Pharmacists on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Patient Care:
A Joint Call to Action
March 20, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
This morning, ASHP, together with national pharmacy and provider organizations, released a joint set of
policy recommendations
critical to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise dramatically and the supply of qualified healthcare providers becomes limited, pharmacists are at the front lines providing essential patient care services during this public health crisis. However, there is much more that pharmacists can do for their patients and ease the burden on the healthcare system if additional authorities are granted and barriers to access for pharmacist patient care services are removed.
The joint recommendations set forth four policy areas that will empower pharmacists to fully and effectively support our nation's COVID-19 response and help ensure patients get the treatment they need. These policy areas address authorization to test, treat, and immunize; workforce and workflow issues; shortages and continuity of care; and reimbursement for services and removal of barriers.
Together, the leading pharmacy organizations are urging the U.S. COVID-19 Task Force and appropriate agencies to adopt these and other recommended measures immediately.
These recommendations build on ASHP's
federal
and
state
white papers, including our recommendations for expanded scope of practice and payment for COVID-19 testing and treatment and family support for pharmacists and pharmacy personnel who need child or eldercare during the public health emergency.
I encourage you to review the full
rep
ort
and to share it broadly within your networks. ASHP and our partner organizations will circulate it to federal and state policymakers, as well as other clinician and public health groups working to protect and support healthcare personnel on the front lines of COVID-19 response.
Thank you for everything you continue to do for your patients and the profession.
Sincerely,
Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., Sc.D., (Hon.), FASHP
ASHP CEO