Health Awareness Days, Months Serve as Reminders for Pharmacists

Although the number of days and months celebrated, or in some fashion marked, each year around the globe may seem inordinate and sometimes downright silly (May, for instance, is Global Employee Health and Fitness Month as well as Older Americans Month,¹ even if older is a rather vague term), some of the conditions highlighted in May are worth thinking about.

One is mental illness. As trusted health care professionals and members of multidisciplinary teams, pharmacists play a critical role in identifying and supporting individuals with these disorders. According to a 2021 study, what is required for pharmacists to become integral to public health and suicide prevention efforts is “standardized, mandatory mental health and crisis first aid training…[that will] ensure they are able to confidently and appropriately care for” these patients.²

Pharmacy Times Health-System Edition™ covers mental health issues not only for patients but also for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and PharmD candidates. Burnout is among the most serious concerns in our industry today. That’s why we dedicated the cover feature to recruitment and retention strategies. Like other health care organizations, pharmacies continue to face challenges when it comes to building and maintaining high-performing teams amid the current wave of stress and emotional exhaustion. Leaders who understand why employees leave can create working environments that support staff members and show them they are valued. If you want to know more about mental health, check out our resource center online (pharmacytimes.com/clinical/mental-health).

Elsewhere in this issue, we look at hypertension in underserved communities, payer policy changes for biosimilars, 503B compounding, and transitions of care related to heart failure.

Thank you for reading.

References

1. Fiorillo S. Health awareness months 2023. Clinical Advisor. February 8, 2023. Accessed April 13, 2023. https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/news/health-awareness-months

2. El-Den S, Collins JC, Chen TF, O’Reilly CL. Pharmacists’ roles in mental healthcare: past, present and future. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2021;19(3):2545. doi:10.18549/PharmPract.2021.3.2545