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Advocacy
Legislative Update (Video)
Watch the TPA Legislative Update video for May15, 2015 featuring TPA's Justin Hudman, Senior Director, Public Policy and Joe A. DaSilva, Chief Executive Officer. In this short (seven-minute) video, the two will cover what’s happened during the past week for bills pertinent to pharmacy as the 84th Texas Legislature begins to wind down.

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National News
Landmark Legislation Paves Way for Pharmacists to Improve Patient Care
The Washington State Pharmacy Association (WSPA) announced that landmark pharmacy legislation, ESSB 5557, was signed into law on May 11. This is the first of its kind in the nation to require health insurance carriers to include pharmacists as network providers. This law will increase patient access to medical care from pharmacists practicing within their scope of practice.

Washington State pharmacists have continued to lead the way in providing innovative, quality care to patients. This bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, as well as in partnership with the Washington State Medical Association, Washington State Hospital Association, and patient advocacy groups.

Until now, health insurance carriers only recognized pharmacists for dispensing medication. This restriction blocked patients from receiving medical care from pharmacists practicing within their scope of practice.

ESSB 5557 requires health insurance carriers to recognize pharmacists in the same way as other providers. Pharmacists care for patients by managing their chronic diseases in care teams to improve patient outcomes. Working collaboratively with other providers, pharmacists will effectively be able to provide a broad spectrum of patient care services that prevent patient harm, and reduce emergency department visits and hospital readmissions. Additionally, this will benefit communities with shortages of primary care physicians.

The passage of ESSB 5557 simply means that patients will have greater access to high quality care services. Most people only know pharmacists as their trusted prescription partner but now pharmacists will more closely partner with each patient’s medical provider as an exquisitely trained medication specialist.

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Expanding Roles for CPhTs
Pharmacy technicians’ presence in the pharmacy has been growing steadily, a development that is well understood by PTCB's CEO and Executive Director Everett B. McAllister, MPA, RPh.

As the health care landscape shifts and transforms, many pharmacy technicians are seeing significant changes in their roles and responsibilities.   Technicians’ presence in the pharmacy has been growing steadily, a development that is well understood by Colonel (USAF Retired) Everett B. McAllister, MPA, RPh, executive director and CEO of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Despite the changing nature of their work, technicians have consistently been essential members of the pharmacy team,

McAllister told Pharmacy Times in an exclusive interview.   "Pharmacy technicians are very integral to the pharmacy operation. They are team members who support pharmacists in many different roles and in all practice settings,” McAllister said. "In many ways, technicians are the backbone of the pharmacy operation, and they are instrumental to a successful pharmacy.”  

Initially, technicians had a very limited function, only serving as clerks or cashiers. Many states established clear restrictions on the tasks technicians were allowed to perform, and they maintained low pharmacist-to-technician ratios, McAllister explained.  

However, technicians gradually began to take on additional responsibilities, including entering and filling prescriptions, reconstituting medications, and communicating with physician’s offices and insurance companies. McAllister credits this progression to technicians’ constant demonstrations of skill, competence, and professionalism.  

"There is a greater level of acceptance and recognition for technicians among pharmacists,” McAllister told Pharmacy Times. "It has been a gradual acceptance and change, but there is nothing as great as seeing the advancement that has occurred." Full Story Here.

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Colleges of Pharmacy
Congratulations Graduates

It’s now time to start your Texas Two-Step dance . . .
                                          Step 1: Get a Job and Step 2: Join TPA!

Congratulations to graduates! This week, and through May 23, Texas Colleges of Pharmacy will head for commencement. It’s a huge achievement! You have earned both our admiration and our best wishes for a long and successful career. There is excitement and promise in the years ahead as you begin the critical role of healthcare provider—a role in which you will touch thousands of lives each year. We look forward to representing you and all pharmacists in Texas in the years to come. As you build your practice and experience, we stand behind you!

Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy

• Date: May 23, 2015
• Time: 2:00 p.m.
• Location: Steinke Physical Education Center

Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

• Date: May 16, 2015
• Time: 9:30 a.m.
• Location: Granville M. Sawyer Auditorium

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy

• Date: May 22, 2015
• Time: 11:30 a.m.
• Location: Amarillo Civic Center

University of Houston College of Pharmacy

• Date: Friday, May 15, 2015
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Location: UH TDECU Stadium

University of the Incarnate Word Feik School of Pharmacy

• GRADUATED! May 8, 2015
• Time: 6:30 p.m.
• Location: Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center San Antonio, TX

University of North Texas System College of Pharmacy

• First graduating class: 2017

University of Texas College of Pharmacy

• Date: May 23, 2015
• Time: 12p.m.
• Location: Bass Concert Hall Austin, TX

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Association News
In Memoriam
TPA members and staff were saddened to learn that longtime supporter and former TPA President Barry Coleman had died.

