NCPA Offers Free Respiratory Care Certificate Program - Online Program Helps Pharmacists Expand Niche Services

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma;  COPD
Article Date: 29 Jan 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Pharmacists interested in offering respiratory care services can now benefit from the new NCPA Respiratory Care Certificate Program. Developed by the National Community Pharmacists Association, this free continuing education (CE) program, available for the first time in an online format, provides pharmacists and staff members the hands-on clinical and business knowledge necessary to develop a successful respiratory patient care niche.

Community pharmacists are in an ideal position to identify patients with respiratory diseases or help manage patients who have already been diagnosed with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Some 20.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with asthma. Nine million of those diagnosed are children under 18 years of age.

"The cost to society is not just measured in the $16 billion spent in doctors visits, ER visits, and hospitalizations, but most importantly in the number of lives lost to these treatable diseases," said Stephen Giroux, RPh, NCPA president and owner of five pharmacies in Western New York. "COPD is the fourth leading cause of the death in the U.S. with only half of those diagnosed undergoing treatment. Community pharmacists can help significantly add to the quality of life of these patients."

Pharmacists will learn how to define and describe the prevalence of asthma and COPD, develop trigger avoidance plans for patients and discuss the role and value of the various therapy choices and services available to treat asthma and COPD, including mechanisms of action, dosing, administration, adverse effects, and precautions. The updated program incorporates the recently released Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The free program provides 15 contact hours of ACPE CE credit, and participants receive a Certificate of Achievement for completing the course. For more information or to take this online CE program, visit the NCPA Web site and click on Professional Development.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents the nation's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation's independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains represent an $84 billion marketplace, employ over 300,000 employees and dispense nearly half of the nation's retail prescription medicines.

Founded in 1995 by NCPA, the National Institute for Pharmacist Care Outcomes is dedicated to optimal patient health through pharmacist-directed disease management and wellness programs. The Institute, through its research, educational programs, and leadership in the pharmacist care movement, helps the nation's community pharmacists provide cutting edge patient care.

National Community Pharmacists Association