September 2010 Press Release

September 29, 2010

National Pharmacy Organizations Announce Launch of Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative Shelly Spiro named Director of the Collaborative

WASHINGTON, DC – Nine national pharmacy organizations today announced the launch of the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative. The Collaborative will focus on the pharmacy profession’s technology needs to ensure that they are addressed and integrated into the framework of the U.S. Health Information Technology (HIT) infrastructure. In doing so, the Collaborative is committed to creating a comprehensive and unified approach, ensuring optimal integration of pharmacy’s requirements and contributions into the electronic health record (EHR).

“In order for patients to receive optimal care, pharmacists need to have the ability to access and contribute to relevant, patient-specific information from the EHR. The work of the Collaborative will focus on achieving this goal,” said Tom Menighan, BS Pharm, MBA, ScD, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President of the American Pharmacists Association and Chair of the Collaborative.

The group also announced that Rachelle “Shelly” Spiro, RPh, FASCP, has been retained to serve as Director of the Collaborative. Spiro will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies for meeting targeted goals and objectives of the Collaborative and further refining the organizational structure.

Spiro is President of Spiro Consulting, Inc., an industry consulting firm specializing in Long Term and Post Acute Care (LTPAC) Pharmacy services and Health Information Technology. Before opening a consulting firm, Spiro worked in various pharmacy settings including hospital, long-term-care and home healthcare. Spiro is active in national pharmacy associations, standards development organizations and is a leader in pharmacy HIT.

The Collaborative was established by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

For additional information on the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Collaborative contact James Owen, PharmD, Director of Professional Practice at the American Pharmacists Association (jowen@aphanet.org).

About the Pharmacy e-Health Information Technology Founding Members:

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) is a national professional association of pharmacists and other health care practitioners who serve society by the application of sound medication management principles and strategies to improve health care for all. The Academy’s 5,700 members develop and provide a diversified range of clinical, educational and business management services and strategies on behalf of the more than 200 million Americans covered by a managed care pharmacy benefit.

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is the national agency for the accreditation of professional degree programs in pharmacy and providers of continuing pharmacy education. ACPE was established in 1932 for the accreditation of pre-service education, and in 1975 its scope of activity was broadened to include accreditation of providers of continuing pharmacy education.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), founded in 1900, is a national organization representing the interests of pharmacy education and educators. Comprising 111 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy including more than 5,500 faculty, 50,000 students enrolled in professional programs and 3,900 individuals pursuing graduate study, AACP is committed to excellence in pharmacy education.

The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) is a professional and scientific society that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources enabling clinical pharmacists to achieve excellence in practice and research. ACCP’s membership is composed of practitioners, scientists, educators, administrators, students, residents, fellows, and others committed to excellence in clinical pharmacy and patient pharmacotherapy.

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA), founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the uniformed services.

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the international professional association that provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to advance the practice of senior care pharmacy. ASCP’s 8,000+ members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients wherever they reside including nursing facilities, sub acute care and assisted living communities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and in their own homes.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), for more than 60 years, has helped pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems improve medication use and enhance patient safety. The Society’s 35,000 members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who practice in inpatient, outpatient, home-care, and long-term-care settings, as well as pharmacy students. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP’s website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.safemedication.com

The National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) promotes leadership, sharing, learning, and policy exchange among pharmacy leaders nationwide, 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).

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA®) represents America’s community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 22,700 independent community pharmacies, pharmacy franchises, and chains. Together they represent an $88 billion health-care marketplace, employ over 65,000 pharmacists, and dispense over 40% of all retail prescriptions. To learn more go to www.ncpanet.org or read NCPA’s blog, The Dose, at http://ncpanet.wordpress.com.

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