Dr. Sarah Almilli, founder and CEO ELAK Health, a Sacramento-based healthcare solution support system, joined a group of pharmacists and pharmacy leaders at the California State Capitol to advocate for the profession of Pharmacy. In meetings with Assembly Member Kevin McCarty and State Senator Roger Niello, they described their role as vital part of the healthcare continuum, yet get denied payments for providing the much-needed patient care services that help solve the current healthcare crisis. Almilli is an advocate for Legislation AB 317 which has passed Committee and is being considered by the full Assembly.

This legislation addresses the risks associated with the lack of reimbursement on the already grossly impacted healthcare system. “My goal is to improve patient care” said Almilli. “Healthcare is changing and pharmacists are asked to do more. They are directly involved in comprehensive and overall clinical management of health and preventing disease progression.

In 2013, pharmacists were granted the designation of “healthcare provider” in California law. SB 493 (Ch. 469, 2013) officially declared pharmacists are healthcare providers who have the authority to provide specific healthcare services. Given the increased reliance on the pharmacists’ activities on the healthcare team to optimize pharmaceutical therapies for patients, the state recognized the pharmacist’s role to improve health outcomes, particularly in communities with healthcare provider shortages.

Over the last several years, pharmacists have been granted several authorities including:

• Providing hormonal contraception
• Ordering and interpreting tests for the purpose of monitoring and managing the efficacy and toxicity of drug therapies
• Providing travel medications
• Furnishing nicotine replacement products
• Independently initiating and providing lifesaving HIV prevention medications \Administering all FDA approved and ACIP recommended vaccinations
• Performing the following CLIA waived tests: SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory illness, condition or disease; Mononucleosis; Sexually transmitted infection; Strep throat; Anemia; Cardiovascular health; Conjunctivitis; Urinary tract infection; Liver and kidney function or infection; Thyroid function; Substance Use Disorder; and, Diabetes

“As California faces thousands of healthcare provider shortages, Almilli concluded, pharmacists are well trained and positioned to relieve the strain on the system and to increase access and equity for patients. Pharmacists work closely with patients’ primary care providers. These relationships ensure positive outcomes for our patients. It is discriminatory for health plans to deny pharmacists payment for providing care.”

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1. Mental health conditions are a sign of weakness: One of the most pervasive stigmas about mental health is the belief that individuals with mental health conditions are weak or lack willpower. This stigma can prevent individuals from seeking help and can lead to feelings of shame and self-blame.
2. Mental health conditions are not real illnesses: There is a misconception that mental health conditions are not “real” illnesses and that individuals with these conditions should be able to “snap out of it” or “get over it.” This stigma can prevent individuals from seeking treatment and can lead to a lack of understanding and empathy towards those with mental health conditions.
3. Mental health conditions are rare and only affect a certain type of person: Mental health conditions are prevalent and can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. However, there is a stigma that mental health conditions only affect a certain type of person, such as individuals who have experienced trauma or those who are “weak-minded.”

ELAK helps reduce these stigmas by promoting education and awareness about mental health conditions, providing a safe and supportive environment for patients to discuss their concerns, and advocating for comprehensive mental health care.
In conclusion, it’s time to stop being complacent about mental health and make it a priority.  Mental health conditions are prevalent and can have a significant impact on an individual’s well-being. Let’s work together to promote mental health awareness and provide comprehensive care for those in need.

The post Breaking the Stigma: A Pharmacist’s Perspective on Mental Health Awareness appeared first on ELAK.

 
“How do you become a pharmacist?”, some might ask. Pre-pharmacy classes and coursework can be completed at almost any accredited college or university. Then, one transitions to pursue Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) Degree. Once graduated, the pharmacist-to-be must successfully pass the Pharmacist Licensure Exam and State Board Requirements. To further enhance one’s pharmacy specialty, qualified PharmD graduates apply to Post-Graduate Residency programs, much like physician’s residency programs. Not surprisingly, the core steps to developing PharmD candidacy begins with grades. However, many other attributes such as leadership, teamwork, and publishing, joining professional organizations and having work experience are key components of a residency application.
 
Residency programs build upon the PharmD education and outcomes to contribute to the development of clinical pharmacists responsible for medication-related care of patients with a wide range of conditions. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is the only nationally recognized non-governmental, non-profit pharmacy association that has been accrediting pharmacy residencies since 1962 and pharmacy technician training programs in the United States since 1983. ASHP believes that postgraduate residency programs are the best source of highly qualified pharmacy clinician resources.
 
Why is this important? We are currently in a nationwide healthcare crisis, especially in California. The public health problems caused by the expanding gap between the supply of primary care providers and the demand generated through unmet patient needs are formidable. Pharmacists are a resource to increase access to primary care and address one of the most challenging aspects of patient care – appropriate medication management. Pharmacist’s clinical expertise can bring tremendous value to a patient’s health care team, especially now. When provided the opportunity to offer their clinical expertise, pharmacists can improve care and reduce costs. These roles include:
 

1. Provide recommendations to prescribers

2. Collaborate with health care teams (inpatient and ambulatory care settings)

3. Prescribe under protocol (e.g., anticoagulation, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, heart failure, pain, psychiatry, transplantation) and assist patients in achieving the goals set by their physician

4. Provide preventive medicine in the areas of immunizations, smoking cessation, polypharmacy assessment, etc.

5. Participate in the VA’s home-based primary care/geriatric care program

6. Play a critical role in health information technology by establishing file structure, clinical guidelines and pathways, and prescribing templates to assist providers in being more efficient and improving medication safety PHASE 1: Pharmacy Residency Match Day was on March 15th, 2023. More than 4,750 participated in the match process. Of those, 3,560 were matched. That is to say, out of the 178,000 primary care physician shortages, we are able to supply 2% help to the current primary care providers.

Stay tuned for Phase 2.

We’ll take it from here! 

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