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Welcome to the APA Website!
The Countdown to APA's New Website has Begun!
After months of work, the Arkansas Pharmacists Association will be launching a new website in the coming weeks. The site promises to provide a dynamic visual experience and provide timely and useful information that will help you in the practice of pharmacy. Check back often to see our new look! APA's new weekly e-mail update InteRxActions will announce the launch of the site.
APA 129th Annual APA Convention Concludes
Thank you for joining us at the 129th Annual APA Convention, June 9th – 11th, in Little Rock at the Peabody Hotel. We hope you enjoyed the 20 hours of continuing education, the great exhibits, evening of baseball, the celebration dinner honoring outgoing APA President Mike Smets and incoming President Gary Bass and the AP-PAC luncheon on Saturday.
Congratulations to Our 2011 Award Winners
APA honored its 2011 award winners June 10 and 11 at the Annual Convention. During the Friday, June 10 “Evening with the Presidents,” two awards were presented: The Pharmacist of the Year Award to Don Johnson, Pharm.D., and the Guy Newcomb Award to Senator Johnny Key (R-Mountain Home).
On Saturday morning, June 11, APA presented the following awards: Young Pharmacist of the Year: Cheryl Bryant, Pharm.D.; Bowl of Hygeia Award: Thomas L. Warmack, P.D.; Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award: Eric Crumbaugh, Pharm.D.; Percy Malone Public Service Award: Gene Boeckmann, P.D.; Charles M. West Leadership Award: Daniel Price, Pharm.D. Candidate, UAMS College of Pharmacy Class of 2012.
Prepare for Flooding in Eastern Arkansas
Flooding is predicted along the Mississippi River in Eastern Arkansas. Arkansas pharmacies located in eastern Arkansas should be mindful of the record-setting levels of the Mississippi River. Some experts are predicting that the flooding could rival the great Mississippi flood of 1927. Please note, most standard insurance policies do not cover losses caused by flooding.
Therefore, if you must evacuate your pharmacy because of the likelihood of flooding, you should take appropriate measures to ensure that your valuables, including pharmacy inventory, pharmacy computer system, and backups are appropriately evacuated. If you have to evacuate your pharmacy’s inventory, you should take every effort to store the inventory in a licensed pharmacy that is a safe distance from the flood area. Contact your pharmacy insurance carrier for further information on how to protect your inventory in the event of evacuation.
Pharmacy business owners need to take actions to prepare. Information below from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) outlines key considerations for preparing and reacting to flooding. Some additional considerations are:
• Protect the things that cannot be protected from flooding. These include valuable papers, heirlooms, family photographs, computers and stored information.
• Move items to other locations or higher floors.
• Back up computer data.
• Make sure inventories are current so if there is a loss you know what needs to be replaced.
• Move high value inventory off the floor.
• Should flood alerts peak, there will be a high demand for transportation and alternative storage facilities. Make preparations in advance if at all possible. Prioritize high dollar items. For costly drugs and narcotics, consider safe transport and alternative facilities that provide refrigeration if needed.
• If you are considering storing items in remote warehouses, verify that protection and security are appropriate for items being moved.
• Request that your insurer issue an Inland Marine Floater to protect any inventory or fixtures that are being relocated.
For more information,see Key Facts About Flood Readiness.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Waiving Prescription Costs for Lost Medications
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield is waiving prescription costs for Arkansans whose medications were lost as a result of the devastating weather events from April 19 through April 27, 2011. The waiver applies to members in Arkansas whose pharmacy benefit plan is managed by Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, including members of Arkansas Blue Cross, Health Advantage, BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas, USAble Life Group Health Division and USAble Administrators, the federal Pre-existing Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) health plan, and including Medicare-eligible members covered by Arkansas Blue Cross.
Members who were affected can call Arkansas Blue Cross toll free at 1-800-238-8379, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eligible members who already may have had a prescription filled (since April 19, 2011) should contact Arkansas Blue Cross for assistance with a refund. Copayments and coinsurance for these affected members will be waived through May 15, 2011. Arkansas Counties identified as disaster areas and being served by the American Red Cross include: Craighead, Crittenden, Faulkner, Garland, Hempstead, Howard, Perry, Phillips, Pulaski, Randolph, Sharp and White. Read full story here.
Vilonia Drug & Gun Responds to Residents Following Tornado
After the April 25 tornado through Vilonia, Arkansas, pharmacist Mike Hambuchen and his wife Carol opened up their store on Tuesday, April 26 using a generator and filled prescriptions for patients. Read his story here.
"MatchRX is the web-based marketplace that was developed exclusively for the independent pharmacist. At MatchRX, we provide a simple, secure way for you to better manage inventory on a daily basis. By connecting neighborhood pharmacists across the US, we enable our members to buy and sell overstocked prescription drugs at discounted prices from one another. The result is an easy way to minimize waste and improve your bottom line."
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