Meeting News

Session at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Planned in Cooperation with PTCB

PTCB Certification: Expanding the Reach of the Pharmacy Team was presented on March 15, 2010, to an audience including pharmacists and technicians. Speakers included Justin Coyle, Pharm. D., Pharmacy Supervisor of the Washington, DC District for Walgreens, Shane P. Desselle, RPh, PhD, FAPhA, Associate Dean for Tulsa Programs, Professor and Chair Department of Pharmacy: Clinical & Administrative Sciences — Tulsa College of Pharmacy University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and Kevin Pendleton, MM, RPh, Director, Pharmacy Services at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital.

Dr. Coyle's presentation discussed the value of certification within the Walgreens organization. He described the 2009 H1N1 and seasonal influenza immunization campaign. Nationwide, Walgreens administered 5 million doses of vaccine and CPhTs were an integral part of this program. Some statistics (as of December 31, 2009) about CPhTs were shared with the audience:

• 26,455 working as technicians
• 26.980 working for Walgreens in some capacity, including technicians
• Store Managers: 96 percent of all store managers are PTCB certified
• Lowest turnover technician position at Walgreens is PTCB-certified senior technician

Dr. Desselle's program revealed the data from the qualitative study of pharmacist's perceptions of the value of pharmacy technician certification. The data has been submitted to JAPhA and is being reviewed for publication. Further information about this study can be found in this edition of CPhT Connection. The pertinent data discussed are shown below from a random sample of roughly 3,250 pharmacists in six states:

• 83 percent agreed that working with CPhTs allowed them to spend more time on direct patient care.
• 81 percent agreed that certification is associated with a reduction in medication errors.
• 86 percent agreed that working with CPhTs helps to increase efficiency in operations.
• Over 88 percent agreed that the benefits of certification are worth the investment.
• Over 93 percent agreed that the need for certification will increase as the pharmacy profession evolves.

Mr. Pendleton of the PTCB Certification Council provided the PTCB update portion of the program. He provided a very thorough overview of all that is happening at PTCB and with pharmacy technicians across the country. As a hospital pharmacy director, he was able to add a real world application to the update.