CPF Communications

Statewide Protocols Increase Patient Access to Public Health Services – An article in the July issue of Pharmacy Today highlights the role that statewide protocols can play in increasing pharmacists’ involvement in patient care. Written by Dr. Krystalyn Weaver, Vice President of Policy and Operations for the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), this article covers recent dialogue at the national and state-level.


Standardized Framework For Cross-Walking MTM Services to SNOMED CT Codes – The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), and Pharmacy Health Information Technology (PHIT) Collaborative invite all interested parties to provide comments on a consensus-based standardized framework for cross-walking medication therapy management (MTM) services to SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine -- Clinical Terms) codes.  AMCP, PQA, and the PHIT Collaborative welcome comments on the proceedings through Friday, September 16, 2016.

AWARxE Prescription Drug Safety Program – The AWARxE Prescription Drug Safety Program is an information source providing authoritative resources about medication safety, prescription drug abuse, medication disposal, and safely buying medications on the Internet. "Acquire. Use. Prevent. Dispose."  Read more about the resources and services available on this educational website by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Foundation.  

Texas Medicaid Covering Repellent for Zika Prevention – View the local news video of pharmacist Kelly Irby, with Martin's Wellness and Compounding Pharmacy at Lamar Plaza Drug Store, talking about how pharmacists can help alleviate some tensions about what is going on right now with the Zika virus, including prevention methods.  CPF Board Member, Dorinda Martin, is a pharmacist/owner of this pharmacy and along with her pharmacist husband, Jim Martin, they have three wellness and compounding pharmacies within the greater Austin, TX area.

Congratulations Grantees!

Nanci Murphy, PharmD | University of Washington

The research team from the University of Washington (UW) and Washington State University (WSU) presented at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) meeting on July 25, 2016 on the topic of 'Training all students as leaders and change agents.' The room was full of participants interested in how leadership skills can be effectively taught and assessed as a required course in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum.  The course content was the same; however, implementation methods varied between the universities to accommodate academic differences, yet establish the transferability of the model.  

Photo above (left to right)
Kelsey Brantner, BS (UW)
Shannon Panther, PharmD, BCACP (WSU)
Nanci Murphy, PharmD (UW)
Curtis G. Jefferson, MS (UW)
Jennifer D. Robinson, PharmD (WSU)
Rachel Allen, PharmD (UW) (absent)

CPF Project Title:
Fostering Pharmacy Leadership Towards Achieving the IHI Triple Aim Goals
Grant Details Page | Presentation Slides

Julie Akers, PharmD | Washington State University College of Pharmacy

Point-of-care screening for Hepatitis C has wide potential in community pharmacy. As part of this grant, Dr. Akers’ research team, including Robert Gish, MD, are implementing point-of-care screening for Hepatitis C in select Bartell Drugs pharmacies, a family-owned independent chain in the Seattle, WA area. An educational presentation and knowledge screening quiz used to train the pharmacists is now posted on the CPF site and linked below.

CPF Project Title:
Point-of-Care Screening for Hepatitis C in Community Pharmacies
Grant Details Page | Presentation | Screening Quiz

Elizabeth Dragatsi, RPh, BCPS | Dragatsi & Co.

This is CPF's first grant to an independent pharmacist consultant collaborating with an independent physician's primary care practice and also bridging to the patient's own community pharmacy.  There are several unique and exciting developments on the horizon as part of this project.  First and foremost, is that Elizabeth was prepared to meet the state requirements and become the first applicant and recipient of a Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) approved by Maine's Board of Pharmacy. She received broad coverage for cardiology, pain, and metabolic syndrome disease categories. This will tremendously facilitate the implementation of her project with Dr. Challa Reddy, MD, Medical Director and Owner, Dexter Family Practice.  Stay tuned for more updates on her first therapeutic focus area to minimize the use of opiates as a treatment modality, thus keeping patients safely living and thriving at home.  (Photo - left to right: Margaret Towle, Practice Administrator; Dr. Challa Reddy, Medical Director and Owner; and Elizabeth Dragatsi, Dragatsi & Co.)

CPF Project Title: 

Integrating Pharmacist Support for Thriving in Place Home Health Program
Grant Details Page