NASPA Echoes Report Findings

RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 9, 2012 - The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) echoes the findings in the Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice released today from the Office of the Chief Pharmacist, U.S. Public Health Service.

In a letter released from Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, U.S. Surgeon General, she states, “This report provides the evidence health leaders and policy makers need to support evidence-based models of cost effective patient care that utilizes the expertise and contributions of our nation's pharmacists as an essential part of the healthcare team.”

“The profession of pharmacy is grateful to the Office of the Chief Pharmacist, U.S. Public Health Service and their Commissioned Corps colleagues for the compilation of this critical report," said Rebecca Snead, EVP and CEO of NASPA.  "We are thankful to the Surgeon General for her letter recognizing the importance of the recommendations contained.  This will be an invaluable tool for NASPA and state pharmacy associations to use to work with health leaders and policy makers to implement the recommendations contained herein.”

Key recommendations of the report:
1)      Health leaders and policy makers should further explore ways to optimize the role of pharmacists to deliver a variety of patient-centered care and disease prevention, in collaboration with physicians or as part of the healthcare team.
2)      Utilization of pharmacists as an essential part of the healthcare team to prevent and manage disease in collaboration with other clinicians can improve quality, contain costs, and increase access to care.
3)      Recognition of pharmacists as health care provider, clinicians and an essential part of the health care team is appropriate given the level of care they provided in many health care settings.
4)      Compensation models, reflective of the range of care provided by pharmacists, are needed to sustain these patient oriented, quality improvement services.

NASPA works very closely with state pharmacy associations to assure that pharmacists are recognized as an essential healthcare provider to each and every patient and this report helps promote this in every state.

The full report and thesupport letter signed by Dr. Benjamin are attached for your reference, and will be accessible at:  http://www.usphs.gov/corpslinks/pharmacy/.

The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) promotes leadership, sharing, learning, and policy exchange among pharmacy leaders in all 50 states and Washington, DC, and provides education and advocacy to support pharmacists, patients, and communities working together to improve public health. NASPA was founded in 1927 as the National Council of State Pharmacy Association Executives (NCSPAE).