APhA Member News
A minute with...
Anna Staudt, PharmD, BCMTMS, BC-ADM, AAHIVP
Allied Health Manager and Lead Clinical Pharmacist
Heart of Ohio Family Health, Columbus, OH
Member since 2014
Being a member of APhA has been profoundly influential on my journey to becoming a confident clinical pharmacist. Although I was a part of APhA as a student, I got more involved after becoming a new practitioner, able to make connections and find resources. My experiences in APhA have been invaluable in shaping me into a confident clinician and have given me a sense of purpose in my professional life.”
How does APhA help you thrive in your everyday practice?
The resources and connections I have gained through APhA have helped set the foundation of my everyday practice since I used these resources to create my consult agreement. It gives me a group of people who are passionate about the profession and to whom I can reach out for resources and advice.
How has APhA helped you establish meaningful connections?
Many of my professional connections were formed from involvement in APhA. I have had the pleasure of networking with pharmacists and pharmacy students across the country, particularly within the Care of Underserved Patients Special Interest Group. This was particularly helpful for me years ago when I was a new graduate, as I was implementing clinical pharmacy services at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) by myself.
My APhA colleagues were instrumental in helping me build those services and advocate for my patients, and helped me grow into a competent clinical pharmacist. Even after several years of practice, those connections have lasted and I can reach out to a strong network made up of like-minded individuals.
Can you share a meaningful story about a time you interacted with a patient? Perhaps a time you felt like you really made a difference for them?
Working in an FQHC clinic setting, I see patients for chronic disease management. I found that questions that seem routine or unsuspecting to us as health care providers could mean a lot when it comes to patient care.
I was seeing a patient for diabetes management and I asked why she thought her glucose was above goal. She admitted that she hadn’t been taking her insulin the past few nights. Instead of just telling her to start taking it again, I asked what was causing her to miss it. She explained she had been fighting with her husband and was on the brink of divorce and that she was having suicidal thoughts and didn’t care to take it lately.
I was able to connect her with the counselor for a same day visit to address her mental health concerns. I met with her months later and her glucose was then at goal and she was in a much better place both physically and mentally. It made me realize that asking questions and digging
deeper into a situation is important and emphasized the point that the health of a person is more than just physical health.
What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?
The profession is continuously evolving, and what excites me is that pharmacists are becoming more integrated into health care teams in general. This allows pharmacists to have a broader impact on improving patient care and offers the opportunity to work to the top of their licenses. ■
Mapping pharmacy closures
APhA worked with the University of Pittsburgh to build an incredible new tool that tells the full story of the critical nature of pharmacy closures. This interactive map of pharmacy closures over time allows users to explore geographic areas where pharmacies have closed their doors (https://bit.ly/USPharmacyClosures).
Pharmacy closures are hitting us hard from coast to coast, and APhA has been working with our partners to develop new tools to fully illustrate this crisis. APhA is deeply grateful to the University of Pittsburgh for their work in making this map a reality. In too many places, a pharmacist is the only health care professional in any community and protecting patient access is a top priority for us. APhA continues to advocate every day at state and federal levels to prohibit PBM practices that undermine the sustainability of community pharmacies and lead to these closures.
We urge all members to take a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the map and the current state of pharmacy closures. ■
Lead the way
JFPS 2024 is the premier event for federal pharmacists and technicians from all service branches and federal agencies.
We are thrilled to invite you to join us in San Diego, November 10–12, 2024, for an inspiring and educational gathering focused on the theme “Federal Pharmacy Professionals Lead the Way with Selfless Service to our Nation.”
In the realm of health care, federal pharmacy stands as a beacon of selfless service and leads the way in ensuring the well-being of our nation. This year’s meeting celebrates the remarkable journey of federal pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, their unwavering commitment to service, and the profound impact they have on the health and resilience of our nation.
Visit jfpsmeeting.pharmacist.com for updates on the meeting program, keynote speakers, registration details, and more. Together, let’s foster a unified force within the federal pharmacy community and lead the way toward positive change. ■
Get involved
Interested in patient-centered care? The Medical Home/ACO Special Interest Group (SIG) offers a way to get involved with a network of practitioners, administrators, and educators who share a passion for the development, implementation, and information-sharing regarding new models for patient care, specifically the patient-centered medical home and accountable care organizations (ACOs). APhA–APPM Medical Home/ACO SIG provides members a professional community of pharmacists involved in all aspects of patient-centered care.
“Being involved with the Medical Home/ACO SIG is incredibly rewarding,” said Morgan P. Stewart, PharmD, and SIG coordinator. “It provides a unique opportunity to network with pharmacists across the country who work in similar practice settings. I’ve learned about many innovative practices that I can bring back to my institution to enhance our system’s care model. Whether you’re a pharmacist practitioner, scientist, new practitioner, student pharmacist, technician, or simply a friend of pharmacy interested in quality-based health care, we welcome you to join us. We are a small but mighty group!”
Visit www.pharmacist.com/volunteer for more information. ■