Five for Friday September 20: Celebrating Success in Advancing Medication Use Quality
PQA offers a variety of student and professional programs, including experiential rotations, internships and fellowships. Each focuses on providing health care quality experience to diverse individuals from diverse disciplines. PQA is now accepting applications for our student and professional programs for 2025-2026.
As an emerging leader in health care, public health, and pharmacy, now is the right time for you to pursue unique and non-traditional opportunities to expand your knowledge, diversify your experience, and increase your understanding about quality medication use and its impact on patients, providers, and the healthcare system. Visit our student programs page and learn more about the educational opportunities below.
We also highlight our members' perspectives on expanded pharmacy services, social determinants of health and access to care through community pharmacy. If you have news you'd like for us to spotlight in an upcoming Five For Friday, send us an email!
-- Melanie Lam, PharmD, PQA Executive Fellow
Nikki Price, Director of Managed Care at Albertsons, joined the PQS by Innovaccer Quality Corner Show to talk about partnering with PQS to expand new pharmacy services and improve patient care through performance programs. She addressed working with health plans on new programs and services that create patient impact. Price also discussed the patient response to these new programs and services.
Addressing the Health Equity Index
Inovalon, Prime Therapeutics and the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy addressed how Medicare Advantage (MA) and other health plans are giving more attention to medication adherence, social determinants or drivers of health (SDOH), and where they can intervene in health disparities. Medication adherence measures that are part of value-based payment systems are now being incorporated in the new CMS Health Equity Index.
Supporting Health Equity and Access to Care
McKesson's Niki Shah discussed initiatives to support health equity through community pharmacies. This includes training pharmacy technicians as community health workers. McKesson launched a pilot project to open a new independent pharmacy in Avondale, Ohio, to improve access to care in an underserved area. She said this pharmacy is an example of how future sites can provide healthcare services and act as a hub for communities.
PQA's Student and Professional Programs Accepting Applications 
PQA is committed to producing the next generation of leaders in health care quality. All students and early-career professionals gain valuable experience in healthcare quality, measure development and stewardship, research and education in a non-profit association setting.
The deadline to apply for the PQA Executive Fellowship is November 15, 2024. Current executive fellow Melanie Lam will host a virtual information session on October 22 at 8 pm ET.
Applications for the 2025 Summer Executive Internship, MPH Practicum Program and the APPE rotations are due by December 13, 2024.
PQA works with each learner to align their experience with desired career goals and interests. If you have questions about PQA's student and professional programs, email us at [email protected].
Your Next Engagement Opportunities
Network, Learn and Collaborate with PQA
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Join us for the next PQA Quality Forum Webinar on October 10, 1-2 pm ET. Panelists will focus on pharmacists’ work to improve blood pressure (BP) control in the AMA MAP™ Hypertension Quality Improvement Program. This webinar is sponsored by PerformRx. Register here!
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Join us for PQA Convenes: Medication Quality Use in Rare Disease and the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit, November 7-8, 2024, in Arlington, Va. The summit is an invitation-only event for PQA member organization leaders. Email us at [email protected] if you don’t know your organization's Key Contact.
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Save the date to join us at the 2025 PQA Annual Meeting, May 19-21, at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street in Tampa, Fla. Submissions for breakout session proposals are due Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Submissions for poster abstract proposals are due Friday, January 10, 2025. Learn more.