Pharmacyforward

John Gums, PharmD, FCCP - Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical and Administrative Affairs - and Eric A Dietrich, PharmD, BCACP, CPC-A, CEMC, CPB - Clinical Associate Professor from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy talk with us about billing for pharmacy services. Key Lessons: A sustainable clinical practice model is formulated by creating a business plan that considers the services to be provided as well as reasonable estimates of the number of patient encounters, the duration for each patient encounter, billable revenues, collections, and costs.  Evaluation and Management (EM) codes are used to bill services.  The complexity of the patient encounter characterizes the "level" of service, ranging from level 1 (minimal complexity, self-limiting problem) to level 5 (High, Chronic Conditions, Severe Exacerbation, Disease Progression). Comprehensive medication management services provided by pharmacists are typically billed by a recognized provider (physician / nurse practitioner) using an "incid

Lucinda L. Maine, Ph.D., R.Ph. - Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy - talks with us about how to manage major career changes and why a degree in pharmacy is so valuable. Key Lessons: Career pivots can be welcomed and sought ... or arise from something unexpected and unwanted. Most professionals will experience several major career changes during their working years. A pharmacy degree enables a surprisingly broad range of career paths. Being prepared for new opportunities by continually updating your knowledge and skills is critical. Having the financial resources available to obtain additional education, training, or experience is an essential career insurance policy. Active engagement in professional pharmacy associations, at both the state and nation level, provides a great way to network and keep current with the latest trends. Many people, especially women, are reluctant to make a major career change without having "all the nece

Cynthia Knapp Dlugosz, BSPharm, NBC-HWC - Solopreneur and Owner of Being in Balance Coaching and Artemis Health Care Communications - and Elizabeth Buckley, PharmD, CDCES - Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Concordia University Wisconsin — talk to us about threats to our well-being and self-care practices. Key Lessons: We are surrounded by stressors that adversely impact our sense of well-being. The ubiquitous use of technology has increased the demands on our attention. The pillars of well-being based on research from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are: Awareness, Connection, Insight, and Purpose. Much of our dissatisfaction and psychological suffering stems from our desire to push away or change the unpleasantness in our lives. Mindfulness is a state of being where we are attentive in the present moment with receptivity, non-judgment, and compassion with what arises. Meditation and yoga are practices that cultivate our ability to be mindful - our ability

Bruce Berger, Ph.D. - Berger Consulting LLC and Professor Emeritus, Auburn University - and Col. John D. Grabenstein, R.Ph., Ph.D. - Vaccine Dynamics SP - talk with us about treatment hesitancy, its root causes, and how health professionals can engage patients in treatment decisions more effectively. Key Lessons: Treatment and vaccine hesitancy is often grounded in inadequate information, changing information (leading to doubt), personal beliefs,  misinformation, distrust (of the health care professional's motivations), and (sometimes) apathy.  Actively soliciting and listening to a patient's concerns is the key to understanding the sources of doubt and hesitancy. Confrontation and dismissing a patient's understanding will cause "face loss" and lead to more resistance, not less. Monologues about "the facts" are not helpful. It is important to ask permission and then gently offer new information for the patient to consider. The patient is always driving the bus and all treatment decisions rest with them.

Andrew Taynor, Pharm.D., BCPS - Professor and Assistant Dean for Experiential Education at the University of Minnesota - and Brent Reed, Pharm.D., BCPS - Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and Doctoral Student in Organizational Sciences at UNC Charlotte - talk to us about job satisfaction. Key Lessons: Autonomy, mastery, and purpose contribute to our motivation and energy level ... and increase our sense of satisfaction from our work. Finding your "why" and being passionate about your work is helpful but doesn't account for the small, everyday things (tasks) that make the work fulfilling.  The job demands-resources model helps to explain why some jobs are more satisfying (or conversely dissatisfying) than others.  Do you have the right resources to meet the challenges and hindrances in your work? The pebbles in your shoes can really make a big difference in terms of your satisfaction with your job. Job satisfaction is not just about individuals learning to be more resilient and productive

Special Host Timothy Bloom, Ph.D. - Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor, Bernard J Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University  - and Guests Heather Petrelli, MA, Ph.D. - Associate Dean of Students Affairs, Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida - and Teresa O'Sullivan, Pharm.D. - Director of Experiential Education Scholarship and Metrics, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington - talk with us about how faculty can facilitate professional identity formation. Key Lessons Faculty and preceptors play a critical role in students' formation of their professional identity. Colleges/schools are now beginning to introduce the concept of professional identity to their students and faculty. Experiential education and practice-based experiences are critical to professional identity formation. Preceptors and faculty can promote reflection by asking questions about authentic practice-based experiences. Explore the why - what is the motivation?  Help students to identif

