American Association of Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Times Will Feature Insights from Pharmacy Technicians in 'Our Voice'

Plainsboro, N.J. (PRWEB) December 02, 2015 -- The American Association of Pharmacy Technicians (AAPT) and Pharmacy Times® are collaborating to launch “Our Voice,” a project to gather and publish insights from pharmacy technicians on a broad range of topics. The project will be announced at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting on Monday, Dec. 7.

“The role of the pharmacy technician is expanding to keep pace with the changing role of pharmacists in new health care delivery models, such as accountable care, and this project acknowledges that,” said Brian Haug, president of Pharmacy and Managed Markets at Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. “We are pleased to provide the platform for ‘Our Voice’ to give pharmacy technicians the recognition they deserve and to give others the opportunity to learn about what pharmacy technicians do every day to help improve the overall practice of pharmacy.”

Participation in “Our Voice” will initially be limited to the approximately 80 pharmacy technicians who attend the ASHP presentation; online applications to the program will later be opened to interested technicians not in attendance at the meeting. All participants will be asked to keep a journal about their experiences, tracking how pharmacy technicians are utilized in the workplace, their challenges and their roles in a changing landscape. They will also answer questions and provide insights on a different topic each month, such as career advancement, standardization of education and certification requirements and state-specific standards. A survey component will complement the journaling effort.

"We're excited to step up in providing this unique pharmacy technician journaling initiative, with the goals of increasing awareness and providing a tool that helps pharmacy professionals (technicians and pharmacists) work at the top of their scope," said Judy Neville, B.S., CPhT, president of AAPT.

Beginning in March 2016, a section of each issue of Pharmacy Times will be dedicated to “Our Voice” and include select journal entries, survey information and an article. This marks the first time content for pharmacy technicians has been included in the magazine’s print editions; online content for technicians was launched earlier this year.

Approximately 280,000 pharmacy technicians are certified in the U.S.; they assist pharmacists by filling prescriptions and performing other duties within the pharmacy. Technicians are taking on greater responsibilities as pharmacists assume a more clinical role.

“This joint effort helps both the AAPT and Pharmacy Times achieve their goals. From an AAPT standpoint, ‘Our Voice’ will increase recognition and elevate the status of pharmacy technicians. At the same time, the effort aligns with Pharmacy Times’ mission to improve pharmacy practice,” added Haug.

A comprehensive analysis of “Our Voice” and its findings will be prepared at the conclusion of the six-month journaling period.

About Pharmacy Times®

Pharmacy Times is the leading media resource for pharmacists and the pharmacy industry, providing practical clinical and professional information pharmacists can use in their everyday practices when counseling patients and interacting with other health care providers. Each issue contains articles and features covering medication errors, drug interactions, patient education, industry trends, disease state management, patient counseling, product news and pharmacy law. Pharmacy Times Continuing Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Learn more at http://www.PharmacyTimes.com, write to info(at)pharmacytimes(dot)com, call 609-716-7777 or visit us on Facebook or Twitter. Pharmacy Times is published by Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., a leading provider of health care media resources, research, information and education.

About the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians

The not-for-profit American Association of Pharmacy Technicians (AAPT) was founded in 1979 and became the first pharmacy technician association. AAPT provides leadership and represents the interests of its members to the public, as well as health care organizations; promotes the safe, efficacious and cost effective dispensing, distribution and use of medications; provides continuing education programs and services to help technicians update their skills to keep pace with changes in pharmacy services; and promotes pharmacy technicians as an integral part of the patient care team.

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Media Contacts:

For Pharmacy Times: Becky Taylor, 609-240-6886 or becky(at)btaylorpa(dot)com

For American Association of Pharmacy Technicians: Judy Neville, nevilleaapt(at)gmail(dot)com