Pharmacist Provider Status (updated news links)

Photo credit: Army Medicine (Creative Commons)

Today, I gathered a couple of news stories across the country regarding the exciting changes that will be taking place in the next several years.  Pharmacists across the country can support APhA’s provider status efforts through the Pharmacists Provide Care campaign to achieve recognition for pharmacists’ patient care services.

• April 22, 2014 - Wisconsin Provider Status Bill Becomes Law 

  (And is backed by WI's medical society)

  Legislation applies to all pharmacists in the state

  In a big win in efforts toward state-level provider status, Wisconsin Act 294 was signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin on April 16. The legislation provides that “a pharmacist may perform any patient care service delegated to the pharmacist by a physician.”

  There are no limitations or restrictions on what can be delegated, and no credentials are specified for pharmacists to hold in order to serve as a provider of medical services. The details of any arrangement are left to the physicians and pharmacists involved.

  “As a practicing clinical pharmacist and part-time [community] pharmacist, this is an exciting step forward on our march towards gaining formal recognition by our government as health care providers,” said Wisconsin pharmacist Joey Sweeney, PharmD, BCPS, Clinical Pharmacist at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center. “Our patients will now benefit from the unique skills and expertise pharmacists provide in this new care model opportunity. On Wisconsin!”

  Diana Yap, Senior Assistant Editor

• Pharmacy Champions in Congress (KY)