Special Host Eric G. Boyce, PharmD - Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy - and Guests Alex N. Isaacs, PharmD, MS, BCPS - Clinical Associate Professor, Purdue University College of Pharmacy - and Sally A. Arif, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP - Associate Professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove - talk with us about professional identity formation, people and events that influenced their professional identity, and the importance of reflection. Key Lessons Our identities are who we are and aren't easily changed (but can and do evolved over time) Our lived experiences have a significant influence on our professional identity Role models and mentors play a critical role in our professional identity formation Emotional experiences have a powerful effect in shaping our beliefs and motivations Reflection and introspection can help us solidify and clarify our values and beliefs Developing a regular and ongoing reflective practice can help us

Special Host Kristin Janke, PhD - Senior Associate to the Dean and Professor, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy - and Special Guests Jessica L. Johnson, PharmD, BCPS - Associate Professor, William Carey School of Pharmacy - and Karen Kopacek, BPharm, MS - Associate Dean and Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy - talk with us about professional identity formation, how our identities are formed, and why they are important. Key Lessons Our identities shape our sense of self ... which influence our values, beliefs, and actions All of us have multiple identities ... including a professional identity Professionalism and professional identity are related but distinct concepts Students and residents may feel uncomfortable or experience identity conflicts as they form their professional identity — assimilating the values and norms of the profession Our professional identities are developed through interactions with colleagues and mentors A strong professional identity can he

Charmaine Rochester-Eyeguokan, PharmD, BCACP, CDCES - University of Maryland School of Pharmacy - and Jeffrey Tingen, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCACP, CDCES - VCU Health, Department of Family Medicine & Population Health - talk to use about the ins and outs of collaborative practice agreements. Key Lessons Collaborative practice is governed by state law and regulations; it is important to be familiar with the specific rules for constructing collaborative practice agreements (CPA) in your state. Many states require pharmacists to have specific training and experience in order to enter into a CPA - but some states have relatively few requirements or none at all. CPAs are useful tools to enable greater efficiency by granting the pharmacist greater autonomy to carry out certain patient care functions; however, a CPA is not required to perform many functions that are ordinarily a part of a pharmacist's scope of practice. It's important to have a significant level of rapport and trust with your providers crafting

Alan J. Zillich, PharmD — William S. Bucke Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University College of Pharmacy — talks with us about getting your work published; from identifying great ideas, collaborating, writing, and revising your manuscript. Key Lessons: From review articles to meta-analyses, from case reports to observational studies and controlled trials, getting your work published is immensely gratifying.  But it requires many months (and sometimes years) of effort. Working with a mentor who has experience producing scholarly work and getting published is a great first step. Good research questions arise from practice.  When there are gaps in our knowledge, that's where a scholarly project that's potentially publishable often emerges. Working with an authoring team - bringing together people with different skills - can really improve the quality and rigor of your scholarly work. Use explicit criteria to determine who qualifies as an author on a paper.  Be sure to ack

Jessica Louie, PharmD, BCCCP — president of Clarify Simplify Align, the host of the Burnout Doctor podcast, and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at West Coast University — talks to us about developing a meaningful side gig to reinvigorate your passions. Key Lessons: Every career has ups and downs ... and health care professionals are prone to burnout.  Burnout is a syndrome of emotional & physical exhaustion, cynicism about work, and a lack of a sense of personal accomplishment. Overcoming burnout takes time to address -  examining your emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. Learning how to "own" your time and being intentional with your energy is critically important. Starting a small business can be very gratifying so long as the activity aligns with your core values and passions. The ten pillars of life can enhance one's sense of wellbeing.  A meaningful side gig can enhance the sense of wellbeing by address several of the life pillars. Surround yourself with like-minded people who ar

Christie Nemoto, PharmD, BCACP - Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in The Queen's Health Systems - Queen's Clinically Integrated Physician Network (QCIPN) - talks to us about providing care to patients at a distance and creating an effective work environment at home. Key Lessons: Health professionals had to learn new skills in order to deliver care to patients and interact with colleagues at a distance over the past year.  Remote work became the new norm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical care models in Hawaii have evolved over the years to support patients at a distance.  Hawaii is an archipelago of islands and access to health care services is enabled by a variety of technologies. Pharmacists play a critical role on the healthcare team, even more so in the digital age. Remote communications with patients are challenging - particularly written patient education sheets and post-visit summaries. Clinicians need to rely on verbal clues (rather than visual clues) to ensure patient understanding. When worki

Donald Klepser, Ph.D., MBA - Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy - and Michael Klepser, Pharm.D. - Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Ferris State University College of Pharmacy - talk to us about the role of point-of-care testing in disease state management and to achieve public health goals. Key Lessons: Point-of-care tests (POCT) can be performed in non-laboratory settings, such as the patient's home or in a community pharmacy, and provide clinical data to make treatment decisions. The sooner test results can be made available, the sooner treatment can be initiated.  This is particularly important for many infectious diseases because the outcome is closely tied to how rapidly the treatment is started. When deployed in community-based pharmacies and clinics, POCTs help increase access to care, particularly in rural and underserved areas. POCT can be used to test for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 (aka COVID-19), Streptococcal pharyngi

