NACDS' point-of-care testing tour gets underway
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Community Pharmacy-Based Point-of-Care Testing certificate program kicked off this weekend at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy in Omaha, Neb. This marks the first stop on a national multi-city tour that will continue at colleges and schools of pharmacy during 2015.
Last month, NACDS announced the acquisition and expansion of a certificate program designed to provide training for pharmacists to administer point-of-care testing and other health assessments in pharmacies.
The two-day training program at UNMC filled the training facility at capacity. Day one focused on completion of the certificate program, and on day two participants completed a “train-the-trainer” program to learn how to teach the certificate program to other pharmacists.
“The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy is a great launching point for this exciting program,” stated NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “More and more patients are looking to their pharmacists for new services that help maintain their health and wellness. One of the great things about this NACDS certificate program is that it demonstrates the extensive education and training of pharmacists, and that it will create even greater access to services that can help improve patient health.”
“We’re honored to have the tour start at UNMC in Omaha. It’s hard to believe how far this training has come from its inception to a national-level certificate program driven by NACDS’ leadership. This is a very exciting time for the pharmacy profession,” state Don Klepser, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy.
Point-of-care testing empowers clinicians to use effective, fast technology to aid their decision making at the “point-of-care” to improve patient health. Pharmacy-based point-of-care testing is done as part of care coordination.
Designed for community pharmacy, academia and pharmacy association staff, the Community Pharmacy-Based Point-of-Care Testing certificate program will train participants to administer a variety of point-of-care tests, as well as health and physical assessments. Specifically, the accredited certificate program includes 20 hours of Continuing Pharmacy Education credit, for those who complete course requirements and assessments, including 12 hours of home study and eight hours of live training about disease states, physical assessments, point-of-care tests, collaborative practice models and business models.
The extensive education and training of pharmacists qualifies them to provide a host of services, including point-of-care testing. The NACDS point-of-care testing certificate program, developed by faculty at UNMC and Ferris State University will further complement their robust pharmacy education.
Accoring to NACDS, registration for the national multi-city tour certificate programs is currently open. Space is now limited, so those interested in participating should complete the survey to begin the application process as soon as possible.
With support from Quidel, a manufacturer of diagnostic healthcare solutions that can lead to improved patient outcomes, the registration fee for participants of the two-day training programs during the national tour — including the program at UNMC — will be waived.