PHARMACIST TRANSITIONS OF CARE TASK FORCE, ADVANCING A NEW STANDARD OF CARE IN OUR POST-COVID-19 ERA OF HEALTHCARE

January 19, 2022

by Sara Panella, PharmD, BCPS and Norris Turner, PharmD, PhD

Stepping up in a big way over the last year to bring preventive COVID-19 therapies, in the form of vaccinations, to the masses has been the profession of pharmacy, the pharmacists who administer them, and the pharmacies as the settings of care.  

This COVID-19 era in healthcare has been unprecedented and that has been no different for the profession of pharmacy.  The pharmacy profession has stepped up and played a more highly visible role in advancing public health than maybe it ever has.  As the saying goes, “You never want a crisis to go to waste.” So going forward, as we envision a post-COVID-19 pandemic world, the profession of pharmacy will be better positioned to bring new levels of transformational care to the public – and one of those areas in the purview of NTOCC, can and should be with the role of the pharmacists in transitions of care.  

Accordingly, today and going forward, NTOCC is partnering with leaders in the profession of pharmacy, who also possess deep expertise and experience in transitions of care, in order to advance an initiative focused on the crucial role of pharmacists in transitions of care.

Before we talk about the initiative itself, first, we want to share a little historical context. In December 2020, Dr. Sara Panella, Manager, Transitions of Care at Baptist Health South Florida, reached out to Cheri Lattimer, Executive Director of NTOCC, regarding a challenge she faced in her role in leading a team of transition of care pharmacists, as well as the overarching dilemma of the organizational source of professional advocacy, for the role of pharmacists in transitions of care.  

Sara’s compelling case led the NTOCC board of directors to readily embrace partnering with Sara in order to advance this strategic direction.  Following a brainstorming session on potential pathways to take this topic on, the Board decided to form a 15-member Pharmacy Transitions of Care Advisory Task Force where membership would be composed of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.  In its formation, the NTOCC Board and Sara were unequivocally successful in recruiting 15 knowledgeable, experienced, and highly passionate and committed task force members.

In reinforcing the purpose of the task force, it was implemented in support of the advocacy for the significant role of pharmacists in addressing the gaps and barriers that so often are associated with poor transitions and care coordination.  The Advisory Task Force is an interdisciplinary  partnership between pharmacists, physicians and nursing leaders across the continuum.

The Task Force was co-chaired by Norris Turner, Pharm.D., PhD., a strategic healthcare quality consultant and current NTOCC Board Member, and Sara Panella, Pharm.D., BCPS.

The Task Force goals were to:

  1. Discuss the role & function of the transition of care pharmacist and determine if there is a need for a model job description

  2. Develop a consensus statement in support of the role of the transitions of care pharmacist

  3. Define current issues in aligning financial incentives and accountability in support pharmacists in the transition of care role

  4. Assess the need for an infographic reflecting the role of the pharmacist in transitions 

  5. Evaluate possible educational needs for pharmacists responsible for transition of care programs

After convening five, virtual, lively discussion, 1.5-hour meetings over a period of 5 months, the task force achieved each of its stated objectives.  Most notably, the Task Force arrived at consensus on the Ten Principles of Pharmacists in Transitions of Care.  These principles will be used to help support education, resources, tools, developing public and professional awareness, and establishment of alignment and partnership with like-minded organizations to acknowledge the essential role that pharmacists have – in operating at the top of their license – in transitions of care and care coordination. Click here to review The NTOCC Transitions of Care Pharmacists Ten Principles  .

In continuing advancement on the overarching objectives related to promoting the important role of pharmacists in transitions of care, the NTOCC Board authorized the formation of a Pharmacist Transitions of Care Advisory Committee, which will be Chaired by Dr. Sara Panella. Charlie Page, PharmD, RPh of Geer Village Senior Living will serve as a Co-chairperson.

The future is indeed bright in positioning pharmacists to play a transformational role in vital areas in the era of post-COVID-19 healthcare – and NTOCC, the Pharmacist TOC Task Force and Advisory Committee experts are helping accomplish this in the area of effective management of transitions of care.  We encourage practitioners to send us comments or thoughts on this initiative and the Ten Principles as we work together to support all pharmacists in this role.  Comments can be emailed to Valerie Emmons, VP of Communications at  valemmons@gmail.com

Task Force Members

Sara Panella, PharmD, BCPS, Manager, Transitions of Care; Baptist Health South Florida—Task Force Co-Chair

Norris Turner, PharmD, PhD, President & CEO; Turner Healthcare Quality Consulting, NTOCC Board Member—Task Force Co-Chair

Robert Warnock, PharmD, Recently retired – affiliated with ASCP – 

Klodiana Myftari, PharmD, BCACP, Rush University Medical Center 

Christopher Antypas, PharmD. Asti’s South Hills Pharmacy 

Tina Lipscomb, MSN, RN, CCM, Duke University Hospital, Neurosciences Team

Catherine Mullahy, RN, BS, CRRN, CCM, Mullahy Associates – Consultant and Author

LaNita Knoke, RN, BS, CMCN, CRPF, Home Instead, Inc.

Sonali Iyer, MD, University of California, Irvine

Amina Abubakar, PharmD, Rx  Clinic Pharmacy

Michael Deme, PharmD, RX Clinic Pharmacy – 

Margaret Hudock, DNP, RN, CCM, Quality Consultant 

Brad Phillips, Pharm.D., Director of Operations Long Term Care

Thrifty White Pharmacy,

Joe Litsey, Pharm.D., Thrifty White Pharmacy

Charles Page, PharmD, RPh, Director of Pharmacy Geer Village Senior Living

Paul Boylan, Pharm.D., BCPS, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy University of Oklahoma