Barry passed away peacefully on May 9, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Barbara Coleman, and his five children and their spouses. The funeral will be in Dallas May 16th, at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, 1835 Young Street..

"All of us have lost a very special friend,” said TPA CEO Joe DaSilva. "Barry’s contributions to the profession of pharmacy were many; and his colleagues have been the beneficiaries.”

"Barry welcomed me into the TPA family with a big hug six years ago,” DaSilva continued. "He would contact me 2-3 times a month about one issue or another. And even with his health challenges, he attended nearly every past presidents roundtable since it was re-initiated in 2009. I truly valued Barry’s advice and friendship, and will miss him.”

After graduating from Morgan Park Military Academy, Chicago, Illinois, a part-time job at Walgreens in downtown Chicago led Barry to a Walgreens scholarship that facilitated his college studies at the University of Arkansas College of Pharmacy. After college graduation Barry came to El Paso courtesy of the U.S. Army. He soon came to love El Paso and adopted it as his hometown. He was the night pharmacist at William Beaumont Army Hospital, Fort Bliss, Texas, and also the chief pharmacist at El Paso's Hotel Dieu Hospital. After military service he and Barbara opened the first Coleman Pharmacy in 1960 at the old Medical Arts Building at Yandell and Campbell Streets.

Over the years Barry and Barbara grew the business into a chain of eleven pharmacies: Sun Drugs, Inc. and Coleman Pharmacies, Inc. Care for the pharmacies' patients was of paramount importance to him. A magazine article reported that "Coleman Pharmacies are successful. Since 1960 the company has grown—larger staff, more products, more services. Of all the changes, one thing likely to stay the same is the attitude. 'We think our customers are important people,' says Coleman, a pharmacist whom people trust."

He supported many of his employees who worked at the pharmacies part-time while attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He was proud that fifteen of his employees earned college degrees at UTEP while working at the pharmacies. He also was an avid supporter of UTEP health science programs and UTEP athletics.

Barry served as President of the Texas Pharmacy Association from 1994-95, Chairman of the El Paso City-County Board of Health, President of the El Paso County Historical Society, President of the El Paso Downtown Kiwanis Club, President of the West Texas Pharmacy Association, a Director of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, and President of the El Paso County Pharmacy Association.

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Download TPA Association App
Want to Connect with Pharmacy in Texas? There’s an App for That!
Now you can check on and register for upcoming events, view conference sessions, connect to TPA’s Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube, receive notifications and more, all from TPA’s new mobile app!

And during legislative year, take advantage of the special legislator finder feature to locate your legislators in the Texas House, Senate, or U.S. Congress

Simply use your QR reader to open the Android, Apple, or HTML5 installation link below to get to the free download/install page. Or type in "Texas Pharmacy Association” in your mobile device’s app search field to go to the free download. Remember to say "yes” to receive notifications, so that you won’t miss important reminders and deadlines from your association!

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Member Spotlight: Isaac Gomez, University of North Texas  • UNT Health System College of Pharmacy
Isaac Gomez will be part of UNT’s first College of Pharmacy graduating class in 2017, but right now he’s got a lot on his "to-do” list. Gomez, who will be a P3 next fall, is just wrapping up finals before starting a busy summer.

Before coming to UNT, Gomez earned a BS in Biology (2012) at the University of Texas, El Paso. Then, after talking with a few pharmacists friends, he set up a shadow session with a pharmacist at a Walgreens in El Paso.

"I worked as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens for about a year before entering pharmacy school,” says Gomez. "It was awesome. The pharmacy manager, along with the rest of the staff, was really on top of things. I got a good sense of what it would be like to be a pharmacist.”

Gomez enrolled in UNT Health System College of Pharmacy in the fall of 2013, and has been tackling the challenges that all new pharmacy students face.

"My first year (P1) was a lot of studying—it was a whirlwind. At UNT we have what are called ‘block exams’— three on Friday and two on Monday. That was a challenge. The only thing I could compare it to was finals week as an undergraduate, but the block exams are every week. I felt like I was behind as a P1. I used to try to cram things, but learned that that does not work. My P1 was a year of adjusting and learning new study habits, and learning about pharmacy advocacy involvement. The second semester we started joining organizations like APhA and TPA. It was great to be part of those.”

