Association Perspective
Ilisa BG Bernstein PharmD, JD, FAPhA
American Pharmacists Month (APhM) in October is always exciting for me because it falls at the same time as my birthday. My annual birthday present to myself is a flu shot, and this year I added a bonus gift of a COVID-19 bivalent booster. It brought me such pride and joy when the pharmacist jabbed me with these gifts, knowing how our profession rose to the occasion these past few years and how pharmacists continue to be on the front line of care.
APhM is a time to celebrate pharmacists and the pharmacy team. In this season of giving thanks, it makes sense to recognize the essential and vital role pharmacists play in the health and wellbeing of our patients daily.
Pharmacists’ continued, unwavering commitment to excellence in our profession is boundless. Looking back at the last few years, pharmacists continued to serve their patients under extremely challenging circumstances that included overstretched resources and resulted in ongoing effects on well-being and resilience. Through all of this, the impact of pharmacist and pharmacy team pandemic efforts has been profound—over 50% of COVID-19 vaccines were given by pharmacist-led teams, over 42 million COVID-19 tests were performed, and over 100,000 monoclonal antibody treatments were provided on top of the many valuable patient care services provided daily. Your contributions as pharmacists have never been more crucial, heroic, and appreciated.
Let’s also celebrate pharmacy technicians and the essential role that they play on the health care team. There are approximately 450,000 pharmacy technicians in the United States who work closely with pharmacists in providing medication therapies, immunizations, and other patient care services. Thank you, pharmacy technicians, for your critical teamwork and support!
Let’s celebrate the successes at the federal and state levels that advance pharmacists’ scope of practice and new payment models for their services. At the federal level, APhA is leading congressional legislative efforts to make permanent the groundbreaking COVID-19 authorities for testing, immunizing, and treating patients as well as to secure direct payment in Medicare Part B, through the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacists Services Act (H.R. 7213).
Please help APhA advocate by using our prewritten form available at the advocacy center at pharmacist.com and urge your federal legislators to support this bill.
We’re also seeing significant progress happening in the states in our efforts to advance pharmacists’ state scope of practice, increase coverage for pharmacists’ patient care services, and expand oversight, transparency, and accountability of pharmacy benefit managers. Congrats to the state associations! I expect 2023 will bring even more advancements on these fronts.
APhA is sharing new information, practice materials, news, and stories of how pharmacists are increasing access and improving the health of patients in their communities on our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram channels.
And even if it isn’t your birthday month, go get your flu shot and COVID-19 booster from your pharmacist! ■