Indiana Pharmacists Association Inc

THE INDIANA PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS ITS MEMBERS BY ADVOCATING AND ADVANCING THE PROFESSION OF PHARMACY IN INDIANA.

THE INDIANA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION HAD A MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT WITH THE ENACTMENT OF PHARMACISTS PRESCRIBING AUTHORITY FOR SELF-ADMINISTERED HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES. THIS REPRESENTS THE FIRST INDEPENDENT PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY FOR PHARMACISTS IN INDIANA, WITHOUT THE USE OF A COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT, FOR A DRUG PRODUCT. ADDITIONALLY, THIS LEGISLATION INCLUDED MANDATORY REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES RELATED TO PRESCRIBING OR DISPENSING THESE PRODUCTS IN MEDICAID. ADDITIONALLY, IPA WAS A CHIEF DRIVER OF LEGISLATION ENACTED TO ESTABLISH A DRUG DONATION REPOSITORY PROGRAM IN INDIANA. IPA ALSO SECURED LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO PERFORM AN AUDIT OF THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT OF INDIANA'S MEDICAID AND STATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH PLANS. FINALLY, IPA SOUGHT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE PERMITTED PHARMACISTS TO "TEST AND TREAT" FOR CERTAIN RESPIRATORY, AND OTHER CONDITIONS, ALONG WITH EXPANDING TECHNICIAN AUTHORITY RELATED TO PRODUCT VERIFICATION; HOWEVER, THIS LEGISLATION WAS NOT HEARD AND WILL BE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR FUTURE SESSIONS

THE INDIANA PHARMACY ASSOCIATION HELD ITS ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE DAY IN JANUARY. THIS WAS THE LARGEST ATTENDED LEGISLATIVE DAY, WITH AROUND 300 PARTICIPANTS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER 40 LEGISLATORS. IPA'S ANNUAL MEETING IN MARCH ALSO SAW YEAR-OVER-YEAR ATTENDANCE INCREASES. IPA'S FALL CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN FRENCH LICK WITH OVER 100 ATTENDEES. IPA ALSO LAUNCHED A QUARTERLY WEBINAR SERIES FEATURING THE MEDICAID OMPP PHARMACY DIRECTOR, BOARD OF PHARMACY DIRECTOR, AND STATE IMMUNIZATION DIRECTOR. THIS SERIES WAS WELL-RECEIVED AND PROVIDED CRITICAL UPDATES FROM STATE AGENCIES. IPA ALSO HELD ITS ANNUAL NAPLEX/MPJE REVIEW FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS. IPA ALSO CONTINUED ITS MONTHLY CPE WEBINAR SERIES. WITH A GRANT FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, IPA ALSO HOSTED A WEBINAR SERIES ON PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND STROKE, ESPECIALLY IN MINORITY PATIENTS, ALONG WITH TWO DIABETES CERTIFICATION TRAININGS. ADDITIONALLY, IPA WAS AWARDED A $750,000 GRANT FROM THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IMPLEMENT PHARMACIST CONTRACEPTION PRESCRIBING SERVICES, FOR THE GRANT PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2024-DECEMBER 31, 2025. IPA WAS ALSO AWARDED A $5,000 GRANT FROM NASPA TO HELP PROMOTE LEGISLATION ENACTING "TEST AND TREAT" AUTHORITY. FINALLY, IPA CONTINUED TO USE THE PROCEEDS FROM A PREVIOUSLY AWARDED $10,000 GRANT FROM PTCB TO PERMIT TECHNICIANS TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, WITH A TECHNICIAN SPECIFIC TRACK, AND SPONSORED ONE TECHNICIAN TO RECEIVE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKER CERTIFICATION TRAINING.

IPA LAUNCHED TWO NEW WORKGROUPS IN 2023. THE FIRST WAS A TECHNICIAN COUNCIL, LAUNCHED TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF IPA'S 800+ TECHNICIAN MEMBERS. THIS WAS LAUNCHED IN THE FALL OF 2023. IN THE SPRING OF 2023 THE HEALTH EQUITY TASKFORCE (LATER HEALTH EQUITY COUNCIL) WAS ESTABLISHED. THE TASKFORCE WAS LAUNCHED WITH THREE AIMS: IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES TO BETTER SERVE POPULATIONS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED AND MARGINALIZED, ALIGN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO MITIGATE HEALTH DISPARITIES WITHIN INDIANA AND DIVERSIFY IPA MEMBERSHIP. IN PURSUIT OF THESE GOALS, IPA'S HELD ITS FIRST VACCINE EQUITY SUMMIT IN DECEMBER TO RAISE AWARENESS OF VACCINE DISPARITIES AND ACCESS CHALLENGES.