ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and American Public Health Association (APHA) are hosting a preconference workshop on pharmacy partnerships with public health agencies to foster better patient health outcomes.

Titled “Building Health Department and Pharmacy Partnerships to Improve Community Health,” the free workshop will be held ahead of the APHA Annual Meeting on Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the Omni Atlanta Hotel at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Registration for the event is available through the APHA website.

Steve Anderson

“NACDS is extremely pleased to be able to collaborate on this workshop. As the face of neighborhood health care, pharmacies and pharmacists offer convenient and accessible patient-centered services every day. This workshop encourages the important coordination between pharmacies and public health partners to significantly improve patient health outcomes, access to care and preparedness efforts,” NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement.

The workshop gives pharmacy stakeholders an opportunity to hear from health department, pharmacy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panelists on a range of topics, including preventive health, chronic disease, hypertension and public health ­preparedness.

“Pharmacy’s long-time commitment to improving the public’s health led to the development of the Pharmacy Special Primary Interest Group (SPIG) within the 25,000-member American Public Health Association. Currently, our 250 members give pharmacy a seat at the public health association table and the opportunity to advance pharmacy-public health partnerships throughout the diverse public health community,” stated Stuart Feldman, ffounding chair of APHA’S Pharmacy SPIG, interim head of health policy and management and professor emeritus of pharmacy and public health at the University of Georgia College of Public Health. “The workshop provides an opportunity for participants to learn about how these collaborations can demonstrate the value pharmacy brings to public health and in turn to the public’s health.”

Among the panelists scheduled for the workshop are Patrick Carrol, chief medical officer and divisional vice president for Walgreens Healthcare Clinics; Rusty Maney, Walgreens area health care supervisor for Virginia; Peter Simmons, vice president of pharmacy operations for CVS Health; and Denise Kunkel, member of pharmacy operations for Associated Food Stores.

“Pharmacies from all across our country, both big and small, play a vital role in supporting the public health mission of promoting health and wellness and preventing disease,” commented said Michael Fraser, executive director of ASTHO. “This workshop is just one way to highlight this and stimulate strategies and practices to realize the full potential of this public-private partnership for the greater good of all communities.”