The Pharmacist Professional Advisory Committee (PharmPAC) Public Health Pharmacy Sub Group

1. Charles Hoppes Nina Nwaba J. Lloyd Johnson Vasavi Reddy Sharon Gershon Chandra Chaurasia Diane Frankenfield Jeff Mouakket Kristina Arnwine Puri Subramaniam John Quinn Nora Roselle Melanie Shin Carol Holquist Bill Koch Tia Harper-Velazquez The Pharmacist Professional Advisory Committee (PharmPAC) Public Health Pharmacy Sub Group

2. Mission Statement: Through the PharmPAC mission: To support and recognize interventions in the field of pharmacy which promote community health and prevent community health problems.

3. History of the Working group • Group reorganized in 2000 • 2001/2002 • Brainstorming ideas for community outreach programs (ex. Brown bag, schools, etc) • 2002/2003 • Contributions to Pharmacy Week • Met with ASHP president • 2004 • Encourage pharmacist volunteerism • develop website repository for stories to recognize public health services

4. Goals for Current Project • Encourage pharmacist volunteerism in public • health-related areas • To collaborate with a major Pharmacy Association • To reach a wide audience through journals, • websites, and meetings • To solicit stories about pharmacists who have • volunteered in their community

5. Current Public Health Concerns: • Some of the public health challenges we face today are as a result of lifestyle changes and personal choices • Sedentary Lifestyle/Improper diet • Sexual Behavior/STD’s • Substance Abuse: Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs • Family Violence

6. Desired Qualities of Pharmacists • Excellent Communication Skills • Trustworthy • People Oriented • Easily Accessible • Experts in providing health care information • Good rapport with other healthcare providers

7. Pharmacy Volunteerism to Address Public Health Problems • Need organized effort to recruit pharmacist volunteers • Volunteerism is a rewarding outlet for pharmacists • Volunteer-pharmacist pool is expected to increase as baby-boomer pharmacists retire

8. Some Areas Suited to Pharmacist Volunteerism • Smoking Cessation • Youth Counseling – Drug Abuse, STD’s • Elder Outreach – Nursing Home Activities • Active Lifestyle/Diet Modification Activities

9. A Partnership to Encourage Pharmacist Volunteerism • The PHS PharmPAC • The PHS Offers Health care credibility, a “seal of approval” that is well known to all • The PHS can offer expertise • A major Pharmacy Association • Can reach a wide audience through journals, websites, and meetings • A forum for discussion

10. Message • The Public Health Working Group in conjunction with a pharmaceutical organization will develop a message for a pharmacy publication. • The message will encourage pharmacist volunteerism in public health-related areas • The message will solicit stories about pharmacists who have volunteered in their community

11. Regular Column • In a regular follow-up column, the best stories of pharmacist volunteerism can be held up to encourage further volunteer efforts • The column can be a place to spotlight ideas for public health interventions • The column can be a place to encourage subgroups of pharmacists, e.g., retirees • The column can be used to encourage the formation of groups of pharmacists to come together to address specific Public Health areas

12. The Future • The working group envisions the grass-roots coalescence of pharmacists into groups to address specific public health problems • The working group envisions future research to determine where pharmacists now volunteer and where pharmacists can make the greatest impact with volunteer efforts

13. Summary • The Public Health Working Group sees potential in pharmacists’ volunteer efforts at local and national levels • The Working Group is proposing partnering with a major pharmaceutical group, e.g., ASHP or APhA to encourage pharmacist volunteerism • The Working Group will send this proposal to the PharmPAC for consideration to go forward