140 likes | 215 Views
Public Health- Seattle & King County Pharmacy Leadership Summit. Thursday, May 20th, 2010 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Public Health Roles for Pharmacists Andy Stergachis, PhD, RPh, School of Public Health, University of Washington.
E N D
Public Health- Seattle & King County Pharmacy Leadership Summit Thursday, May 20th, 2010 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Public Health Roles for Pharmacists Andy Stergachis, PhD, RPh, School of Public Health, University of Washington
Pharmacists are one of the nation’s most accessible and trusted health professionals • ~2,300 public health pharmacists work in public health agencies1 (~ 500,000 public health workers in US) • Opportunities (and Needs): • Pharmacists located in virtually every community • Few LHD employ pharmacists, yet medicines are among the most important interventions for health maintenance and promotion 1Public Health Workforce Enumeration (2000)
Immunization programs • Emergency preparedness and response • Contraceptive services • Prevention & control of diseases & injuries J Am Pharm Assn. 2006;46:311-14
Activities & Services Provided by WA Local Health Departments www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/profile/resources/2008report/statereports.cfm
Activities & ServicesProvided LessFrequently in Washington: Opportunities?compared Nationally www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/profile/resources/2008report/statereports.cfm
What Does Public Health Do? • Prevents epidemics and the spread of disease • Protects against environmental hazards • Prevents injuries • Promotes and encourages healthy behaviors • Responds to disasters and assists communities in recovery • Assures the quality and accessibility of health services
Emergency Preparedness & Response:So What Are the Roles for Pharmacists? • Planning and Policy • Detection and Reporting of Events • Communication • Emergency Response • Personal Preparedness
Medicines of particular interest High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk because they: • can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person; • result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact; • might cause public panic and social disruption; and • require special action for public health preparedness
Your Role? • Your role in an emergency will depend upon: • The type of event • The role of defined in “any” existing plans • Your skills, knowledge, availability • Could include: • Pharmaceutical distribution • Immunizations / Mass prophylaxis • Adverse event reporting • Communications • Through workplace and/or Public Health Reserve Corps • Personal preparedness • Business continuity
Know where to get accurate, reliable information • For emergencies that affect your community, consult (in this order): • Local Health Dept • State Health Dept • CDC/WHO • For other situations, consult highest level public health/medical organization involved • When part of a responder team, follow team guidelines
Useful Web Resources • http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health • www.doh.wa.gov • www.cdc.gov • www.who.int Public Health Reserve Corps: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/preparedness/phreservecorps
Thank You. Questions? Andy Stergachis, PhD, RPh Professor of Epidemiology & Global Health Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy stergach@uw.edu