Amanda Schartel, PharmD, BCACP - Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with ChristianaCare CareVio - talks with us about the roles and responsibilities of a population health pharmacist. Key Lessons: Population health involves holistically evaluating the health needs of a population and bringing together the resources and expertise needed to address those needs. Population health teams often include practitioners that many patients in primary care settings don't ordinarily have access including social workers, respiratory therapists, and clinical pharmacists. Sophisticated data analytics and remote monitoring tools help population health practitioners proactively identify patients who may need additional services or whose health status may be changing. Patient encounters are often conducting using videoconferencing technology and text-messaging can quickly capture patient experience data.  The role and responsibilities of the population health pharmacist often extend beyond what an ambulatory care pharmacist mig

Rear Admiral (RADM) Pamela Schweitzer - retired Chief Professional Officer of Pharmacy for the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) - talks to us about the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists during a public health crisis.  Dr. Schweitzer was responsible for providing leadership and coordination of USPHS pharmacy programs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department of Health & Human Services from 2014-2018. Key Lessons: Pharmacists play a critical role in the USPHS because they have a unique skill set. A pandemic, like COVID-19, requires a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors to address mass vaccination efforts as well as shortages of medications, testing, and personal protective equipment using an incident command structure. USPHS pharmacists are deployed to the hardest-hit zones to provide medical and scientific assistance.  With the COVID-19 pandemic, USPHS officers have been helping set-up community testing and mass-vaccination sites as well as provid

Ashley Barlow, PharmD (MD Anderson Cancer Center) & Brooke Barlow, PharmD (University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center) - @theABofPharmaC and PGY2 Pharmacy Practice Residents - talk to us about developing their professional brand using Twitter and why creating an online presence can help you achieve your career goals. Key Lessons: Social media, especially Twitter, has become an increasingly important forum for connecting with professional colleagues and engaging in dialog about cutting edge issues that impact patient care and pharmacy practice. To get started, read this brief article by Robert Pugliese entitled How Twitter Has Made Me a Better Pharmacist. Consider maintaining separate professional and personal social media accounts. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are the most commonly used social media platforms for professional networking purposes. Everyone should purposefully develop their professional brand online.  Your digital footprint ultimately reflects your reputation. Your

Dave L. Dixon, PharmD, BCACP, BCPS, CDE, CLS  - Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy and - Brent N. Reed, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP  - University of Maryland School of Pharmacy - talk with us about using social media for professional development and staying current with the latest evidence to support your practice. Key Lessons: Social media includes a wide range of online applications intended to interact with other users in a public setting. Social media, especially Twitter, has become an increasingly important forum for connecting with professional colleagues and engaging in dialog about cutting edge issues that impact patient care and pharmacy practice. Social media use should be done in a systematic, thoughtful way - you need to decide what your goals are, who to follow, and how frequently to check your social media feeds. Being a passive recipient of social media posts (aka being a "lurker") is a great way to get started but eventually, you may wish to share and comment on content you find v

Casey Tak, PhD, MPH - University of North Carolina Eschelman School of Pharmacy and - Karen Gunning, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP - University of Utah College of Pharmacy - talk with us about hormonal contraception and how pharmacists in community and ambulatory care settings can increase women's access to care. Key Lessons: A variety of contraceptive methods have been available through pharmacies for decades but many states now permit pharmacists to directly "provide" hormonal contraception without a prescription. A state-wide standing order is the most common mechanism for authorizing pharmacists to provide hormonal contraception directly to patients, but state laws and regulations vary. The CDC Guidance for Healthcare Providers - US Medical Eligibility Criteria do not require a woman to have a pelvic exam prior to receiving hormonal contraception. The pharmacist needs to ask about and document the patient's medical and medication history, take the patient's blood pressure, and inquire about contraceptive prefer

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD - Clinical Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Precision Medicine at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy - talks with us about using genomics to guide therapeutic decisions. Key Lessons: Precision medicine and personalized medicine are synonymous terms. Pharmacogenomics is a tool to personalize treatment decisions.  However, it is not the only tool.  Other readily available and routinely collected clinical information has been used to personalize therapy for decades (e.g. blood type, serum creatinine, CV risk score). While creating a separate pharmacogenomic service can help ease practitioners into using pharmacogenomic tests, learning how to integrate genetic information as a routine part of clinical decision-making is the ultimate goal. Pharmacists have a unique role (and responsibility) to know when and how to use the results of pharmacogenomic tests. Teaching students, residents, and fellows to use pharmacogenomic information should be done in an inte

Lucas Berenbrok, PharmD, BCACP, TTS - Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy - talks with us about hearing loss and the important role pharmacists can play as OTC hearing aids become available in 2020. Key Lessons: Most older adults have some degree of hearing loss and it can significantly impact the quality of life There are many causes of hearing loss including medications, infections, cerumen, and aging A screening exam for hearing impairment is part of the Welcome to Medicare Exam, but hearing aids are not covered by Medicare. OTC hearing aids are predicted to be a far more affordable option for patients with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Pharmacists have an important role in assessing patients and referring them to an audiologist for hearing exams. Pharmacists can assist patients select an appropriate OTC hearing aid To find an audiologist: American Academy of Audiology