Dear Colleagues,

More than 100 ASHP members are preparing to gather at our headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, for this year’s Policy Week, which takes place Sept. 11–14. It’s set to be an engaging week as members delve into crucial topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmacy, the role of the pharmacy workforce in improving mental health, the use of GLP-1 agonists, pharmacy technician education requirements, and more.

This year, Virginia “Ginny” Torrise, the 2023 William A. Zellmer Lecture Award recipient, will join us to share her insights on promoting pharmacist practitioner roles in large healthcare systems. Jeffrey Drazen, a distinguished editor at the New England Journal of Medicine, a senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and the Boston University School of Medicine, will provide a presentation on the use of AI in medicine. Scott Nelson, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, will follow with a presentation on the role of AI in pharmacy.

One of the most anticipated events during Policy Week is our annual Legislative Day, when participants visit Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staff. These visits garner support for ASHP’s top legislative priorities by sharing our members’ own experiences as patient care providers with legislators, including examples of critical services that the 340B Drug Pricing Program provides, the impact of drug shortages on patient care, and how pharmacists can improve patient outcomes and reduce the cost of care. We are also excited to welcome Rep. Gregory Murphy (R-NC), a urologist and the only practicing surgeon in Congress, who will be our guest speaker and kick off our Legislative Day activities. Rep. Murphy serves on the Health Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Policy Week is an exceptional opportunity for ASHP members to come together and advocate for the profession — and a launchpad for our policymaking process. The annual event is instrumental in shaping the foundation of our advocacy work. Policy Week produces recommendations and professional policies that we leverage with influential decision-making bodies such as Congress, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other stakeholders. Watch our video, How an Idea Becomes ASHP Policy, to learn more about ASHP’s policymaking process.

Even if you don’t attend Policy Week, it’s an excellent opportunity to make your voice heard. Your participation can make a difference in shaping the future of our profession. Together, we can amplify ASHP’s advocacy efforts so that every member of Congress recognizes the vital role of pharmacists in patient care. You can support our advocacy efforts by emailing your congressional representatives to highlight your work on the healthcare team. Another way to participate in ASHP’s policymaking process is to serve on a council or committee. The Call for Recommendations for an appointment on a committee for the 2024–2025 term is now open.

As a longstanding advocate for issues that directly impact the pharmacy profession and the patients we serve, ASHP’s commitment to providing you with education and support extends well beyond Policy Week. The 2023 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in Anaheim Dec. 3–7 offers educational content on advocacy issues, with featured programming in opioid associated education. The Midyear meeting also includes a session on engaging with federal and state policymakers, a 340B program update, several sessions on drug shortages, a case study about establishing an advocacy and regulatory team, and more. For members interested in technology and digital health, Marylyn Ritchie, director at the Institute for Biomedical Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania, will speak about AI and direct-to-consumer genetic testing, with Scott Nelson moderating the discussion. You can also participate in programming dedicated to the implementation and use of innovative strategies and solutions. Registration for the Midyear meeting is currently open.

Thank you for being a member of ASHP and for everything you do for your patients and our profession.

Paul

Posted on September 8, 2023