ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is extending for the second consecutive summer a national tour that trains pharmacists to train their colleagues in administering point-of-care testing in community pharmacies.

NACDS said Friday that the “train-the-trainer” program is designed to expand the knowledge of point-of-care testing exponentially in the pharmacy community.

In coordination with physicians and other providers, point-of-care testing empowers clinicians to use effective and fast technology to aid decision making at the point of care to improve patient health through the treatment of flu, strep throat and other acute and chronic conditions.

The following tour stops were announced, and additional cities may be added:

• University of North Texas Health Science Center, College of Pharmacy, Fort Worth, June 27-28.
• University of Wisconsin, Madison, School of Pharmacy, Madison, Wis., July 11-12.
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy, Nashville, Tenn., July 14-15.
• University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy, San Francisco, July 21-22.
• University of South Florida College of Pharmacy, Tampa, Fla., Aug. 16-17.

“This program is geared to train trainers who are then qualified to provide services like point-of-care testing that improve patients’ access to quality and efficient care,” NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement. “This program is a tribute to what can be accomplished through effective coordination of care. We look forward to building on the highly successful and well-received launch of this national tour, which visited 12 cities in the summer of 2015.”

At each two-day stop on the tour, participants will complete a continuing education (CE) accredited certificate program, and then engage in the primary purpose of the tour – the “train-the-trainer” component that will enable them to teach the program. Those interested in participating should complete the survey to begin the application process. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, participation is limited to 40 individuals per stop.

For those who are committed to the “train-the-trainer” concept and intend to teach the program to other pharmacists, the course is offered at no charge. To ensure that priority is offered to future trainers, NACDS is asking that participants or their affiliated organizations commit to hosting two training sessions in one calendar year following the program or agree to be billed NACDS’ standard fee for accredited education.

NACDS announced the point-of-care testing certificate program in March 2015.

Developed by faculty at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Ferris State University, the NACDS Community Pharmacy-Based Point-of-Care Testing certificate program complements pharmacists’ robust education. The program was designed for community pharmacy, academia and pharmacy-associated staff. It trains participants to administer a variety of point-of-care tests, as well as health and physical assessments.

The accredited certificate program includes 20 hours of Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) credit for those who successfully complete course requirements and assessments, including 12 hours of home study and eight hours of live training about disease states, physical assessments, point-of-care tests, collaborative practice models and business models.

NACDS is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. The tours were made possible with support from Quidel, a manufacturer of diagnostic health care solutions.