Gomez’s second year, (P2) has been somewhat easier. UNT changed the exam schedule to two exams every two weeks, allowing for more preparation and recovery.

"This year I helped to kick-start two pharmacy fraternities. Kappa Psi and Phi Delta…so that’s taken some work,” says Gomez.

"Now that we are getting into therapeutics, I’ve found the diabetes block to be very applicable to what we’re going to be using in a practice setting. The course has been taught really well, and we reviewed real-world case scenarios. That’s when you put everything together.”

Looking to the future, Gomez is keeping the door open for retail pharmacy, but is also looking at clinical services.

"I took a class on community care, learning how to bring clinical services into a retail community—really using everything in a pharmacist’s toolbox in a pharmacy. So that area is an option. Another area I’m interested in is transitional care—when patients leave hospital care.

At UNT we have the Seniors Assisting in Geriatric Education (SAGE) program. Student teams are paired in groups of three to four inter-professional healthcare students. The student teams are then matched with a community-dwelling adult, over 60 years of age. Pharmacy students do an audit on the person’s medications to make sure nothing is amiss. Other members of the team would look to me as the medication expert.”

As Gomez wraps up finals, he can see the light at the end of the academic tunnel, but will be very active this summer.

"I plan to work as a pharmacist intern at Walgreens this summer. I also plan to set up some ‘shadowing’ with a specialty pharmacy and a transitional care team, working with other healthcare providers. Additionally, I’ll be doing a hospital rotation this summer in Lewisville,” says Gomez, who also plans to catch up on sleep, and try out a new bicycle he bought as well.

An Advocate is Born
"The Leadership Symposium really sparked a great interest for me,” says Gomez, who joined TPA last year. "The college of pharmacy deans, and Mark Riley’s sessions were really informative. When we were at the Capitol opposing the Physician Dispensing Bill—Senate Bill 588 (Huffman) and its House companion House Bill 1483 (Zerwas), I knew that we really need to get involved to have an effect. Too small a percentage of pharmacists are involved as advocates for the profession.”

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Too Much Fun in the Sun & Other Outdoor Dermatologic Dangers: OTC Recommendations for Sunburn, Heat Rash, Contact Dermatitis, & Insect Bites
This presentation will provide an overview of contact dermatitis, insect bites, sunburn, and heat rash. The common appearance of each dermatologic condition and when to advise further medical assessment will be presented. The presentation focus will be the recommended OTC medications for contact dermatitis, insect bites, sunburn, and heat rash. Click here for Details and Registration.

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Plan Now to Participate in the PharmPAC Golf Tournament!

In conjunction with the Texas Pharmacy Association’s Annual Conference & Expo to be held in The Woodlands, PharmPAC will host its popular annual golf tournament. The event will be held starting at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, July 9, 2015 at Panther Trail at Canongate Texas- 2311 N Millbend Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380

Sponsors are needed for this annual event! Please Visit here to sign up!

More than 50 golfers participated in the 2014 Daryl Spence Golf Classic. With sponsorships, the event raised close to $20,000 for PharmPAC. Help make the 2015 event even more successful! 

This year, we encourage you to bundle your sponsorship with our new Casino Night, set for 6:00 – 10:00 p.m Saturday, July 11 at the Marriott Waterway Hotel & Convention Center. Celebrate in our 1920s Speakeasy featuring jazz music, dancing, poker and more! Attire is ‘20s-style fashion.  

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Table of Contents

Advocacy
Legislative Update

National News
Landmark Legislation Paves Way for Pharmacists to Improve Patient Care

Expanding Roles for CPhTs

Association News

In Memoriam- Barry Coleman

PharmPAC Golf Classic & PAC Casino Night Coming Up

Download TPA Association App

Member Spotlight: Isaac Gomez, UNT Health System College of Pharmacy

TPA Educational Opportunities
TPA offers other education programs on a wide range of topics. For information on all of TPA’s upcoming educational events, visit the TPA Event Calendar & Online CE Calendar

2015 TPA Conference & Expo  The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center • July 10-12

REGISTER NOW!

May CE - Free to TPA Members

Trending News
New Pharmacy Owner Agrees to $5 Million Settlement in Anti-Kickback Case

New Accreditation Process Available for Compounding Pharmacies