers.
8. Host a visit for your senator or representative. Provide your legislators with an invaluable view of the contemporary roles of pharmacists. Be sure they see a pharmacist in your facility conducting valued patient care services that warrant compensation, such as drug therapy management, participation in patient education and wellness activities, and other clinical activities.

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Ideas for Pharmacists in Managed Care Settings

1. Schedule special health events. Use this time to encourage patients with the message of "talk to your pharmacist today." Examples include a flu shot clinic or health screening day (e.g., cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis screening.)
2. Hold one or more "medication check-ups" or "brown bags." Invite patients to bring all their medications- prescription and nonprescription- to the pharmacy. Pharmacists can examine them for expiration dates, potential drug interactions and other problems.
3. Highlight your pharmacy technicians. Get technicians involved by recognizing their contributions to your operation. Post their photos in the lobby. Give them a "thank you" luncheon complete with a cake. Purchase tokens to distribute on National Pharmacy Technician Day.
4. Purchase children's activity books for your facility. While parents are waiting, the kids will have something to keep them busy.
5. Develop a calendar of events. Laminate your calendar and distribute it to your staff.
6. Arrange "curbside consultations" for patients and caregivers. Encourage them to talk with pharmacists about medication therapy issues. Hold the sessions in a conference room or other relatively private area, and allot from 5 to 10 minutes per person.
7. Decorate ambulatory care pharmacies. American Pharmacists Month banners, posters and balloons are great ways to publicize your events.

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Ideas for Pharmacists in Long-Term Care Settings

1. Invite residents and their guests to a special American Pharmacists Month party. Try holding an ice cream social, afternoon tea or other fun event. Make the atmosphere festive by decorating the designated areas with streamers and American Pharmacists Month balloons, banners and posters. Provide patient education brochures and small themed giveaways, like magnets, pens, etc.
2. Visit individual patients in their rooms and give them your full attention. Introduce yourself and answer any questions they may have about pharmacy services or drug therapy.
3. Schedule informational programs for residents and/or their families. Possible topics include the pharmacist's role in medication regimen review, the ten most common and/or hazardous drug interactions among older patients and basic medication safety. If possible, use this opportunity to explore launching a long-term monitoring program for residents.
4. Develop lunch tray tent cards. Explain the goals of the pharmacy and the services that you offer to the residents. If they have questions about their medication, encourage them to ask to speak with a pharmacist.
5. Don't be shy! Invite your local newspaper or television reporter to the party. You just might end up with some valuable publicity! Download news release templates and additional information about using the media to tell your story.

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Ideas for Student Pharmacists in Schools/Colleges of Pharmacy

For individual student pharmacists:

1. If you work part time in a pharmacy, take the initiative and help your supervisor plan activities and events for American Pharmacists Month. Browse the other suggestions on this page for ideas specific to your practice site.
2. Make an extra effort to recognize pharmacy technicians on National Pharmacy Technician Day. Thank them for their support and the invaluable contributions they make to the profession.
3. Write an article for your college newspaper to raise awareness about pharmacists' role in helping patients manage specific health conditions.

For APhA-ASP chapters:

1. Plan a fundraiser to sell American Pharmacists Month t-shirts or other promotional items to student pharmacists and faculty. Contact APhA's promotion company, Source 4, for more information about bulk sales at 800-759-6614.
2. Schedule Operation Immunization, Operation Diabetes, and Heartburn Awareness Challenge programs in October, and promote American Pharmacists Month during these events. Consider decorating the event area with themed balloons, posters or banners.
3. Celebrate American Pharmacists month on campus by holding a celebratory lunch for all student pharmacists. Invite an honored local practitioner to discuss the importance of leadership and professionalism in pharmacy.
4. Partner with faculty members to conduct free health screenings, "medication check-ups" or other community education events for area businesses, civic organizations and corporations.
5. Find out how your local or state pharmacy association plans to observe American Pharmacists Month. Look for ways to participate, and make suggestions for additional events.
6. Visit a local high school to talk with students about careers in pharmacy.

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