APhA And Kroger Expand Partnership To Train Pharmacists In Patient Care

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 14 Dec 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the national society of pharmacists, announced an expansion of its partnership with the Kroger Company, a national retail grocery chain that also operates pharmacies, to provide certificate training to Kroger pharmacists.

Kroger entered into license agreements for APhA's newest certificate program, Delivering Medication Therapy Management Service in the Community and its diabetes management certificate program, Pharmaceutical Care for Patients with Diabetes. Kroger now holds a total of four licenses to APhA certificate training programs, including Pharmacy-Based Lipid Management and Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery.

APhA's certificate training programs are valued tools that help pharmacists obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to implement patient care services that improve patient health outcomes.

"APhA applauds Kroger's commitment to provide their pharmacists with the necessary training to prepare them for an ever expanding patient care role," said Elizabeth Keyes, APhA's Vice President for Professional Resources and Business Development. "We are pleased to have worked with Kroger over the past several years to train thousands of their pharmacists to provide immunizations and lipid management. We look forward to expanding our training partnership with Kroger to medication therapy management and diabetes management."

"We are excited about our relationship with APhA," said Lincoln Lutz, Kroger Vice President of Pharmacy. "This partnership further advances the Kroger Family of Pharmacies' efforts to deliver healthier outcomes for our customers, and helps solidify the pharmacist's role as an important member of the health care team."

Under the license agreements, selected Kroger pharmacists are trained by APhA to be pharmacist-trainers of Kroger pharmacists using APhA provided program materials. APhA maintains program content, accredits the program and provides certificates of completion.

APhA has been offering certificate training programs for more than twelve years and is one of the leading providers of such programs.

About the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 60,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the military.

About the Kroger Company

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the nation's largest retail grocery chains. At the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2006, the Company operated (either directly or through its subsidiaries) 2,483 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banners including Kroger and Kroger Marketplace, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, King Soopers, Smith's and Smith's Marketplace, Fry's and Fry's Marketplace, Dillons, QFC and City Market. Kroger also operated (either directly or through subsidiaries, franchise agreements, or operating agreements) 783 convenience stores, 423 fine jewelry stores, 593 supermarket fuel centers and 42 food processing plants.

http://www.kroger.com

About the APhA Certificate Training Programs

Delivering Medication Therapy Management Services in the Community prepares pharmacists for monitoring and improving medication therapy in patients with complex conditions. The program will enhance pharmacists' clinical expertise in evaluating complicated medication regimens, identifying drug-related problems, and making recommendations to patients, caregivers, and health care professionals.

Pharmaceutical Care for Patients with Diabetes is an innovative and intensive certificate program that focuses on the pharmacist's role in the area of diabetes management. The program, which emphasizes a health care team approach, provides comprehensive instruction in the pathophysiology of diabetes and teaches current approaches to the medical management of diabetic patients through disease self-management.

Pharmacy-Based Lipid Management enhances pharmacists' current knowledge of the pathophysiology and treatment of dyslipidemias using the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults guidelines. The program will enable pharmacists to recommend optimal treatment strategies for patients with lipid disorders in collaboration with other healthcare professions by focusing on practical tools, techniques, and information to assist in establishing successful pharmacist-conducted lipid management services.

Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery is an interactive training program that presents pharmacists with information necessary to become a primary source for vaccine information and administration. The program provides comprehensive immunization education and training and focuses on the skills, resources and materials necessary to establish and promote a successful immunization service.

American Pharmacists Association