ASHP Advises National Health Services Research Panel to Engage Pharmacists
9/17/2008
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) should conduct research on improving medication therapy outcomes through the engagement of pharmacists, ASHP told a member of a council that advises the agency on national health services research agenda priorities.
ASHP staff met recently with William Smith, Pharm.D., MPH, Ph.D., FASHP, the sole pharmacist representative on the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality. Other pharmacy organizations also were in attendance. ASHP nominated Smith, an ASHP member, to serve on the council. He is executive associate dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. ASHP encouraged Smith to advise AHRQ to study safe and effective medication use and offered him the outcomes of a joint ASHP and ASHP Foundation research project that will provide a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of existing studies that examine the value pharmacists bring to patient care. Other topics at the meeting centered on payment policy reform, including ASHP’s continued work urging Congress to grant provider status for pharmacists under Medicare Part B. The Society staff also suggested AHRQ launch drug-related research and appoint pharmacists to panels and boards. Visit ASHP’s Web site for developments in AHRQ research priorities.
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