Today's Perspective
Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP, Pharmacy Today editor in chief
The importance of patient-centered care is drilled into us from day one of our professional training as pharmacists. In its principles of patient-centered care, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) invites health professionals to care for patients in ways that are meaningful and valuable to the individual. We respond to this call and breathe life into it every day.
However, during this time of personal, emotional, and professional stress, I would argue that it is just as important for us to be mindful of our own identity as both health professionals and as patients. This month’s Pharmacy Today cover story focuses on our resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic (page 20). An essential piece of building our own resilience is recognizing when we need help and asking for it.
Zubin Austin, BScPhm, professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, succinctly summarizes this need, and how to cope with it, in seven steps. My personal favorite is the last step, a call for us to simply smile—this time of social isolation, fear, and personal and professional tension will end. I hope you can take a moment to read this article. I promise it will lift your spirits and provide reassurance at a time when we all need it.
In this month’s issue, you’ll also find helpful information on recent FDA approvals (page 12), the latest on marijuana use in patients with heart disease (page 17), new details on the pharmacist’s role in smoking cessation (page 18), and myths that continue to fuel the opioid epidemic (page 19). Receive continuing education and learn about new therapeutic agents approved in 2019 with this month’s featured CPE article (page 41).
Most importantly, though, as we continue our fight on the front lines of COVID-19, keep in mind that sometimes we are not just the pharmacists, but also the “patients,” in patient-centered care. According to IOM’s definition, this means we should respect ourselves, be mindful of our physical comfort and emotional support, involve our family and friends, and ensure that we have access to care. And as Austin states, above all, smile. This will end.